Changing Tunes – New York Times
I loved reading Fr 27-year-old French pianist Alexandre Kantorowa rising star in the classical world who has won major awards, played in the rain at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics and will make her debut at the Los Angeles Philharmonic on Friday. What struck me about Kantorow is his dedication to keeping his life and his work practices the same, even as he seems destined for fame, even as fans throng outside his shows holding signs begging for seats.
“I don’t like change and unnecessary change in life,” Kantorow told the Times. He has had the same manager and teacher since he was 16 and remains with small record companies.
To resist unnecessary changes, what a concept! In a fantasy of fame, one imagines all the ways their life will transform, each upgrade bigger and flashier. I can’t pretend to know what it would feel like to be a star-studded musician, but I imagine the temptation to shed your old ways would be fierce.
Listening to Kantorow’s latest album, a collection of Brahms and Schubert Pieces, I wondered how a commitment to keeping things stable affects the artist’s output. Will the “intriguing tension between Kantorow’s lucid, pearly touch and the romantic wildness of his music-making,” as Classical music critic Zachary Woolfe saidbe altered by the inevitable changes that accompany success? What is essential about the artist, impervious to any external forces?
I recently reviewed Shine a Light, Martin Scorsese’s concert film of the Rolling Stones’ 2006 performance at The Beacon Theater in New York. The intimate way the film was shot makes you feel like you’re on stage, watching the artists up close. You forget that you’re watching one of the most successful rock bands in history, that these people have played these songs a million times, that they’re basically unknown in their fame and fortune and the way the world respects them. Instead, they feel familiar, almost comfortably accessible. The ways in which celebrity and fortune have changed them feel beside the point. The early 21st-century Mick Jagger of “Shine a Light” is basically the same to this fan as the one that sticks out in 1970’s “Gimme Shelter,” the same crowd-romantication during the Stones’ “Hackney Diamonds” tour last year.
The idea that there is something fundamentally stable in the artist, independent of external forces, makes sense. This is what allows them to experiment with style, genre, and persona while still being legible to their audience. Of course, fans have been known to accuse artists who like to abandon their gender (see: Bob Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival), changes beyond recognition. As annoying as this must be for an artist, I wonder if there’s something wonderful about having a fan base that wants you to stay true, so they love what they think is an elemental part of you that they want to help you protect.
We do this with people we actually know all the time, we provide them with a mirror that reflects the person we love. The challenge, in art and in life, is to allow people to morph and experiment while believing that the essence we adore is fundamentally indelible. It’s not going anywhere, no matter how much change you choose or resist.
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Senate Approved by Pete Hegseth lead the Ministry of Defense. Vice President JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie after three Republicans voted against Hegseth: Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Mitch McConnell.
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President Trump, during a visit to hurricane-ravaged areas, said states should take a bigger role in responding to disasters and suggested that they could try to eliminate FEMA.
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Trump also traveled to California, where he and Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged to work together on wildfire recovery. But Trump threatened to withhold aid Unless the state imposes voter ID laws.
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Elon Musk has said his Doge program will reshape the federal workforce. In its first week the scope of the project Limited appeared.
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The Department of the Interior says the Gulf of Mexico is now official “The American Gulf.”
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🎬 “dog man” (Friday): If you have a school teacher, it’s hard to avoid Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man series (it takes six of the top 10 places on the Times graphic books and manga bestseller list). Dog Man – a spinoff of another popular Pilkey series, Captain Underpants – tells the story of a half-time, half-time police officer who fights a mean cat named Petey. After being incredibly adapted, ua a successful musicalDog Man now jumps to the big screen, and the animation matches the art style of the book.
Vegetable dumplings
The Lunar New Year is this Wednesday, ushering in the Year of the Wood Snake with all its cautious intelligence. Dumpling eating is a seasonal way to celebrate, and Sue Li’s is plush vegetable dumplings are a deeply flavorful option that happens to be vegan. Her trick is to bind vegetables with tofu instead of the pork fat that is traditionally used. Homemade dumplings take time to prepare, but they freeze well, meaning you can make them this weekend to cook on Wednesday. And if making a cover from scratch seems like too much of a step, fear not. Store-bought dumpling jumps will also work here.
REAL ESTATE
Health: Ten myths about the intestines, corrected by experts.
Look: In New York, fingerprint conflicts was the street trend of the week.
Travel: Spend 36 hours in Quebec City.
Dry January: At the end of the month with this Fun and light soft drinks.
Tips from the Wirecutter
Stellar instant noodles
Ramen is shedding its reputation as a college survival food. But if the basic package is all you have on hand, you can still make it shine. My advice is to slice the vegetables thinly so they cook quickly with the noodles. Bok Choy and Napa Cabbage are my favorite additions. For protein, I like tofu, a poached egg, or leftover roast chicken. It helps to start with Excellent instant noodles: Wirecutter experts have tasted dozens of varieties, and we have a new line of spicy, zingy and delicious recommendations. And for optimal loathing, they are The best sticks. – Marilyn Ong
Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs, AFC Championship: The Super Bowl will be the most watched game of the season. For NFL fans, however, this is Probably the most anticipated game. Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs to seven straight AFC titles, and he beat the Bills and their quarterback Josh Allen in all three of their playoff appearances. But Mahomes isn’t exactly invincible. Of the 16 games he’s started this season, he’s lost just one — to Allen and the Bills. Tomorrow at 6:30 PM Eastern on CBS