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Tchaikovsky

Embarrasing Admission Perfect Music Piano Tchaikovsky

Embarrasing Admission!

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.

(*pianist is Yevgeny Sudbin)

Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor


Perfect Music Tchaikovsky

Perfect Music #4 – I don’t care if it is a cliche!

I’m going to put it in the “Exclusive” Perfect Music section. Any piece that can give you goosebumps after you’ve heard it about a zillion times deserves it! Honestly – when he hits the climax it never fails to bring up a primal rush.

Tchaikovsky The Nutcracker / Pas de Deux

Tchaikovsky-nutcracker-pasdeux1


Tchaikovsky The Melody Man

The Melody Man

Come on. Let’s face it. Tchaikovsky IS the “Melody Man”

Who else wrote melodies like this? It’s as though they had existed for thousands of years and somebody just pulled them out of a hat!

(*To see more Melodies that existed – before they existed!: Go to Tchaikovsky/Perfect Music)

Tchaikovsky Sleeping Beauty Waltz

 

swan-lake-act-1-finale


Tchaikovsky Tchaikovsky teases us

Tchaikovsky teases us

The following two selections (*edited from the same piece: Tchaikovsky’s Violin concerto in D, op. 35 / Allegro Moderato) show how a great composer can pull us to the edge of our seats. Waiting. Longing to hear when, where and how the elements of composition are going to “Climax” ( “Come Together” as the Beatles might say! ) And that’s just what it’s like. A tease …that proceeds… to fulfilment. (*even though I know it’s coming I still get goose bumps) Tchaikovsky has done it as masterfully as it could be done in his Violin concerto – (especially in the “Second Tease”.)

First Tease

Tchaikovsky violin concerto in D extract

 

Second Tease

Tchaikovsky violin concerto extract