Bohuslav Martinů: Nonet no. 2, H. 374
performed by the Ensemble Wien-Berlin, or below by the commissioner of the work, the Czech Nonet subsequent movements can be found in this playlist This work was an accident. Martinů’s name had been one I was vaguely aware of, but with … Continue reading Bohuslav Martinů: Nonet no. 2, H. 374
NSO’s Symphonie Fantastique
Old familiar tunes. There are some upcoming articles in which I soapbox a bit on just listening to new music. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a crazy music collection with tons of albums and fancy equipment; just dabble in classical … Continue reading NSO’s Symphonie Fantastique
Egon Wellesz: Symphony no. 4, ‘Sinfonia Austriaca’
performed by the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under Gottfried Rabl Egon Joseph Wellesz was born on October 21, 1885 to Hungarian Christians of Jewish ancestry. He grew up Protestant, but later converted to Catholicism. He studied under both Arnold Schoenberg, father … Continue reading Egon Wellesz: Symphony no. 4, ‘Sinfonia Austriaca’
Robert Simpson: Symphony no. 1
performed by the London Philharmonic under Sir Adrian Boult second and third movements (this piece is featured on a list of pieces I heartily recommend to music directors for inclusion on their season programs. Check out the article here.) Meet … Continue reading Robert Simpson: Symphony no. 1
Easley Blackwood: String Quartet no. 1
performed by the Pacifica Quartet on Cedille Records (sorry, no YouTube), or here in iTunes Meet Easley Blackwood, a living American composer. Easley Blackwood, Jr. was born on April 21, 1933 in Indianapolis, Indiana, started studying piano, and by 14 was making solo … Continue reading Easley Blackwood: String Quartet no. 1
Hong Kong Sinfonietta: Taiwan Debut
First, the Hong Kong Sinfonietta is a blissfully talented ensemble who gave us a stunning concert this evening, one of the best I’ve heard in a while. Secondly, I’d like to apologize to them on behalf of the audience tonight for … Continue reading Hong Kong Sinfonietta: Taiwan Debut
TSO’s Violinsimo
Featuring Pinchas Zuckerman and the Taipei Symphony under Gilbert Varga Some things never change. Strangely like the initials of some concerts. This evening was originally to be Frank Peter Zimmerman playing a Bartok concerto, and for various secretive reasons he was unable to … Continue reading TSO’s Violinsimo
Benjamin Britten: The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
Variations and Fugue on a theme of Purcell performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Gennady Rozhdestvensky, or below by the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln under Jukka-Pekka Saraste This is fun. And of musical integrity. There are some pieces with either specific … Continue reading Benjamin Britten: The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
George Gershwin: Piano Concerto in F
performed by Wayne Marshall and the Aalborg Symphony, or below by Earl Wild and the Boston Pops under Arthur Fielder Jazz. I don’t like it. But I’m also willing to admit when I’m wrong. Earlier this year I was present … Continue reading George Gershwin: Piano Concerto in F
Amy Beach: Piano Quintet in f sharp minor, op.67
performed by the folks in this video: second and third movements Amy Mary Cheney Beach was born on September 5, 1867 in New Hampshire. She showed a stunning talent for music from an extremely young age, but her musical career … Continue reading Amy Beach: Piano Quintet in f sharp minor, op.67
Podcast: Haydn Found
featuring Mike McCaffrey. Listen here or in iTunes. Once upon a time, I had a very long conversation with a guy who knew Haydn personally. Or that’s what it felt like. And if you go over to Mike McCaffrey’s website, Haydn Seek, (he calls … Continue reading Podcast: Haydn Found
Joachim Raff: Symphony no. 3 in F, op. 153 ‘Im Walde’
performed by the Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra under Urs Schneider on Naxos, or below by Francesco D’Avalos and the Philharmonia or this recording for better recording quality, maybe my preference Yes, you read that right, a symphony no. 3, op 153. … Continue reading Joachim Raff: Symphony no. 3 in F, op. 153 ‘Im Walde’
Niccolò Paganini: Violin Concerto No. 5 in A minor
performed by Salvatore Accardo and the London Philharmonic under Charles Dutoit It’s Paganini! How haven’t we done Paganini here yet? His name has only (to my recollection) been uttered on these pages in the context of an incredible concert earlier this year where … Continue reading Niccolò Paganini: Violin Concerto No. 5 in A minor
John Field: Nocturnes, H. 24-26
performed by John O’Conor no. 2 and no. 3 None have quite attained to these vague eolian harmonies, these half-formed sighs floating through the air, softly lamenting and dissolved in delicious melancholy. Nobody has even attempted this peculiar style, … Continue reading John Field: Nocturnes, H. 24-26
Luigi Boccherini: String Quartet in D, op. 8/1
performed by the Venice Quartet, or below by the Takeuchi String Quartet in a surprisingly clear recording Ridolfo Luigi Boccherini was born on February 19, 1743 in Lucca, Italy, into a musical family. His father was a cellist and bassist, and … Continue reading Luigi Boccherini: String Quartet in D, op. 8/1
C.P.E. Bach: Symphony no. 2 in E-flat, Wq. 183/2
performed by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under Gustav Leonhardt, or below by The English Concert under Andrew Manze Another Bach. There are many of them. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach was born on March 8, 1714 to Johann … Continue reading C.P.E. Bach: Symphony no. 2 in E-flat, Wq. 183/2
Antonio Vivaldi: Le Quattro Stagioni
performed by Anne-Sophie Mutter and the Vienna Philharmonic under Herbert von Karajan Yes, the four seasons. All of them. And yeah, it’s that melody. The one that’s recognizable to a fault. It’s the one people call to mind when they think of a fancy, … Continue reading Antonio Vivaldi: Le Quattro Stagioni
New November: a series
Last month marked three years that I’ve been writing in this space (the past year powered by WordPress, and previous years by other, inferior platforms), and that’s totaled more than 600 articles, more than half of which are ‘music posts’ or articles about … Continue reading New November: a series
Russian Piano in review
Yes, yes, yes, it’s only a smattering. My apologies to: Mosolov Ustvolskaya Anatoly Lyadov Lyapunov A. Tcherepnin Myaskovsky Kabalevsky Gubaidulina Catoire And more. As you may have seen, we spent significant time in the first decade of the 20th century, … Continue reading Russian Piano in review
Podcast: From Bach to Brecht
featuring Julie Comparini, available here or in iTunes I’ve recently been interested in people’s musical backgrounds, or (formal) lack thereof, and how it informs their eventual careers or interests in music. Ms. Julie Comparini was one of those people, but … Continue reading Podcast: From Bach to Brecht
Prokofiev String Quartet No. 1 in B minor, op. 50
performed by the Emerson String Quartet or below by the Pavel Haas Quartet Prokofiev’s first string quartet comes shortly after the first version of his symphony no. 4, and just before the fourth piano concerto (the left-handed one) (with a … Continue reading Prokofiev String Quartet No. 1 in B minor, op. 50
Fugue for Thought 