The French composer Gabriel Faure (1845-1924) was one of the foremost French composers of his time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_Faur%C3%A9
Here are a couple of his beautiful piano nocturnes.
We’re sitting in a piano bar way-station nibbling tasty hor dourves and watching the runway. The room is full of cultured wealthy philanthropists and spiritual seekers; awaiting the shuttle flight to Heaven: Level 3/room 16
Nocturne #4
Nocturne #3
In my ongoing musical education J.S. Bach somehow got sidelined. This was due to several factors: Extensive research into the piano masters of the past (especially as regards Chopin interpretations) A focus on wind instruments, fairly in-depth investigations of Haydn and Brahms; and most recently an obsession with Beethoven.
Even 5 or 6 years ago when I began my Classical Music Quest I glossed over Bach. I’ll try to include more of his music on this site in the future.
Concerto #4 in A major for Oboe D’Amore and Strings
The following quote is from an article by cellist Steven Isserlis titled, ‘How I fell in love with Ludwig.’ Here’s the link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/jan/12/classicalmusicandopera
In the article he comments on this second movement: The last sonata, in D major, takes off in other new directions. After the dramatic opening movement, Beethoven gives us, for the first time in these works, a full slow movement, a prayer that must surely be the most beautiful movement ever written for cello and piano.
‘the most beautiful movement ever written for cello and piano’ Wow. And that’s praise from a guy who plays the cello.
Beethoven’s 5th (and last) Cello Sonata in D maj. / second movement
Today I was listening to my iPod to a playlist that contains a lot of my favorites. I was only listening with half an ear but kept thinking it was probably Beethoven. Each time the gentle, melodic and lyrical riff appeared (the one that starts the piece) I thought … aaahh yeah it probably is him. (*NOTE: Serious Beethoven lovers please forgive this dilettante!) Still in all I have listened to a lot of Beethoven and he’s my favorite. It must say something for Hummels’ mastery as a composer.
Here’s Hummel’s Fantasie op. 18 Larghetto e Cantibile
For more on Hummel (how he was a fellow student with Beethoven and when B appeared it nearly destroyed H’s confidence!) see this posting
http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/2010/12/20/hummel-redux/
Haydn’s Horn Concerto number one. A beautiful piece of music, and when the deep horn tones kick in at about two minutes, it’s time to kick back! What is it about the wind instruments? They get right inside you. Where inside? Methinks somewhere around the heart/solar plexus region.
Enjoy. The second movement of Haydn’s horn concerto #1
Ben to go with your double whiskey and Richard because I’m thinking about you
According to Wikipedia, Beethoven’s 6 Late String Quartets are …Â widely considered to be among the greatest musical compositions of all time. This movement from the 13th String Quartet (the Cavatina) was chosen as the last piece to be played on the “golden record“, a phonograph record containing a broad sample of Earth’s common sounds, languages, and music sent into outer space with the two Voyager probes.
Jeremy Siepmann, a music critic, provides some background to this piece of music.
Beethoven wept.
String Quartet No.13 in B flat major, Op.130 – Cavatina: Adagio molto espressivo
This is the third program I’ve done for the local ABC radio station here in Central Victoria, Australia. The theme for this one was ‘mellow/relaxing/meditative’ pieces.
Apologies for the static sound in the Ravel piece.
Beethoven thought Cherubini was the greatest. Here is his Horn Sonata #2 in F major / Largo – Allegro moderato (6:45)
I’ve been on the local ABC radio here in Victoria, Australia twice. This second broadcast from late June focuses on Female composers.
* For more entries on this topic click on “Women” in the Blog Title drop down menu
Brahms clarinet sonata no. 1 in F minor op. 120 Andante un poco Adagio
As Alfred Einstein writes in Mozart: His Character, His Work (and as excerpted in the notes to a Kennedy Center performance), his only completed string trio (there are fragments) shares with most divertimenti this six-movement format, but from that no lightness of tone should be understood – rather, “it is a true chamber-music work, and grew to such large proportions only because it was intended to offer … something special in the way of art, invention, and good spirits. … Each instrument is primus inter pares, every note is significant, every note is a contribution to spiritual and sensuous fulfillment in sound.” Einstein called it “one of his noblest works.”
Mozart’s Divertimento in E-flat major is “one of a kind,” according to the notes to an Emerson Quartet performance. “It is not only Mozart’s only finished composition for string trio – it also appears to be the first such work by any composer.” Though probably the first substantial work for the combination, it is not the first work written for string trio; there were works for violin, viola and cello written at least five years earlier, by Wenzel Pichl, and works for two violins and bass, probably based on the trio sonata, written much before that.
Movement 1 Adagio (approx. 12 min.)
2nd – 11 min.
third – 5 min.
fourth – 7 min.
fifth – 5 min.
sixth – 6 min.
Someone gave me a CD of Charles Avison’s music (1709 -1770) Whilst listening, the label “lightweight” came to mind. The music is pleasant enough, easy to listen to, and that reminded me of a contemporary of Avisons’ – Johann Stamitz – whos music I found to be similar in it’s easy listening quality. http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/2010/03/14/easy-listening/
So what is it that separates these two from the likes of Handel, Rameau, Telemann and of course JS Bach? Not enough notes?! Uninteresting interaction between themes/melodies? For want of a better word (remember I’m only a classical music dilettante, not a real critic) I would call their music shallow … or ‘thin’
Here’s Avison’s concerto in A major opus 4
To do your own listening comparison you can scroll through the composer drop down menu on the right and listen to some Handel et. al. Actually part of the reason I made this post was to get back at Avison for being critcal of Handel! How dare he!
Louise Ferrenc – who one critic proclaimed the greatest female composer. I’m listening to her more often these days and always come away with the feeling that she truly is a great composer. Here are 3 complete compositions.
Farrenc Sonata #1 in 3 movements
Farrenc Sonata #2 in 4 movements
Farrenc: Variation concertantes sur une melodie suisse Op. 20 in 8 movements
If you haven’t already seen this posting http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/?p=2855 … check it out. Some very interesting material about the discrimination towards women in Classical music.
You might also want to listen to the Long Play selection of her music. http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/?p=3773
Thanks Ian for putting me on to Francois-Adrien Boieldieu; even though this is the only composition of his that I’ve listened to so far! What a lovely combination – horn and harp.
Solo for Horn with Harp Accompaniment
As a self confessed dilettante, regarding my real knowledge of Classical music, I tend to go on jags. A week obsessed with Brahms, two weeks on Handel, a week or two on Schubert, Scriabin and so on. I’ve just revisited my Handel jag and may have had a ‘revelation’ (if dilettantes are capable of musical revelations!)
Here it is: Handel’s music gives one the distinct feeling that something important / significant is happening. Sometimes it’s obvious what that significance is; as in the case of Music for the Royal Fireworks. In some other compositions it’s probably best left to the imagination of each listener as to what that Significance is. But you can certainly hear and feel it.
Handel medley
| Sonata a 5 (HWV 288): III – Allegro | 03:47 |
| Concerto grosso Op. 3 No. 2 in B-flat major: III – A | 02:15 |
| Concerto grosso Op. 3 No. 3 in G major: II – Adagio | 01:02 |
| Concerto grosso Op.3 No. 5 in D minor: V – Allegro | 02:44 |
| Music for the Royal Fireworks #5 Menuet | 03:00 |