BACKVirtuoso mourns beloved £150,000 piano smashed by movers
A unique piano which was treasured by the Canadian virtuoso Angela Hewitt as her “best friend” was broken beyond repair when it was dropped by specialist instrument movers.The expensive accident happened late last month after Hewitt finished recording Beethoven’s piano variations at a studio in Berlin. She said it left her in such shock that it took her 10 days before she could announce the news to her followers. In a Facebook post Hewitt said her F278 Fazioli, the only one in the world fitted with four pedals, and worth at least £150,000, was “kaputt”. She said: “I hope my piano will be happy in piano heaven.”The broken instrument was inspected by the firm’s Italian founder, Paolo Fazioli, who declared it “unsalvageable”. The piano’s iron frame smashed when the 590kg instrument dropped as movers tried to lift it on to a trolley. The force of the break, compounded by the high tensions in the piano’s strings, was so strong that it split the piano’s lid in two.
Verheerender Brand in Schallplatten-Produktionswerk
Das Produktionswerk der amerikanischen Firma Apollo Masters im kalifornischen Banningv wurde in der vergangenen Woche durch einen Brand in Mitleidenschaft gezogen. Das Unternehmen ist einer von nur zwei Herstellern von lacküberzogenen Rohlingen, die für die Produktion von Vinyl-Schallplatten benötigt werden. Der Brand in Fertigung und Lager hat offenbar verheerende Folgen für die Plattenindustrie. Da Apollo Masters einen Großteil des Weltmarktes abdecke, käme es nun zu einer “riesengroße[n] Lücke” bei Schneidestudios und Presswerken, so Carsten Haupt vom Plattenlabel Celebrate Records. Lediglich ein Teil der Schallplattenhersteller arbeite mit Kupferrohlingen. Eine Sprecherin des Herstellers Optimal Media bestätigte Apollo Masters‘ große Rolle in der Industrie: Rund 75 bis 80 Prozent der Lackfolien kämen aus Banning, der Rest vom zweiten Anbieter MDC aus Japan. In Zukunft ist daher mit Preissteigerungen und Lieferengpässen zu rechnen. Dabei ist das Medium Schallplatte in den vergangenen Jahren immer beliebter geworden: 2018 lagen die Einnahmen aus dem Verkauf von Vinyl-Tonträgern in den USA bei 419 Millionen US-Dollar (383 Millionen Euro), der höchste Wert seit dem Jahr 1988.
Devastating fire in record production plant
The production plant of the American company Apollo Masters in Banningv, California was hit by a fire last week. The company is one of only two manufacturers of lacquer-coated blanks required for the production of vinyl records. The fire in manufacturing and warehouses has obviously devastating consequences for the record industry. Since Apollo Masters covers a large part of the world market, there is now a “huge gap” in cutting studios and press shops, said Carsten Haupt from the record label Celebrate Records. Only a part of the record manufacturers work with copper blanks. A spokeswoman for the manufacturer Optimal Media confirmed Apollo Masters’ major role in the industry: Around 75 to 80 percent of the paint films come from Banning, the rest from the second provider MDC from Japan. In the future, price increases and supply bottlenecks can therefore be expected. The medium of vinyl has become increasingly popular in recent years: In 2018, revenue from the sale of vinyl records in the United States was $ 419 million, the highest value since 1988.
Anna Netrebko lauréate d’un prix musical
La soprano russe Anna Netrebko et la compositrice américaine Diane Warren sont les deux lauréates du Prix Polar Music 2020.
« Dès que je suis sur scène, quelque chose se passe comme si une voix me disait quoi faire ». Le prix a été décerné mardi 11 février à l’une des plus grandes sopranos du monde, la russe Anna Netrebko, qui s’est fendue de cette déclaration dans le communiqué de l’organisation. La chanteuse, immense soprano demandée dans le monde entier est une personnalité forte, qui n’hésite pas à cultiver son image publique et à exprimer des opinions controversées. Le prix suédois, Prix Polar Music, créé en 1989 grâce au financement de l’ancien manager du groupe ABBA et fondateur du label Polar, distingue chaque année deux artistes, groupes ou institutions ayant œuvré positivement pour la musique.
Anna Netrebko wins music award
Russian soprano Anna Netrebko and American composer Diane Warren are the two winners of the Polar Music 2020 Prize.
“As soon as I’m on stage, something happens as if a voice is telling me what to do”. The prize was awarded on Tuesday 11 February to one of the world’s greatest sopranos, Russian Anna Netrebko, who made this statement in the organisation’s press release. The singer, a huge soprano in demand all over the world, is a strong personality who does not hesitate to cultivate her public image and express controversial opinions. The Swedish prize, Polar Music Prize, created in 1989 thanks to the funding of the former manager of the group ABBA and founder of the Polar label, distinguishes each year two artists, groups or institutions that have worked positively for music.