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Handel

A Handel ‘revelation’

Posted on May 7, 2011

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

Where’s the Guitar?!

Posted on November 1, 2010

All these years building this web site; and the guitar has been left out. It must be my fault!

The other day at the Visitors’ Information Centre where I volunteer, a lady who is also a volunteer shared her love of Classical guitar with me. Hence I made a couple of Segovia CDs for her, and in the listening realized I like the guitar more than I thought I did. So all of you Classical guitar lovers – please accept my apologies for this belated Posting.

Here’s Andres Segovia playing some Scarlatti and Handel.

Scarlatti and Handel guitar

Scarlatti: Sonata in G major, K. 391/L. 79

Handel: Menuet I and II from: Suite in G Minor, HWV 453

Gavotte in G Major, HWV 491

Minuet in G Major, HWB 531

Bach Chopin Elgar Handel Just Music. No Commentary! An Eclectic Mix Liszt Piano Saint Saens Satie

Just Music. An Eclectic Mix. NO Commentary!

Posted on October 31, 2008

Chopin Nocturne Op. 37 in G minor

Chopin nocturne

Saint Saens – The Swan from Carnival of the Animals

saint saens the swan

Eric Satie pieces froides – danse de travers # 1

satie

Liszt – Ave Maria

liszt-ave-maria-op52-no4

Elgar – Sospiri Op. 70

Elgar Sospiri

Bach Suite #1 – Ouverture

Bach overtures01_suite-no-1_-i-ouverture

Handel oboe concerto in G minor HWV 287 – Allegro

Hanel oboe

A bit of Baroque Baroque Corelli Handel Zipoli

A Bit of Baroque

Posted on December 25, 2007

When I began my ‘classical quest’ I focused almost entirely on the Romantic period. Apart from Bach I had no interest in Baroque. I thought of Baroque as just wimpy flutes and recorders, or irritatingly tinkly harpsichords. No emotional punch and power like the Romantics. My brother showed me the error of my ways! A few winners.

Handel concerto grosso op. 3 no. 2 in B flat major / Largo

Domenico Zipoli – Elevazione for oboe and cello. A special name! A special piece.

Elevazione for oboe and cello

Arcangelo Corelli. Concerto grosso in G minor op. 6 no. 8 / Adagio

Baroque Handel Nuts about Handel

Nuts About Handel

Posted on December 23, 2007

About 9 months ago I went crazy over Handel. I didn’t know his music much at that point, but rapidly accumulated a few hundred downloads, burned 3 or 4 CD’s to play in my truck and did a bit of reading about his life.

At some point I started thinking, ‘Gosh – he might be as great as Bach.’ They were born in the same year (1685) and Handel lived 9 years longer – D. 1759. Writing this blog entry I was going to Google, “Handel and Bach who is the greatest?” You’re bound to be able to follow your nose through cyberspace and find lots of scholarly comparisons. But that takes all the fun out of it! So I decided to pass this Post onto someone who must be a Handel freak (because he uses the name Handel on a music forum I access now and again.) Probably the best Classical Music forum.

( http://www.talkclassical.com/)

Hopefully in the next few days you’ll see a Comment regarding who is the ‘greatest’ (“Handel” from the Forum responding) YES! Handel submitted a comment. (*see it above) Meanwhile here are a few pieces I like. There are two other posts that contain pieces by Handel – click on the link for Handel at the right.

This first piece: Trio sonata for 2 violins & continuo in G minor, Op. 2/8, HWV 393 (doubtful): Largo What you hear here! is a version adapted for oboe.

adaptation for oboe

Concerto grosso op-3 in g major-adagio

Concerto grosso in Bb, op.6 no. 7 Largo

Baroque Handel Torelli Trumpet Trumpet Synaesthesia Vivaldi

Trumpet Synaesthesia

Posted on December 4, 2007

Synaesthesia (with several different spellings – see this concise, fascinating article (http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Synaesthesia) – is basically a condition where two different sensory elements get linked.

Here are three types:

Grapheme-colour: Grapheme-colour is the most common type. People with this type of synesthesia associate letters and numbers with distinct colours.

Lexical-gusatory: Lexical-gustatory is a rare type of synesthesia. People with this type of synesthesia experience different tastes with certain words they hear.

Musical-colour: People with musical-colour synesthesia see colour when listening to music.

So what’s the Trumpet to a synethist? Since I’m not a synethist – I’m just making this up!

The trumpet is a very chilled white wine and it’s either yellow or gold … and a tangy Indonesian food spice!!

Genuine Synethists please respond!

Vivaldi concerto in G minor for trumpet and organ – Largo

Vivaldi concerto in g minor for trumpet and organ / largo

Handel – Allemande

Handel allemande

Torelli – concerto in D major for trumpet and strings

torelli concerto in- -major for trumpet and strings movement-3