A Certain Point of View: Writing, Film and Stuff

Photo Credits: © Kristian Schuller (Anne-Sophie Mutter). © Kristin Pulito (John Williams). Album Cover Art © 2019 Deutsche Grammophon On August 30, 2019, Deutsche Grammophon (a Germany-based subsidiary of the U.S. conglomerate Universal Music Group) released Across the Stars: Anne-Sophie Mutter - John Williams , a 12-track album which presents some of Academy Award and Grammy-winning composer/conductor John Williams' breathtaking movie themes. Rearranged for solo violin and orchestra by Maestro Williams, this collection of film themes is performed by the world-renowned German violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter and the Recording Arts Orchestra of Los Angeles, under the baton of Maestro Williams himself. As I wrote in my review of the August 2019 CD: "Across the Stars: Anne-Sophie Mutter - John Williams is a wonderful showcase for two masterful musicians. Once again, the legendary composer and conductor weaves his magic as an orchestrator by taking compositions that were ...

Cover art for Across the Stars: Deluxe Edition .  © 2019 Deutsche Grammophon. Hi, there, Constant Reader. It's early afternoon this Friday 13, 2020 here in my corner of Florida. Here, as elsewhere throughout the world, we are beginning to feel anxiety over COVD-19, aka the novel coronavirus that is on everyone's minds. I'm a bit on edge myself; last week we were at Disney Hollywood Studios to visit Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge , and although I didn't see anyone sneezing or coughing, one never knows where the COVD-19 virus might be lurking. So, even though I don't feel sick, in the back of my mind I'm like Oh, my God. I was in a place where there were huge crowds from all over. What if just one of those visitors had COVD-19 but was still asymptomatic?  Anyway, I don't feel sick at the moment, but I do fret when I get a headache or even feel a slight urge to sneeze. It's driving me crazy. So much so that even though I've been awake since 8 or so...

Well, Labor Day 2019 is upon us, and as much of America prepares for this last day of a long holiday weekend, I'm keeping an eye on Hurricane Dorian. Not that I think that the monster-sized Category 4 storm is going to come ashore anywhere near me and wreak havoc in my neighborhood; the atmospheric conditions, the steering currents, and the Coriolis effect are all working so that Dorian will skirt along Florida's east coast and either go north to the Carolinas or veer northeast and go out to sea while the outer bands nick the East Coast. Me...I'm hoping for the latter; I've been through several hurricanes already and I would not wish them on anyone. Right now, the chances that Dorian will barrel westward into Palm Beach, Martin, and St. Lucie Counties and then batter its way to the Gulf Coast are next to nil. According to my Weather app, Dorian's eye is almost due east of West Palm Beach, but it's moving so slowly (1 mph) that almost anyone could outwalk...