Prokofiev Quintet in Gm, op. 39
performed by Chamber Music Northwest, or below by performers at the Cleveland Institute of Music (cover image by Joanna Kosinska) We’re going to see that Prokofiev’s self-plagiarism was relatively common, at least in this period, and considering he wrote such … Continue reading Prokofiev Quintet in Gm, op. 39
Shostakovich Symphony no. 2 in B, op. 14, ‘To October’
performed by the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and Chorus under Neeme Järvi, or as below with the WDR Radio Chorus and WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne under Rudolf Barshai (cover image by Taton Moïse) [O]ne is tempted simply to cut it off … Continue reading Shostakovich Symphony no. 2 in B, op. 14, ‘To October’
Prokofiev Symphony no. 2 in Dm, op. 40
performed by the Berlin Philharmonic under Seiji Ozawa, or below by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra under Neeme Järvi (cover image by Johannes Plenio) I have made the music so complex to such an extent that when I listen to … Continue reading Prokofiev Symphony no. 2 in Dm, op. 40
Stravinsky: Three Pieces for String Quartet
performed by the Goldner String Quartet, or below by the Alban Berg Quartet (cover image by David von Diemar) One of Stravinsky’s few efforts in the string quartet form, the Three Pieces dates from 1914, right after Petrushka and The Rite of Spring. … Continue reading Stravinsky: Three Pieces for String Quartet
Stravinsky: The Firebird
performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Pierre Boulez (cover image by Patrick Hendry) Mark him well—he is a man on the eve of celebrity. Serge Diaghilev of Igor Stravinsky This piece may well be the most famous of Stravinsky’s, … Continue reading Stravinsky: The Firebird
Stravinsky: Feu d’artifice
performed by the Lucerne Festival Orchestra under Riccardo Chailly, or below with the Columbia Orchestra under the composer’s baton (cover image by Jingda Chen) And now for something completely different. It’s almost shocking to me, despite being the sole writer and … Continue reading Stravinsky: Feu d’artifice
Brahms String Quartet no. 1 in Cm, op. 51 no. 1
performed by the LaSalle Quartet, or below by the Amadeus Quartet (cover image by Tina Rolf) On the theme of Brahms delaying the composition of works in the more revered forms, we have his first string quartet, which came after … Continue reading Brahms String Quartet no. 1 in Cm, op. 51 no. 1
Brahms Serenade no. 2 in A, op. 16
performed by the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig under Riccardo Chailly, or below with the London Symphony Orchestra under István Kertész (cover image by Saketh Garuda) In our discussion of Brahms on the blog over the years, we first addressed his symphonies, and … Continue reading Brahms Serenade no. 2 in A, op. 16
Brahms Serenade no. 1 in D, op. 11
performed by the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig under Riccardo Chailly, or below with the London Symphony Orchestra under István Kertész (cover image by Liam Pozz) Brahms may have only written four symphonies, but the symphonic works that come before it, of which … Continue reading Brahms Serenade no. 1 in D, op. 11
Beethoven Septet in E flat, op. 20
performed by members of the Berlin Philharmonic Octet, or as below, by people you may recognize (cover image by Christopher Harris) Say goodbye to Beethoven. At least for a few weeks. We’re working our way through the earlier pieces of … Continue reading Beethoven Septet in E flat, op. 20
Beethoven Piano Trio in B flat, op. 11
performed by Eric LeSage, Paul Meyer, and Claudio Bohórquez, or below by José Franch-Ballester, Ani Aznavoorian and Warren Jones (cover image by Michael D. Beckwith) Today’s work is the one that ruined it all for Beethoven’s piano trios. Just kidding. … Continue reading Beethoven Piano Trio in B flat, op. 11
Mozart Violin Concerto no. 3 in G, K. 216
performed by Arabella Steinbacher and Festival Strings Lucerne, or as below by Johannes Leertouwer and La Borea (cover image by Zhang Kaiyv) This is a suitable end to our long stretch of Mozart pieces. Thoughts I have about this piece … Continue reading Mozart Violin Concerto no. 3 in G, K. 216
Mozart Violin Concerto no. 2 in D, K. 211
performed by Isabelle Faust and Il Giardino Armonico under Giovanni Antonini, or below by Johannes Leertouwer and La Borea (cover image by Brooke Lark) The second of Mozart’s five legitimate (numbered, verified) violin concertos also dates from 1775, is also … Continue reading Mozart Violin Concerto no. 2 in D, K. 211
Mozart Violin Concerto no. 1 in B-flat, K. 207
performed by Isabelle Faust and Il Giardino Armonico under Giovanni Antonini, or below by Johannes Leertouwer and La Borea (cover image by Anastasia Zhenina) We welcome Mozart’s violin concertos to the blog. It was thought for a time, or perhaps … Continue reading Mozart Violin Concerto no. 1 in B-flat, K. 207
Mozart 4 Contredanses in F major (Serenade No. 2), K. 101
performed by the Wiener Mozart Ensemble under Wili Boskovsky (cover image by Aaron Burden) If YouTube video descriptions are to be believed (and that is one of the only sources of information I have about this work), then we are … Continue reading Mozart 4 Contredanses in F major (Serenade No. 2), K. 101
Mozart Symphony no. 30 in D, K. 202
performed by The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under Josef Krips, or below by the Academy of Ancient Music under Christopher Hogwood (cover image by Grant Ritchie) Here we are with our last Mozart symphony for a while. The 30th was written … Continue reading Mozart Symphony no. 30 in D, K. 202
Mozart Symphony no. 29 in A, K. 201
performed by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under Josef Krips, or below with the Academy of Ancient Music under Christopher Hogwood (cover image by Dawid Zawila) Did you expect anything else? Mozart’s 29th symphony, in contrast with the previously numbered work, does have … Continue reading Mozart Symphony no. 29 in A, K. 201
Mozart Symphony no. 28 in C, K. 200
performed by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under Josef Krips, or below by The Academy of Ancient Music under Christopher Hogwood (cover image by Dawid Zawila) Here we are with the next in that little set of four symphonies we started … Continue reading Mozart Symphony no. 28 in C, K. 200
Mozart Symphony no. 27 in G, K. 199
performed by Josef Krips and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, or below by The Academy of Ancient Music under Christopher Hogwood (cover image by Aneta Pawlik) For today’s symphony, we jump back to 1773, a few years before some of the pieces … Continue reading Mozart Symphony no. 27 in G, K. 199
Mozart Bassoon Concerto in B-flat, K. 191
performed by Stepan Turnovsky and the Vienna Mozart Academy under Johannes Wildner, or below, likely Aligi Voltan and the Orchestra del Teatro Olimpico di Vicenza under G.B. Rigon (cover image by Ales Krivec) Name another bassoon concerto. I’m sure you … Continue reading Mozart Bassoon Concerto in B-flat, K. 191
Mozart Divertimento no. 8 in F, K. 213
performed by the Wind Soloists of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, or as below by Ensemble Philidor (cover image by Aaron Burden) Today’s piece is the first in a group of five works for six instruments. A few weeks ago … Continue reading Mozart Divertimento no. 8 in F, K. 213
Fugue for Thought 