Klarinet Archive - Posting 000136.txt from 2009/01

From: "Benjamin Maas" <benmaas@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] A Huge Loss to the Music World
Date: Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:11:34 -0500

For those that haven't seen the obits in the major newspapers such as the LA
Times and the NY Times. Betty Freeman, the supporter of modern music and
modern art died this weekend at 87.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/arts/07freeman.html?_r=1&ref=arts
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2009/01/betty-freeman-r.html
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-freeman7-2009jan07,0,271464.sto
ry

I spent some time with her on a gig a couple years back recording an
interview of her regarding the David Hockney painting of her "Beverly Hills
Housewife." I walked into her house to be surrounded by masterpieces of
modern art from Hockney to Warhol and Lichtenstein. I heard this extremely
dissonant music coming from the kitchen area. When I walked in, I found a
"little old lady" (the perfect stereotype) sitting there reading while
listening to Boulez on her radio. She was sitting by that famous Hockney
painting (which hangs in her kitchen/dining area). I found her to be a kind
lady who was full of great stories.

Since then, I have seen her as a regular attendee of music concerts around
Los Angeles ranging from the Ojai Festival to Piano Spheres to the Jacaranda
series.

--Ben

Benjamin Maas
Fifth Circle Audio
Long Beach, CA
http://www.fifthcircle.com

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