Gheorghe Mogosan 8.XII.1957 - 13.XI.2009

Vazandu-i sicriul si auzindu-i glasul de pe inregistrare, stiind ca acea voce puternica si expresiva nu se va mai auzi niciodata am avut cea mai cutremuratoare experienta din viata mea. Tata, sper doar ca plecarea ta nu a fost o intamplare. Am sa iti cinstesc memoria si voi face tot ce-mi sta in putiinta sa realizez ce ti-ai dorit tu pentru mine.... Imi aduc aminte la inmormantarea unchiului meu cum tatal meu dusese la capela incapatoare si sonora o combina muzicala. pe atunci nu stiam eu diferenta intre Verdi si Mozart, stiam doar numele lor din auzite, de la cei mari, tin minte ca muzica de Requiem rasuna, ca preludiu pentru slujba religioasa, si ca si hrana pentru sufletele celor indurerati, inclusiv al sau. Si azi imi aduc aminte ca eram, chiar si la acea varsta frageda profund impresionat cum are puterea sufleteasca pentru a face asta, fara sa intrebe pe nimeni, a facut ce a simtit, cand trupul neinsufletit al fratelui sau mai mare zacea in fata sa. Sper doar ca am putut sa-l onorez cu aceasi demnitate, si ca i-a placut Requiemul German de Brahms, precum ii placea cand il ascultam acum 8 luni pe masina mergand catre Bucuresti, unde avea sa primeasca un diagnostic neconcludent. Incercam sa-mi indepartez gandurile ca intr-o zi i-as pune acea muzica precum si coralul final din Matthaus Passion de J.S.Bach la inmormantarea sa. Vineri am pierdut un prieten, un tata, un erou.

Mogosan Gheorghe. 8.XII.1957 - 13.XI.2009

Vazandu-i sicriul si auzindu-i glasul de pe inregistrare, stiind ca acea voce puternica si expresiva nu se va mai auzi niciodata am avut cea mai cutremuratoare experienta din viata mea. Tata, sper doar ca plecarea ta nu a fost o intamplare. Am sa iti cinstesc memoria si voi face tot ce-mi sta in putiinta sa realizez ce ti-ai dorit tu pentru mine.... Imi aduc aminte la inmormantarea unchiului meu cum tatal meu dusese la capela incapatoare si sonora o combina muzicala. pe atunci nu stiam eu diferenta intre Verdi si Mozart, stiam doar numele lor din auzite, de la cei mari, tin minte ca muzica de Requiem rasuna, ca preludiu pentru slujba religioasa, si ca si hrana pentru sufletele celor indurerati, inclusiv al sau. Si azi imi aduc aminte ca eram, chiar si la acea varsta frageda profund impresionat cum are puterea sufleteasca pentru a face asta, fara sa intrebe pe nimeni, a facut ce a simtit, cand trupul neinsufletit al fratelui sau mai mare zacea in fata sa. Sper doar ca am putut sa-l onorez cu aceasi demnitate, si ca i-a placut Requiemul German de Brahms, precum ii placea cand il ascultam acum 8 luni pe masina mergand catre Bucuresti, unde avea sa primeasca un diagnostic neconcludent. Incercam sa-mi indepartez gandurile ca intr-o zi i-as pune acea muzica precum si coralul final din Matthaus Passion de J.S.Bach la inmormantarea sa. Vineri am pierdut un prieten, un tata, un erou.

Mobile Blogging

Testing, testing, 1,2,3.

...seems to work just fine.

F.M.

Musical Moment

Romanian composer Nicolae Kirculescu and one of his "Musical Moments" for piano and orchestra, which was used as the credits music for one of the oldest and long-lasting shows in romanian television (Teleenciclopedia)

Nicolae Kirculescu - Moment Muzical [Teleenciclopedia]
Asculta mai multe audio Muzica

Saturday Morning Symphonic

This is a weekly column. I will choose a symphonic piece every Saturday as i see fit.

For this week, i chose Beethoven's Eroica Symphony.

The Symphony No. 3 in E flat major (Op. 55) by Ludwig van Beethoven (known as the Eroica which is Italian for "heroic") is a musical work sometimes cited as marking the end of the Classical Era and the beginning of musical Romanticism.

Beethoven had originally conceived of dedicating the symphony to Napoleon Bonaparte. The biographer Maynard Solomon relates that Beethoven admired the ideals of the French Revolution, and Napoleon as their embodiment. In the autumn the composer began to have second thoughts about that dedication. It would have deprived him of a fee that he would receive if he instead dedicated the symphony to Prince Franz Joseph Maximillian Lobkowitz. Nevertheless, he still considered giving the work the title of Bonaparte.

When Napoleon was proclaimed Emperor of the French in May 1804, Beethoven became disgusted and went to the table where the completed score lay. He took hold of the title-page and scratched the name Bonaparte out so violently with a knife that he created a hole in the paper.^[1] He later changed the title to Sinfonia eroica, composta per festeggiare il sovvenire d'un grand'uomo ("heroic symphony, composed to celebrate the memory of a great man"). His assistant Ferdinand Ries tells the story in his biography of Beethoven:

“

In writing this symphony Beethoven had been thinking of Buonaparte, but Buonaparte while he was First Consul. At that time Beethoven had the highest esteem for him and compared him to the greatest consuls of ancient Rome. Not only I, but many of Beethoven's closer friends, saw this symphony on his table, beautifully copied in manuscript, with the word "Buonaparte" inscribed at the very top of the title-page and "Ludwig van Beethoven" at the very bottom. …I was the first to tell him the news that Buonaparte had declared himself Emperor, whereupon he broke into a rage and exclaimed, "So he is no more than a common mortal! Now, too, he will tread under foot all the rights of man, indulge only his ambition; now he will think himself superior to all men, become a tyrant!" Beethoven went to the table, seized the top of the title-page, tore it in half and threw it on the floor. The page had to be re-copied and it was only now that the symphony received the title "Sinfonia eroica."[2]

”

However, the road to titling of the work Eroica had further turns. After completing the work, Beethoven wrote to his publisher in the summer of 1804 that "The title of the symphony is reallyBonaparte." The final title was not applied to the work until the parts were published in October, 1806. In fact, Schindler tells us that upon hearing of the French Emperor's death in Saint Helena in 1821, Beethoven proclaimed "I wrote the music for this sad event seventeen years ago" - referring to the Funeral March (second movement).

Beethoven wrote most of the symphony in late 1803 and completed it in early 1804. The symphony was premiered privately in summer 1804 in his patron Prince Lobkowitz's castle Eisenberg (Jezeri) in Bohemia. The first public performance was given in Vienna's Theater an der Wien on April 7, 1805 with the composer conducting.

Beethoven is regarded as one of the pioneers of the Romantic era.

This is a very interesting example of harmonic breakthrough (or lunacy, for that respective time) [5:35 in first video]

Bar 1: f#-7 6

3: C 6/4

5 F7+ (or a6m with a strong emphasis on 6 -the f- from the horns and trumpets).

9 B9

11 B

Guinness Classical 1000: the top 1000 recordings of all time

quote:

"The Romantic symphony's rightful father, Promethean in its scope, revolutionary in its structure and

with an implied moreal subtext: Beethoven's first impulse was to name Napoleon Bonaparte as dedicatee,

but when Napoleon named himself Emperor - Beethoven destroyed the dedication.

The Eroica's ground-plan incorporates a mighty first movement (that plays for anything up to 20 minutes),

a noble Funeral March, an effervescent Scherzo and a colorful theme with variations.

Beethoven's Third Symphony exceeds the lenght of his Second by roughly half as much again.

Recommended: Cleveland Orchestra / George Szell / Sony Classical Analogue

With nearly 100 CD versions to choose from, the Eroica will not be pinned down (or indeed comprehensively

represented by) a single interpretation. Szell's performance is stronger, more precise, better played and

better balanced than most, but i'd be irresponsible not to mention Toscanini (especially his shattering 1939 RCA recording, mono),

Furtwängler (a mighty reading, but only as recorded live, preferably the 1952 version on Tahra)

or Klemperer (stoical and strong, especially in his 1955 EMI recording). All three are in mono. There are others, too (Nikolaus Harnoncourt [Teldec]

and Sir Colin Davis [Philips] offer the best digital versions),

but you won't go far wrong with our four basic recommendations."

"Mood" Quartett

Cristian

Vlad

Adriana

Anca

Mood Quartett

Summer of fun p1

Valuable links

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Read some illuminating essays about products, photographic locations, techinques, etc:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/

Movits! - Wrong side of the garden

Very original and funky piece from the sweedish swing/hip-hop group Movits!

You can't not like them, the beats are too cool, and if you thought i'd leave you with a cool sound and confused about what could it all mean, you were wrong.

Here are the lyrics (courtesy of lyricwiki):

Coming from the wrong part of the yard, from the other side of the track
I grew up with gypsies
playing accordion
wanting to tell my future
while my dad emptied a bottle of explorer [cheap vodka]
taught myself to play guitar and those chords
djangos quintett playing from the grammophone
with second hand suits in the closets
and brass bands live every night in the garden

it started out good but then the problems came
stepped in the shit early, and the tax bill
i mean the responsibilities
rights
governments
the justice system
the likelihood is small, the unemployment office admits
maybe one should change name or
sell the mobile home or
knock out the gold tooth
but some time the prejudice must be caught up with

You can call me an outsider
because i didn’t do what the others did when they did what people did back in the days
excuse if I interrupt
no, im not the neighbour above
but the old lady calls the cops every time and says that i make the noise

Coming from the right side of town
Thats the problem
I grew up in the nicest neighbourhoods
My daddy's a designer and more
My other dad is already late
Me, I was just a kid and adopted
So school was very hard and complicated
Because my classmates thought it was wrong that
And the teacher would soon retire
Not their fault that
Things turned out the way they did
according to recommendations from the holy scripture

johans dad “watch out, he’s the anti christ!”
according to miss teacher who tried to explain it sure
maybe we should have shot’er
or carried her out of th’re
now she’s dead and lies in the urn
but in some way the words still live on
Peace out

I barely have any time to listen to your criticism
not Lykke Li
but pretty happy [Lycklig]
so lady please give me a chance and listen to my music
but no
Not “when in rome”

If the spoon is silver I”ll take it when I come
They've said so many times
So thanks but no thanks, I”ll find the exit
But everything is just a dream

I’m swedish, so I skip the queue
I’m a man, too and I have a higher wage
As long as I'm not sitting unemployed

I like the opposite sex
So kid I’m hardly what you call a fag
But kid I might be what you call slow
cause I don’t understand what you’re saying even if I hear you

Dance Wedding

Just in case you haven't seen this yet...

Being the season of weddings, the following video is getting alot of attention on youtube:

Today i've discovered this shocking (wink) sequel:

Nikon vs. Canon

Introduction

Yes, i am debating this clichee, but not in the purpose of granting the prize of "winner" or "better at something" to one or the other, but to analyze the actual differences between the two and most of all the non-specification differences which really makes a camera particular.

A brief history:

Canon Nikon

founded

1937 ; 1917

first 35mm camera

1936 ; 1946

first SLR camera

(Canon Flex) 1959 ; 1959 (Nikon F)

Professional grade cameras

(Canon F-1) 1971 ; 1971 (Nikon F1)

Full-auto (incl. focus)

(EOS 650) 1987 ; 1983 (F3AF)

Turning digital

(eos d30) 2000 ; 1999 (d1)

Other historical facts:

Nikon worked with NASA providing cameras (even a digital one in association with Kodak) suited to take photos from space.

Canon made a radical change in mount in 1986 when they introduced EF mount for a new line of products. This would benefit AF function, faster aperture control, less energy usage because of the smaller motors that are placed directly in the lens, unlike other AF systems which had all the electronics in the camera body.

Nikon developed medical equipment based around precision optics.

Canon patented and introduced Eye-controlled AF (a techology used for a couple of years in a few models which was dropped. This was an unnecessary function that more often slowed the photographic process. It was never introduced in a flagship model).

Copying technology

Just like cars, photographic equipment corporations follow each other's moves and products very closely thus producing a very similar range of cameras and accessories, though some original innovations like IS (image stabilizer), processors, mounts and other techological advancements are patented and copyrighted, but are shortly after imitated by the others with a different approach which won't, in most cases, have the success or appeal of the icebreaker.
For example Canon introduced the 75-300 IS in 1995 which proved to be very useful in handheld situations, though not very suitable for sports and professional photography.
The first professional grade IS lens from Canon was the EF 300/4 introduced in 1997 which could detect panning movement (essential for sports photography).
By the year 1999 most of Canon's super-telephoto lenses had Image Stabilization (including the 400/4 and.
Nikon has introduced the 300/2.8 VR in 2005, time when canon already had monopoly over the sports photography products, and continues to do until today.

General impressions I take from their history
While Canon was always more consumer oriented, making itself more accessible to the users, Nikon followed a strict tradition, making cameras for photographers and was never too concerned about launching the new "christmas gift camera for under ***$.
Canon made alot of daring experiments in technology and marketed itself as a way opener.
Canon took the digital era very seriously, developing the 1Ds - the professional full-frame digital camera from early development of the digital market (spring of 2003), while i feel that Nikon was still counting on film users when it did not launch any full-frame digital camera until late 2007. Not to mention that Canon's sports and journalism camera, the 1D (2001) had a crop factor of 1.3 instead of 1.5 like Nikon's D1.
Nikon developed many DX (1.5x crop factor) lenses; Canon made the EF-S mount, specific for the crop cameras, the EF-S lenses do not fit on full-frames or the 1D.

Why people choose one or the other?

There are numerous aspects which users might choose from when picking a brand, but most of the time the choice is made because of a previous experience, or in worst cases because "that guy has one". Buying yourself a certain type of camera because one particular photographer takes very nice photos with it is ridiculous.
In my case, i went with Canon because i bought my first camera (eos 350D/XT) when there were very few dSLR's in my market and even fewer second hand. Nikon was totally out of the question being rare and lenses and accessories being very scarse, and the more noob-friendly (at that time) Canon was at hand and the internet was filled with used lenses, new ones, adapters, accessories for it and the choice was quite easy for me. I don't regret it, because i've owned about 9 EF lenses and tried many more (28-70/3.5, 70-300/4.5, 28-135is, 50/1.8, tok.19-35, 24-70/2.8L, 70-200/2.8L, 85/1.8, 24/2.8) (tried 400/2.8 IS, 70-200/2.8is, 70-200/4is, 15fish, 16-35II, 17-40, 24-105, 50/1.0, sigma 8mm, and many manual lenses adapted).
I imagine people choose Canon because it seems more user-friendly, but i honestly like the color spectrum better in difficult light situations. In daylight and clouds, give me a Nikon d80 and i'll be happy, but anything interior with or without flash, i'll need a Canon to do the job, or a professional grade Nikon (d3, d2,d700).
But my next camera might be a Nikon because i've had reliability issues with my EOS 5D (who makes a camera out of plastic for 2700$? honestly... [i did actually buy it right before the 5DII came out and payed 1900$ new from amazon, but retail price is the previous one]) I dropped mine from a meter and it has a nasty crack, and it's a b***h sending it to the service specially since i don't have warranty anymore. Lenses also feel more flimsy than the Nikkor equivalents, though i can't really complain about the 70-200, the 24-70 had an awful design, and i absolutely hated it for it's sheer size and ugly look without a hood (which is also huge). That's why i now own a 24/2.8 and a 85/1.8 (great bang for the buck lens, nice shallow DoF, great for portraits, useful for full body shots). I might even do something as insane as buying the Sony A-900 if prices drop and they extend their lens variety soon.

What I look for in a camera

Firstly and most importantly: i can't imagine going back to crop sensor after having worked exclusively for more than a year with a 35mm sensor; a second and very important factor is how well the processor and the sensor translates images into digital colours. As i've said earlier, entry-level Nikon will be awful in an interior and especially where you meet 2 different types of light (e.g.: tungsten and fluorescent), i find most Canon cameras handle this problem better, and yes, the D300 is almost as bad, even in cloudy evening light - some long exposures have been impressive, but that is not a dealbreaker.
I still haven't tried the d700, but while taking a few sample shots with the D3 I was quite satisfied (though still ranting about the 5DII and it's very natural reproduction of colors - it might have been the lighting too, can't tell for sure until i have one for an extended period of time).


Breaking it down:


Nikon
+better construction (bodies and lenses more resistant to weather and accidents)
+more buttons and easier to control layout (especially in the more advanced models like d300 d700 d3 d3x)
+incorporated wireless flash system for models above and including d80.
+good sharp zoom lenses
+pop-up flash for enthusiast full-frame camera (d700) [this is more useful than you think if your only camera is a slr. having virtually no fast and quality primes you will be sure to need this]
+old mount which assures that you can use old lenses, but since those have primitive coating, I would stick to more current models.
+high fps, af and fast response time in more advanced models (d200,d300,d700,d3,d3x)
+easier to shoot in lowlight because of the focus assist light
-annyoing focus assist light
-few megapixels in most cameras (and YES, they do matter if you have the right lenses)
-interior white balance difficulties with entry-level models.
-NO fast (under f/2.8 and/or sharp) wide primes (with few ridiculously expensive exceptions).


Canon
+more wide-spread and popular, lenses and deals are easier to find (over 50 mil lenses up to 2008, that will ensure a good s.h. market)
+wider selection of lenses
+mount very easy to use with many adapters thus making it possible to use a very large variety of manual focus lenses.
+good color reproduction indoors and when in many difficult shooting situations
+very fast primes (85/1.2, 35/1.4, 24/1.4, 50/1.2, 50/1.0 - if you have the money)
+high resolution sensors is a priority (this matters only if you have very good lenses).
-bad product control with lenses older than 2007 - unsharp wide-open
-old lenses on manual focus don't work on new bodies because of the 1987 mount change, original adapters are rare and cost as much as a professional lens.

Opinions blog launched

I've created this blog from the feeling that many reviews of photographic equipment are very vague and often present just the specifications and opinions made freely with little information and based on very few sources.
My hope is to form a community around debating equipment, choices for buying equipment and hopefully even critique.
Why a blog?
Because i feel it is very tangible and easily accessible to anyone, most of all to readers who are interested in complex information.
Because a blog can have more than one editor, within time i hope avid readers will get involved and participate not only with comments but also write articles.
All opinions, comments, observations and additions are welcomed and encouraged.

The best from the slideshow

Click on image for larger view.

dog

mio & friend

alexandra

rafael

luiza

alexandra

mia

flora

raul

mio & anda

deedee

alexandra

georgiana

alexandra

guest at a wedding

alina

octavia

Grim playground & a potrait of a wire grass

Click for larger view to really see the pictures.

Google Voice

Google Voice
It's gonna be HUGE.
Basically: all people can have one general number that can be theirs forever and ever and ever (cause that's how long Google is going to last) and they can customize where they get their calls. I'll redirect my friends to my cell and people who i loathe to google voicemail which is so cool cause it's online, and everyone knows everything is better online.

Very nice move for Google, if they pull this off, they're going to be twice as huge!

Dinner chat

Something i found. I guess it's stand-up comedy, but with rhythm. I like it.


If any of you can relate to "storm" from this poem, i want to dedicate this next song to you:

The slideshow in HD

This youtube version is much better.
Details like strands of hair or textures can now be observed.
Sound is also alot better. It's certainly worth the wait to load in HD.

A new Slideshow

I've just created a slideshow using some portraits i dug up from my photo archive, most of the people in them are acquaintances or friends. I spent most of the time editing the photos and then just as much thinking what would be the best order. I guess somehow the picture fits the verse if you are imaginative.
The songs from Miike Snow inspired me to do this. I love this band. I can't say if they are the next a-Ha, but i will say this is the best band to come out of the viking's land since Röyksopp.

Songs are: Black and Blue and Song for no one.

Enjoy!

Just resign please...

If i ever get this illiterate please just hit me on the back of the head.

Flickr

my stuff on flickr:

Hermanstadt, Ahrensburg, Hamburg march 2009

Sibiu-Ahrensburg-Hamburg.

22-31march 2009

The (not so) Blue Danube

Red/Green Shore

Fisherman's Cape

The Sun Sometimes Shines Better on Serbia

Fishing boat

Fishing Docks

Fishing Docks II

Fishing Port at Shimian

Photographs taken in Şimian, near Drobeta-Turnu Severin

Bucureşti

Atheneul Român


Blue


Şcoala de Arhitectură


Proteste scrise împotriva presupusei crize


Lipscani I


Lipscani II


Lipscani III


The street photographer in her natural emviorement: Lipscani


Grafitti


Dâmboviţa


Aici sunt banii dumneavoastră!


Casa Poporului - Nice...


C.Pop.


Atheneul - interior


Concert la Atheneu


Atheneul seara