Ferenc Fricsay was born in Budapest, where he studied music under Bela Bartok, Zoltan Kodaly and Ernst von Dohnanyi.

He was musical director of the German RIAN Symphony Orchestra, and excellent recordings of the work of Bartok are available on CD.

He also worked for Deutsche Grammphon, recording the works of Beethoven. He conducted the first stereo recording of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.

Fricsay had health problems throughout his life, and succumbed to cancer at the age of 49.

His recordings of Bartok are nothing if not masterful, and his interpretations of Beethoven are an excellent counterpoint to those of others.

This is the cover of (unfortunately) the final edition of The Worldly Philosophers by Robert L. Heilbroner. This book introduces economic ideas through the lives of great economists.

The eccentricities (and bad French) of Adam Smith. The carbuncles and chaotic lifestyle of Karl Marx. The wanderlust and lasting impact of Henry George. The infidelity and genius of Thorstein Veblen. The heresies and fortune of John Maynard Keynes.

This book does not replace a “real” course (or book) on economics, but it is a wonderful introduction; it also provides insights into why some of these economic theories developed.

 

Valery Gergiev is a “specialist” in the music of Sergei Prokofiev, and that may be an understatement.

His recordings of the Prokofiev piano concertos, with Alexander Toradze, are spectacular, and their version of the much recorded Third  Concerto stands out as one of the best.

Similarly, his recordings of the Prokofiev symphonies are equally spectacular, and, once again, his version of the much recorded Fifth Symphony stands out as one of the best.

Gergiev has also recorded many (but not all) of the 15 Shostakovich symphonies. His recordings of the so-called “War Symphonies” (4-9) are more than worth listening to, and once again (sorry to keep saying this) his version of the much recorded Fifth Symphony stands out as one of the best.

Gergiev has not forgotten his roots in the Caucasus. He gave benefit concerts for victims of the tragedies in both Beslan and Tskhinvali.