Regarding the note on Anne-Sophie Mutter, I suppose there's a long history
of promoting classical music through at least quasi-sensual depictions of
attractive, or at least striking, performers.  But it does seem like the
M.O.  has lately been used more, and more overtly.  A.  magazine, which
covers issues pertaining to Asian America, had a June/July cover on
"Classic Chic: Asian American Divas Fuse Sizzle and Sound," featuring a
cover photo of the Ahn Trio.  By and large, that article celebrated the
blend of musical and aesthetic/charismatic allure--but, of course, such
an approach has its pitfalls.  My interest is somewhat selfish, because
I wonder if there's an essay to be written on all of this, or has it all
been said before?

Similarly, I wonder if there's a piece to be written on the history of rock
stars venturing into classical composition.  Again, the boundaries have
often been fuzzy, and orchestrated backgrounds to pop music are as old as
pop music.  But from Frank Zappa through Elvis Costello's ventures into
writing for string quartet to McCartney and Joe Jackson's new Symphony No.
1, can anyone reliably separate wheat from chaff, is it all chaff, or is it
all just a matter of taste?

If any list members have compelling arguments to make on either of these
topics and might be interested in exploring either of them in an essay,
please let me know.  I try to keep up with the digests, but you can reach
me more reliably at the coordinates below . . .

Alexander C. Kafka
Assistant Editor, Opinion/Arts
The Chronicle of Higher Education