7.7.1860 – 18.5.1911
“I am thrice homeless, as a native of Bohemia in Austria, as an Austrian among Germans, and as a Jew throughout the world. Everywhere an intruder, never welcomed.” 105 years ago… (cover image Michael Kranewitter, Wikipedia CC-by-sa 4.0) Continue reading 7.7.1860 – 18.5.1911
Beethoven’s Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus, op. 43
The Overture to the Ballet performed by the Gewandhausorchester under Riccardo Chailly, or below by the Vienna Philharmonic and Claudio Abbado So we’re not talking about the entire ballet, at least not yet. Maybe we should. In any case, if you’ve … Continue reading Beethoven’s Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus, op. 43
Podcast: Schumann’s Cipher
featuring cellist Carmine Miranda. Listen here or find it in iTunes. I’m interested in interesting things. Aren’t you? Codes and ciphers are interesting. Is there something secretive in Schumann’s sole cello concerto? While not a performer of any kind, I agreed with what … Continue reading Podcast: Schumann’s Cipher
Beethoven String Quartet No. 2 in G, op. 18, No. 2
performed by the Artemis quartet, or in a live performance below by the Belcea quartet (I always love to watch the intensity of the performers playing these works) We’re on to Beethoven’s second string quartet, the no. 2 of the opus 18 … Continue reading Beethoven String Quartet No. 2 in G, op. 18, No. 2
NSO’s Evening of Symphonic Blast
As you have perhaps been able to tell, it’s been a busy month for concerts. A few highly anticipated events were earlier this month, but it also seems to be the month in which the conductors (Gilbert Varga and 呂紹嘉) return to … Continue reading NSO’s Evening of Symphonic Blast
Beethoven Trio for violin, viola & cello in E flat, Op. 3
performed by the Zurich string trio, or below in a much brisker rendition by the Grumiaux Trio So trios… We talked about Beethoven’s op. 1 piano trios starting here, the first of those also in E flat. That was last summer, … Continue reading Beethoven Trio for violin, viola & cello in E flat, Op. 3
TSO’s Berezovsky & Varga
This concert didn’t have a swanky title. But (either because of these upcoming TSO concerts or not, I can’t recall) I’ve recently been a bit more curious about Enescu, Martinu, and others. One of the defining characteristics, I feel, of … Continue reading TSO’s Berezovsky & Varga
Mozart Symphony No. 18 in C, K. 130
ASMF/Marriner It’s a bit ridiculous to say I hear development or progress from this work as compared with yesterday’s piece that didn’t move me much, because they were written within weeks of each other, in May of 1772, but this symphony is, at least to me, … Continue reading Mozart Symphony No. 18 in C, K. 130
Mozart Symphony no. 17 in G, K. 129
ASMF/Marriner (who I think is playing below) After telling us that Mozart composed this work in 1772 at 16 years of age (the very same month he completed K. 128) (and that “some of its sections may have been written earlier”), … Continue reading Mozart Symphony no. 17 in G, K. 129
Mozart Symphony no. 16 in C, K. 128
ASMF/Marriner, who I believe also plays in the video below: Of the sixteenth symphony, Wikipedia says “The form is that of a standard three-movement Italian overture,” unlike yesterday’s work. Both the first and second movements are ‘essays in sonata-allegro form,’ … Continue reading Mozart Symphony no. 16 in C, K. 128
Hélène Grimaud’s ‘Water Reflection’
I had started this article before the concert with a small introduction and basic thoughts. Scratch it all. But if you don’t get to anything else, look at the program and jump to the subtitle below. There’s something inexplicably magical … Continue reading Hélène Grimaud’s ‘Water Reflection’
Mozart Symphony No. 15 in G, K. 124
performed by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under Sir Neville Marriner The second of the Salzburg symphonies, no. 15 in G is in four movements and clocks in at a whopping 12 and a half minutes. Wikipedia’s … Continue reading Mozart Symphony No. 15 in G, K. 124
Berlin Philharmonic in Taipei
There are no words. But I shall try. Maybe it’s just me, but for some of these really special concerts from visiting ensembles (and/or just amazing performances all around), there’s a strange sense of connection, of appreciation and gratitude, that … Continue reading Berlin Philharmonic in Taipei
W. A. Mozart Symphony no. 14 in A, K. 114
performed by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under Neville Marriner, or below by the Vienna Philharmonic under James Levine, who observes some repeats that make the work an extra 4-ish minutes longer Well, hello again, Mr. Mozart. … Continue reading W. A. Mozart Symphony no. 14 in A, K. 114
W. A. Mozart String Quartet No. 2 in D major, K. 155
performed by the Amadeus Quartet, or below, in an echoey recording by the Festetics Quartet We are now into the ‘Milanese quartets’, a true cycle of six quartets the young Mozart wrote in Milan between 1772 and 1773. These Milanese quartets … Continue reading W. A. Mozart String Quartet No. 2 in D major, K. 155
Haydn String Quartet no 23 in Fm, op. 20 no. 5
performed by the Buchberger quartet, or in a nice performance by the Quatuor Mosaïques This! This is the kind of thing we’ve been working toward. Haydn’s next quartet (reflecting the order in his own catalogue) is the string quartet no. … Continue reading Haydn String Quartet no 23 in Fm, op. 20 no. 5
NSO’s Berlioz Bash
Two things: Olesya Petrova is a phenomenal, breathtaking, delicate powerhouse. Simon Rattle sat (a few rows) behind me tonight (in the next section over). I’m not ashamed of the fact that I’m familiar with (very) little of Berlioz’s music aside … Continue reading NSO’s Berlioz Bash
Haydn Symphony no. 11 in E-flat (H. I/11)
performed by the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra under Adam Fischer, or below with the Philharmonia Hungarica under Antal Dorati Well, here we are… at our final Haydn (symphony) for a while, after another stretch of works. Again, I promise once we … Continue reading Haydn Symphony no. 11 in E-flat (H. I/11)
Haydn Symphony No. 25 in C (H. I/25)
performed by the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra under Adam Fischer, or below with the Philharmonia Hungarica and Antal Dorati Phew. Good thing this symphony is awesome, because they were starting to seem a little similar. There are a few notable differences with … Continue reading Haydn Symphony No. 25 in C (H. I/25)
Haydn Symphony No. 19 in D (H. I/19)
Adam Fischer/Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra, or below by the Philharmonia Hungarica under Antal Dorati Bam. Here we are again. More Haydn. Also, MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU. If it’s still the third, come back in twelve hours. Similar to yesterday’s … Continue reading Haydn Symphony No. 19 in D (H. I/19)
Haydn Symphony No. 17 in F (H. I/17)
Adam Fischer/Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra, or below with The Philharmonia Hungarica under Antal Dorati I’ll be typing that a lot this week. Symphony number 17. H. C. Robbins Landon’s The Symphonies of Joseph Haydn states that the work might have been written by 1757, … Continue reading Haydn Symphony No. 17 in F (H. I/17)
Fugue for Thought 