Author: Kati Harrison

Kati is WBJC's Operations Director and weekend host. Her full bio can be read here.
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Music to my Eyes at the Baltimore Museum of Art

Print by Print: Series from Dürer to Lichtenstein is the upcoming exhibition at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Comprised of 350 works from the BMA’s own collection, the exhibition covers 500 years of print making.

In anticipation of the exhibit I reckoned that it would be overwhelming and perhaps too scholarly for a non art major like myself. Print making in my world had always conjured up print advertising until today when members of the press and I were given a sneak preview of this new exhibit. Rena Hoisington, BMA Associate Curator of Prints, Drawings & Photographs guided us through room after room of prints. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, I was moved and heard music as we experienced the series.

Albrecht Dürer, Pablo Picasso, Roy Lichtenstein, Ed Ruscha and Sonia Delaunay are among the many artists represented. The series is divided into topics which include places, imagination, narrative, design, appropriation, and war. Each topic spoke to me and most likely will be speak to everyone who goes to see the exhibition which runs October 30th through March 25th 2012.

 

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Birthday Composer!

Many of us probably know and have tried to whistle “The River Kwai March”, but who is the man indirectly behind the march? British composer Sir Malcolm Arnold wrote the music for the film “The Bridge on the River Kwai” cleverly writing a counter march to the “Colonel Bogey March”. The film won seven Oscars including one for best music in 1958. Aside from some notable film music, Malcolm Arnold wrote a number of concert works such as symphonies and concertos. Guitarist Julian Bream, cellist Julian Lloyd Webber and legendary big band leader and clarinetist Benny Goodman were all beneficiaries of Arnold’s output.

Birthday composer, Sir Malcolm Arnold was born on this day in 1921 in Northampton, England. Before turning to composition full time, Arnold played trumpet professionally inspired by having seen Louis Armstrong in concert.

The English, Scottish, Cornish, Welch and Irish Dances are among my favorite pieces by Arnold. Some are soft and quite beautiful while others are hard driving and almost thorny. Each dance is unique and a real pleasure to experience. I’m in the mood for some of these dances! Since it is Sir Malcolm Arnold’s birthday anniversary after all, what a great opportunity to spread the joy!