Trumpet
Posted by admin on March 9th, 2010 filed in Haydn, Hummel, LONG PLAYING SELECTIONS, Long Play Trumpet, Torelli, TrumpetComment now »
In the post “Trumpet Synaesthesia” I made a half joking attempt to sum up the sound of the trumpet. In this post I’ll admit to being stumped … as to how one could describe the Trumpet’s Beauty in words. (* only an idiot tries to describe music with words!) Anyway here’s the beauty of the trumpet by a few Masters. (the player is darn good too! – Rolf Smedvig)
Haydn: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: I.
Haydn: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: II.
Haydn: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: III. Finale
Hummel: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: I.
Hummel: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: II.
Hummel: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: III. Rondo
Torelli: Trumpet Concerto in D major: I. Allegro
Torelli: Trumpet Concerto in D major: II. Adagio
Torelli: Trumpet Concerto in D major: III. Allegro
More Composers
Posted by admin on February 28th, 2010 filed in Anton Reicha, Cesar Franck, Giuseppe Sammartini, Henry Purcell, Luigi Boccherini, More Composers, Muzio ClementiComment now »
In an attempt to broaden the site, I’ve gone searching for those ‘well known’ composers who until now haven’t been on the site. It was a quick and superficial effort to find either their better known works, or those that I felt had a great appeal. Apologies to anyone who knows and appreciates these composers … if my choices were poor ones!
Under the composer name are links to Biographies.
Henry Purcell (10 September 1659 (?)– 21 November 1695)
http://www.naxos.com/composerinfo/Henry_Purcell_20995/20995.htm
Slow Air Suite from the Dramatic Music of Purcell
Luigi Boccherini (February 19, 1743 – May 28, 1805)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luigi Boccherini
Cello Concerto in B flat major, G. 482 Andante grazioso
Giuseppe Sammartini (6 January 1695 – November 1750)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Sammartini
Concerto grosso in E minor, Op. 3, No. 3 Allegro
Anton Reicha (February 26, 1770 – May 28, 1836)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Reicha
Wind Quartet In E Flat Major (Andante Grazioso)
Muzio Clementi 24 January 1752, – 10 March 1832
http://www.naxos.com/composerinfo/Muzio_Clementi/25957.htm
Gradus ad Parnassum op.44 no. 5
Cesar Franck (10 December 1822 – 8 November 1890)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A9sar_Franck
Wanting to include composers who weren’t already on the site, or whose music I didn’t know; or those I thought I didn’t like … I searched for something by Franck that I (and you?) could enjoy. I couldn’t find anything! I suppose I must really dislike his music. So I just picked a piece at random to illustrate why (so far) I don’t like his music.
The first 3 minutes of Les Dijnns (there is a slight (5 second) delay on this one playing)
Women
Posted by admin on February 18th, 2010 filed in Beach, Boulanger, Carreno, Chaminade, Fanny Mendelssohn, Farrenc, Martines, Women!1 Comment »
After my last posting “Clara Schumann – the only woman?!” (the next one down the page) my brother sent me an email with a link showing hundreds of female Classical composers. I took this as a sign! I needed to research and listen. How many of these female composers were considered to be very accomplished? On a par with the men? Why weren’t any of them included in that ‘Boy’s Club’ list of “Great Composers”? It was a fantastic journey into territory I knew nothing about.
The two big questions for you dear listener (and for me too; since I haven’t listened really carefully yet after acquiring the pieces – but I will!) 1) Can you hear the same ‘greatness’ in some of the pieces? 2) Can you detect a subtle (or maybe not so subtle) colour/tone/vibe of the Feminine Principle?
Under each composer is a link to Biographical information.
Since a reviewer I used in my research declared: “Madame Farrenc is certainly the greatest woman-composer in the history of classical music.” I’ll save her until last; along with some germain notes on the issue.
Marianne von Martines (Martinez) (May 4, 1744 – December 13, 1812) A student of Haydn. You can certainly hear it!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marianne_von_Martinez
Sonata number 3 in A major – all 3 movements (approx. 14 minutes)
Fanny Mendelssohn (14 November 1805 – 14 May 1847)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanny_Mendelssohn
Lied no. 3 op. 4 Andante Cantabile
Lied no. 4 op. 5 Lento Apassionatto
Teresa Carreno (December 22, 1853 – June 12, 1917)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teresa_Carre%C3%B1o
String Quartet in B minor – II. Andante
Clara Schumann (13 September 1819 – 20 May 1896)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Schumann
Cecile Chaminade (August 8, 1857 – April 13, 1944)
http://www.classiccat.net/chaminade_c/biography.htm
La Morena (Caprice Espangnole), Op. 67
Amy Beach (September 5, 1867 – December 27, 1944)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Beach
(if this wasn’t composed under a strong Rachmaninoff influence – I’ll eat my hat!)
Piano Concerto in C sharp minor, op. 45 III Largo
Lili Boulanger (21 August 1893–15 March 1918)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lili_Boulanger
Louise Farrenc (May 31, 1804 – September 15, 1875)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_Farrenc
Besides the wikipedia reference above, I found another review of her life and music in which the author declared: Madame Farrenc is certainly the greatest woman-composer in the history of classical music. In this review it was pointed out how highly regarded she was at the time, and the great composers she was associated with, or who admired her work. (she studied with Hummell, Anton Reicha and was admired by Schumann and Berlioz) SO? Why didn’t she join the ranks of The Greats? Some of the reasons are in the Wikipedia article, about half way down, titled ‘ Why did Farrenc remain unknown as a composer?’
But what about the elephant in the room?! Male Chauvinist attitudes? “…the best known Paris critic of the 19th Century, François-Joseph Fétis (1784–1871) included her name in his important lexicon “Universal Biography of Musicians” and stressed her “quasi masculine gift for musical organisation”. (*”quasi masculine gift”?!) The same critic who proclaimed her the greatest woman composer, in the next breath states: Notwithstanding her evident extraordinary artistic and technical qualities, Madame Farrenc’s works do not show the presence of this invisible and indefinable spark, which marks the difference between the great talent and the genius.”
Aha .. the invisible and indefinable spark. What’s a woman to do?!
Farrenc Long Play 24 minutes long
Sonata No. 1, Op. 37: II. Poco adagio
Etudes opus 26 – No 18 en re bemol majeur
Nonette pour cordes et vents en mi bemol majeur Adagiol
Variations concertantes sur une mélodie suisse, Op. 20
Improptu en Si Menor
Nonette pour cordes et vents en mi bemol majeur Adagio
Clara Schumann – the only woman?!
Posted by admin on February 15th, 2010 filed in Clara Schumann, Piano, The only woman!, Women!Comment now »
Clara Schumann wrote:
“I once believed that I possessed creative talent, but I have given up this idea; a woman must not desire to compose — there has never yet been one able to do it. Should I expect to be the one?”
It never occured to me until today when I began researching Clara’s work; that not a single Classical composer – ranked as a “Great” - was a woman! How very strange. Well Clara Schumann was certainly an accomplished composer, and what a person! She raised 8 children (4 died before her) cared for a husband who became more and more unstable, befriended and grew very close to Brahms and still found time to tour extensively! – acknowledged as a virtuoso pianist.
So here’s to the ‘only woman’ on the site - (so far) Let’s make it a Long Play Selection. (approx. 25 minutes)
(* dig that horn!)
Drei Romanzen, Op. 22 (arr. for horn and piano): I. Andante
Drei Romanzen, Op. 22 (arr. for horn and piano): II. Allegre
Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 17: III. Andante
Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 17: IV. Allegretto
Romance in B minor
Schubert: spirituality and ‘inherent weirdness’!
Posted by admin on February 3rd, 2010 filed in Piano, Schubert, Schubert: spirituality and inherent weirdness!Comment now »
Here’s what a music reviewer wrote about this late piano piece by Schubert:
I find it hard to account for the intensity of the spiritual response that the slow movements of late Beethoven and late Schubert produce in me… the slow movement of D960, one of the last creations of a desperately ill 31-year-old-man who has lost his Catholic faith, is frightened out of his wits by the ordeal that lies ahead, and yet produces music of the most magical serenity.
Piano sonata #21 D960/ second movement
02 – Piano Sonata In B Flat Major D960-02 Andante Sostenuto
And this second piece with its ‘inherent weirdness.’ It fascinates me how accurate, poetic and articulate some music critics can be!
In the great Andantino movement of the A major , the pianist is alive to its inherent weirdness as Schubert sends a nostalgically beautiful melody off the deep end to fragmentation, then reassembles it into a broken shadow of itself.
Piano sonata #20 in A major second movement
Schubert PS 20 second movement
Brahms cigar smokers’ anthem?
Posted by admin on January 31st, 2010 filed in Brahms, Cigar smokers' anthem?, PianoComment now »
I was put off a bit by Brahms during my initial ‘musical education’ because of some bombastic riffs I’d encountered. Over the past weeks I’ve been obsessing on his music. Listening to a lot and reading commentary/critiques. Learning about his life and musical influences. (*note: there is now a Long Playing Brahms)
In this, the second movement of his third piano sonata, I think Brahms is inviting us to drift away. Perhaps he felt like this when he smoked his cigar and watched the sun set.
02 – Piano Sonata No.3 in F min, Op.5 – Andante espressivo
Afterthought: For those of you who might not know … Brahms was a cigar smoker. I’ll just betcha this was one of his smoking tunes!
Beautiful Brahms Piano
Posted by admin on January 20th, 2010 filed in Brahms, PianoComment now »
Intermezzo 118 number 2
The Clarinet
Posted by admin on January 19th, 2010 filed in Clarinet, Mendelssohn, Saint Saens, Spohr, StravinskyComment now »
It’s a beautiful instrument isn’t it?
Mendelssohn Concert Piece in D minor for Clarinet, Basset-horn and piano Opus 114 Andante
Stravinsky 3 pieces for Solo Clarinet piece no. 1
Saint Saens Clarinet sonata in E flat major op. 167 Allegretto
Louis Spohr Clarinet concerto no. 4 in E minor Larghetto
Haunting Cello – Spooky Brahms
Posted by admin on January 12th, 2010 filed in Brahms, Cello, PianoComment now »
Brahms piano trio no. 1 in B major op. 8 / Adagio
Devienne
Posted by admin on January 6th, 2010 filed in Bassoon, Devienne, Flute, LONG PLAYING SELECTIONSComment now »
Francois Devienne 1759 – 1803
My brother heard some bassoon quartets on the radio and requested that some Devienne be put on the site. I wasn’t familiar with him so I went shopping! Here are a few snippets of what’s said about him:
“the elegant tone of Paris at the time… grace and balance – qualities which are associated with Mozart … explaining why Devienne was called the French Mozart.”
I got a bit carried away, and what was going to be a few pieces has turned into a Long Play selection! (nearly 40 minutes) I also realised there is very little flute on the site so welcome some Devienne flute. (he was a flautist)
Trios for flute – Allegro Con Spirito – Trio En Ré Majeur
Symphonie Concertante for Flute and Bassoon /Andante
Bassoon sonata I in C major, Op. 24 All three movements
and Oboe sonata in G major opus 71 all three movements
You like solo violin?
Posted by admin on January 5th, 2010 filed in Bach, Violin, You like solo violin?1 Comment »
Someone writing a review for an album on Amazon wrote:
The Bach solo string music is, of course, one of the landmarks of classical music. These are some of the greatest pieces of music ever written. They are the musical equivalent of the plays of Shakespeare.
Well … personally I’d have to say I’m not crazy about it (solo violin). I Much prefer the addition of piano which I feel softens what can sometimes be a grating intensity.
These few selections would have to be up there with the best of the best because afterall it is Bach, and its Hillary Hahn playing; whom “they“ rave about!
From Bach’s violin partitas #2 and #3
08 Partita No. 2 in d, BWV 1004 – I. Allemande
Partita #3
Brahms Long Play
Posted by admin on January 4th, 2010 filed in Brahms, LONG PLAYING SELECTIONSComment now »
Approx. 40 minutes of music here.
Symphony No.3 In F Major, Opus 90 (Third Movement)
variations on a theme by Haydn op 56b variation 3 con moto oma
variations on a theme by Haydn op 56b variation 4 andante-oma
Piano Trio No. 3 In C Minor Op.101 03 Andante Grazioso
Horn Trio In E Flat Major Op. 40 01 Andante – Poco Piu Animato
Piano Sonata No.3 in F min, Op.5 Finale Allegro moderato ma rubato
Hungarian dances No. 4 Poco Sostenuto
16 Waltzes Op- 39-03 In G Sharp Major
Schubert and Beethoven
Posted by admin on December 31st, 2009 filed in Beethoven, SchubertComment now »
Not enough Schubert on this site I think! Here’s a movement from his Octet. It’s interesting how it came about. A famous clarinetist asked Schubert to compose a work similar to Beethoven’s Septet Op. 20. (Schubert added a second violin)
Schubert and Beethoven: Arguably the two greatest composers of that time; and someone asks Schubert to do something similar to Beethoven! Schubert composed it in 1824. Beethoven died in 1827 so he only had 3 years to hear it. Wonder if he ever did?
Never mind … you get to hear a movement from each!
Schubert Octet 5th movement Menuetto Allegretto
Beethoven’s Septet second movement Adagio cantibile
Chamber Music Esoterica
Posted by admin on December 29th, 2009 filed in Chamber Music EsotericaComment now »
This site is amazing! It’s an absolute must for serious Chamber Music aficianados. When you get to the site…
then scroll down and click on Catalogue. The best part is that the sound bites are more like a minute long, rather than the stingy 30 second ones that most sites offer. This is true “Chamber Music Esoterica”!
Shostakovich attempts renewal
Posted by admin on December 23rd, 2009 filed in Shostakovich, Shostakovich attempts renewalComment now »
He attempts to be saved, renewed, re-born from a quagmire of sadness, poignancy and melancholy. Does he pull it off?
Piano concerto #2 Andante