Dedicated to the brave, frightened and determined masses takin’ it to the streets throughout the Arab world. Chopin gives a sound backdrop to this turmoil in his Revolutionary Etude. Played here by the bright young star Valentina Lisitsa.
Chopin Etude op. 10 #12 – The Revolutionary Etude
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi5VTBdKbFM&feature=related
Brahms Clarinet Trio In A Minor Op-114-02 Adagio
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 |
I wonder how many of us knew this very familiar piece (Morning Mood) was by Grieg?
I didn’t!
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 Morning Mood
Six Norwegian Mountain Melodies: 2. Lullaby from Valdres
And one to play on New Years’ Day!
Melodies of Norway, EG 108: I Went to Bed So Late
I’ve checked out this lady’s playing every which way! Listening to her play and reading what ‘critics’ say. My conclusion is that she’s as good as it gets! She is Valentina Lisitsa. She has her own Channel on utube. Here’s a link to a Chopin piece. (*you can join a Channel devoted to her clips. there are well over 100 to view)
http://www.youtube.com/user/ValentinaLisitsa#p/u/5/JtZokkiSxBM
PS – There is an interview with her amongst the videos. She appears to be a really nice person – wholly without airs or any trace of “eccentricity”! Refreshing!
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 |
Couperin – Bruit De Guerre
Very powerful isn’t it? From what’s mentioned on Amazon it appears that the pianist and/or those who collaborated in making the album added the drum. That was Alexandre Tharaud playing one of the pieces from the series called Le Tic-Toc-Choc ou Les Maillotins by Francois Couperin.
Couperin’s Biography on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Couperin
I’ve just kept listening to more from the Tic-Toc-Choc. Great stuff. You can see why Bach liked Couperin so much. (*of course these pieces were originally written for harpsichord but performed here on piano) As I researched I found some ‘critics in the know’ who emphasize how wonderful Couperins’ keyboard compositions are and what a shame they haven’t been recorded and exposed as much as they deserve.
How about some more? (No more drums!) 3 selections from Tic Toc Choc lasting about 9 minutes. 1) Le Baricades Misterieuses 2) La Couperin 3) Le Dodo ou L’amour Au Berceau
Couperin medley
Apparently over the last several hundred years there have been very few changes made to ‘The Piano’ (after it’s transformation from the harpsichord) A recent and radical departure from the traditional piano has occurred right here in Australia by the piano makers Stuart and Sons. Basically the way the strings are wired has been changed, a fourth pedal added and a number of keys added. (from the traditional 88 to either 93 or 102!) The website for Stuart and Sons is below. I recommend the drop down menu ‘The Sound.’ From there check out Players Comments and Video Clips. Very intriguing! Is this the future of the piano?
http://www.stuartandsons.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60&Itemid=66
Wikipedia defines bagatelle as a short piece of music, typically for the piano, and usually of a light, mellow character. The name bagatelle literally means a “trifle”, as a reference to the innocent character of the piece.
Here’s Glenn Gould tickling the ivories and humming along! You can just barely hear him in the background humming while he plays. Some record companies took out the humming, but this recording of the bagatelles left it in. Gould’s habit of humming along with the music put him in his own league of ‘eccentric.’ There is something unsettling and distracting about it; yet at the same time charming, and maybe appropriate? Gould thought so! It’s not so hard to imagine the great composers themselves – vocalizing along as they played their compositions in private.
6 Bagatelles, Op- 126, No- 1 In G Major , Andante Con Moto Cantabile E Compiacevole
6 Bagatelles, Op- 126, No- 2 In G Minor , Allegro
7 Bagatelles, Op-33, No-1 In E-Flat Major , Andante Grazioso, Quasi Allegretto
Today whilst researching aspects of Beethoven’s music I came upon a reference to the Eroica Variations. The author said something along the lines that they were rarely played because they were so strange, or weird, or something to that effect. Listening about 10 minutes in to the combined 15 variations I laughed out loud (at least twice) Delightfully ridiculous.
A mental picture emerged of a highly intelligent adolescent with medium range autism whose parents force him to practice the piano. This is his revenge. (*Stick with it. It only runs about 3 minutes. I’ll bet you laugh at least once)
Somewhere about in the middle of the collected Eroica Variations played by Jeno Jando
An excerpt from the Eroica Variations
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.
Haydn is indeed one of, if not the greatest composers of Piano trios and quartets. I’ve started a quest to collect all of the Trios (45) This second movement of the Piano Trio In E Major H15-28 really captured my attention.
It’s hard to believe this is music from the 1700’s. I can see a super hip basement nightclub in Tokyo or L.A. where 3 talented Jazz musicians are jamming! Haydn was so willing to play around, get experimental and bold. Go places no one had gone before.
Piano Trio In E Major H15-28 – 2 Allegretto
Here is more along the same lines. A snippet from an earlier posting titled: “Heeeer’s Haydn” I just marvel over his willingness to get ‘edgy’ – take chances. I think more so than Mozart or Beethoven. Perhaps it was because he was a well adjusted, happy man! Comfortable in his own skin, unlike so many geniuses!
From the Posting ‘Heeeer’s Haydn’
This first piece is so cool! So Zen. BUT Not for everyone!
The silences are as important as the music … AND you have to wonder: “What’s gonna’ happen next?! Keep in mind this is the 18th century! – not a modern L.A. or Paris jazz pianist.
UPDATE 18 months later: I only heard it now. This is one of those pieces where Glenn Gould would hum along with his piano playing. You can barely hear him in the background (depending on how good your sound system is) I think most recording companies eventually removed the humming!
From the last 6 Sonatas: Hoboken XVI – no. 48 Andante con espressione
Hoboken-xvi-no-48-i-andante-con-espressione
Someone who has given me very valuable feedback on my site once mentioned how David Oistrakh, in his opinion, was the greatest violinist. Here are a few works by him.
Brahms – Sonata for violin and piano no. 3 in D minor / Adagio
How playful Beethoven can be!
Beethoven-Serenade For Flute, VIolin And Alto In D Major-I-entrata-Allegro
Debussy – Prelude ‘la Fille Aux Cheveux
This is a re-posting of a post that was on the site for quite a while, which I deleted entirely. It’s very important to me since I was raised on Chopin; and recently spent a lot of time researching, listening and downloading various interpretations by the true ‘masters.’ I’ve since realized that the female pianist who I thought had captured Chopin’s essence was way off the mark!
If you love Chopin and would be interested in my search for: “Who plays him ‘right'” .. then read on. Otherwise cut to the chase, scroll down and find the little blue arrows … and listen to arguably the greatest composer of piano music.
So … even though my father – a genuine Chopin freak – listened to Horowitz and Rubinstein primarily: I find them both lacking compared to those I eventually found. Amongst others: Michelangeli, Ugorski, Cziffra, Arrau, Alexandre Tharaud, Richter, Guiomar Novaes, Pollini, Martha Argerich .. and from the ‘young ones’ – Yundi Li and Rafal Blechacz. Rafal was considered SO great in his playing of Chopin that at the 15th International Frederick Chopin Piano CompetitionWarsaw According to ABC News, one of the judges, Professor Piotr Paleczny, said that Blechacz “so outclassed the remaining finalists that no second prize could actually be awarded.”
Without further ado – here are some great interpreters – of the great piano composer – Chopin.
PS – I have deleted and replaced the Long Playing entry for Chopin with other great artists/interpreters of his music.
Cantabile, [KK1230] – In Bb played by Anatoli Ugorski
Mazurka in d major op.33 no. 2 played by Martha Argerich
Waltze -12 in F minor op.70 2 played by Claudio Arrau
Revolutionary Etude played by Georges Cziffra
Prelude no. 15 in D flat major (Raindrop) played by Rafal Blechacz
Perfect background music for either:
1) An opium den in San Francisco in the early 19 hundreds or …
2) The library/study of a philosophy professor dressed in tweeds,
smoking a pipe and reading Wittgenstein.
(*Seriously – they are relaxing – and you could drift away without opium or a pipe!)
Five Preludes No. 1 in B major Andante
Twenty Four Preludes No. 2 in A minor Allegretto
Five Preludes No. 3 in G flat major Andante cantabile