Feb 29 2008
The other American power
NY Phil scored huge in N Korea. Maestro’s suggestion that one day some composer might write An American in Pyongyang as he conducted Gershwin’s An American in Paris. (Was this his spontaneity or preconceived?) In any event, music knows no boundary, and America still has it, if not the hard power - the dominance - militarily, at least the soft one. I sometimes just cant understand this Bush administration. He seemed fine in the beginning, till the Mission Accomplished moment - guess he’s gone fishing afterward?? Why on early wouldn’t he welcome the kid bro? Isn’t this an opportunity to make a gesture, give the kid a chance .. wait and see if he brings a change to Cuba? It wasn’t right for Bush to write him off even before he starts. Hard hitting doesn’t produce results in most cases.