Author: Molly Steinblatt

Punk rock is a genre of music that I never knew much about, and our visit to the MoMA definitely gave me some information. The exhibit successfully showed the roots of the movement, where it was most concentrated, and the key figures who participated in punk rock. Our class activity at the end helped bring all these aspects together and really helped me understand the origins and history of punk rock.

Although informative, the exhibit was not one I would have any desire to see again. It was small, a little bland, and just not at all what one would expect a punk exhibit to look like. For a movement whose focal point is anti-establishment, the exhibit appeared way too organized, not nearly loud enough, and empty. I do, however, understand that the movement has not developed into much of a “history” yet, and as time goes on, there will be more pieces added to the exhibit, and it will improve.  I did enjoy being able to listen to the music of the genre, and some of the pieces really were very interesting and evocative of punk, but overall, I think that the exhibit in its present state does not represent the punk rock movement well enough.

Herb and Dorothy Review

I entered the Macaulay Screening Room on October 20th somewhat skeptical about watching a documentary following the lives of two curators. However, I walked out of the room inspired. The portrayal of the sheer talent and determination of Herb and Dorothy was enough to cause anyone in the audience to feel as thought they could achieve anything if they just tried hard enough. The fact that the film had such a strong effect is due to the main characters themselves, Herb and Dorothy, and to the director of the film, Megumi Sesaki.

Herb and Dorothy Vogel are two people who started out with nothing but drive and appreciation for art. They learned about art as they went along, and through their kindness and sincerity, they were able to make connections throughout the whole art world and obtain a huge number of expensive pieces without spending much money. The friendships they made were strong, and helped bring them to fame, as well as some of their clients. They could have gained an enormous profit, but because they love what they did so much, they donated all of their work to galleries, so that other people could appreciate art as much as they did without having to pay. Their message truly came across, and meeting them in person really cemented the idea that if you do what you love, and are determined enough, you can accomplish anything.

Sesaki herself is an inspiration, as she began directing this film with very little money or knowledge of art. She worked hard to learn everything she needed to know, held many fundraisers, and made sure to connect herself to all the right people to get this movie made. All along the way, Sesaki’s love for the movie, and for art in general, grew. One can see the amount of effort necessary to create this documentary, through both having to obtain old footage and photographs and getting in touch with some of the Vogel’s old friends, and actually recreating scenes settings that were not available otherwise.

I am so pleased that I had a chance to attend this Meet the Artist event because not only did I learn a lot about modern art and curating, I also came away with a new appreciation for curators and for directors, and with a new outlook on life.

The Juilliard Jazz Orchestra’s performance on October 7^th was my first experience with live jazz. My first thought was how surprised I was at how many people came to hear such a young group of musicians play. After hearing both sets, I understood how talented the performers were, and their young age made it even more impressive.

Jazz has never been my favorite kind of music, as I have always preferred a set melody that I could follow.  However, the syncopation and somewhat random tunes have begun to grow on me. My favorite pieces that the orchestra played were the upbeat tunes of “Freckle Face”, “Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!”, and “Tickle Toe.” Each of these had surprising tempo changes and very quick beats that forced me to pay closer attention and made me want to get up and dance. Although the song “To You” had a much slower beat, it was still one of my favorites. I felt I could understand the emotion in each drawn out note of the saxophones and trombones, and almost felt like the “you” the song was directed at.

I found the tenor saxophonists and the trumpeters the most impressive. They each performed with a lot of visible passion and gusto and seemed extremely experienced. I also really enjoyed the performers in the rhythm section. Although they did not have too many solos and they mostly just blended in with the music, their consistency and concentration made them stand out. Their beats provided the backbone for each piece, and without them, the sentiment and fluidity of the music would be lost.

The aspect of watching jazz live that is the most memorable to me is being able to watch how quickly and skillfully each of the performers’ fingers moved. I can’t imagine being able to focus enough to move my fingers with such speed while having to blow in accordance with the rhythm and make sure not to miss my cue. I was also extremely impressed when I heard that the students had learned and perfected one of the pieces in less than 24 hours.

Even though I still don’t love jazz, this concert made me like it a lot more than I had. The skill and precision that I witnessed and heard made me appreciate the complexity of the music and I look forward to learning more about it.

I was pleasantly surprised after viewing The Marriage of Figaro at the Metropolitan Opera. Never having sat through a three and a half hour long Italian opera before, I was expecting a tedious and confusing show. However, I found that I did not need to speak Italian to appreciate the beauty and understand the strong emotions in the plot.

The music’s dramatic changes from cheerful, light melodies to suspenseful, dark refrains clearly depicted the ever-changing emotions of the characters. The audience felt Susanna’s frustration and Figaro’s anger solely from their tone and pitch. Each character’s voice, whether booming like the Count’s or airy like Cherubino’s, was strong and beautiful and translated their feelings well. I was also impressed by the conductor’s energy and devotion to the orchestra. All of his intense directions and passion were visible and emphasized how important the music was.

Another aspect of the opera that made a strong impression on me was the scenery and lighting. As the story moved from day to night, the lighting changed slowly and made the transition realistic. The only thing that could distract me from the captivating singers was the amount of detail in the set. Everything on stage was perfected to fit the scene. The upholstery and fabrics used, as well as the elaborate moldings, sculptures, and paintings, conveyed the Count’s wealth. When the stage completely rotated during a scene-change, I was in awe. The singers managed to stay perfectly still and maintain their high-pitched notes while the stage was in motion.

The plot was rich in humor, satire, mischief, love, and betrayal. The overall joviality and ridiculousness of the story successfully mocked the differences between upper and lower classes. The actors got the audience to laugh numerous times throughout and feel happy when everything finally worked out at the end. I was extremely impressed with the acting, singing, setting, and orchestra, and I look forward to seeing more operas in the future.