What are you listening to now?

[Joy]

You're right, Muriel, I didn't think of it that way!
Amalie, your DVD sounds wonderful and the way you described I thought I was right there! You gave me a taste for The Pastoral, possibly this afternoon.
Gurn, some information for you since you have a Dvorak theme going on lately. This should be in the "On This Day" thread but here goes, "On August 8th, 1929 -- Violinist Josef Suk is born in Prague. The grandson of Czech composer Josef Suk and great-grandson of Antonin Dvorak, he founded the Suk Trio in 1952."
I think for me it will be some sonatas by Beethoven day.

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Vipercat]

Originally posted by Amalie:


Certainly V.
There are also 42 other Naxos wonderful musical journey's , next one for me in Beethoven's piano concerto no.1.
I was also looking at the Schubert one in Tower Records.
You can order them from Naxos. http://store.yahoo.com/dvdinternational/dvdi-1019.html.

I much prefer my classical music store to place an order for me rather than order over the internet.

Thanks a lot, Amalie!! I am definitely going to try and get my hands on some of these!

You know, I think it would really be a good thing if more undertakings such as this can be made (e.g. making classical music interactive DVDs, games etc.) and to make it more accessible to the musically illiterate public, thereby spreading the musical gospel and getting them interested in this wonderful field!!!!

You know, I love for instance what Robert Winter and the Voyager Company did to create Multimedia Beethoven, The Ninth Symphony. It is so cool to be able to analyze the work, understand the themes, structure, background etc. Wish they had such software for all classical compositions, but gosh what a mammoth task that would be (though worth it, I think!)

[This message has been edited by Vipercat (edited 08-08-2004).]

[Vipercat]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:

VC,
Ah, Mozart's finest quartet! Have you noted how, after the so-much-talked-about dissonant opening, that the whole piece opens up into the most wonderful C major pleasure trip? Splendid work.

For me, it is the Symphony in d minor - #9 - Op 125 - Beethoven - LSO/Jochum. This is a very nice piece of work, I think when people hear it more that it will achieve some popularity!

Yes, isn't the sunshine from the exposition a stroke of genius emerging from the dark clouds of the dissonant introduction?

Quite a coincidence - I am also listening to Op. 125 by Beethoven right as I am typing!! A masterpiece of masterpieces!!!!!!! I can't imagine how Beethoven got the idea of starting the work with a simple perfect fifth and developing an entire movement from that single motif. His genius never ceases to amaze me.

[This message has been edited by Vipercat (edited 08-08-2004).]

[Gurn Blanston]

King,
Well, it was worth a try! Actually, his chamber music is quite acceptable, for a 20th century effort! Well, we here at the WAYLTN thread are committed to getting people listening to a broad spectrum of music. Alright, maybe not that broad!

Spacerl,
But WAYLTN?? Schumann? Excellent choice. Try the Symphony #3, The Rhenish. Really quite nice indeed.

Joy,
Thank you for that! Oddly, I was totally not aware of the relationship between D and Suk. Live and learn. Beethoven sonatas, eh? Kempff perhaps?? Pathetique maybe?

VC,
Yes, that is exactly what I am talking about, the brilliant C major following up on that semi-tragic dissonant opening. Super!
No coincidence for me though, I have listened to the 9th every Sunday AM since 1995, so it is now a tradition! You are welcome to join me. As for that opening, it is the so mysterious "open" chord, consisting of a I & V so you cannot know is it A major or a minor??? Yes, I think the opening is one of the best parts, although the recitativo by the basses that opens the 4th movement is also pretty special. And...

Amalie,
Drobnosti - So Dvorak goes often in Prague and visits his mother-in-law who lives in an apartment building. He often hears violin music coming from a neighboring apartment, so sticks his head in one day and it is an amateur who plays duets with his teacher. So Dvorak, who was a professional violist (like Mozart and Beethoven!) brings along his viola and plays with them sometimes. In order to give them something to play, he writes the Terzetto (trio) in C major, Op 74, a brilliant work, but too difficult for the student violinist, so he sits down and writes the 4 Drobnosti for 2 violins and viola, Op 75. It proves so popular that he arranges it for Violin & Piano and it becomes a bestseller for the home trade. Both versions are still played today. The 4 pieces are each a variation of the same tune, with a very wide range of tempi and mood. I like 'em! Can you imagine a world renowned composer just dropping in with his instrument and whipping up some works for us all to play?? I guess it was still a different world back then.

For me now, it is the Quartet in Eb for Piano & Strings - Op 16a - L. v. Beethoven. Excellente!


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Regards,
Gurn
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That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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[Amalie]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
[B]King,


Amalie,
Drobnosti - So Dvorak goes often in Prague and visits his mother-in-law who lives in an apartment building. He often hears violin music coming from a neighboring apartment, so sticks his head in one day and it is an amateur who plays duets with his teacher. So Dvorak, who was a professional violist (like Mozart and Beethoven!) brings along his viola and plays with them sometimes. In order to give them something to play, he writes the Terzetto (trio) in C major, Op 74, a brilliant work, but too difficult for the student violinist, so he sits down and writes the 4 Drobnosti for 2 violins and viola, Op 75. It proves so popular that he arranges it for Violin & Piano and it becomes a bestseller for the home trade. Both versions are still played today. The 4 pieces are each a variation of the same tune, with a very wide range of tempi and mood. I like 'em! Can you imagine a world renowned composer just dropping in with his instrument and whipping up some works for us all to play?? I guess it was still a different world back then.

For me now, it is the Quartet in Eb for Piano & Strings - Op 16a - L. v. Beethoven. Excellente!

****
Thanks Gurn,
That is a fascinating story. I guess it shows just how cultural Prague was, and that goes all the way back to Mozart who seem to be impressed by the standard of music making in the Czech Capital. I understand that Dvorak was very successful in America and he clearly had highly transferable skills, but it just shows how important early influences are in musical development and being brought up in a rich musical/cultural environment.



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~ Unsterbliche Geliebte ~



[This message has been edited by Amalie (edited 08-08-2004).]

[Gurn Blanston]

Amalie,
Was, and still is, as far as I can tell. To me, one of the abiding mysteries of Mozart's life was that after his huge triumph there, with the unbelievable outpouring of love and riches shown him, and at the nadir of his life in Vienna, he turned down any number of offers of permanent employment and decided to not move there! For one thing, I believe that his rich musical output, which nearly came to a halt at that time, would have been that much richer, and he may well have lived longer too, who can say?. So it goes. So, also, WAYLTN?

For me, it is the Scherzo from the Overture, Scherzo & Finale for Orchestra - Op 52 - Robert Schumann - O. R. et R. - JE Gardiner. Splendid!


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Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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[Sorrano]

Earlier caught "From the Steppes of Central Asia," a gem from Borodin, and now among my favorite recordings and performances of the Eroica, the Toscanini remastered version.

[Gurn Blanston]

Sorrano,
Yes, very nice music, I like also his "Polovtsian Dances" they have that same, powerful, ethnic sound to them that is very appealing.

For me now, it is the Symhony in d minor - WoO - Schumann - This is the original version of what became his famous 4th symphony. Super!


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Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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[v russo]

This August night finds me listening to the Pastoral by the greatest of all maestros. Wiener Phil: Furtwangler.
Tempo is a bit slower than Karajan but, lovely non-the-less.

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v russo

[Amalie]

A perfect start to Monday morning!

GABRIELI: Sonata for 3 violins.
Tragicomedia.

BEETHOVEN: Piano sonata no.5, c minor, 0p.10 no.1. played by Andreas Schiff.

BEETHOVEN: Romance no.2 in F, 0p.50,
Thomas Zehetmair (violin),

Beautiful!



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~ Unsterbliche Geliebte ~

[Gurn Blanston]

v.
You're right, not bad for a Sunday evening. I have been trying to hold up your end while you were gone, but can't seem to get a lot of takers on some of this post-1900 music. More's the pity! Now Janacek, what's wrong with Janacek?

Amalie,
Good lineup, I like Gabrieli, all the old school Italian violinists that have musically survived are pretty good. If you get the chance, you should give Locatelli a try. What I have heard is excellent! And some pretty good choices in the Beethoven department too, as though there were any bad ones!

For me it is the Quartet in Eb for Clarinet, Violin, Viola & Cello - J. Nepomuk Hummel. An undeservedly forgotten young chap.

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Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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[This message has been edited by Gurn Blanston (edited 08-09-2004).]

[King Stephen]

To motivate me into getting my chores done I am starting the day off with Rosetti's Symphony in D Major "La Chasse". Rosetti was right in the middle of all the super composers. (1750-1792)He pretty much paralleled Mozarts life, and his music does not disappoint.

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
Sorrano,
Yes, very nice music, I like also his "Polovtsian Dances" they have that same, powerful, ethnic sound to them that is very appealing.

For me now, it is the Symhony in d minor - WoO - Schumann - This is the original version of what became his famous 4th symphony. Super!

And have you heard the 2nd Symphony of Borodin? Not bad at all.

King: Seems that I've played some of Rosetti's piano music. I was favorably impressed.

This morning I caught some excerpts from various composers' Irish Symphonies. I don't recall the composers now but I believe they were 20th Century.

[Gurn Blanston]

King,
So the long-awaited Rosetti does not disappoint then, eh? Great! You know, I was reading in Zaslaw's "Mozart's Symphonies" last night that there are literally thousands of symphony manuscripts in existence from that time. To even hear the tip of the iceberg is a major accomplishment, it would seem!

Sorrano,
No I haven't, at least not knowingly, but I would like to, I have enjoyed most Russian music that I have heard. Borodin wrote a mean string quartet too! Which is a rarity since the Russians considered it unmanly to write for small ensemble, even the mighty Tchaikovsky only wrote 5 chamber pieces! OK, I will try and learn some symphonic ones too, can't go wrong!

For me now, we continue with Hummel, now is the Concerto in F major for Piano, Op posth 1.



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Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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[Ellery]

I'm listening Sensemaya from Silvestre Revueltas, one of the best composer of all times from Mèxico and the world!!!