The Spectacular Vortex

“Music, said Grisey (who died in 1998 at 52) is made with sounds, not notes. You might say that Ms. de Keersmaeker’s movement in Vortex is made with movement, not steps. … Nothing in this music is arbitrary, and you can only marvel at the prowess and rigor of the musicians, playing through this thicket of…

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The sound of Fairies

The celesta, an instrument invented in 1896, gets its name for its “celestial,” tinkling sound. It provides the distinctive music that accompanies the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. NPR’s Bob Edwards discusses the instrument with Morning Edition music commentator Miles Hoffman, and Lambert Orkis of the National Symphony plays some celesta…

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