Writing and sound: A new play and book woo the listener

I was roaring with laughter watching a snippet from Seminar a new show on Broadway, because so many writers fuss over phrasing, lilt, rhythm, and musical nuance. I happened to single out this particular theatrical offering because the Director, Sam Gold, is married to my cousin, Amy Herzog, a playwright who boasts a growing stash…

Treading on hallowed ground: the challenge of maintaining fine pianos after a personal tragedy

I kept this controversial blog topic in my back pocket for safe keeping until a close friend fired off an e-mail with a link to a recent movie review of Pianomania: From IMDB: "Pianomania follows Stefan Knüpfer, a piano tuner from Steinway and his famous clients Lang Lang, Brendel, Buchbinder and Pierre-Laurent Aimard as they…