Roland van Gaalen
rolandvangaalen.bsky.social
Roland van Gaalen
@rolandvangaalen.bsky.social
430 followers 610 following 1.1K posts
RP van Gaalen (1958). PRIORITIES human rights—liberal democracy—rule of law—climate—environment—animal welfare—LGBTQ—science—EU AGAINST populism & fascism #ReArmEurope #StandWithCanada #StandWithUkraine #StopTheGenocideInGaza LOCATION: NETHERLANDS
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#classicalmusic My dog Trix (whippet, born 2021). Background: part (the holy of holies) of my CD collection.
Reposted by Roland van Gaalen
worth applying to politics as well. when you're criticizing an action people take "taking the better action next time" is only one of the alternatives people will consider, and worth remembering that "not bothering at all" is another.
I think about this a lot.
Bach, »Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme«, BWV 140, Wiener Akademie Kammerchor & Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper cond. by Scherchen, 1950/51
-This is for you if you like dreadful wobbly choral singing by men and women in their eighties―that's how they sound to me at any rate. #classicalmusic
Reposted by Roland van Gaalen
Hör mir grad Bach's Matthäus-Passion (Scherchen-Version! Außergewöhnlich, aber gewöhnungsbedürftig) an. Frag mich, wie man diese Musik der Jugend näher bringen könnte ...

Vielleicht mit so einem LP-Cover?
According to Wikipedia, the 'majestic ending' is controversial. But I think I'm on Schumann's side, not Klemperer's! #classicalmusic
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphon...
Symphony No. 3 (Mendelssohn) - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Wonderful symphony (Mendelssohn's best?), wonderful interpretation, wonderful performance, good sound.
Honorable mention: the brass at the very end.
These box sets ― live radio recordings of the Concertgebouw Orchestra — are full of pleasant surprises. [I have no business interest!] #classicalmusic
Mendelssohn, Symphony No. 3 »Scottish«, Concertgebouworkest conducted by Bruno Maderna, live, 1965
-That finale! #classicalmusic
Mendelssohn, Symphony No. 3 »Scottish«, Concertgebouworkest conducted by Bruno Maderna, live, 1965
-That finale! #classicalmusic
The USA should become a Canadian province
Canadians care about the world and we care about each other. So we’re going to fight climate change and build a stronger, more competitive economy – together.
Reposted by Roland van Gaalen
Canadians care about the world and we care about each other. So we’re going to fight climate change and build a stronger, more competitive economy – together.
Reposted by Roland van Gaalen
This is fucked
Stephen Miller on Fox threatens to arrest JB Pritzker for "seditious conspiracy" and says, "to all ICE officers: you have federal immunity in the conduct of your duties. And anybody who lays a hand on you or tries to stop or obstruct you is committing a felony."
Reposted by Roland van Gaalen
The brutality. The corruption. The lies.

Everything is on full display — and many Americans are beginning to learn an important lesson.

Watch.
Bach in Solaris by Tarkovsky
What's your favorite use of pre-existing classical music in a movie not directed by Stanley Kubrick?

Mine is probably "Hall of the Mountain King" from Fritz Lang's M, the main melody of which is whistled by the killer.

Runner up: Howard Hanson's Symphony No. 2 ("Romantic") at the end of Alien
Reposted by Roland van Gaalen
The andante cantabile of op 47 has got to be among the most stupendous movements in romantic chamber music.
Reposted by Roland van Gaalen
No matter how you feel about Prime Minister Mark Carney, his calm, reasoned demeanour contrasts sharply with the unhinged narcissistic boor who is the President of the United States.
Schumann, Quartet op. 47 & Quartet (1829), Trio Parnassus + Hariolf Schlichtig (viola), 2005
What can I say? I bought this many years ago. I just ordered a few more Schumann CDs by Trio Parnassus!
Here Trio Parnassus=Yamei Yu (violin), Michael Gross (violoncello) & Chia Chou (piano). #classicalmusic
Reposted by Roland van Gaalen
for those who missed it:
bsky.app/profile/atru...
Trump posts AI video showing him literally dumping shit on America
We (citizens of most Western countries including mine) are on our own now
"There are no mainstream Republicans or media elites or corporate leaders riding to our rescue. The only people who are going to save our democracy is us. Regular, everyday Americans" - Senator Chris Murphy (Dem, CT)
There are no mainstream Republicans or media elites or corporate leaders riding to our rescue.

The only people who are going to save our democracy is us. Regular, everyday Americans. Like the record setting 7 million who turned out this weekend.
Reposted by Roland van Gaalen
Carney: Up until now, more than 70 cents of every dollar of military capital spending by our government has gone to the United States.

With our new Defense Investment Agency, we’ll make sure we build more of our security and defense capabilities here at home
The Canadian prime minister is not an imbecile
[comment from Dutch perspective]
I have to say. Carney is a terrific leader. So much better than the crop we have here in the UK.

Canada is a great country and it will do well.
>>> Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is a former central banker (Bank of Canada & Bank of England).
Klaas Knot (former head of the Dutch central bank) might be the intelligent middle-of-the-road prime minister the Netherlands needs. #StandWithCanada #EU #Canada
#MustWatch :
Carney: But this decades-long process of an ever-closer economic relationship with the United States is now over. And as a consequence, many of our former strengths as a country—more particularly, our economic strengths based on close ties to America—have now become our vulnerabilities… #cdnpoli
Reposted by Roland van Gaalen
Yesterday I taught the final class of a course based on my book 'The world of Clovis'. Part of an outreach programme mainly attracting retirees. One of the most interesting questions: "All this time you've said nothing about Clovis' personality. Why?". My instant response was: "How could we know?".