Condi Rice's playlist

Thanks to Chris Borgen, Opinio Juris, via Wonkette and the special Bono edited edition of the Independent, here is Condi Rice's favorite playlist. You have to understand - as a very, very poor but passionate amateur cellist, I have a special interest in Ms. Rice's music. I avidly read all the reviews of her performance of Brahms with Yo Yo Ma a couple of years ago - put the photo from the Washington Post of the two of them up on my office door (where it was rudely defaced and ripped up by some student, I'm afraid, presumably thinking he/she was making some brave political statement). I read twice the article in the New York Times of Condi Rice and her chamber playing in DC - have to say, though, her companions may not technically be professionals, but they, like Ms. Rice, may as well be - by all accounts, they are quite extraordinary musicians.

Like Chris, I was struck by the amount of pop on her list. But then, although I listen mostly to classical music, if I were stuck on a desert island, I would definitely take along a fair amount of pop. I was actually more intrigued to see that the list did not include anything older than Mozart - and no Bach!

(From an amateur playing standpoint - bad amateur playing - we low level players tend to prefer generic baroque, because it's much, much easier than the late Romantics. Brahms? From a playing, rather than listening, standpoint, forget it - I couldn't manage to make even the Brahms' Lullaby-and-Goodnight sound decent even if I practiced it for the rest of my life. Mindful of my limitations, I stick as a cello player to Baroque oompah bass parts. Brahms is clearly Ms. Rice's metier - but still, no Bach?)

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Condi's Playlist

by Chris Borgen
Opinio Juris

The Independent has a special edition today edited by Bono. It includes Condi Rice’s list of ten favorite pieces of music. See the full list with explanations and comments here.

I’ll note that there was more pop than I expected, but I’m still waiting for the first Secretary of State who will put the Clash’s London Calling at Number 1. Or the Sex Pistols anywhere on the list. I wonder what Warren Christopher’s list looks like…

Condi's List

1. MozartPiano Concerto in D minor
2. Cream'Sunshine of Your Love'
3. Aretha Franklin'Respect'
4. Kool and the Gang 'Celebration'
5. BrahmsPiano Concerto No 2
6. BrahmsPiano Quintet in F minor
7. U2Anything.
8. Elton John'Rocket Man'
9. BeethovenSymphony No 7
10. MussorgskyBoris Godunov

Hat tip: Wonkette