Author Archives: Scott Foglesong

My whorish lust for things computational has cooled over time. Nowadays I’m far more interested in the dandy goodies I can create using computers, rather than exploring the beasts just for their own sake. I consider this to be a … Continue reading →

I stopped identifying as a pianist years ago. I play only the occasional recital, and with ever-increasing reluctance. It's been a quarter century since I willingly attended a piano recital. Solo piano ranks lower than even opera on my list … Continue reading →

It was as much a cultural talisman for Baby Boomers as were tail fins and Ed Sullivan. Once a year like clockwork CBS broadcast The Wizard of Oz, usually introduced by some faded kid-friendly actor, always with a few bits … Continue reading →

Given my penchant for collecting San Francisco Symphony recordings, I have made the acquaintance of quite a few antiquarian record dealers. They're a great bunch of folks, gracious, reliable, and wonderfully dedicated to the preservation of old records. It's a … Continue reading →

On the whole I'm a happy camper in a concert hall. I have never altogether lost the sense of wonder that accompanies hearing a massed symphony orchestra play live; all those people, all that musical expertise, all happening right here … Continue reading →

Teaching is reciprocal. Teacher at one end of the log, student at the other: both are responsible for keeping the log anchored, preventing it from tiddly-winking away. Sometimes we teachers forget that. Everything is geared towards teacher effectiveness—are we getting … Continue reading →

During the San Francisco Symphony's many years with RCA Victor (and its predecessor, Victor) albums came out in a variety of packaging. During the 1940s it was the practice of most record companies to distribute single 78 RPM discs in … Continue reading →

I'd make a lousy agitator. When a polarizing issue pops up my first instinct is to seek détente as I rotate the thing around to see as many facets as possible. I'm not one for carving out a position then … Continue reading →

I tip strongly towards the introvert side of the personality scale, always have. It runs in the family. My sister married into a notably extrovert family, some of which have been obliged to deal with the thick solitary shells around … Continue reading →

Today, Friday March 16, is Dynamic Range Day. You may not have known that. Not very many people do. Dynamic Range Day isn't a "Day" in the sense of President's Day or Labor Day. It isn't a national holiday. No … Continue reading →