tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506590893172815262024-02-20T04:11:08.249-08:00ClassicalRapClassicalRap is a forum for discussion of classical music from the Baroque era and forward.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-40605437843089583522011-10-06T11:20:00.000-07:002011-10-18T19:31:52.939-07:00My new Piano SonataI haven't posted much in the last couple of months due to dealing with personal issues, and being hard at work with my compositions.<br />
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The results are satisfactory to me. Hopefully it is so with my readers as well.<br />
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Here is my first piano sonata in 4 movements:<br />
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Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Opus 14, No. 1 (The finale to Opus 14, No. 2 - another sonata is in the works and will be posted here shortly as well)<br />
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I: Grave - Allegro</div>
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II: Adagio</div>
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III: Menuetto - Trio<br />
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IV: Finale: Presto - Andante - Presto</div>
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Sonata No. 2 in C sharp minor, Opus 14, No. 2</div>
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II: Andante espressivo</div>
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IV: Prestissimo - Andante - Prestissimo</div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-78216753206833396902011-08-23T05:22:00.000-07:002011-08-24T14:26:10.313-07:00I Made Some Videos.They're not great, and they took some time, but I'm learning; what can I say.<br />
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</div>Here's my two videos featuring some free clips I stole from the internet (hey, they were free). The first is an original Piano Prelude I composed recently, and my already posted piano concerto movement with better sound and some nice pics. I hope you enjoy. I will be making new posts regarding Beethoven soon.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That's me sitting in an alpine meadow at Yosemite in the second video. It was taken a few years back.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">OK, I made another one just today to display a little prelude I wrote.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-24072522106203297032011-08-14T15:55:00.000-07:002011-08-14T15:55:57.793-07:00MuseScore (C) ClassicalRap Composition Competition UpdateAs noted<b> </b><a href="http://classicalrap.blogspot.com/2011/07/musescore-classicalrap-composition.html" style="font-weight: bold;">here</a>, tomorrow, Monday August 15th marks the beginning of the judgment process for those members of the <b>MuseScore</b> group entitled <b>ClassicalRap Composition Competition.</b> Thus, there is still approximately 24 hours for onlookers to join the group and submit an original piano composition of not more than 5 minutes in duration.<br />
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I recommend to all those who still plan to join and submit an original work that they first read the group page for ClassicaRap Composition Competition Group found on the MuseScore website, in order to familiarize themselves with the selection process.<br />
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I wish you all good luck in this first competition.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-70304198840755307642011-08-14T04:26:00.000-07:002011-08-14T04:26:30.054-07:00Castaway on an iSland with only an iPod.......what would be on your iPod? Well, hopefully you have some food and shelter on the island, otherwise your iPod is not going to be much use to you.<br />
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Here's my list (so far):<br />
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Vivaldi - Four Seasons.<br />
Handel - The Messiah, Water Music, Royal Fireworks Music, anything else that will fit.<br />
Mozart - The Magic Flute, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Piano Concertos (all of them), last 7 or 8 symphonies, Laudate Dominum from Solemn Vespers, K 339, Requiem Mass, Coronation Mass.<br />
Beethoven - All the piano concertos, all the piano sonatas, all the symphonies, all the string quartets, The two masses, the violin concerto, the triple concerto, all the overtures and marches and anything else that will fit.<br />
Schubert - all the symphonies and a few of his piano sonatas and anything else that will fit.<br />
Mendelssohn - Anything that will fit.<br />
Bruch - Anything that will fit.<br />
Dvorak - New World Symphony and anything else that will fit.<br />
Chopin - Polonaise Brilliante for Cello and Piano in C major, Opus 3, all the preludes and the two piano concertos.<br />
Brahms - All the symphonies and anything else that will fit.<br />
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Well, as you can see, I will need a lot of KBs on my iPod, 'cause that list ain't complete.<br />
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I would also of course have works by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Liszt, Schumann, JS Bach, Telemann, Haydn, etc.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-37533119804908287132011-08-14T04:04:00.000-07:002011-08-14T04:04:12.232-07:00Readings in Classical Music<b><a href="http://www.yuksellergida.com/Music/who-needs-classical-music-cultural-choice-and-musical-value/">This</a> </b>advertisement for a new book on the value of classical music states:<br />
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<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #373737; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Praised in <em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Economist</em> as “heartfelt and finely reasoned…wise, perceptive and inspiring,” <em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Who Needs Classical Music?</em> offers a fresh and balanced defense of the value of classical music in contemporary culture. Challenging the many cultural critics who contend that the division between “high” and “low” art is an artificial one, that Beethoven’s Ninth and “Blue Suede Shoes” are equally valuable, Julian Johnson counters that music is more than just “a matter of taste.” Music can provide entertainment or simply serve as background noise. Classical music, he suggests, is shaped by its claim to function as art. It is distinguished by a self-conscious attention to its own materials and their formal patterning. Far from being irrelevant today, Johnson argues, classical music continues to offer rich and engaging insights into our experience of modern life. The paperback edition includes a new preface from the author, bringing his argument up to date. <em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Who Needs Classical Music?</em> will stimulate readers to reflect on their own investment (or lack of it) in music and art of all kinds.</span></span></blockquote><br />
I'm putting it on my list.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-5287001215462083782011-08-13T23:21:00.000-07:002011-08-13T23:21:08.255-07:00The Beethoven Piano Concertos (Part Two)Beethoven's <b>Concerto No. 2 in B flat major for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 19</b> was composed between 1787 and 1789, but the final form was not published until 1795. Beethoven was the performer at it's premier in Vienna on March 29, 1795 at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burgtheater" style="font-weight: bold;">Burgtheater</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/syOhF1VxX6g?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>In this performance, <b>Gabrielus Alekna</b> plays with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuanian_National_Symphony_Orchestra"><b>Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra</b></a> conducted by <b>Jouzas Domarkas</b> at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuanian_National_Philharmonic_Society"><b>Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society</b></a> in Vilnius sometime in March, 2010. Alekna was a prizewinner at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Federation_of_International_Music_Competitions"><b>International Beethoven Piano Competition</b></a><b> </b>in Vienna in 2005. The video above is the first movement: <i><b>Allegro con brio</b></i>. The following two videos contain movement <b><i>II: Adagio</i></b> and movement <b><i>III: Rondo: Molto allegro</i></b> respectively. Mr. Alekna posted these videos on YouTube himself apparently. I would have to say that he got it right in not dividing the movements into sections with the unavoidable interruption you get. This makes for a nice listen of the entire performance. I hope you enjoy.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j7gt2YlYd44/Tkdo3cidMpI/AAAAAAAAAEs/v0cBbdTqsac/s1600/Burgtheater%252C+Vien.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="161" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j7gt2YlYd44/Tkdo3cidMpI/AAAAAAAAAEs/v0cBbdTqsac/s320/Burgtheater%252C+Vien.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burgtheater, Vienna, Austria</td></tr>
</tbody></table>For more information on this concerto go <b><a href="http://www.all-about-beethoven.com/concerto2.html">here</a> </b>and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Concerto_No._2_(Beethoven)" style="font-weight: bold;">here</a>.<br />
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For a complete score for free go <a href="http://imslp.org/wiki/Piano_Concerto_No.2,_Op.19_(Beethoven,_Ludwig_van)" style="font-weight: bold;">here</a>.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-9433706171777910442011-08-13T18:42:00.000-07:002011-08-14T06:10:45.028-07:00When Crickets Compose Music? (A little off topic)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TGGNtDnEkOc/Tkcn1F4fQWI/AAAAAAAAAEo/cBzSQMuiAIE/s1600/Cricket900ppx_crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TGGNtDnEkOc/Tkcn1F4fQWI/AAAAAAAAAEo/cBzSQMuiAIE/s320/Cricket900ppx_crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I found <b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFguHRdUlk8&feature=related">this</a> </b>interesting. It's the sound of crickets slowed down to the point where the life of the average cricket mirrors the lifespan of the average human. Oh, the harmonies are exquisite!<br />
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Listening to this I was reminded of the lyrics of a certain Bob Dylan song. As some of you may recall, I'm a huge Bob Dylan fan, in addition to loving classical music. The song is from 1964, and it was not released on any Dylan album until 1985's <i><b>Biograph</b></i> album, which is 3 CD retrospective on Dylan's work until that time. The song is called <i><b>Lay Down Your Weary Tune</b></i> and the lyrics are as follows:<br />
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<i>Lay down your weary tune, lay down.</i><br />
<i>Lay down the song you strum</i><br />
<i>And rest yourself 'neath the strength of strings</i><br />
<i>No voice can hope to hum.</i><br />
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</i><br />
<i>Struck by the sounds before the sun</i><br />
<i>I knew the night had gone</i><br />
<i>The morning breeze like a bugle blew</i><br />
<i>Against the drums of dawn</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>Lay down your weary tune, lay down</i><br />
<i>Lay down the song you strum </i><br />
<i>And rest yourself 'neath the strength of strings</i><br />
<i>No voice can hope to hum</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>The ocean wild like an organ played</i><br />
<i>The seaweed's wove its strands</i><br />
<i>The crashin' waves like cymbals clashed</i><br />
<i>Against the rocks and sands</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>Lay down your weary tune, lay down</i><br />
<i>Lay down the song you strum</i><br />
<i>And rest yourself 'neath the strength of strings</i><br />
<i>No voice can hope to hum</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>I stood unwound beneath the skies</i><br />
<i>And clouds unbound by laws</i><br />
<i>The cryin' rain like a trumpet sang</i><br />
<i>And asked for no applause</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>Lay down your weary tune, lay down</i><br />
<i>Lay down the song you strum</i><br />
<i>And rest yourself 'neath the strength of strings</i><br />
<i>No voice can hope to hum</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>The last of leaves fell from the trees</i><br />
<i>And clung to a new love's breast</i><br />
<i>The branches bare like a banjo played</i><br />
<i>To the winds that listened the best</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>I gazed down in the river's mirror</i><br />
<i>And watched its winding strum</i><br />
<i>The water smooth ran like a hymn</i><br />
<i>And like a harp did hum</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>Lay down your weary tune, lay down</i><br />
<i>Lay down the song you strum</i><br />
<i>And rest yourself 'neath the strength of strings</i><br />
<i>No voice can hope to hum</i><br />
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Copyright (c) 1964, 1965 by Warner Bros. Inc.;<br />
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These lyrics are from the <a href="http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/lay-down-your-weary-tune" style="font-weight: bold;">Official Bob Dylan website</a>.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b311pXgHer0">Here's</a> </b>Dylan performing the song. This is not the track from Biograph, which was an outtake from Dylan's 1964 album <i><b>The Times They Are A-Changin'</b></i>. I believe it's from the <a href="http://www.bobdylan.com/music/bootleg-series-volume-9-witmark-demos-1962-1964" style="font-weight: bold;"><i>Witmark Demos</i></a>. <b>Addendum: This is not from Witmark, but probably the live performance in 1963 at Carnegie Chapter Hall in New York.</b><br />
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It's interesting that Dylan would be keen on the sounds of nature as if they are like a symphony. There's a certain intuition there when one considers the case of the crickets in the video.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-19104645102214482612011-08-10T23:31:00.000-07:002011-08-10T23:31:21.158-07:00The Beethoven Piano Concertos (Part One)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_1S6fTz3mcQ/TkN2Uxd4_XI/AAAAAAAAAEk/2pAdeYrHRvE/s1600/Young+Beethoven_Riedel_1801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_1S6fTz3mcQ/TkN2Uxd4_XI/AAAAAAAAAEk/2pAdeYrHRvE/s400/Young+Beethoven_Riedel_1801.jpg" width="352" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portrait of Beethoven as a young man by Carl Traugott Reidel (1769-1832)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>In order to do justice to a dedication to Beethoven for August, I couldn't exclude his wonderful <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_concerto">piano concertos</a></b> of which there are 7; 5 in number (1-5), one numbered "O" and without an opus number (WoO), and one that is a transcription of his Violin Concerto. In this series I will cover the 5 concertos numbered 1-5, then a post on the violin concerto and it's piano transcription, and will finish off on the concerto Numbered "O" and without opus number. I was fortunate to find a complete performance of Beethoven's Concerto No. 1 in C major for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 15 performed by one of my favorite piano concerto performers, a very young looking <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murray_Perahia">Murray Perahia</a> </b>with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Symphony_Orchestra" style="font-weight: bold;">London Symphony Orchestra</a>, conducted by the late <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Solti">Sir Georg Solti</a> </b>(1912-1997). Murray is known for playing complete concertos with additional material in the form of exquisite solo <u><b>c</b></u><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadenza">adenzas</a> </b>either composed by the original composer or by Perahia himself. I'm not certain of the cadenza input on the following performances.<br />
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My first true interest in classical music was sparked by a recording given to me of Beethoven's 3rd piano concerto; so his concertos have always held a special place in my classical music heart of hearts.<br />
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Beethoven composed this concerto between 1796 and 1797, and first performed it with himself on piano at a concert in Prague, in 1798.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYg2FxJVN2c&feature=related" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">I: Allegro con brio</a> (Part One)<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZdJgclP7vw&NR=1" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">I: Allegro con brio</a> (Part Two)<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3LyHyLrQXk&NR=1">II: Largo</a> </i>(Part One)<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29I02pADZoA&NR=1">II: Largo</a> </i>(Part Two)<br />
<b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVuy58-PYCc&NR=1">III: Rondo: Allegro scherzando</a></i></b><br />
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For more information on this concerto go <a href="http://www.all-about-beethoven.com/concerto1.html"><b>here</b></a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Concerto_No._1_(Beethoven)" style="font-weight: bold;">here</a>.<br />
<br />
For a free score go <a href="http://imslp.org/wiki/Piano_Concerto_No.1,_Op.15_(Beethoven,_Ludwig_van)" style="font-weight: bold;">here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-23474079219765335582011-08-10T21:49:00.000-07:002011-08-10T23:33:08.096-07:00The Evolution of the String Quartet (Part Five)<div style="text-align: center;"><b>More Alban Berg</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YpLvdWzNBiU/TkNevxHGaDI/AAAAAAAAAEg/DT9_Ivok45U/s1600/Vienna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="402" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YpLvdWzNBiU/TkNevxHGaDI/AAAAAAAAAEg/DT9_Ivok45U/s640/Vienna.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Vienna, 1758 by Bernardo Bellotto, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm very happy that the Alban Berg Quartet is featured in yet another YouTube performance; this time, one of my favorite Beethoven quartets, String Quartet No. 6 in B flat major, Opus 18, No. 6. The opening movement has a very familiar melodic theme, which for me is both exciting and rather catchy for a string quartet. The final movement "La Malinconia" begins with an unconventional adagio and moves into a "quasi allegro." His "Moonlight Sonata" is perhaps one of the best examples of this sort of approach, beginning with an "Adagio" movement instead of the traditional "Allegro." This is another example of his departure from convention.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mKCm25xyzE">I: Allegro con brio</a></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bduU-lNjgnE">II: Adagio ma non troppo</a></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8theuK4BgNs">III: Scherzo: Allegro</a></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbRZw_ACuKo">IV: La Malinconia - Adagio - Allegretto quasi allegro</a></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">For information on the Alban Berg Quartet go <b><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Alban+Berg+Quartet">here</a> </b>and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alban_Berg_Quartet" style="font-weight: bold;">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">This quartet was composed in 1800. For more information go <b><a href="http://robertsimpson.info/writings/simpsons-writings/beethoven-string-quartets.html#op18no6">here</a> </b>and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_Quartet_No._6_(Beethoven)" style="font-weight: bold;">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">For a free score, go <a href="http://imslp.org/wiki/String_Quartet_No.6,_Op.18_No.6_(Beethoven,_Ludwig_van)" style="font-weight: bold;">here</a>.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-41531312280113912252011-08-05T18:16:00.000-07:002011-08-05T18:16:59.003-07:00Interesting Beethoven LinksOK, I'll make it official, August is Beethoven Month at ClassicalRap. Here are a few links I found in web surfing on interesting aspects of Beethoven's music:<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.brightcecilia.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4233">The Beethoven Aesthetic</a> </b>- a linked talk at a composers' conference in Aspen, Colorado.<br />
<br />
Brahms inherited <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/02/arts/music/02chamber.html?_r=1&ref=ludwigvanbeethoven" style="font-weight: bold;">Beethoven's artistic spirit</a>?<br />
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<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/15/arts/music/15phil.html?ref=ludwigvanbeethoven" style="font-weight: bold;">Beethoven's varied descendants</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cathleen-falsani/church-of-beethoven-spiritual-music_b_918789.html" style="font-weight: bold;">Church of Beethoven?</a> I'm serious! And so apparently are they.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copying_Beethoven" style="font-weight: bold;">Copying Beethoven</a>; a 2006 drama film starring Ed Harris as the composer.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-7196508495918329862011-08-05T17:59:00.000-07:002011-08-05T17:59:23.262-07:00A Great Development from BBC OnlineIn the past video clips of copyrighted music from the BBC's podcast website have been limited to 60 seconds. In a new development, podcast clips can now be downloaded at a limit of 9 minutes.<br />
<br />
See <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2011/08/bbc_trust_classical_podcast_music.html"><b>here</b></a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-89032834367758978822011-08-05T17:49:00.000-07:002011-08-05T21:28:50.201-07:00The Evolution of the String Quartet (Part Four)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bPw83jWen6M/TjyHrps4KyI/AAAAAAAAAEc/REX-l3y8iJo/s1600/String_quartet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bPw83jWen6M/TjyHrps4KyI/AAAAAAAAAEc/REX-l3y8iJo/s320/String_quartet.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Since August has turned out for CR to be Beethoven month, I thought I'd continue where we left off with this series on the evolution of the string quartet by exploring Beethoven's quartets. So far we've covered the beginning of the classical string quartet in <b><a href="http://classicalrap.blogspot.com/2011/05/evolution-of-string-quartet-part-one.html">Part One</a>, </b>the Haydn quartets in <b><a href="http://classicalrap.blogspot.com/2011/05/evolution-of-string-quartet-part-two.html">Part Two</a> </b>and Boccherini and Mozart's quartets in <a href="http://classicalrap.blogspot.com/2011/06/evolution-of-string-quartet-part-three.html"><b>Part Three</b></a> <b>(Link fixed)</b> While these three posts are just a scratch off the surface of the quartet output from these three Classical era composers, I want to go more in-depth with Beethoven's quartets, since the form found its most prolific development in the Romantic era beginning with Beethoven.<br />
<br />
Beethoven wrote a total of 16 string quartets and one <i>Gross Fugue, </i>which is a single movement fugue for string quartet. His quartets are commonly divided into three periods, his first 6 quartets of the early period; the three <i>Rasumovsky</i> quartets and two others from the middle period and the last five quartets and <i>Gross Fugue</i> from the late period. In our discussion (hopefully we can develop one) we will start with a couple from the early period and try to figure out what elements distinguish the three periods.<br />
<br />
Our first quartet is of course Beethoven's String Quartet No. 1 in F major, Opus 18, No. 1, written in 1799. There are 6 quartets as part of Opus 18; thus the first 6 quartets, which make up the early period. Beethoven wrote these six under commission from Prince <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobkowitz" style="font-weight: bold;">Lobkowitz</a>, the employer of a violinist friend of Beethoven's. The exquisite performance below is by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alban_Berg_Quartet" style="font-weight: bold;">Alban Berg Quartet</a>, named after the famous composer. The video post from YouTube does not state the performance date, but in 2005 the performers retired.<br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKFzy7tEXu4">I: Allegro con brio</a></i></b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfrC6C_hM7s&NR=1">II: Adagio affettuoso ed appassionata</a></i></b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8theuK4BgNs&feature=related">III: Scherzo - Allegro molto - Trio</a></i></b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy3xcKPYBQU&feature=related">IV: Allegretto</a></i></b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
For more information on this series of quartets go<b> <a href="http://www.earsense.org/chamberbase/works/detail/?pkey=33">here</a> </b>and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_Quartets_Nos._1_%E2%80%93_6,_Opus_18_(Beethoven)" style="font-weight: bold;">here</a>.<br />
<br />
As part of a service to our readers I will attempt to provide links to the scores (whenever available for free) of the pieces I present starting now with this link <a href="http://imslp.org/wiki/String_Quartet_No.1,_Op.18_No.1_(Beethoven,_Ludwig_van)" style="font-weight: bold;">here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-42661649239072361142011-08-04T21:57:00.000-07:002011-08-05T10:09:28.955-07:00Beethoven Symphonies (Almost) Live (Part Nine)<div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Choral Symphony</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uWhfhFRmIZA/TjtheKqTwgI/AAAAAAAAAEU/2dx2i9E5RMM/s1600/Ninth_Symphony_original+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uWhfhFRmIZA/TjtheKqTwgI/AAAAAAAAAEU/2dx2i9E5RMM/s400/Ninth_Symphony_original+%25281%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beethoven's manuscript of the 9th Symphony</td></tr>
</tbody></table><i>Oh friends, not these tones!</i><br />
<i>Rather let us raise our voices in more pleasing </i><br />
<i>And more joyful sounds!</i><br />
<i>Joy! Joy!</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">If Beethoven had lived to complete his 10th symphony, how would he have outdone himself from the 9th? That is a question that can't be answered of course, so it is frivolous to try; but still a question that should be asked when considering his Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Opus 125 "Choral Symphony." This is by far Beethoven's longest symphony. He departs significantly from the traditional symphony and introduces a new tradition by including parts for vocal soloists and choir in the last movement "Ode to Joy;" a tradition that would be imitated by other symphony composers, most significantly Gustav Mahler. I've heard many performances of the 4th movement of this symphony, and one can often notice quite a contrast between the quality in performance of the first 3 movements compared with the fourth. This is due to the addition of human voices; which require an element of refinement. If done well as the following performance demonstrates, it actually adds something quite magnificent to the symphony. If done poorly it actually detracts from the magnificence of the symphony. Thus, a conductor who is able to control all of the performance ensembles (3 to be exact - orchestra, small vocal ensemble and choir in addition to the vocal solo performances), can achieve quite an astonishing display of beauty and joy.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The best live performance on YouTube I could find comes from Leipzig, Germany with the <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gewandhausorchester">Leipzig Gewandhausorchester</a> </b>and<b> </b>the Opera Choir of Leipzig conducted by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_Chailly" style="font-weight: bold;">Ricardo Chailly</a>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rUIZrFqRs&feature=related">I: Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso</a> </i>(Part One)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5PhRo56l0U&feature=related">I: Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso</a> </i>(Part Two)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtfrJoZX4cE&feature=related">II: Molto vivace</a> </i>(Part One) Unfortunately the video marked "part two" is exactly the same as this one. I left a note to the poster asking them to correct this. If it gets corrected I will post a link to the 2nd part here. <b>Addendum: I heard back from the poster and it was explained to me that the two clips are not identical. Well you decide. Here's the 2nd clip:</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkd7XrdRsXA&feature=email&email=comment_reply_received">II: Molto vivace</a> </b>(Part Two)<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PySe7E-Q7uA&feature=related">III: Adagio molto cantabile</a> </i>(Part One)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwUHWbf5zDI&feature=related">III: Adagio molto cantabile</a> </i>(Part Two)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKFLs3f3Nag&feature=related">IV: Finale: Presto - Allegro assai (Choral: "Ode to Joy")</a> </i>(Part One)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f42GIopSUZs&feature=related">IV: Finale: Presto - Allegro assai (Choral: "Ode to Joy")</a> </i>(Part Two)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ1McdLKDj4&feature=related">IV: Finale: Presto - Allegro assai (Choral: "Ode to Joy")</a> </i>(Part Three)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MbzY21dzA2k/TjtqL8Cki0I/AAAAAAAAAEY/zQ-kt1x76nk/s1600/Leipzig_Neues_Gewandhaus_2004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MbzY21dzA2k/TjtqL8Cki0I/AAAAAAAAAEY/zQ-kt1x76nk/s640/Leipzig_Neues_Gewandhaus_2004.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leipzig New Gewandhaus<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Joyful, Joyful!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In 1907 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_van_Dyke" style="font-weight: bold;">Henry van Dyke</a>, an American clergyman wrote a poem entitled <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyful,_Joyful_We_Adore_Thee" style="font-weight: bold;">Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee</a>, intending to set the words to the melody from the 4th movement of Beethoven's 9th symphony. The result was one of Christianity's favorite hymns.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here's the lyrics:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><i>Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;</i></blockquote></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Singing bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blessed,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Wellspring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest!</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, all who live in love are Thine;</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Teach us how to love each other; lift us to the joy divine.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Mortals join the happy chorus, which the morning stars began;</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Father love is reigning o'er us, Brother love binds man to man.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife,</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Joyful music leads us Son-ward in the triumph song of life. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Modern Approaches</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">The hymn as performed in the film <i> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wNmlrdCBkE" style="font-weight: bold;">Sister Act II</a>.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Music from Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HdFTOl8uiE" style="font-weight: bold;"><i>A Clockwork Orange</i></a></div><blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: left;"></blockquote></blockquote></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-8437086107083220042011-08-02T19:08:00.000-07:002011-08-02T19:13:50.727-07:00Beethoven Symphonies (Almost) Live (Part Eight)<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Bernstein Conducts the Wiener Philharmoniker</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M0_-rs_zIUI/TjisX7pyk8I/AAAAAAAAAEM/AAesOdQhVKo/s1600/Leonard_Bernstein_by_Jack_Mitchell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M0_-rs_zIUI/TjisX7pyk8I/AAAAAAAAAEM/AAesOdQhVKo/s640/Leonard_Bernstein_by_Jack_Mitchell.jpg" width="498" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leonard Bernstein</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">Our eighth installment takes us back to Vienna, but with a different conductor; the late great <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Bernstein">Leonard Bernstein</a> </b>(1918-1990) conducting the Vienna Philharmonic in a performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 8 in F major, Opus 93.</div><b><br />
</b><br />
<b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSmzyzEQ6Vk&feature=related">I: Allegro vivace e con brio</a></i></b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRA1aQTHRYw&feature=related">II: Allegretto Scherzando</a></i></b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvp7tj7TUtY&feature=related">II: Tempo di menuetto</a></i></b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDpLeyVrgsg&feature=related">IV: Allegro vivace</a></i></b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
For more information on this symphony go <a href="http://www.all-about-beethoven.com/symphony8.html"><b>here</b></a>, <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5485221"><b>here</b></a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._8_(Beethoven)" style="font-weight: bold;">here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-47597413839629322492011-08-02T18:15:00.000-07:002011-08-02T18:51:01.586-07:00Beethoven Symphonies (Almost) Live (Part Seven)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZJ11Hg0vbmg/TjigppsMGTI/AAAAAAAAAEI/UlkpNW6Hugk/s1600/Concertgebouw_Amsterdam_10_november_1902.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZJ11Hg0vbmg/TjigppsMGTI/AAAAAAAAAEI/UlkpNW6Hugk/s320/Concertgebouw_Amsterdam_10_november_1902.jpeg" width="259" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amsterdam Concertgebouw in 1902</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I can think of no other conductor who appears to be having as much fun with Beethoven's symphonies than the late <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Kleiber">Carlos Kleiber</a> </b>(1930-2004). Kleiber literally dances at the podium on the faster movements, and his grin and eye-twinkle make this performance mesmerizing. Again with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. I don't have a date on this performance, but Kleiber retired from conducting in the mid 1990s. This is perhaps one of Beethoven's livelier symphonies; particularly the last two movements.<br />
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<i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1qAWcd4rr0">I: Poco sostenuto - Vivace</a> </i>(Part One)<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzHt-_i_FcE&NR=1"><i>I: Poco sostenuto - Vivace</i></a> </b>(Part Two)<br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqtPVEuAbzM&NR=1">II: Allegretto</a></i></b><br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td3mRRne39I&NR=1">III: Presto</a></i></b><br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLkZvsp62iU&NR=1">IV: Allegro con brio</a></i></b><br />
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Part of a professional documentary on this magnificent conductor can be found <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJLXbR_AB6Q&feature=related">here</a>. (In German with English subtitles).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-15338372479415974082011-08-02T16:13:00.000-07:002011-08-02T16:13:53.572-07:00Beethoven Symphonies (Almost) Live (Part 6)<div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Pastoral</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CU75Acn4Y8E/Tjh_xC2sU5I/AAAAAAAAAEE/BqVjXrOqoJk/s1600/Thunderstorm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CU75Acn4Y8E/Tjh_xC2sU5I/AAAAAAAAAEE/BqVjXrOqoJk/s640/Thunderstorm.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">While Beethoven's 5th symphony is the best known, his Symphony No. 6 in F major, Opus 68 "Pastoral" is among the best loved of his symphonies by those who know him best. With a total of five movements, after the 9th symphony it is the next longest. Here Beethoven expresses that expansive vision that is his signature nature. With the exception of the 9th, the breadth of this work is unsurpassed in the decades that came after it. It wasn't until Mahler in the latter part of the 19th Century when the romantic symphony began to expand beyond the breadth of Beethoven, and owes it's expansion to his insight and clarity. As with the 5th, in the opening here Beethoven relies on repetition and buildup of a few notes to the point of wonderful strength, never to be exhausted! It's wonderful to listen to and for this installment I wanted to find the absolute best performance I could find; and so, we return to Vienna and Christian Thielemann's handling of a performance once again by the Vienna Philharmonic. Unfortunately I was only able to find the first movement. However, if readers wish to explore these performances more in-depth, I've left a link to the official release of the Vienna Philharmonic's performances of all 9 of Beethoven's symphonies.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Fist things; if one desires to discover the frantic nature of Beethoven when working on his greatest symphonies, I find it interesting to observe his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Beethoven_sym_6_script.PNG"><b>original manuscripts</b></a>; which I doubt if anyone could make sense of apart from the apparent restless excitement he must have felt as the ideas and insight were imparted to him in a certain state of inspiration. Beethoven's scribbling shorthand does little justice to the final product.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The 6th is a "programatic" symphony, employing thematic elements that set a certain mood in celebration of nature. Rather than employing the typical Italian Tempo markings, Beethoven preferred to set the mood for each movement by description as follows:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I: "Erwachen heiterer Empfindungen bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande" (Awakening of Cheerful Feelings Upon Arrival in the Country): Allegro ma non troppo.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">II: "Szene am Bach" (Scene at the Brook): Andante molto.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">III: "Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute" (Happy gathering of the Country Folk): Allegro.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">IV: "Gewitter, Sturm" (Thunderstorm; Storm): Allegro.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">V: "Hirtengesang. Frohe und dankbare <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Gef<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 19px;">ühle</span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">nach dem Sturm" (Shepherd's song; Cheerful and Thankful Feelings After the Storm): Allegretto.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLxtxOx5HYc"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I: Allegro ma non troppo</span></i></b></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu-M7HfFqic&feature=fvwrel">Here's</a> an advertising clip for Thielemann and the Vienna Philharmonic's recordings of all nine Beethoven symphonies. These performances are available on BlueRay from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-music&field-keywords=Christian+Thielemann+beethoven+symphonies&x=0&y=0"><b>Amazon.com</b></a> or other retailers.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-36432260901084225652011-08-01T17:21:00.000-07:002011-08-01T17:21:49.829-07:00Great Concert Halls<b><a href="http://haydnphil.org/en/newsletter/hallwrld.htm">Here's</a> </b>a link to some of the great concert halls around the world where Orchestras often play. While doing my series of posts on Beethoven's symphonies I came across several outstanding venues for this type of concert, and I thought it might be interesting for my readers to have more information on where great concerts are held. Here's some photos of some of these venues:<div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bpyogA8CeuU/TjdC5TwRdnI/AAAAAAAAAEA/PXXzje4CqHA/s1600/National_Arts_Centre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bpyogA8CeuU/TjdC5TwRdnI/AAAAAAAAAEA/PXXzje4CqHA/s320/National_Arts_Centre.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">National Arts Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XIdfCglxbVE/TjdCR-bqPaI/AAAAAAAAAD8/iGkGCyLVQ2w/s1600/Disney_Concert_Hall_by_Carol_Highsmith_edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="249" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XIdfCglxbVE/TjdCR-bqPaI/AAAAAAAAAD8/iGkGCyLVQ2w/s320/Disney_Concert_Hall_by_Carol_Highsmith_edit.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, California, USA</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V3nG8BU7vSc/TjdAwXRCSnI/AAAAAAAAAD0/f-lLi5QD4-w/s1600/Brucknerhaus_Linz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V3nG8BU7vSc/TjdAwXRCSnI/AAAAAAAAAD0/f-lLi5QD4-w/s320/Brucknerhaus_Linz.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brucknerhaus, Linz, Austria</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WhjqiqYpD9I/Tjc-h5mEwCI/AAAAAAAAADo/J4FeIlEhdV8/s1600/Royal_Albert_Hall%252C_London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WhjqiqYpD9I/Tjc-h5mEwCI/AAAAAAAAADo/J4FeIlEhdV8/s320/Royal_Albert_Hall%252C_London.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Royal Albert Hall, London, UK</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eK7gsCKVyeM/Tjc_xjUzNQI/AAAAAAAAADw/jw246RV9vAg/s1600/Copenhagen_Concert_Hall_by_night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="158" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eK7gsCKVyeM/Tjc_xjUzNQI/AAAAAAAAADw/jw246RV9vAg/s320/Copenhagen_Concert_Hall_by_night.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Koncerthuset, Copenhagen, Denmark</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G-h4OaTFnOs/Tjc_IjyjeYI/AAAAAAAAADs/wsJFjQBp67E/s1600/La_Monnaie_Brussels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G-h4OaTFnOs/Tjc_IjyjeYI/AAAAAAAAADs/wsJFjQBp67E/s320/La_Monnaie_Brussels.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Monnaie, Brussels, Belgium<br />
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</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-25370275767551509242011-08-01T16:50:00.000-07:002011-08-01T16:50:39.640-07:00Beethoven Symphonies (Almost) Live (Part Five)<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Beethoven's Fifth!!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Well of course I was able to find many great performances of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Opus 67 on YouTube. It is probably one of the best known symphonic works of all time. It is also a major turning point in Beethoven's transition from the Classical period into the Romantic.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I will dedicate this post to several performances of this wonderful symphony. The first is a performance from the 1950s by the NBC Orchestra conducted by <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arturo_Toscanini">Arturo Toscanini</a> </b>performed at Carnegie Chapter Hall in New York City, March 22, 1952.</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HmfhqHS479c/TjcvSoONYgI/AAAAAAAAADg/UrmtwrhzUI8/s1600/Carnegie_Hall%252C_NYC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HmfhqHS479c/TjcvSoONYgI/AAAAAAAAADg/UrmtwrhzUI8/s320/Carnegie_Hall%252C_NYC.jpg" width="220" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Carnegie Hall, New York, New York</span></td></tr>
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<b></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6K_IuBsRM4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I: Allegro con brio</span></a></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b></b><br />
<b></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijiHzheK4GQ&NR=1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">II: Andante con moto</span></a></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b></b><br />
<b></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mt7NIPFgQk&feature=fvwrel">III: Allegro-Allegro</a> </i>(Part One)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b></b><br />
<b></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mZ4_aWfH7s&NR=1">III: Allegro-Allegro</a> </i>(Part Two) *Note - the poster of these clips erroneously labels this as the 4th movement. There are only 3.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBC_Symphony_Orchestra"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">NBC Symphony Orchestra</span></a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnegie_hall"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Carnegie Hall</span></a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fBR3eUggko0/TjczHtmQfGI/AAAAAAAAADk/m1FhtpmDPUI/s1600/Korea-Seoul.Arts.Center-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fBR3eUggko0/TjczHtmQfGI/AAAAAAAAADk/m1FhtpmDPUI/s320/Korea-Seoul.Arts.Center-05.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Seoul Arts Center</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Our 2nd performance of this symphony comes from Seoul, South Korea with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul_Philharmonic_Orchestra"><b>Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra</b></a> conducted by <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myung-whun_Chung">Myung-whun Chung</a> </b>in a performance at <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul_Arts_Center">Seoul Arts Center</a> </b>on January 20th, 2006.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9MtBTkzmQo"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I: Allegro con brio</span></a></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xk2GYSVuWo&NR=1">II: Andante con moto</a> </i>(Part One)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYkSP81UQ7o&feature=related">II: Andante con moto</a> </i>(Part Two)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPxlNhzHlFA&NR=1">III: Allegro-Allegro</a> </i>(Part One)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tswown6lsxU&feature=related">III: Allegro-Allegro</a> </b>(Part Two)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Our next performance of Beethoven's 5th symphony comes from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsche_Kammerphilharmonie"><b>Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie</b></a> in Bremen, Germany, conducted by Paavo J<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 13px;">ärvi in a performance from April 2nd, 2008. The venue is unknown. These videos combine the movements into 3 clips to:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 13px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJWl4iX0krQ"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Part One</span></i></b></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEN2jKdQyfU&NR=1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Part Two</span></a></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo-k94zx3Lk&NR=1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Part Three</span></a></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> For more information on this symphony go <a href="http://phoenix.liu.edu/jmeschi/Flash/b5/b5.htm"><b>here (requires flash)</b></a>, <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5473894"><b>here</b></a> and <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beethoven_Symphony_No._5">here</a>.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-25543654682094930682011-08-01T15:34:00.000-07:002011-08-01T15:40:22.293-07:00Beethoven Symphonies (Almost) Live (Part Four)<div style="text-align: center;"><b>A new "Discovery"!!</b></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R9JUu3XaOPg/TjTZ-1jkPxI/AAAAAAAAADY/36Zrsu-BVyE/s1600/ConcertgebouwAmsterdamTheNetherlands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R9JUu3XaOPg/TjTZ-1jkPxI/AAAAAAAAADY/36Zrsu-BVyE/s320/ConcertgebouwAmsterdamTheNetherlands.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amsterdam Concertgebouw</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Trying to find a decent complete performance of Beethoven's 4th symphony proved to be a bit more of a task than the last 3 performances. Alas, after searching through several dozen attempts, rehearsals, incomplete movements and the like, I came across an orchestra I had not heard of: The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discovery_Ensemble"><b>Discovery Ensemble</b></a> out of Boston Massachusetts. It's a chamber orchestra made up of professionals in the Boston area. The director, Courtney Lewis demonstrates competent skills with his ensemble.<br />
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A few drawbacks: There's only one camera angle, so this set of videos will give you a fine view of the conductor and not much else. Oh well. The sound is good and the performance is better than most I heard with the exception of the Amsterdam Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra's performance under the magnificent skills of Carlos Kleiber. Unfortunately it's posted by several people in different video arrays, and I can't seem to find a complete set. If in time I'm able to find a nice set of all the movements I will post it here. For now I give you the Discovery Ensemble and an excerpt from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra performing Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Opus 60:<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GaQ5EAKLLgw/TjTaNeqBTPI/AAAAAAAAADc/teWjriO0e-Y/s1600/Amsterdam+Concertgebouw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="203" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GaQ5EAKLLgw/TjTaNeqBTPI/AAAAAAAAADc/teWjriO0e-Y/s320/Amsterdam+Concertgebouw.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior of Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4j7wUt0EyE">I: Adagio - Allegro vivace</a> </i>as performed by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.<br />
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<b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Kleiber">Carlos Kleiber</a>,</b> Conductor<br />
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<b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdam_Concertgebouw">Amsterdam Concertgebouw</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdam_Concertgebouw_Orchestra">Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra</a></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij9yVHLTXOs" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">I: Adagio-Allegro vivace</a> (Part One) as performed by Discovery Ensemble.<br />
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<i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIHEmgh0ckY">I: Adagio-Allegro vivace</a> </i>(Part Two)<br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fep7c-Sr7Og&NR=1">II: Adagio</a></i></b><br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMTUQY4Gb8I&playnext=1&list=PLD8120A40615207DE">III: Menuetto: Allegro vivace</a></i></b><br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDJDf1FdkdQ">IV: Allegro ma non troppo</a></i></b><br />
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For more information on this symphony go <a href="http://www.all-about-beethoven.com/symphony4.html">here</a>, <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5459338">here</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._4_(Beethoven)">here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-72917497473955307142011-07-30T01:30:00.000-07:002011-07-30T01:30:08.533-07:00Beethoven Symphonies (Almost) Live (Part Three)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iuxDjFhrZ4o/TjO4Ai3DAqI/AAAAAAAAADU/QEqGmNyrRWo/s1600/Musikverein.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iuxDjFhrZ4o/TjO4Ai3DAqI/AAAAAAAAADU/QEqGmNyrRWo/s320/Musikverein.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Musikverein, Vienna, Austria (Exterior)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>For our third installment on a YouTube exploration into the best live performances of Beethoven's 9 symphonies, I give you once again the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with once again, Christian Thielemann conducting Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Opus 55 "<i>Eroica</i>". For information on this great orchestra, see the links in the previous post <b><a href="http://classicalrap.blogspot.com/2011/07/beethoven-symphonies-almost-live-part.html">here.</a> </b>This performance is from April of 2010.<br />
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Along with Symphony Nos. 6 an 9, this is one of Beethoven's longer symphonies.<br />
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<b style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxbqTRlh-F8&feature=related">I: Allegro con brio</a> </b><i>(Part 1)</i> and <i><b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUu-4LjOOjE&feature=related">(Part 2)</a></b></i><br />
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<i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-cSXxUNZx0&feature=related" style="font-weight: bold;">II: Marcia funebre: Adagio assai</a> (Part 1) </i>and<b><i> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkFw7p1MunY&feature=related">(Part 2)</a></i></b><br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffnvpgQtlzU&NR=1">III: Scherzo: Allegro vivace</a></i></b><br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1uTryMLwvo&NR=1">IV: Finale: Allegro molto</a></i></b><br />
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For more information on this symphony go <a href="http://library.thinkquest.org/22673/beethoven3rd.html"><b>here</b></a>, <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5456722"><b>here</b></a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._3_(Beethoven)"><b>here</b></a>.<br />
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More information on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musikverein"><b>Musikverein</b>,</a> Vienna.<br />
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</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-23851844791777828682011-07-30T00:17:00.000-07:002011-07-30T01:41:13.296-07:00Beethoven Symphonies (Almost) Live (Part Two)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eHjEjCQJwuw/TjOqRzA-BmI/AAAAAAAAADQ/uxStM5M0pbg/s1600/Musikverein_Goldener_Saal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="154" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eHjEjCQJwuw/TjOqRzA-BmI/AAAAAAAAADQ/uxStM5M0pbg/s320/Musikverein_Goldener_Saal.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vienna's Musikverein Golden Hall</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For the next installment of the best YouTube video live performances of Beethoven's symphonies we go to Vienna (Wien), Austria (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">Österreich)</span> for the <a href="http://www.wienerphilharmoniker.at/"><b>Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra's</b></a> performance of Symphony No. 2 in D major, Opus 36, conducted by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Thielemann"><b>Christian Thielemann</b></a> b. 1959.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How about that magnificent hall for a venue? Also, in this performance we get a good closeup of the conductor, who in my view is terrific.</span><br />
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<i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-zlwQOxun4"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I: Adagio molto - Allegro con brio</span></b></a></i><br />
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<i><b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3SXB9Cd4Ls&NR=1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">II: Larghetto</span></a></b></i><br />
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<i><b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r2zVH3F1M0&NR=1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">III: Scherzo: Allegro</span></a></b></i><br />
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<i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7CuTApszcc&NR=1">IV: Allegro molto</a></span></b></i><br />
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For more information on this symphony go <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5454034"><b>here</b></a> (NPR got the opus number wrong in this article, which is not at all suprising), <a href="http://www.all-about-beethoven.com/symphony2.html"><b>here</b></a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._2_(Beethoven)"><b>here</b></a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-11156817154686830752011-07-29T23:39:00.000-07:002011-07-30T01:45:31.073-07:00Costa Rica: Beaches, Sun and...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l8QvUVZakeQ/TjOm2O5jQAI/AAAAAAAAADM/GENz-iILD-o/s1600/costa+rica.Corocovado.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l8QvUVZakeQ/TjOm2O5jQAI/AAAAAAAAADM/GENz-iILD-o/s320/costa+rica.Corocovado.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Classical Music. The Credomatic Music Festival is underway in this idyllic Central American country.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For more information go <a href="http://www.ticotimes.net/Weekend/Arts-Leisure/Classical-music-festival-draws-international-stars_Friday-July-29-2011"><b>here</b>.</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-12865072234558351822011-07-29T22:57:00.000-07:002011-07-30T01:44:09.483-07:00Beethoven Symphonies (Almost) Live<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lsqD_9JTj3Q/TjOcui8tzaI/AAAAAAAAADI/QRKVj6WgiY4/s1600/Beethoven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lsqD_9JTj3Q/TjOcui8tzaI/AAAAAAAAADI/QRKVj6WgiY4/s320/Beethoven.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portrait by Joseph Karl Stieler, 1820.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">OK, since I can find several live performances of all Beethoven's 9 symphonies on YouTube, I'm going to post the best I can find here. We'll of course go in order, so with Symphony No. 1 in C major, Opus 21, here's Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie from Bremen, Germany conducted by Paavo Jarvi in a performance from 2006. These videos are particularly good in that they include an exposition throughout provided by Robert Greenberg's Teaching Company Wordscore guide.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 13px;"> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 13px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uanDzr5SkTU&feature=related"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b>I: Adagio molto - Allegro con brio</b></i></span></a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 13px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CelEV6OQS0&feature=related"><i><b>II: Andante cantabile con moto</b></i></a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Movements <i>III: Menuetto: Allegro molto e vivace</i> and <i>IV: Finale: Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace</i> are included in the same video <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCuNilw55mY&NR=1"><b>here</b>.</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For more on this symphony go <a href="http://www.all-about-beethoven.com/symphony1.html"><b>here</b></a>, <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5442651"><b>here</b></a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._1_(Beethoven)"><b>here</b>.</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For an interesting blog dedicated to Beethoven go <a href="http://lvbandmore.blogspot.com/"><b>here</b>.</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-21431524501944976682011-07-29T22:03:00.000-07:002011-07-30T01:46:39.804-07:00More of Liszt's Beethoven With Glenn GouldGlenn Gould, the great Canadian pianist has long past, but has left us a legacy in his recordings. He is most well-known for his interpretations of <a href="http://www.jsbach.org/"><b>JS Bach</b></a>. But he also apparently loved the Liszt transcriptions of Beethoven's 9 symphonies:<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-glfsKHdmT70/TjORc0PzBoI/AAAAAAAAADE/bSH2SZDAZIM/s1600/Glenngould-statue-toronto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-glfsKHdmT70/TjORc0PzBoI/AAAAAAAAADE/bSH2SZDAZIM/s320/Glenngould-statue-toronto.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glenn Gould statue in Toronto</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Here's some more samplings:<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjF3-fUfX3E"><b><i>Symphony No. 5 in C major, Opus 67</i></b></a> or for Liszt: S463a - <b><i>I: Allegro</i></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCU4YJ0-1XM&feature=related"><b><i>II: Andante con moto (1)</i></b></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gsmwTm4bSY&NR=1&feature=fvwp"><b><i>II: Andante con moto (2)</i></b></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNVT_5_JcHc"><b><i>III: Allegro (1)</i></b></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4YaGU9lgSg&feature=fvwrel"><b><i>III: Allegro (2)</i></b></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-550659089317281526.post-1848526514632005812011-07-29T21:41:00.000-07:002011-07-30T01:47:33.895-07:00Just in Case You Think Classical Music is Highbrow...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I give you<b> <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/07/29/bringing-classical-music-underserved-youth">this</a></b>. Yeah, it's a government sponsored program, but one that I would support. I find it quite a shame that many public schools have done away with music programs. Somewhere somehow, someone's got to pick up the slack.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0