Monthly Archives:

August 2009

Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 12, Adagio con molt’espressione

Posted on August 29, 2009

More evidence of the “magic spells” Beethoven can weave!

Is someone in the Drawing Room having a nice cup of tea, watching the sunset over the trees?

Haydn Heeeer's Haydn! LONG PLAYING SELECTIONS Piano

Haydn’s Long Play

Posted on August 17, 2009

These second movements – (the “slow” movements) – in Haydn’s Piano Concertos; are thoughtful, introspective, gentle and seductive! – Just my cuppa tea!Â Some of Mozart’s piano concertos are very close in structure and feeling -Â almost like ‘twin compositions.’ However, Mozart is usually regarded as the ‘greater’ – for his depth and complexity.

(*** See the Post: “Good Buddies – Mozart and Haydn”***)

Hmmm … I wonder. Sometimes Haydn’s simplicity and directness seem easier on the ears and just as beatific.

This is a LONG long playing selection. First you’ll hear the piano Concerto in F, Hob. XVIII/F2 … followed by the second movements of the following Piano Concertos: 3,4,5,9 and 11

Haydn long play

Cello Couperin Hey - what about Couperin?! Piano

Hey – what about Couperin?!

Posted on August 1, 2009

Francois Couperin popped into my mind the other day. I thought:

‘Wasn’t he an important Baroque composer?… Then how come I only have one piece by him in my library?”

So I went surfing in my paid download sites. I found that Bach loved his 4 volumes of harpsichord music – Richard Strauss and Ravel admired his music and Brahms piano music was inspired by him.
Since I don’t like the harpsichord or vocal (and that’s mostly what he composed) – I was looking for other stuff. I found these pieces adapted for the piano (originally for harpsichord) AND some killer cello!

The piano artistÂ on these pieces, Alexandre Tharaud, says about the first piece below: ” I have a particularly soft spot for Duphly’s La PothoÃ¯n, which for me is one of the loveliest pieces ever composed for keyboard.”

duphly-la-pothouin