The Top 40

"I said to myself, it is as if the eternal harmony were conversing within itself, as it may have done in the bosom of God just before the creation of the world. So likewise did it move in my inmost soul, and it seemed as if I neither possessed nor needed ears, nor any other sense - least of all, the eyes."

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, on first hearing the music of J.S. Bach in 1818

And on a somewhat more temporal level, may I say that the loveliest, and indeed sexiest, aspect of a woman is observable when she is lost in the contemplation of her art, wholly committed to the experience and contemplation of beauty and of eternity.

That's a woman you're watching, and listening to - a creature of an entirely different order than the likes of Madonna and her latter-day acolytes, all of whom give the impression of being able to transmit venereal disease over the telephone.

Yes, you may say, De Witt. My thoughts exactly.

As long as we celebrate such beauties and their equally beautiful music, civilization has a chance.

Just beautiful.

So when this lady is wholly committed during her art she is at her most sexy and lovely! And what does that mean exactly? She is vulnerable! To what you ask? To being taken and that is sexy, at least that is what my shrink has said when discussing this very issue. I know, civilization is wasted on me.

My, my, my.

I dunno. The greatest female violinist who ever lived was a fright to witness for the first time and even caused laughter before she began to play, which by no means transformed her physically except to make things worse. But being in the presence of true greatness is to find yourself halfway to God, I discovered. That happened to me once and I don't forget it. God only knows what Bach had going on in his head at all times.

Rob De Witt talks purdy.

Hilary Hahn makes that violin sound like creation.

De Witt, well spoke.

We're only human, and that's what stunts our growth.

Beautiful indeed, both visually and musically. But the question remains: Can she play bluegrass?

White beauty, white culture, white civilization.

Going, going...

No question she's a very accomplished, confident and attractive young woman. Well stated, Rob De Witt.

I wonder what Goethe would have thought of her version of Der Erlkoenig by Schubert. Ms. Hahn captures the spirit and driving cadence of Goethe's poem beautifully.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWNCbpwC-PQ

When listening it is hard to believe there is only one violin playing.

You think Hilary is hot? Check out this classical babe: http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2014/02/classical-pianist-shows-off-her-glories-on-national-tv.html

Try this: http://youtu.be/ASB6hFUat4g. A bit more demure perhaps than the Georgian girl, but still very easy on the eyes in a cool sort of Nordic manner. On the ears, too, and it doesn't hurt that the Haydn Trumpet Concerto is one of my favorites.