On this day: July 21, 2014
Missed a few posts last week. Back on track! Let’s go! July 21 Births: 1920 – Isaac Stern, Polish violinist and conductor (d. 2001) Deaths: 2005 – Michael Chapman, English bassoon player (b. 1934) July 22 Births: 1651 – Ferdinand Tobias Richter, Austrian organist and composer (d. 1711) 1702 – Alessandro Besozzi, Italian oboe player composer (d. 1775) 1949 – Alan Menken, American pianist and composer Deaths: — July 23 Births: 1796 – Franz Berwald, Swedish composer (d. 1868) 1838 – Édouard Colonne, French violinist and conductor (d. 1910) 1856 – Arthur Bird, American-German composer (d. 1923) 1928 – Leon Fleisher, American pianist and conductor 1962 – Alain Lefèvre, Canadian pianist and composer Deaths: 1757 – Domenico Scarlatti, Italian composer … Continue reading On this day: July 21, 2014
On this day: Week of July 14, 2014
Rather sparse this week. July 14 Births: 1859 – Willy Hess, German violinist and educator (d. 1928) 1901 – Gerald Finzi, English composer (d. 1956) Deaths: 2010 – Charles Mackerras, Australian conductor (b. 1925) July 15 Births: 1638 – Giovanni Buonaventura Viviani, Italian violinist and composer (d. 1693) 1934 – Harrison Birtwistle, English composer Deaths: 1789 – Jacques Duphly, French harpsichord player and composer (b. 1715) 1857 – Carl Czerny, Austrian pianist and composer (b. 1791) Student of Beethoven. 1930 – Leopold Auer, Hungarian violinist, composer, and conductor (b. 1845) 1959 – Ernest Bloch, Swiss-American composer (b. 1880) July 16 An EVENT! 1782 – First performance of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart‘s opera Die Entführung aus dem Serail. Births: 1858 – Eugène Ysaÿe, Belgian violinist, composer, … Continue reading On this day: Week of July 14, 2014
Nielsen Symphony no. 1 in Gm, op. 7
(I have written an updated article on this symphony in the few years since this original article. It can be found here, and I’d suggest reading it at least in addition to if not in place of what is below. For posterity, I’ve kept the original article as is.) performed by the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra under Neeme Järvi Let me just say I love the fact that Nielsen was playing in the second violins for the premiere of this piece. How cool is that? We’re getting back around to symphonies, probably for at least the next month or so. I … Continue reading Nielsen Symphony no. 1 in Gm, op. 7
A Stickler for Structure
Why I don’t really get what’s going on in tone poems (or other stuff…) While I wouldn’t say I am a serious traditionalist (things like Scriabin’s one-movement sonatas or Sibelius’s single movement seventh symphony don’t bother me), there are some distinct advantages for a listener to sticking to something resembling a familiar form. It serves almost as a map, an outline, a way to know at least roughly what should be going on at what point in the story. That being said, unless we’re dealing with something as obvious as Beethoven’s fifth or a very traditional first movement, I … Continue reading A Stickler for Structure
On this day: Week of July 7, 2014
July 7 Births: 1860 – Gustav Mahler, Austrian composer (d. 1911)- Oh. Yeah. One of the greatest symphonists of all time. Ever. And a brilliant conductor, all around genius musician. 1911 – Gian Carlo Menotti, Italian-American composer (d. 2007) 1976 – Vasily Petrenko, Russian conductor Deaths: 1987 – Germaine Thyssens-Valentin, Dutch-French pianist (b. 1902) 2003 – Izhak Graziani, Bulgarian conductor (b. 1924) July 8 Births: 1604 – Heinrich Albert, German composer and poet (d. 1651) 1882 – Percy Grainger, Australian-American pianist and composer (d. 1961) As cooky (and apparently perverted) as this guy was, I absolutely love his works. We played quite a few in high school. 1900 – George Antheil, American pianist, composer, and author … Continue reading On this day: Week of July 7, 2014
Liszt: Totentanz
played by Nelson Friere and the Munich Philharmonic under Rudolph Kempe Music You Can Understand: Part 2 This is intense. Also, two videos this week. Watch the top one first (at least the first minute or so), then the second … Continue reading Liszt: Totentanz
Erik Satie: Gnossiennes
performed by Jean-Yves Thibaudet Music You Can Understand: Part 1 Eric Satie died 89 years ago this week, and it wasn’t until I saw his name come up on the history post that I actually remembered this guy. He … Continue reading Erik Satie: Gnossiennes
On this day: Week of June 30, 2014
Week of June 30, 2014 June 30 1588 – Giovanni Maria Sabino, Italian organist, composer, and educator (d. 1649) 1937 – Michael von Biel, German cellist and composer 1958 – Esa-Pekka Salonen, Finnish conductor and composer Deaths: 1890 – Samuel Parkman Tuckerman, American composer (b. 1819) Welcome to the seventh month of the year: July 1 Births: 1586 – Claudio Saracini, Italian lute player and composer (d. 1630) 1663 – Franz Xaver Murschhauser, German composer and theorist (d. 1738) Quite a name you have, sir. 1926 – Hans Werner Henze, German composer (d. 2012) Deaths: 1592 – Marc’Antonio Ingegneri, Italian composer (b. 1535) 1784 – Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, German composer (b. 1710) 1925 – Erik Satie, French pianist … Continue reading On this day: Week of June 30, 2014
Prokofiev Piano Concerto no. 1
performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy with the London Symphony Orchestra under Andre Previn I really like Mr. Ashkenazy. He’s such a nice guy, it seems. There seems to be not an ounce of pride or ego in the man, just a … Continue reading Prokofiev Piano Concerto no. 1
The favorite symphonies list
A musical scavenger hunt of sorts. “He’s making a list… he’s checking it…” oh, only about half a billion times. I got this idea from this thread at Talk Classical which you may not be able to read without logging in. This is essentially an exercise in musical sudoku. There is ZERO inherent quality that a first symphonies of multiple composers would have in common, save it being the first one they wrote. Prokofiev’s first as a kind of musical caricature is so different from the ambitious first symphonies of Brahms or Mahler or Rott (his only, as I know, thanks … Continue reading The favorite symphonies list
On this day: week of June 23, 2014
June 23 1685 – Antonio Bernacchi, Italian soprano and composer 1711 – Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, Italian instrument maker (d. 1786) 1824 – Carl Reinecke, German pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 1910) 1943 – James Levine, American pianist and conductor (I have heard some of his [incomplete] Mahler cycle) Deaths: 1956 – Reinhold Glière, Russian composer (b. 1875) An incredibly non-Russian name, if you ask me. 2012 – Brigitte Engerer, French pianist (b. 1952) June 24 1846 – The saxophone is patented by Adolphe Sax in Paris, France. (to the dismay of band conductors everywhere) Births: 1803 – George James Webb, English-American composer (d. 1887) 1813 – Francis Boott, American composer (d. 1904) 1901 – Harry Partch, American composer and … Continue reading On this day: week of June 23, 2014
Ravel Piano Concerto in G
performed by Martha Argerich, with the Berlin philharmonic under Claudio Abbado (this link is of Argerich with her ex-husband, not the above recording with Abbado) I really like Ravel. Quite a bit. We’ve talked about Gaspard before. It’s stunningly gorgeous. … Continue reading Ravel Piano Concerto in G
The ensemble: the harp
An interview with Viktor Hartobanu image courtesy Andreas Labes I would like to work my way through the entire orchestra, getting interviews with an actual performer of each instrument and talk about its history, role in the ensemble and as a solo instrument, etc. This may only be a monthly (or bimonthly or quarterly) feature, but I am excited about starting this up, and firstly, we’re going to have a look at an instrument that I know almost nothing about aside from one of my favorite modern musicians who is part folk, part Appalachian, part indie, but 100% genius, Joanna … Continue reading The ensemble: the harp
On this day: week of June 16, 2014
Week of June 16 I know this has zero to do with classical music, but it is a significant piece of history related to a pretty classic book I love: 1904 – Irish author James Joyce begins a relationship with Nora Barnacle and subsequently uses the date to set the actions for his novel Ulysses; this date is now traditionally called “Bloomsday” Births: 1838 – Frederic Archer, English organist, composer, and conductor (d. 1901) Deaths: 1804 – Johann Adam Hiller, German composer and conductor (b. 1728) 1986 – Maurice Duruflé, French organist and composer (b. 1902) 2013 – Richard Marlow, English organist and conductor (b. 1939) June 17 Births: 1818 – Charles Gounod, French composer (d. … Continue reading On this day: week of June 16, 2014
Chopin Piano Sonata no. 2 in Bbm, op. 35
performed by Idil Biret As I mentioned in last week’s music post, I started my foray into classical music with the goal of familiarizing myself with the piano repertoire. To that end, I started with Chopin. This piece was one … Continue reading Chopin Piano Sonata no. 2 in Bbm, op. 35
How My Classical Music is Organized in iTunes
I tend to be a bit obsessive about organizing and knowing where everything is. You wouldn’t be able to tell from my desk at home, but I actually (for the most part) know where all that stuff is and what’s … Continue reading How My Classical Music is Organized in iTunes
On this day: Week of June 9, 2014
What happened this week in history that we should know about? Let’s see. June 9 As usual, no events. Births: 1732 – Giuseppe Demachi, Italian violinist and composer (d. 1791) 1810 – Otto Nicolai, German composer and conductor (d. 1849) 1865 – Carl Nielsen, Danish violinist, composer, and conductor (d. 1931) I quite like most of Nielsen’s earlier symphonies (earlier meaning everything except the fifth, which I haven’t really grown to appreciate yet [but still wrote about], and the sixth, which is just kind of… perplexing) 1891 – Cole Porter, American composer (d. 1964) I know I have said some bad things about jazz (or intend to), but Cole Porter … Continue reading On this day: Week of June 9, 2014
Scriabin piano sonata no. 1 in Fm, op. 6
performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy (this is the first of a few parts. Click through for the rest of the piece). Ashkenazy is my man for the Scriabin sonatas. That Decca sound might be a bit noticeable in its tinny, slightly … Continue reading Scriabin piano sonata no. 1 in Fm, op. 6
Why I love the piano sonata
I tend to vacillate between the simple, straightforward sonata, and the heavy-hitting, drawn out, intense Romantic-era hour-long symphony in my listening habits. For me, it’s either a huge, monumental work like a 90-minute Mahler symphony (or something slightly less overwhelming like Sibelius or Tchaikovsky) or something pared down, simple, straightforward, an exquisite example of form, structure and style like a piano sonata. Truth be told, I haven’t even gotten much into anything between these two extremes, things like quartets or other instrument sonatas (violin, viola, cello, etc.) that are often accompanied by piano. Part of the reason that the recent … Continue reading Why I love the piano sonata
On this day: Week of June 2, 2014
Let’s do this. Anything exciting this week? Maybe no events, but some notable people. June 2 Not yet. Births: 1857 – Edward Elgar, English composer (d. 1934) 1863 – Felix Weingartner, Croatian-Austrian pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 1942) 1878 – Wallace Hartley, English violinist and bandleader (d. 1912) I saw bandleader and I thought ‘jazz guy’, but this is the heroic kind of musical version of ‘captain of the ship’; he’s the guy that lead the eight-member band on the Titanic as it went down on April 15. Was that in the movie? 1944 – Marvin Hamlisch, American composer and conductor (d. 2012) Incredibly accomplished if not wholly classical in nature. … Continue reading On this day: Week of June 2, 2014
Prokofiev symphony no. 7 in C#m, op. 132
performed by the London Symphony Orchestra under Valery Gergiev (this is not the studio recording I am familiar with here, but it’s the same ensemble and conductor) Another one of my favorites, this one. I am compiling a list that … Continue reading Prokofiev symphony no. 7 in C#m, op. 132
Fugue for Thought 