A friend recently returned a CD favour after I’d given him one of my “favourites.”
His offering had a preponderence of Glass pieces.
Phillip Glass is lauded and beloved by many. But where did his inspiration come from? Has he acknowledged ‘The Greats” who have influenced him? I’m not sure. I wasn’t willing to GoogleForever to find out.
He’s loved by millions for his Popular themes, including those used in Blockbuster movies and such. BUT – is there substance there? When he decides to “sock it to us”; Do we feel the real guts of a Tchaikovsky melody? The emotional intensity of Chopin/ Liszt/ Rachmaninoff? Or the hypnotic magic of an Eric Satie number? (*Whatever! … it is irresistable stuff isn’t it?*)
You – Beloved Listener – decide!
From Wikipedia:
Many describe his music in the minimalist vein as mesmerizing; others hear it as numbingly repetitive and devoid of variety in its simplicity. The latter view of his style is itself simplistic and fails to take into account the many subtleties and complexities found in his methods. Glass’ mature style embraces more to take into account the many subtleties and complexities found in his methods. Glass’ mature style embraces more than just minimalism and thus must be viewed being more eclectic and far less dogmatic.
These Opera lovers! They just can’t believe or accept – that a Classical Music “buff” wouldn’t enjoy Opera. So they keep trying to convert me! Out of the 6 opera pieces a friend gave me … This one I like a lot.
Quintet in E flat major for 3 horns, oboe and bassoon / second movement
Absurd and Zen-like! (the Diabelli variations are in the “Piano freaks only” section)
In the second half, there is a remarkable pianissimo passage where the treble holds a chord for four full bars while the bass repeats a little three-note figure over and over, eight times, after which the melody proceeds as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
As if nothing out of the ordinary had happened! I love it.
Diabelli variation 3
Can Do: “Spooky”
The Ghost Trio was so named by Czerny because the second movement reminded him of Hamlet’s Ghost in Shakespeare. In fact, Beethoven’s notes reveal that he was working on an idea for an opera based on Macbeth, and interspersed with these notes are the sketch of a slow movement for the Trio.
Piano trio 5 in d major second movement
Fun, humorous, “cheeky” ala Mozart
Piano sonata 15 third movement
Simple/Profound
These two pieces are examples of the “simplest” pieces of music being the most difficult to play properly! He “casts a spell” with the most basic melody, and I think epitomizes claims to his being “The Greatest”
Bach / Beethoven / Mozart are usually argued about and compared as the greatest composer.
Bach created “music” as we know it today. (with the introduction/elaboration of Contrapuntal)
Mozart they say is the sound of God and/or Angels.
Beethoven? The Master of everything? Symphonies. Piano. Chamber. etc.
Who else? Chopin / Liszt / Brahms / Handel / Tchaikovsky and a handful of others. But usually it’s an argument about the BIG 3!
I’m going to throw my hat in the ring and proclaim: (after a short 3 year intense period of listening to and collecting Classical Music) Beethoven as The One! The Greatest.
At this point there are only a few pieces by him (on the right side under Beethoven) but I will be adding more from now. Comments welcome!
Here is the second movement of Bruch’s violin concerto #1
Perhaps a ‘perfect’ example of Romantic violin?
FROM WIKIPEDIA:
“The slow second movement is often adored for its powerful melody, and is generally considered to be the heart of the concerto. The rich, expansive themes, presented by the violin, are underscored by a constantly moving orchestra part, keeping the movement alive and helping it flow from one part to the the next.”
In the case of Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778 – 1837) there doesn’t appear to be a good reason as to why he has become somewhat obscure. At the time he was composing; his music and compositions were spoken of in the same breath as Beethoven and Mozart. (see Hummel and Hummel Hunt on the right)
BUT … it’s a different story with SERGEI BORTKIEWICZ. He suffered every possible trauma from the Russian Revolution, The First World War … and the Second WW too! Even Nazi persecution! Constantly fleeing this, or losing that. How can a musician function? As he wrote:
“I’m writing to you from my bathroom where we have crawled in because it is small and can be warmed on and off with a gas light (!) The other rooms cannot be used and I cannot touch my piano. This is now! What awaits us further ? Life is becoming more and more unpleasant, merciless. I teach at the Conservatory with the heat at 4 degrees, soon even less! […]”
So here’s the Second (the shortest) Movement to Borkiewicz’ Piano Concerto #1 in B minor Op. 16. The passionate “theme” in this movement is so beautiful it could probably spawn a Popular Hit! (maybe it already has and I just don’t know it)
Hey! – I just listened again … and wonder?! Is there inspiration for George Gershwin here?
Bortkiewicz piano concerto no. 1 second movement
Another one from the list Lance sent me of “obscure / underdog” Composers. Lance says that this is his favourite violin concerto! So it’s gotta’ be worth a listen. WARNING: it’s Long!
Glazunov violin concerto in a minor op-82-moderato-andante-allegro
Anton Rubinstein
Not to be confused with the great pianist Artur Rubinstein, born in 1887, Anton Rubinstein, an even greater performer in his time and a clear rival to Liszt and other great pianists of the 19th century, had a marked effect on the development of music in Russia, establishing the first system of professional musical training at a new Conservatory in St. Petersburg in 1862.
Rubinstein grand sonata for piano 4 hands second movement
ANOTHER “Underdog” Luigi Cherubini (1760-1842) Italian composer who spent most of his working life in France.
Talk about being cheated out of fame and posthumous recognition!!! Just read what was said about him … by “Them” – back then! And then listen to a movement from that vocal piece “They” raved about.
Posterity has a habit of elevating the obscure and neglecting the famous. Thus it is that Cherubini, hailed by Beethoven as ‘the greatest living composer’, is today often forgotten; ‘If I were to write a Requiem, Cherubini’s would be my only model’, Beethoven continued and the work was performed at his funeral in 1827. Schumann’s opinion was that it was ‘without equal in the world’. Berlioz considered that ‘the decrescendo in the Agnus Dei surpasses everything that has ever been written of the kind’.
How could he be so inconsiderate as to compose ONLY ONE Piano Concerto?! It’s a beautiful piece of music and I wonder why he didn’t compose more? Very inconsiderate.
If you have the time,listen to all three movements. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Madmen of the Piano (*and the piano’s supreme emotional power – Inspired by, and dedicated to Tam from Retravision in Byron Bay, because he just loves the wild piano stuff! )
Liszt, Chopin and Rachmaninoff
(*Yes indeed … there are lots of other ‘Madmen Pianists’ – but these guys take the cake)
I was thinking the other day – What instruments convey the most ‘intensity’? Drums? Electric guitar (ala Jimmy Hendrix!) … maybe the Sax? (John Coltrain)
For me it’s the piano. Done by the “Masters.”
Here are some intense pieces; some supremely difficult to play: Pieces that blend that ‘wild’ quality – with emotional glory!
Sorry Tam! I didn’t do what I originally intended; which was to introduce only the purely ‘berserk’ numbers. I know you love ‘em … but hey – I might lose listeners!
Dear listener – if these pieces move you, click on the Title on the right, “My Personal Bias” You’ll find gorgeous piano pieces without as much intensity.
Chopin Ballade #1
Rachmaninoff prelude in G Minor (played by “THE Piano man” – no .. not Billy Joel !! but The Big H – Horowitz)
Rachmaninoff prelude in g- minor Vladimir Horowitz-piano
Liszt erlkonig-op1
Chopin Fanstasie Impromptu in C sharp minor
Rachmaninoff preludes-no-10-in-b-minor-lento
Liszt hungarian rhapsody no-2
Here’s another one. This piece is often mentioned in the “hardest to play” category. It is surely “Intense”!
Islamey an Oriental Fantasy by Mily Balakirev. And here’s what a critic said:
Despite some dismissal that the work is merely a showpiece, Islamey has had a lasting impact on piano solo music; Ravel once remarked to a friend that his goal in writing Gaspard de la nuit was to compose a piece that was “more difficult than Balakirev’s Islamey.”
Eve has requested Chopin’s Prelude op. 28 / no. 4 – and some Albinoni. (not on the site until now)
Since my father was the ultimate ‘Chopin freak’ – I probably heard this Prelude many times whilst still in the womb. And many, many more times after exiting! It’s exquisite… and SO Chopin.
Albinoni: His debut on jimsclassicalmusic (A simple oversight Eve) Eventually I’ll have EVERYBODY!
Let’s go with the ‘signature’ Albinoni. We’ve all heard it somewhere (the theme to the movie Gallipoli maybe?) but a great piece of music nonetheless.
I just read something really interesting about Albinoni. Apparently he was very rich and wasn’t much concerned with ‘hanging out’ with other musicians. Too busy being with the wealthy and aristocratic!
These are the sweetest little musical ‘squeaks’ I’ve ever heard!
4 squeaks starting about 4 minutes and 45 seconds in, up to 5:25 It’s a nice piece of music worth listening to anyway. But just dig those squeaks. (it’s the Oboe)
Johann Nepomuk Hummel / Introduction, theme and variations in F major / Allegretto Op. 102
Hummel introduction theme and variations for Oboe and Orchestra Op. 102 Allegretto
“All by Myself” by Eric Carmen. No wonder it was such a smash hit! Based on one of Rachmaninoff’s most rousing and gorgeous themes. (at the time Carmen thought the music was in the public domain … but it wasn’t! He had to come to an arrangement with the Rachmaninoff estate)
Rachmaninoff piano-concerto-no-2-in-c-minor-second movement
Besides the ‘inner prods’ to listen to Classical – which I ignored (*see ABOUT ME on the right); there were a few periods of false starts. One is when I was living in California in the late 70’s where I joined a Classical cassette club that lasted about 6 months – and the other time was way back in those innocent ‘hippie’ days – (during which I participated fully! Woodstock – yes I was there … but by accident!, Haight Ashbury, Greenwich Village, Psychedelic Utopianism etc.) In 1967 … or 68? – maybe 69! (*to quote the axiom: “If you remember the 60’s – you weren’t there”) So true!
Anyway … I was living near the Ohio State University campus in Columbus Ohio and the other day recalled an incident where I’d planned days ahead to get “high” on LSD … and go to the campus music listening room. And listen to this! I did … about 5 times! There’s no escaping the fact that this is one of the most powerful, beautiful and dynamic pieces of music ever written. BUT – I used to turn it off after the super climax, (a bit over 2 minutes into this First Movement) and play those first couple of minutes again. NOW I realise that the entire first movement is wonderful and worth listening to! .. And it belongs in the Perfect Music section where it now lives.
UPDATE: As a result of the two comments above (thanks again Taneyev!) – I’ve replaced the “sleeping pianist”! with the master Maurizio Pollini
If you Google stuff like: Greatest Piano pieces or Greatest Piano Compositions; you’ll find a wealth of information. And you’ll almost always find in the list: Beethoven’s Variations on a theme by Diabelli. It’s a really strange story.
This guy Diabelli who wasn’t exactly a shining star in the composition world at the time! – Asked all the “Greats” of the day, to compose some variations on this roughly 1 minute piece. Then he would use the proceeds for charitable donations. (perhaps a forerunner of Bob Geldorf!?)
So what does Beethoven do? He composes 33 Variations on this piddly little theme! (*the critics evaluation of Diabelli’s initial effort range from praise, all the way to this trashing by critic William Kinderman, who says: “Banal, trite, a beer hall waltz”)
(AND you get to listen to bits of Beethoven’s Masterwork)
First we have the original piece by Diabelli, followed by Beethoven. I’ve only included 6 of the 33 variations he did. Afterall … how many “Piano Freaks” are there out there?!
Diabelli theme
Now … here’s what “The Man” – The Big B … did with them. NOTE: Some of the variations are often included in the most difficult to play categorie.
My Dentist yet again! He already knew about my “thing” with Opera (see Opera apology on the Categories list) – but he still urged me to listen to this piece by Faure. My wife loves it and hopefully my sister in law will know it already and give me a pat on the back for posting it!
