[Dixielandjazz] Netflix, Benny Goodman and Anne-Sophie Mutter

[JimDBB@aol.com]

I recently signed up for Netflix which is a mail order DVD rental outfit.  I 
recently purchased a VCR that has a DVD player with it and saw ads for 
Netflix and thought that I would try it out. I find that DVDs are somewhat 
handier than tapes but the blather that they are better picture and sound 
than tapes is pure bull. Netfliz is a good deal in that for $20 bucks a month 
you can get 3 DVDs at a time and its all done by a very convenient mail order 
system.  You use the internet to select what you want to rent and you do this 
by lining up a rental queue.  They send out 3 intitially and then as you 
return them they sent out others that you have selected.  The DVD comes in a 
slick envelope that you turn around to reuse to send it back...prepaid.  Very 
clever and convenient...no more having to go to the video rental store and 
then having to return them. And you can drop out of this plan at anytime.

What got my attention was not the moves but they have a lot of good music and 
documentary stuff, predominently classical.  I recently rented a Benny 
Goodman DVD that is marvelous. It was apparently done for Public TV and 
features some great Goodman quartet stuff aong with good interviews with 
different persons.  There are terrifc shots of Jess Stacy and Teddy Wilson, 
both showing how fast and clearly they can play 10ths in the left hand.  Some 
great Gene Krupa stuff and another drummer, whom I did not recognize.  They 
actually have some film of the Carnegie Hall concert.  Wouldn't it be 
something it the entire concert was filmed?  Imagine having that on tape or 
DVD? Benny is outstanding on everything he plays on this film.  I always like 
him but my appreciation of his genius grows as I hear him now.

I also just got a stunning performance of Beethoven's monumental violin 
concerto with the brilliant young violinist, Anne-Sophie Mutter, and Maestro, 
Herbert Von Karajan.  This is a powerful performance and Ms. Mutter displays 
the fastest and clearest fingering I have ever seen and heard on a violinist. 
 When you combine these two geniuses and Beethoven's music you have some 
unforgettable music.

Von Karajan is annoying in that he edited his videos himself and you seldom 
see anyone in the orchestra but lots of shots of trumpet bells and tympanie 
sticks.  However, most of the focus is on him and Mutter and Karajan is well 
on in years here which adds even more depth to his very deep knowledge of 
music.  Anne-Sophie is quite easy to look at which doesn't hurt.

Just a few thought and things I thought that I would pass on.

JIm Beebe