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LONG PLAYING SELECTIONS

It’s About Time

Posted on April 7, 2011

About time that I posted some full compositions. You may have noticed that I tend to only present one movement from a Concerto or Symphony or Sonata; rather than all the movements. Invariably it’s the second movement – due to my preference for slow, melodic, thoughtful, melancholic!, peaceful etc. I suppose in a way it’s not really fair to the composer not to present his/her entire statement.

Recently a person in my town asked if I ever posted entire compositions. He didn’t ask the question in a judgmental fashion, just politely inquired. It has “niggled” at me ever since. So… Istvan … here’s a post for you!

(* I’ll place this posting in the Long Playing sections)

Francois Devienne (1759 – 1803) was known as “The French Mozart”

Francois Devienne – Bassoon sonata I in C major, Op. 24

Beethoven – Piano Sonata no. 23 Appassionata

Johann Nepomuk Hummel: One of the greatest of the ‘ignored and forgotten’ composers!

Hummel – Sextett Fur Blaser In F Major

Haydn – Symphony No. 104 In D Major (”London”)

Mozart – Piano Sonata No- 13

Clara Schumann, Robert’s wife – who decided late in life she just didn’t have what it takes to be a composer!

Hmmm … I beg to differ!

Clara Schumann Drei Romanzen, Op 22

An Opera challenge! Arias LONG PLAYING SELECTIONS Opera/Vocal

Opera Long Play (Arias)

Posted on January 20, 2011

Despite my “Opera Apology” http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/?page_id=2604– I feel I owe it to my listeners to post this collection of Arias. They are amongst my wife’s favorites. It seems that no matter how much I protest my ‘non-appreciation’ of vocal/opera; I continue to get suggestions, comments and requests! So here’s an hour of Arias. Enjoy.

NOTE: If you want to hear the pieces individually – go to: http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/?p=4612

Arias Long Play

Puccini – Nessun Dorma

Tommaso da Celano – Pie Jesus

Donizetti – Lucia di Lammermoor (Spargi D’ Amaro Pianto)

Puccini – O Mio Babbino Caro

Gounod – Je veux vivre dans ce rêve (Roméo et Juliette)

Puccini – The Humming Chorus

Delibes – The Flower Duet

Delibes – Où va la jeune hindoue

Donizetti – L’elisir D’amore – Una Furtiva lagrima

Bizet – Pearlfisher’s Duet

Mozart – Cosi Fan Tutte – Trio – Soave Sia Il Vento

Bizet – Carmen Habanera

Verdi – Rigoletto – La Donna E Mobile

Offenbach – Les oiseaux dans la charmille (doll song)

Verdi – La traviata: Brindisi

LONG PLAYING SELECTIONS

Long Play Mix – Extra Long!

Posted on January 3, 2011

An hour and 25 minutes of uninterrupted beautiful music. Many of the pieces appear elsewhere on the site, but some are new.

Chopin: Waltz 19 In A Minor	01:57
Handel: Concerto grosso Op. 3 No. 2 in B-flat major: II – Largo	02:24
Beethoven Duo For Clarinet & Bassoon In C Woo 27 – Larghetto Sostenuto	02:10
Erik Satie , Cafe-Concert Songs- Je Te Veux	04:20
Brahms piano concerto 1 second movement	13:25
Mozart Serenade For Winds K361 #3	06:10
Scriabin Piano Concerto: Andante	08:45
Brahms, Intermezzi, op117 (1) in E b, Andante moderato	05:44
Mahler Symphony No. 5: IV. Adagietto. sehr langsam	10:49
Schubert Impromptu, D899, No.3 In Gb Andante	05:40
Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C minor: II. Andante con moto	10:22
Bach Double Violin Concerto Vivace first move	04:06
Chopin – Piano Concerto no. 1 – 2. Romanze. Larghetto	09:34
Chopin prelude 13. in F sharp major	03:14
Mozart Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K. 491: II. Larghetto	07:34

Bassoon Beethoven Clarinet LONG PLAYING SELECTIONS Mozart Reicha Wind Instruments LONG PLAY

Wind for my Brother

Posted on November 20, 2010

Over the years developing this site my brother has been both my strongest critic, and at the same time my most supportive advocate! We’ve spent a lot of time talking about music and I’ve sent him CD’s and a USB flash drive with the music he likes.

These exchanges comparing our musical tastes came to a head the other day after I sent him the Utube link below. He decided that this genre was his musical manna! – Wind – Just the wind instruments. Quartets, quintets, sextets or a whole bunch at once! (Like Mozart’s piece for 13 wind instruments) The use of exclusively wind instruments has an interesting history. The gist of it seems to be that the patrons of the composers in the 17 and 18 hundreds who weren’t filthy rich! .. some of them could only afford to have a little in-house musical group; and they came to be known as Harmonie. At the same time the article notes that some street musicians of the time played in these ‘wind groups.’

Anyway here in order are: The Utube link to a delightful piece by Beethoven. The Wikipedia article and another much more detailed account of Harmoniemusik. (* The next day: An important update) And finally a Long Play selection of all wind lasting an hour and 12 minutes. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtxbEKM3l9E

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonie

A very detailed link about Harmoniemusik

http://www.lipscomb.edu/windbandhistory/RhodesWindBand_04_Classical.htm

* A friend sent me an alternate version for the Mozart Serenade K361 and my brother and I both agree that’s it’s much better. Unfortunately my friend doesn’t know who it is playing! Anyway it will provide a lovely Intro to the long play.

Mozart’s Serenade For Winds K361 third movement

New Wind Instrument Long Play

Playlist: The first 3 movements of Beethoven’s Sextet for 2 clarinets, 2 French horns and 2 Bassoons

Wind quartet in E flat major (andante grazioso) by Anton Reicha. Then Reicha‘s Wind quintet #2 in E flat maj. op 88 IV

Then 4 movements from Mozart’s Serenade for 8 wind instruments in E flat maj. KV 375

Followed by Beethoven’s quintet for Oboe, 3 French horns and Bassoon (all 3 movements)

Finally … Mozart’s Serenade K361 “Gran Partita” for 13 wind instruments: third, fourth, fifth and seventh movements.

Chopin LONG PLAYING SELECTIONS Piano

Chopin Long Play

Posted on June 23, 2010

Piano Concerto #2 – second movement (*Sorry I lost the “tag” for who the artist is)

24 Preludes Op.28 No.6 in B minor played by Garrick Ohlsson

Fantaisie-Impromptu #4 in C sharp min, Op. 66 played by Martha Argerich

Waltz in A flat op.69 1 Valse de l’adieu played by Claudio Arrau

Polonaise No. 6 in A flat major, Op. 53, “Heroic” played by Rafal Blechacz

Berceuse, Op. 57 played by Maurizio Pollini

Scherzo no.2 in B flat minor, Op.31 played by Yundi Li

Mazurka #43 in g, op67- 2 played by Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

Andante Spianato and Grand Polonaise, op. 22 part 1 played by Alfred Brendel

Chopin – Piano Concertos no. 1 – 2. Romanze. Larghetto played by Yundi Li

Beethoven LONG PLAYING SELECTIONS

Beethoven long play

Posted on June 14, 2010

This Long Play runs approx. 40 minutes

Beethoven Long Play

Piano Concerto #5 Second movement

Rondo e capriccio Op. 129 (Rage over a lost penny)

Paino Sonata no. 23 “Appassionata” 2nd movement

Moonlight Sonata

Duo for Clarinet & Bassoon in C Woo27 / third movement

Sextet / Adagio

Violin Sonata no. 3 Second movement

Female Composers LONG PLAYING SELECTIONS Piano Schumann, Clara The only woman! Women!

Clara Schumann – the only woman?!

Posted on February 15, 2010

Clara Schumann wrote:

“I once believed that I possessed creative talent, but I have given up this idea; a woman must not desire to compose — there has never yet been one able to do it. Should I expect to be the one?”

It never occured to me until today when I began researching Clara’s work; that not a single Classical composer – ranked as a “Great” – was a woman! How very strange. Well Clara Schumann was certainly an accomplished composer, and what a person! She raised 8 children (4 died before her) cared for a husband who became more and more unstable, befriended and grew very close to Brahms and still found time to tour extensively! – acknowledged as a virtuoso pianist.

So here’s to the ‘only woman’ on the site – (so far) Let’s make it a Long Play Selection. (approx. 25 minutes)

(* dig that horn!)

UPDATE: Clara is no longer the only female composer on the site. Go here for a comprehensive look at the female composers. http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/?p=2855

Clara Schumann

Drei Romanzen, Op. 22 (arr. for horn and piano): I. Andante

Drei Romanzen, Op. 22 (arr. for horn and piano): II. Allegre

Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 17: III. Andante

Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 17: IV. Allegretto

Romance in B minor

LONG PLAYING SELECTIONS Schubert

Schubert long play

Posted on January 26, 2010

Schubert long play (38 minutes)

Arpeggione Sonata in A minor, D821 Allegro moderato

String Quartet no. 14 in D minor D810 Andante con moto

Rosamunde – Entr’acte No. 3

Haydn Hummel LONG PLAYING SELECTIONS Torelli Trumpet

Trumpet

Posted on January 20, 2010

In the post “Trumpet Synaesthesia” I made a half joking attempt to sum up the sound of the trumpet. In this post I’ll admit to being stumped … as to how one could describe the Trumpet’s Beauty in words. (* only an idiot tries to describe music with words!) Anyway here’s the beauty of the trumpet by a few Masters. (the player is darn good too! – Rolf Smedvig)

MergeTrumpet

Haydn: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: I.

Haydn: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: II.

Haydn: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: III. Finale

Hummel: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: I.

Hummel: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: II.

Hummel: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major: III. Rondo

Torelli: Trumpet Concerto in D major: I. Allegro

Torelli: Trumpet Concerto in D major: II. Adagio

Torelli: Trumpet Concerto in D major: III. Allegro

Bassoon Devienne Flute LONG PLAYING SELECTIONS

Devienne

Posted on January 6, 2010

Francois Devienne 1759 – 1803

My brother heard some bassoon quartets on the radio and requested that some Devienne be put on the site. I wasn’t familiar with him so I went shopping! Here are a few snippets of what’s said about him:

“the elegant tone of Paris at the time… grace and balance – qualities which are associated with Mozart … explaining why Devienne was called the French Mozart.”

I got a bit carried away, and what was going to be a few pieces has turned into a Long Play selection! (nearly 40 minutes) I also realised there is very little flute on the site so welcome some Devienne flute. (he was a flautist)

Devienne Long Play

Trios for flute – Allegro Con Spirito – Trio En Ré Majeur

Symphonie Concertante for Flute and Bassoon /Andante

Bassoon sonata I in C major, Op. 24 All three movements

and Oboe sonata in G major opus 71 all three movements

Brahms LONG PLAYING SELECTIONS

Brahms Long Play

Posted on January 4, 2010

Approx. 40 minutes of music here.

Long Play Brahms

Symphony No.3 In F Major, Opus 90 (Third Movement)

variations on a theme by Haydn op 56b variation 3 con moto oma

variations on a theme by Haydn op 56b variation 4 andante-oma

Piano Trio No. 3 In C Minor Op.101 03 Andante Grazioso

Horn Trio In E Flat Major Op. 40 01 Andante – Poco Piu Animato

Piano Sonata No.3 in F min, Op.5 Finale Allegro moderato ma rubato

Hungarian dances No. 4 Poco Sostenuto

16 Waltzes Op- 39-03 In G Sharp Major

LONG PLAYING SELECTIONS Mendelssohn Piano

Mendelssohn Long Play (Lieder Ohne Worte)

Posted on December 16, 2009

Lieder Ohne Worte – Songs without words. A series for solo piano Mendelssohn wrote over various periods in his life. I find them incredibly simple and straightforward in their emotional expression. Clear, uncomplicated and easy to digest! Mendelssohn himself resisted attempts to interpret the works too literally, or add words to the pieces to make songs; and he had this to say:

What the music I love expresses to me, is not thought too indefinite to put into words, but on the contrary, too definite. {Mendelssohn’s own italics}

Hmmm … sounds pretty Zen to me! Here are 9 pieces from the series. (the first number is the Opus number and after the / is the number of the piece within that opus)

(Opus 85 / #4) – (67 / 1) (30 / 1) (The third piece approx. 6 minutes in just blows me away! I love it. It also appears in another Mendelssohn post on this site) (30 / 3) (30 / 6) (67 / 6) (62 / 5) (67 / 2) and finally 19 / 3 (called Jagerlied (“Hunting Song” – powerful stuff!)

Mendelssohn Long Play

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! Some of Mozart’s piano concertos are very close in structure and feeling – 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

Bach LONG PLAYING SELECTIONS Music for the mundane! Piano

Music for the Mundane

Posted on May 9, 2009

In this LONG PLAY selection – J.S.Bach provides the perfect “background music” for mundane tasks! Cleaning out that junk drawer, ironing (does anyone iron anymore?!), gardening or just wandering around the house wondering what to do next. His Goldberg Variations provide the background. First the Aria, followed by 8 of the variations.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Don’t give up! There is a pause before the music kicks in on this one. About 10 seconds.

Goldberg variations by 9 Andras Shiff.mp3

UPDATE: see the comment on this one. My “source” slightly retracted his claim that Shiff was “the man” for Bach piano! So let’s hear Gould do the Aria.

glenn-gould_04_goldberg-variations-bwv-988-i-aria