Craig M. Zeichner
I borrowed the blog’s title from Jonathan Swift’s cutting essay, but most of what you read here won’t be satirical. It will chiefly be about music. I’ve worked in music for most of my life. I still do. I’m also a freelance writer specializing in classical music. I write concert program notes, CD liner notes, marketing pieces, and magazine articles. This is where I write just to please myself: reviews of recordings and concerts, thoughts about music trends, etc. I’ll also toss in the occasional restaurant review, cocktail recipes, musings about hockey–my other passion–and whatever. No politics, no celebrities, no memes. I promise you’ll never read something like, “the finale of Mahler’s Second Symphony be like …” Why would anyone write “be like?” But I digress …
Some Modest Proposals 
August 7, 2009 at 1:01 PM
Meh!
January 25, 2010 at 1:23 AM
Hello Craig,
I just came across your blog while doing a google image search for Lepanto. I am trying to find the painter of one of my favorite works on it, though unfortunately it was the one which you weren’t sure of.
After seeing some of the other entries, I was wondering if you could help point me in the right direction for music. I have been tryig to find non-liturgical Italian music for the 16th and early 17th century. I know of Orlando de Lassus and Vecchi, but don’t know who else I should be looking for. I am also looking for some spanish composers of the mid-17th century.
My main studies are in historical swordplay, and I want to develop a better sense of the music rhythms that were contemporary to the texts that I study. I am also looking at Luis de Esquival’s dance manual from 1642, and hoping to find appropriate musicians for his time.
Thank you for your time and any assistance you can give.
Also, if you have a strong interest in Lepanto, I very highly recommend “Empires of the Sea” by Roger Crowley. It is a very history of the Mediteranean campaigns from the Siege of Rhodes to Lepanto. Half Price Books just had it on display at $8 for hardcover, so there should be plenty of them available at your local store.
Cheers,
Ernesto Maldonado
January 25, 2010 at 1:38 PM
Hello Ernesto,
Nice to meet you and happy to help with your music search. Some recordings of Italian music that I am very fond:
Frottole, Music of the 16th Century by Cara, Azzailolo, Stringari and others performed by Accordone (Cypres CYP 1643)
Capritio, 17th Century Italian Instrumental Music performed by Tragicomedia (Harmonia Mundi HMU 907294)
Venezia Stravagantissima, Canzone and Madrigals 155-1630 performed by Capriccio Stravagante (Alpha 049)
La notte d’amore, Music for the Wedding of Cosimo II Medici performed by Il Complesso Barocco (Stradivarius STR 33636)
and some interesting Spanish music:
Musica en Tiempos de Velazquez performed by Ensemble La Romanesca (Glossa GCD 920201)
Entremeses Del Siglo De Oro performed by Hesperion XX (Alia Vox AVSA 9831)
I’ll look for “Empires of the Sea,” looks like something I would enjoy very much.
All the best,
Craig
September 1, 2013 at 11:25 AM
Hello Craig,
I came across your blog while doing a research for an article. For my university degree I have to write an article about Sting singing Dowland. I found an article in Early Music America from 2006, i think, written by you? My problem now is, that I can`t find this article anywhere. So, did you have it? It would be really great to get this article for my research! I would be really happy. If you have it, would you mind sending me the article? This would be excellent! Thanks a million!
All the best,
Katharina