More online music news

Bassist Jerry Fuller is a linchpin in the Chicago music world, organizing and taking part in many early-music performances. He's not limited to early music, though, as he proved when bass god and composer Stefano Scodanibbio arrived for a performance, without a bass. Fuller made the loan. Through Ars Antigua, his ensemble, he's now running a monthly series of webcasts called Ars Antigua Presents. The first features Christoph Graupner's Overture and Chaconne, GW 472, billed as the work's modern premiere. The presentations are narrated by Peter van de Graaff (scroll down), the supremely mellow WFMT broadcaster and bass. A premiere performance of a work from Bach's era in a webcast must be some sort of record. Oh, and there's an interview with soprano Danielle de Niese over there, as well.

The redesigned ChicagoClassicalMusic.org, whose earnestness about the power of the Internet and iPods never ceases to amaze, now offers free downloads from the catalog of Cedille Records, a movement from a Chicago Sinfonietta concert, and the Chicago Symphony playing Mahler. Registration is required, but that involves nothing more than a screenname and an email. Those who prize their anonymity can be well near anonymous over there, scrawling "Down with Bernard Haitink!" and "Long Live Solti!" and "Bring Back Callas!" and "eighth blackbird and non-capitalization rulz!" to their hearts' content.

Lastly, Peter Sellars guest-DJ'd on WFMT a couple days ago, and his opinions, taste, and career spawned a tasty little thread on the station's message board.