R3OK

Very sad news: Montserrat Figueras (Mrs Jordall)has died  at the early age of 69.
RIP
http://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/montserrat-figueras-has-died

Willem Breuker has died, aged 65, of lung cancer caused by asbestos.
Though he was in many respects an impossible person, I really admired his ways (as composer, performer, arranger, organiser, administrator, governor or political agitator) and music.

Part of the circle around Louis Andriessen, a.o. playing in the latter's band De Volharding, including at the premiere of Andriessen's piece of that name in 1972, he founded in 1974 the Willem Breuker Collectief, with which he performed until very recently, modern jazz, world music, Weill, Eisler, Gerhswin and preferably many pieces by himself. His New Year's Eve concerts "Klap op de Vuurpijl" became an institution/tradition
Played with Han Bannink and Misha Mengelberg as member of the Instant Composers Pool ICP.

He will be sadly missed.

Do I see correctly that Selva has left us from these boards?

As part of the Holland Festival this summer the weekend of 13/14 June Edgar Varese's complete (survived) oeuvre will be performed.
The output is devided over two nights.
An illustrated performance of Poeme electronique is included.

http://www.culturekiosque.com/klassik/seen/varese_hollandfestival362.html

Trouveres and Troubadours.
who hasn't heard of them?

But what is now the defining difference between them (if there is such a thing)?

Is it only a geographical difference, the Trouveres in the North of France and higher, to the east evolving to Minnesaenger, and the Troubadours in the south of France, evolving to the east to Trovatore?

Or is there a class difference, a social difference as well.
Guilleaume IX of Aquitaine is said to be a Troubadour, though as Duke of Aquitaine he was (if I'm correct) the father of Eleanor of Aquitaine and therefore the grand father of King John Lackland and King Richard, not  what you calle a low social classed person.
Some Trouveres around Paris however were hardly more than court jesters.

Any thoughts?

As is well documented, e.g. by the 5000 odd    pages of sketches which were found after his death, Beethoven made sometimes many versions of a work or a passage of a work.

Many of these are just try outs, only meant for himself, not for the public eye.
But there are exceptions.
One such exception is the violin concerto, of which there exist at least four different versions of the solo part by Beethoven (and one by Franz Clement, the first person to play the concerto):
a)the original part as originally composed by Beethoven
b)the part as amended by Franz Clement
c)the part as amended by Beethoven following many, but not all of these suggestions by Clement in b) , and adding new amendments
d)the part as published by Beethoven, different from c).
e)the part arranged for piano by Beethoven, again different from the published violin part d)

does anyone know of recordings/performances of especially the versions mentioned as a) and b)?
should these versions be played?

are there other works by Beethoven of which in your opinion other versions should be played (alternative ending of symphony 8 1st mvt e.g.)?