Well, I'm 3 days into my orientation for residency, and so much has happened already.
First day was a bunch of short talks from all sorts of people on varied topics. The other two days have been computer training, getting our schedules, talks about research in residency, etc.
The first evening, there was an informal meet and greet with all the new internal medicine residents (and families - there were about 4 3-year olds running around, including mine!) and a few older residents and staff physicians (they call them "consultants" instead of "attendings" here). The program here is so large (71 interns this year!), they intentionally have us in groups, each with a physician mentor.
So that night I met my group's mentor - turns out he's a very skilled classically-trained pianist who still plays a lot. He knew that I played a lot, too, and we got to talking. He said he would put me in touch with another resident who is a serious violinist. Apparently he has been looking for a pianist to play with...
...so today I had the afternoon free, and I get this call from the violinist resident. Turns out he is also doing the "research-track" residency/fellowship in Heme-Onc like I am doing! He was planning on meeting his cellist friend this evening to read through a bunch of music. Would I like to join them? Would I ever!
We played for 2.5 hours together in the Mayo lobby (the Bosendorfer piano!). The entire Mendelssohn C Minor (Op. 66) trio and the slow movement of the D minor (Op. 49), as well as the entire Schubert Bb Major (D. 898) trio and the slow movement of the Eb Major (D. 929). This was such an enjoyable experience! All three of us really felt privileged to be playing together. What a blessing! I believe this collaboration will continue...
Showing posts with label Piano. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Piano. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
This blog has been hijacked
Hello all, this is Dan's wife Katie. Today, I'd like to tell you about MY favorite composer, on his birthday. You may not know that my husband, in addition to being a fabulous pianist and classical music buff (as evidenced by this blog), is also a composer in his own right. Below is his greatest work, in my opinion.
First, a little background. Dan wrote this song for our wedding, almost 6 years ago. He performed it at our reception--I was completely surprised. The words tell the story of our courtship, but they also are a very beautiful depiction of marriage, "a picture of the oneness between Christ and His Church". In the last verse of the song, Dan took many biblical descriptions of marriage and put them together. As for the music, I prefer to think of it as part of the romantic genre ;-).
About a year after we were married, a friend professionally recorded Dan's song--Dan both sings and plays the piano. Today, I have a surprise of my own. I put that recording together with a collection of photos and videos from our engagement and wedding. I hope you enjoy it!
Happy Birthday, my love!!
First, a little background. Dan wrote this song for our wedding, almost 6 years ago. He performed it at our reception--I was completely surprised. The words tell the story of our courtship, but they also are a very beautiful depiction of marriage, "a picture of the oneness between Christ and His Church". In the last verse of the song, Dan took many biblical descriptions of marriage and put them together. As for the music, I prefer to think of it as part of the romantic genre ;-).
About a year after we were married, a friend professionally recorded Dan's song--Dan both sings and plays the piano. Today, I have a surprise of my own. I put that recording together with a collection of photos and videos from our engagement and wedding. I hope you enjoy it!
Happy Birthday, my love!!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
The Many Sonatas of Scarlatti
Domenico Scarlatti was born on this day in 1685 in Italy. He was a contemporary of Bach and Handel, both of whom were born in the same year in Germany.
Scarlatti is perhaps most well known for his over 550 keyboard sonatas. They were originally written probably for harpsichord, but now tend to be played just as much on the piano. They largely follow a simple two-section pattern, each with a repeat, and tend to be short - usually 5 minutes or less. They are delightful little gems. Many are extremely beautiful and profound, and can be extremely challenging to play.
The great Vladimir Horowitz played lots of Scarlatti, especially near the end of his life. Here he is at a ripe old age of 82:
- Sonata in E Major, L. 224, showing off a brilliant light touch and lightning fast arpeggios.
- Sonata in B minor, L. 33, expressing an amazing depth of expression and interconnecting melodies and harmonies.
- Sonata in E Major, L. 23, a very common and popular Scarlatti sonata with a very sunny disposition and jaunty rhythm.
Here's an amazing performance by Martha Argerich of the Sonata in D minor, K. 141, a very fast, impressive piece with lots of repeated notes.
Here's a very old recording of the legendary Arturo Benedetti Michaelangeli playing Sonata in B minor flawlessly.
Gyorgy Cziffra was generally known for his romantic music, especially that of Liszt, but here he is playing some impressive Scarlatti, although I must say he alters the character of the pieces in a romantic tradition at times:
Sonata in D Major, K. 96, a technically difficult piece, and Sonata in A Major, K. 101, a more laid back piece, but full of fast parts, too.
Some people transcribe his works for other instruments, such as guitar:
Sonata in D minor, K. 1, a very popular sonata.
Here is the guitar legend, Andres Segovia playing the Sonata in C minor, K. 11 transcribed into D minor for guitar, one of Scarlatti's best.
I'll end with one of his sonatas played on harpsichord, probably as it was originally intended. Here is the fast and relentless Sonata in D minor, K. 517.
Scarlatti is perhaps most well known for his over 550 keyboard sonatas. They were originally written probably for harpsichord, but now tend to be played just as much on the piano. They largely follow a simple two-section pattern, each with a repeat, and tend to be short - usually 5 minutes or less. They are delightful little gems. Many are extremely beautiful and profound, and can be extremely challenging to play.
The great Vladimir Horowitz played lots of Scarlatti, especially near the end of his life. Here he is at a ripe old age of 82:
- Sonata in E Major, L. 224, showing off a brilliant light touch and lightning fast arpeggios.
- Sonata in B minor, L. 33, expressing an amazing depth of expression and interconnecting melodies and harmonies.
- Sonata in E Major, L. 23, a very common and popular Scarlatti sonata with a very sunny disposition and jaunty rhythm.
Here's an amazing performance by Martha Argerich of the Sonata in D minor, K. 141, a very fast, impressive piece with lots of repeated notes.
Here's a very old recording of the legendary Arturo Benedetti Michaelangeli playing Sonata in B minor flawlessly.
Gyorgy Cziffra was generally known for his romantic music, especially that of Liszt, but here he is playing some impressive Scarlatti, although I must say he alters the character of the pieces in a romantic tradition at times:
Sonata in D Major, K. 96, a technically difficult piece, and Sonata in A Major, K. 101, a more laid back piece, but full of fast parts, too.
Some people transcribe his works for other instruments, such as guitar:
Sonata in D minor, K. 1, a very popular sonata.
Here is the guitar legend, Andres Segovia playing the Sonata in C minor, K. 11 transcribed into D minor for guitar, one of Scarlatti's best.
I'll end with one of his sonatas played on harpsichord, probably as it was originally intended. Here is the fast and relentless Sonata in D minor, K. 517.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
The Ultimate Virtuoso Pianist-Composer
The great pianist-composer Franz Liszt was born in Hungary today in 1811. He is well-known for writing (and playing) some of the most technically difficult piano music in the world, music which at the time perhaps only he and a few others could play. But today the music finds its way into many concerts and competitions, and continues to amaze listeners and inspire young hopeful pianists.
Liszt's contemporaries included Chopin and Schumann (both one year older), as well as Wagner (two years younger). The latter composer eventually became his son-in-law, after Liszt's daughter Cosima (herself born illegitimately from an affair Liszt had with a married countess) left her husband, the pianist-conductor Hans von Bulow, and ran off with Wagner. When asked about what he thought of this, von Bulow supposedly said "Had it been any other man than Wagner, I would have killed him" - he idolized Wagner's music genius, and apparently didn't hold any grudges. What colorful lives!
Anyway, Liszt's music is not necessarily known for his compositional genius like Mozart, Beethoven, or Bach. Nor does he have an overwhelming amount of original memorable themes in his compositions. However, he deserves a place amongst the great composers for his forward-thinking in compositional styles, his amazing virtuosity, and his impact on composers that came after him.
Here are some interesting and important compositions:
- Grand Galop Chromatique, a wildly insanely difficult piece, played by the great Liszt interpreter, Georges Cziffra. This represents the typical "dazzling showmanship" Liszt that characterizes much of his music.
- La Campanella (from the Paganini-Liszt Etudes), a very famous and difficult transcription of a theme from one of Paganini's violin concertos. It shows off the "fast and light" virtuosity in much of Liszt's music, done masterfully here again by Cziffra.
- Liebestraum #3 ("Dream of Love"), one of Liszt's most popular and beautiful piano pieces, played here beautifully by Artur Rubinstein.
- "Annees de Pelerinage" ("Years of Pilgrimage"), three sets of pieces from when the composer was in Switzerland and Italy. These are really nice pieces, full of picturesque scenes. Au bord d'une source ("By the side of a spring") is one of my absolute favorites, both to play and listen to. Think of a mountain spring, beginning as a small trickle, getting progressively larger, finally into a noisy brook. Here is Au lac de Wallenstadt ("At the lake of Wallenstadt"), another piece from the same suite. You can hear the waves lapping calmly against the shore. The previous two are from his Switzerland year, and next one from his Italy year. "Apres une lecture du Dante - Fantasia Quasi Sonata" (After reading Dante) - one of Liszt's most original pieces of music, depicting Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. Here is a performance by Alfred Brendel, parts 1 and 2, preceded by a fascinating brief introduction to the piece. Finally, in the third set of the Annees de Pelerinage, is another one of Liszt's most famous compositions, "Les Jeux d'Eaux à la Villa d'Este" (The Fountains of the Villa d'Este), a very forward-looking composition that had a strong influence on both Debussy and Ravel, the impressionists.
- Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, possibly the most famous piece Liszt ever wrote, thanks to Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes, and many other usages of this piece in films, etc. It's one of 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies by Liszt, and is very free-form, with immediate-appeal themes and lots of dazzling virtuosity that is very fun to listen to. Here is the piece, played by Cziffra.
- Piano Concerto #1 in Eb Major, a delightfully free-spirited work, combining impressive difficult bravura passages, tender themes (in the 2nd movement especially), and light, shimmering sound effects (helped by extensive use of the triangle, pizzicato strings, high woodwinds, and upper register of the piano). It also shows Liszt's considerable skill in orchestration, something that his colleague, Chopin, lacked. Here is the piece played by Martha Argerich, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th movements.
I could really go on a lot longer than this, as there are quite a few more amazing and interesting pieces. I'll end with one of his "Transcendental Etudes", specifically, No. 8, "Wild Jagd" (Wild Hunt). This piece is near and dear to my heart, as I learned it and played it for about 2 years, in several competitions when I was in high school. Looking back, I don't think I really ever played it that well (it's tough!), but it sure was fun. I think it strongly contributed to my repetitive-stress injury when I was 17 and had to quit piano concerts for a year and re-train with the Dorothy Taubman Approach under the direction of my then new teacher, Robert Ward. Here then is the Wild Hunt, played terrifically by Claudio Arrau.
Liszt's contemporaries included Chopin and Schumann (both one year older), as well as Wagner (two years younger). The latter composer eventually became his son-in-law, after Liszt's daughter Cosima (herself born illegitimately from an affair Liszt had with a married countess) left her husband, the pianist-conductor Hans von Bulow, and ran off with Wagner. When asked about what he thought of this, von Bulow supposedly said "Had it been any other man than Wagner, I would have killed him" - he idolized Wagner's music genius, and apparently didn't hold any grudges. What colorful lives!
Anyway, Liszt's music is not necessarily known for his compositional genius like Mozart, Beethoven, or Bach. Nor does he have an overwhelming amount of original memorable themes in his compositions. However, he deserves a place amongst the great composers for his forward-thinking in compositional styles, his amazing virtuosity, and his impact on composers that came after him.
Here are some interesting and important compositions:
- Grand Galop Chromatique, a wildly insanely difficult piece, played by the great Liszt interpreter, Georges Cziffra. This represents the typical "dazzling showmanship" Liszt that characterizes much of his music.
- La Campanella (from the Paganini-Liszt Etudes), a very famous and difficult transcription of a theme from one of Paganini's violin concertos. It shows off the "fast and light" virtuosity in much of Liszt's music, done masterfully here again by Cziffra.
- Liebestraum #3 ("Dream of Love"), one of Liszt's most popular and beautiful piano pieces, played here beautifully by Artur Rubinstein.
- "Annees de Pelerinage" ("Years of Pilgrimage"), three sets of pieces from when the composer was in Switzerland and Italy. These are really nice pieces, full of picturesque scenes. Au bord d'une source ("By the side of a spring") is one of my absolute favorites, both to play and listen to. Think of a mountain spring, beginning as a small trickle, getting progressively larger, finally into a noisy brook. Here is Au lac de Wallenstadt ("At the lake of Wallenstadt"), another piece from the same suite. You can hear the waves lapping calmly against the shore. The previous two are from his Switzerland year, and next one from his Italy year. "Apres une lecture du Dante - Fantasia Quasi Sonata" (After reading Dante) - one of Liszt's most original pieces of music, depicting Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. Here is a performance by Alfred Brendel, parts 1 and 2, preceded by a fascinating brief introduction to the piece. Finally, in the third set of the Annees de Pelerinage, is another one of Liszt's most famous compositions, "Les Jeux d'Eaux à la Villa d'Este" (The Fountains of the Villa d'Este), a very forward-looking composition that had a strong influence on both Debussy and Ravel, the impressionists.
- Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, possibly the most famous piece Liszt ever wrote, thanks to Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes, and many other usages of this piece in films, etc. It's one of 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies by Liszt, and is very free-form, with immediate-appeal themes and lots of dazzling virtuosity that is very fun to listen to. Here is the piece, played by Cziffra.
- Piano Concerto #1 in Eb Major, a delightfully free-spirited work, combining impressive difficult bravura passages, tender themes (in the 2nd movement especially), and light, shimmering sound effects (helped by extensive use of the triangle, pizzicato strings, high woodwinds, and upper register of the piano). It also shows Liszt's considerable skill in orchestration, something that his colleague, Chopin, lacked. Here is the piece played by Martha Argerich, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th movements.
I could really go on a lot longer than this, as there are quite a few more amazing and interesting pieces. I'll end with one of his "Transcendental Etudes", specifically, No. 8, "Wild Jagd" (Wild Hunt). This piece is near and dear to my heart, as I learned it and played it for about 2 years, in several competitions when I was in high school. Looking back, I don't think I really ever played it that well (it's tough!), but it sure was fun. I think it strongly contributed to my repetitive-stress injury when I was 17 and had to quit piano concerts for a year and re-train with the Dorothy Taubman Approach under the direction of my then new teacher, Robert Ward. Here then is the Wild Hunt, played terrifically by Claudio Arrau.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Australian music of the present
Carl Vine was born on this day in Australia in 1954. I have only really heard two pieces by this composer.
Piano Sonata No. 1 (written 1990) - this was my introduction to Carl Vine. I first heard Michael Kieran Harvey (the Australian pianist to whom the work was dedicated) play it at the one and only Ivo Pogorelich International Piano Competition more than a decade ago (in Pasadena, California) and win the grand prize. It is a work that has immediate appeal for its astounding complex rhythms, ethereal sections, shimmering pianism, and fierce, raw, intense emotion. It is also extremely difficult to play - I've been working on it on and off for a couple years now, and it is probably out of my league. The 1st movement starts out slow and dark, with lots of jazz-like tone clusters. It becomes quicker-paced, moving into spell-binding rhythms and interesting tonal harmonies. Then it becomes somewhat atonal and builds into a grand, wild, tonal theme (at 3:17) and finally crashes down, but then builds a second time into the same theme (at 4:17). Again it crashes, meanders, then finds itself in a thoughtful, ethereal theme shimmering to the end.
The 2nd movement is the heart of the piece. It starts off very soft, shimmering at a lightening-quick pace, wild, chaotic, yet ordered (if that makes any sense). The perpetual motion continues, building into a loud rushing-water-like theme that climbs up and then loses steam, plunging down into a deep pool of water........ then tone clusters on the low and high ends of the piano are played slowly while a pensive theme plays in the middle register. This continues for awhile until things become more atonal and restless, furiously building back into the original theme, this time faster and louder. Then finally everything erupts, as if a volcano was bubbling and just waiting to spew (4:36). The rest of the piece is full of angry passion, relentless in its drive and pursuit. Just when you thought it couldn't get any more wild, the tempo DOUBLES (5:25) and the REALLY wild chase ensues, then lets up a little bit with low rumblings (6:32), then with a final burst of violence (7:10), the piece's energy just falls out the bottom, the original theme from the 1st movement returns, and everything fades into nothingness. What a wild piece!
Since then, I've become acquainted with one other piece by Vine, his Celebrare Celeberrime - a celebration for orchestra (written 1993). Thanks to my wife, who heard it on the radio and thought I'd like it - she was right. It sounds like there is a didgeridoo in the orchestration - how cool is that?
Piano Sonata No. 1 (written 1990) - this was my introduction to Carl Vine. I first heard Michael Kieran Harvey (the Australian pianist to whom the work was dedicated) play it at the one and only Ivo Pogorelich International Piano Competition more than a decade ago (in Pasadena, California) and win the grand prize. It is a work that has immediate appeal for its astounding complex rhythms, ethereal sections, shimmering pianism, and fierce, raw, intense emotion. It is also extremely difficult to play - I've been working on it on and off for a couple years now, and it is probably out of my league. The 1st movement starts out slow and dark, with lots of jazz-like tone clusters. It becomes quicker-paced, moving into spell-binding rhythms and interesting tonal harmonies. Then it becomes somewhat atonal and builds into a grand, wild, tonal theme (at 3:17) and finally crashes down, but then builds a second time into the same theme (at 4:17). Again it crashes, meanders, then finds itself in a thoughtful, ethereal theme shimmering to the end.
The 2nd movement is the heart of the piece. It starts off very soft, shimmering at a lightening-quick pace, wild, chaotic, yet ordered (if that makes any sense). The perpetual motion continues, building into a loud rushing-water-like theme that climbs up and then loses steam, plunging down into a deep pool of water........ then tone clusters on the low and high ends of the piano are played slowly while a pensive theme plays in the middle register. This continues for awhile until things become more atonal and restless, furiously building back into the original theme, this time faster and louder. Then finally everything erupts, as if a volcano was bubbling and just waiting to spew (4:36). The rest of the piece is full of angry passion, relentless in its drive and pursuit. Just when you thought it couldn't get any more wild, the tempo DOUBLES (5:25) and the REALLY wild chase ensues, then lets up a little bit with low rumblings (6:32), then with a final burst of violence (7:10), the piece's energy just falls out the bottom, the original theme from the 1st movement returns, and everything fades into nothingness. What a wild piece!
Since then, I've become acquainted with one other piece by Vine, his Celebrare Celeberrime - a celebration for orchestra (written 1993). Thanks to my wife, who heard it on the radio and thought I'd like it - she was right. It sounds like there is a didgeridoo in the orchestration - how cool is that?
Friday, September 26, 2008
Classical Music Meets Jazz, in America
Today the American composer George Gershwin was born in 1898. Gershwin's music is where classical meets jazz. He started early in life as a pianist, and together with his older brother, Ira, eventually wrote many popular songs, such as "I Got Rhythm".
His first major classical work is Rhapsody in Blue, perhaps the most well-known American work of our time. Fantasia 2000 made a cartoon to go along with it, as seen/heard here (parts 1 and 2). Apparently Gerswhin told one of his biographer's the following: "It was on the train, with its steely rhythms, its rattle-ty bang, that is so often so stimulating to a composer – I frequently hear music in the very heart of the noise... And there I suddenly heard, and even saw on paper – the complete construction of the Rhapsody, from beginning to end. No new themes came to me, but I worked on the thematic material already in my mind and tried to conceive the composition as a whole. I heard it as a sort of musical kaleidoscope of America, of our vast melting pot, of our unduplicated national pep, of our blues, our metropolitan madness. By the time I reached Boston I had a definite plot of the piece, as distinguished from its actual substance."
Another one of his popular pieces, "An American in Paris" was written by him after a brief stay in Paris, where he tried to study with Nadia Boulanger, Maurice Ravel, and a few others. None of these teachers worked out. Ravel refused to teach him - he was too impressed with Gershwin's jazz style and instead suggested that Gershwin teach him. I got the following quote from wikipedia, apparently from the program notes at the premiere:
"My purpose here is to portray the impression of an American visitor in Paris as he strolls about the city and listens to various street noises and absorbs the French atmosphere." When the tone poem moves into the blues, "our American friend ... has succumbed to a spasm of homesickness." But, "nostalgia is not a fatal disease." The American visitor "once again is an alert spectator of Parisian life" and "the street noises and French atmosphere are triumphant."
Here are the first, second (The Blues), and third movements. This is classy-jazz at it's best!
Another one of my favorites, although not as well-known or loved, is his Concerto in F, a full-length, three-movement piano concerto, orchestrated completely by the composer himself (Ferde Grofe had orchestrated his Rhapsody in Blue). Here is the end of the 2nd movement and entire third movement. It gives a great taste of the bluesy 2nd movement (very moving piece), and the energetic, driving, machine-gun of a 3rd movement, which absolutely holds me spell-bound whenever I listen to it.
Let's finish with one of his most famous piano pieces - Prelude No. 2 from his 3 preludes for piano. Hope you've enjoyed this classical jazz!
His first major classical work is Rhapsody in Blue, perhaps the most well-known American work of our time. Fantasia 2000 made a cartoon to go along with it, as seen/heard here (parts 1 and 2). Apparently Gerswhin told one of his biographer's the following: "It was on the train, with its steely rhythms, its rattle-ty bang, that is so often so stimulating to a composer – I frequently hear music in the very heart of the noise... And there I suddenly heard, and even saw on paper – the complete construction of the Rhapsody, from beginning to end. No new themes came to me, but I worked on the thematic material already in my mind and tried to conceive the composition as a whole. I heard it as a sort of musical kaleidoscope of America, of our vast melting pot, of our unduplicated national pep, of our blues, our metropolitan madness. By the time I reached Boston I had a definite plot of the piece, as distinguished from its actual substance."
Another one of his popular pieces, "An American in Paris" was written by him after a brief stay in Paris, where he tried to study with Nadia Boulanger, Maurice Ravel, and a few others. None of these teachers worked out. Ravel refused to teach him - he was too impressed with Gershwin's jazz style and instead suggested that Gershwin teach him. I got the following quote from wikipedia, apparently from the program notes at the premiere:
"My purpose here is to portray the impression of an American visitor in Paris as he strolls about the city and listens to various street noises and absorbs the French atmosphere." When the tone poem moves into the blues, "our American friend ... has succumbed to a spasm of homesickness." But, "nostalgia is not a fatal disease." The American visitor "once again is an alert spectator of Parisian life" and "the street noises and French atmosphere are triumphant."
Here are the first, second (The Blues), and third movements. This is classy-jazz at it's best!
Another one of my favorites, although not as well-known or loved, is his Concerto in F, a full-length, three-movement piano concerto, orchestrated completely by the composer himself (Ferde Grofe had orchestrated his Rhapsody in Blue). Here is the end of the 2nd movement and entire third movement. It gives a great taste of the bluesy 2nd movement (very moving piece), and the energetic, driving, machine-gun of a 3rd movement, which absolutely holds me spell-bound whenever I listen to it.
Let's finish with one of his most famous piano pieces - Prelude No. 2 from his 3 preludes for piano. Hope you've enjoyed this classical jazz!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Composer of Soviet Russia
Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich was born today in 1906. He is a somewhat eclectic composer, having started out by borrowing from many other styles, such as Mahler, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Hindemith, etc., but also clearly influenced by Bach and Beethoven. When I first heard his music, I couldn't identify it. I learned to always guess that if I couldn't tell who the composer was (and it sounded late-romantic to modern), it was probably Shostakovich. His style grew and became very much his own, however, turning into one of the most popular composers of the middle-20th century.
Shostakovich stayed in Soviet Russia his whole life, and his already nervous character was not helped much by the official denunciations of the Soviet party on two occasions. He was also given awards by the Soviets at other times. His was a difficult life, trying to please, but also inwardly in turmoil about joining the party and giving into their pressure.
His music is very unique and interesting, though I am only beginning to really get into it. Here are a few pieces I have enjoyed.
Piano Concerto No. 1 (1933) - an interesting piece, also featuring a trumpet in a kind of supporting role. Here is a pretty wild excerpt of the young composer himself playing the final cadenza and finale of the last movement of the piece. Shostakovich usually played his own works very fast and apparently said once "let's play fast so the audience doesn't get bored". When asked why he would speed up, ignoring his own metronome markings, he said something like "my metronome at home doesn't work anyway, so let's just ignore those markings!"
Piano Concerto No. 2 (1957) - a very cheerful piece, more-so than most of his other works. The first movement was introduced to me when I watched Fantasia 2000 for the first time - it is played to the visual of the Steadfast Tin Soldier, and fits so well, it almost seems like the piece was written for Disney!
Piano Quintet in G minor (1940) - one of his best known and loved chamber works. I had the good fortune to perform this in college. It is a monumental work, full of intense passion, brooding introspection, tenderness, and both vulgar and lighthearted humor. It is in 5 movements. The first movement begins with the piano, building to an intense interaction between the strings, then dies down again and becomes more brisk, only to build and slow down to more intensity. It leads into the second movement, a very beautiful, introspective fugue starting with the violins, then cello, then viola, then finally piano. This is one of the most moving (and yet intellectually satisfying) pieces in the modern literature! It gets very dissonant and intense before calming down again and disappearing quietly. The third movement is all fun and games - racuous melodies, confusing rhythms, ironic and full of humor - lots of fun to play! The fourth movement is more steady, introspective, tinged with sadness and regret. It leads directly into the fifth movement as out of darkness into the light - a quietly contented, cheerful, and later, joyous and downright triumphant movement. The ending is so carefree and refreshing after all the preceding intensity. A real treasure!
It also had real impact on the people during the time it was written. Apparently the following quote is from Rostislav Dubinsky, violinist of the Borodin Quartet, out of his book, Not By Music Alone: "For a time the Quintet overshadowed even such events as the football matches between the main teams. The Quintet was discussed in trams, people tried to sing in the streets the second defiant theme of the finale. War that soon started completely changed the life of the country as well as the consciousness of the people. If previously there was the faint hope of a better life, and the hope that the 'sacrifices' of the revolution were not in vain, this hope was never to return. The Quintet remained in the consciousness of the people as the last ray of light before the future sank into a dark gloom."
Shostakovich wrote 15 symphonies as well, the first composer to have broken the "Curse of the 9", which Beethoven started more than a century before (all major symphonists after Beethoven died while writing their 10th symphony, or never got close to 10 symphonies - Schubert, Dvorak, Mahler, Brahms...) I really don't know any of them, so I'm not going to link them here. That's about all I can handle right now...
Shostakovich stayed in Soviet Russia his whole life, and his already nervous character was not helped much by the official denunciations of the Soviet party on two occasions. He was also given awards by the Soviets at other times. His was a difficult life, trying to please, but also inwardly in turmoil about joining the party and giving into their pressure.
His music is very unique and interesting, though I am only beginning to really get into it. Here are a few pieces I have enjoyed.
Piano Concerto No. 1 (1933) - an interesting piece, also featuring a trumpet in a kind of supporting role. Here is a pretty wild excerpt of the young composer himself playing the final cadenza and finale of the last movement of the piece. Shostakovich usually played his own works very fast and apparently said once "let's play fast so the audience doesn't get bored". When asked why he would speed up, ignoring his own metronome markings, he said something like "my metronome at home doesn't work anyway, so let's just ignore those markings!"
Piano Concerto No. 2 (1957) - a very cheerful piece, more-so than most of his other works. The first movement was introduced to me when I watched Fantasia 2000 for the first time - it is played to the visual of the Steadfast Tin Soldier, and fits so well, it almost seems like the piece was written for Disney!
Piano Quintet in G minor (1940) - one of his best known and loved chamber works. I had the good fortune to perform this in college. It is a monumental work, full of intense passion, brooding introspection, tenderness, and both vulgar and lighthearted humor. It is in 5 movements. The first movement begins with the piano, building to an intense interaction between the strings, then dies down again and becomes more brisk, only to build and slow down to more intensity. It leads into the second movement, a very beautiful, introspective fugue starting with the violins, then cello, then viola, then finally piano. This is one of the most moving (and yet intellectually satisfying) pieces in the modern literature! It gets very dissonant and intense before calming down again and disappearing quietly. The third movement is all fun and games - racuous melodies, confusing rhythms, ironic and full of humor - lots of fun to play! The fourth movement is more steady, introspective, tinged with sadness and regret. It leads directly into the fifth movement as out of darkness into the light - a quietly contented, cheerful, and later, joyous and downright triumphant movement. The ending is so carefree and refreshing after all the preceding intensity. A real treasure!
It also had real impact on the people during the time it was written. Apparently the following quote is from Rostislav Dubinsky, violinist of the Borodin Quartet, out of his book, Not By Music Alone: "For a time the Quintet overshadowed even such events as the football matches between the main teams. The Quintet was discussed in trams, people tried to sing in the streets the second defiant theme of the finale. War that soon started completely changed the life of the country as well as the consciousness of the people. If previously there was the faint hope of a better life, and the hope that the 'sacrifices' of the revolution were not in vain, this hope was never to return. The Quintet remained in the consciousness of the people as the last ray of light before the future sank into a dark gloom."
Shostakovich wrote 15 symphonies as well, the first composer to have broken the "Curse of the 9", which Beethoven started more than a century before (all major symphonists after Beethoven died while writing their 10th symphony, or never got close to 10 symphonies - Schubert, Dvorak, Mahler, Brahms...) I really don't know any of them, so I'm not going to link them here. That's about all I can handle right now...
Saturday, September 13, 2008
The Father of Atonality
The Austrian-Jewish composer Arnold Schoenberg was born today in 1874. Known as the "emancipator of dissonance", Schoenberg started out as a continuation of the romantic tradition of Brahms, Wagner, Richard Strauss, and Mahler, but in the early 1900's, he moved into atonality. His twelve-tone-row technique was a method that gave equal treatment to all 12 half-steps in the chromatic scale, leaving his compositions without a key signature.
His earliest important work is called "Transfigured Night", still written in a late-romantic tradition with heavy use of chromaticism (such as Wagner's Tristan and Isolde). Here is an excerpt.
A few years later, Schoenberg was to come up with his revolutionary ideas. Here is a short film documenting his ideas. Here is a short piano solo piece illustrating the result of his compositional style.
Perhaps to most of us, it is more enjoyable to listen to people talk about Schoenberg's music than to listen to the music itself. :) Furthermore, listening to people describe Schoenberg who love his music really helps one understand it better. Here's a really fascinating discussion and excerpts of a rehearsal of his piano concerto by Mitsuko Uchida, who describes the music and her love for it with great eloquence. Also, Glenn Gould and Yehudi Menuhin discuss Schoenberg and then play a piece together.
I consider myself somewhat musically educated. I can appreciate a wide variety of music, even very modern sounding stuff. I have a hard time getting excited by Schoenberg, however. Oh sure, I find some of it interesting and even fascinating (see excerpt of Uchida above). But it seems that when tonality is lost, the emotional range of the music is severely limited. Can atonal pieces express anger, rage, despair, depression, fear? Absolutely - maybe they are the best for these emotions. They may even be able to evoke a spirit of lightheartedness or humor. But can atonal music express joy, peace, contentedness, fulfillment, beauty? I am inclined to think not. I'm not saying this music has no place. Under the right conditions and at the right time, this music is appropriate (certainly would help in certain movies!). But I think going atonal has lost a large depth of what music can express...
His earliest important work is called "Transfigured Night", still written in a late-romantic tradition with heavy use of chromaticism (such as Wagner's Tristan and Isolde). Here is an excerpt.
A few years later, Schoenberg was to come up with his revolutionary ideas. Here is a short film documenting his ideas. Here is a short piano solo piece illustrating the result of his compositional style.
Perhaps to most of us, it is more enjoyable to listen to people talk about Schoenberg's music than to listen to the music itself. :) Furthermore, listening to people describe Schoenberg who love his music really helps one understand it better. Here's a really fascinating discussion and excerpts of a rehearsal of his piano concerto by Mitsuko Uchida, who describes the music and her love for it with great eloquence. Also, Glenn Gould and Yehudi Menuhin discuss Schoenberg and then play a piece together.
I consider myself somewhat musically educated. I can appreciate a wide variety of music, even very modern sounding stuff. I have a hard time getting excited by Schoenberg, however. Oh sure, I find some of it interesting and even fascinating (see excerpt of Uchida above). But it seems that when tonality is lost, the emotional range of the music is severely limited. Can atonal pieces express anger, rage, despair, depression, fear? Absolutely - maybe they are the best for these emotions. They may even be able to evoke a spirit of lightheartedness or humor. But can atonal music express joy, peace, contentedness, fulfillment, beauty? I am inclined to think not. I'm not saying this music has no place. Under the right conditions and at the right time, this music is appropriate (certainly would help in certain movies!). But I think going atonal has lost a large depth of what music can express...
Friday, August 22, 2008
French Impressionism
Claude Debussy was born today in 1862 in France. Debussy was rather ahead of his time. His music sort of bridges the gap between romantic and contemporary styles. His music is the prototype of the impressionistic period, although he didn't particularly like that label.
I used to adore Debussy's music, listened to it all the time, and played through it a lot. I'm slightly bored with it now, and I think Ravel has much more depth. Debussy's music is very refreshing, though - a wash of colors.
As usual, although he wrote a lot of music, I am mostly familiar with his piano compositions. I particularly enjoy the following:
- Suite Bergamesque - contains his most famous work, "Claire de lune"
- Children's Corner - dedicated to his 3-yr-old daughter, these are delightful little pieces. Includes his famous "Golliwog's Cake-Walk", a sort of rag-time sounding piece that sarcastically quotes Wagner's Tristan and Isolde theme in the middle.
- Estampes - 3 beautiful pieces, each depicting a different country/ethnicity. The first is Pagodes, depicting Javanese music.
- Images - 2 sets of 3 pieces each: includes the famous "Reflections in the Water", a wonderful little picture of all sorts of water - deep, still, pools leading into gurgling streams followed by a majestic waterfall, finally ending again with quiet pools. Also includes "Goldfish" - more water, with lots of splashing around. These pieces are a great example of his impressionistic style.
- Preludes - some of his most popular piano pieces, these have been compared to Chopin's preludes. Two of the most famous are "The Girl with the Flaxen Hair" and "The Sunken Cathedral". The last prelude, "Fireworks" is an example of one of how far he travelled from the romantic period into truly modern music. It is full of sparks and poppers, both small and large displays of fireworks.
I used to adore Debussy's music, listened to it all the time, and played through it a lot. I'm slightly bored with it now, and I think Ravel has much more depth. Debussy's music is very refreshing, though - a wash of colors.
As usual, although he wrote a lot of music, I am mostly familiar with his piano compositions. I particularly enjoy the following:
- Suite Bergamesque - contains his most famous work, "Claire de lune"
- Children's Corner - dedicated to his 3-yr-old daughter, these are delightful little pieces. Includes his famous "Golliwog's Cake-Walk", a sort of rag-time sounding piece that sarcastically quotes Wagner's Tristan and Isolde theme in the middle.
- Estampes - 3 beautiful pieces, each depicting a different country/ethnicity. The first is Pagodes, depicting Javanese music.
- Images - 2 sets of 3 pieces each: includes the famous "Reflections in the Water", a wonderful little picture of all sorts of water - deep, still, pools leading into gurgling streams followed by a majestic waterfall, finally ending again with quiet pools. Also includes "Goldfish" - more water, with lots of splashing around. These pieces are a great example of his impressionistic style.
- Preludes - some of his most popular piano pieces, these have been compared to Chopin's preludes. Two of the most famous are "The Girl with the Flaxen Hair" and "The Sunken Cathedral". The last prelude, "Fireworks" is an example of one of how far he travelled from the romantic period into truly modern music. It is full of sparks and poppers, both small and large displays of fireworks.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
The Greatest Jazz Pianist
I know I've focused on the lives of classical composers up to this point, but I can't pass up the opportunity to highlight someone with just as much talent and musicianship as those I've previously blogged about.
The great American jazz pianist Bill Evans was born on this date in 1929 in New Jersey. Even though I'm such a die-hard classical music fan, I've gotten into jazz as a result of Bill Evans, and I've learned parts of his pieces by ear because the sounds and rhythms he produced so intrigue me.
From the wikipedia article: "In addition to introducing a new freedom of interplay within the piano trio, Evans began (in performances such as "My Foolish Heart" from the Vanguard sessions) to explore extremely slow ballad tempos and quiet volume levels which had previously been virtually unknown in jazz. His chordal voicings became more impressionistic, reminiscent of classical composers such as Debussy, Ravel, Scriabin, and Satie..."
Perhaps that's why I like his music so much - I love the music of these composers! Here's a lovely performance of the above-mentioned "My Foolish Heart" from 1965. He sure plays and looks like a serious musician - no flamboyance here, just pure music.
The first music I heard of Bill Evans was his solo album "Alone". It is amazing stuff. Here's the opening number on that album, "Here's That Rainy Day", and here is another number, "On A Clear Day".
Here are some other highlights, from the Bill Evans Trio:
Waltz for Debby, George Gershwin's Summertime, and Nardis.
Bill Evans was also an educator, and he had some interesting ideas about composing, improvising, and performing, as viewed here, an excerpt from the film, "The Universal Mind of Bill Evans". Evans makes the case that improvisational jazz is really a compositional form - a looking back to the days of Bach, Mozart, Chopin, etc., in which composers and performers were one and the same, and composing 1 minute of music often took place in 1 minute, not in days or months (Bach was the ultimate improviser, and many of his compositions sound like improvisatory material). Interesting thoughts.
Tragically, Evans struggled with an addiction to heroin probably since the 1950's, which he seemed to overcome, only later to get hooked on cocaine. Drugs undoubtedly contributed to his early death in 1980. Here is an amazing performance of In Your Own Sweet Way one year prior to his death, with his last trio. He sure looks different here!
I hope you've enjoyed this detour into the world of jazz, highlighting one of it's most talented composers/performers.
The great American jazz pianist Bill Evans was born on this date in 1929 in New Jersey. Even though I'm such a die-hard classical music fan, I've gotten into jazz as a result of Bill Evans, and I've learned parts of his pieces by ear because the sounds and rhythms he produced so intrigue me.
From the wikipedia article: "In addition to introducing a new freedom of interplay within the piano trio, Evans began (in performances such as "My Foolish Heart" from the Vanguard sessions) to explore extremely slow ballad tempos and quiet volume levels which had previously been virtually unknown in jazz. His chordal voicings became more impressionistic, reminiscent of classical composers such as Debussy, Ravel, Scriabin, and Satie..."
Perhaps that's why I like his music so much - I love the music of these composers! Here's a lovely performance of the above-mentioned "My Foolish Heart" from 1965. He sure plays and looks like a serious musician - no flamboyance here, just pure music.
The first music I heard of Bill Evans was his solo album "Alone". It is amazing stuff. Here's the opening number on that album, "Here's That Rainy Day", and here is another number, "On A Clear Day".
Here are some other highlights, from the Bill Evans Trio:
Waltz for Debby, George Gershwin's Summertime, and Nardis.
Bill Evans was also an educator, and he had some interesting ideas about composing, improvising, and performing, as viewed here, an excerpt from the film, "The Universal Mind of Bill Evans". Evans makes the case that improvisational jazz is really a compositional form - a looking back to the days of Bach, Mozart, Chopin, etc., in which composers and performers were one and the same, and composing 1 minute of music often took place in 1 minute, not in days or months (Bach was the ultimate improviser, and many of his compositions sound like improvisatory material). Interesting thoughts.
Tragically, Evans struggled with an addiction to heroin probably since the 1950's, which he seemed to overcome, only later to get hooked on cocaine. Drugs undoubtedly contributed to his early death in 1980. Here is an amazing performance of In Your Own Sweet Way one year prior to his death, with his last trio. He sure looks different here!
I hope you've enjoyed this detour into the world of jazz, highlighting one of it's most talented composers/performers.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Rhythmically Russian
Russian Composer Igor Stravinsky was born on June 17 in 1882. Stravinsky has been hailed as one of the most important and influential composers of the 20th century.
Of his contributions to music, one is his unusual use of rhythms. One musicologist has said that "Stravinsky is perhaps the only composer who has raised rhythm in itself to the dignity of art", and the composer Aaron Copland was very influenced by Stravinky's use of rhythms. Stravinsky also made use of polytonality, or musical lines in multiple clashing keys at the same time.
His early compositions can be seen as Russian nationalistic. The most famous are his first three ballets, The Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite of Spring.
Here is an old video of the composer himself conducting part of The Firebird, which has a very late-romantic feel to it. If it sounds familiar to you, it may be because Fantasia 2000 has used some of the music from this ballet for its finale (the one about the spring sprite and elk vs. the "volcano bird").
The music I'd like to play of Petrushka is a piano version made by the composer himself of some pieces from the ballet. Here are the first and second movements - notice the competing rhythms in the two hands, clever chord patterns, and lightning fast arpeggios in the first piece; and in the second piece (starting at 2:33), the striking dissonances that resolve into ethereal flittings and floatings - this is really fascinating music! Finally, here's a fragment of Shrovetide Fair, which gives a taste of the relentless rhythmic drive and repetition of chords that is so often part of Stravinsky's music.
The Rite of Spring is probably Stravinsky's most famous (and most infamous) work. It has very interesting and beautiful moments, but mostly it is full of brutal dissonance and very complex rhythms. The 1913 Paris crowd listening to its premiere did not like it at all - there were boos, tomatoes thrown, and riots throughout! It's likely that both the dissonant music as well as the ballet was offensive to them, given that the work is about pagan rituals and human sacrifice. I think I'd rather avoid watching the ballet myself! Here is a link to a four-hands version, played by one person (he recorded the 1st part and plays over it with a special piano). This gets a bit thick at times (whereas the many different instruments of the orchestra and each unique timbre do the piece more justice), but it is interesting to hear some of it on piano if you're already familiar with the piece. Here is the version played for the original Disney Fantasia movie, Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. I personally find this very interesting to watch - it seems to enhance the music for me, and is much more uplifting to me than Stravinsky's own program for the piece, which I find frankly disturbing.
All the above compositions were from Stravinsky's early period. His middle period of composition is termed Neoclassical. During this time, he wrote music which reinvestigated the compositional style of the classical period. One such piece is his Symphony of Psalms. Just prior to writing it, Stravinsky had a re-awakening of his Christian faith, and this is partly what inspired him to write the piece. Here is the third movement (Psalm 150) of the work.
Although I don't have any examples to play, his last period of composing featured music written with twelve-tone-row technique (serialism), in which the 12 half-steps of the chromatic scale are all treated equally and used in a certain order. The effect is atonality in music. This compositional technique was popularized by the Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg, and will be explored here more on his birthday.
Of his contributions to music, one is his unusual use of rhythms. One musicologist has said that "Stravinsky is perhaps the only composer who has raised rhythm in itself to the dignity of art", and the composer Aaron Copland was very influenced by Stravinky's use of rhythms. Stravinsky also made use of polytonality, or musical lines in multiple clashing keys at the same time.
His early compositions can be seen as Russian nationalistic. The most famous are his first three ballets, The Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite of Spring.
Here is an old video of the composer himself conducting part of The Firebird, which has a very late-romantic feel to it. If it sounds familiar to you, it may be because Fantasia 2000 has used some of the music from this ballet for its finale (the one about the spring sprite and elk vs. the "volcano bird").
The music I'd like to play of Petrushka is a piano version made by the composer himself of some pieces from the ballet. Here are the first and second movements - notice the competing rhythms in the two hands, clever chord patterns, and lightning fast arpeggios in the first piece; and in the second piece (starting at 2:33), the striking dissonances that resolve into ethereal flittings and floatings - this is really fascinating music! Finally, here's a fragment of Shrovetide Fair, which gives a taste of the relentless rhythmic drive and repetition of chords that is so often part of Stravinsky's music.
The Rite of Spring is probably Stravinsky's most famous (and most infamous) work. It has very interesting and beautiful moments, but mostly it is full of brutal dissonance and very complex rhythms. The 1913 Paris crowd listening to its premiere did not like it at all - there were boos, tomatoes thrown, and riots throughout! It's likely that both the dissonant music as well as the ballet was offensive to them, given that the work is about pagan rituals and human sacrifice. I think I'd rather avoid watching the ballet myself! Here is a link to a four-hands version, played by one person (he recorded the 1st part and plays over it with a special piano). This gets a bit thick at times (whereas the many different instruments of the orchestra and each unique timbre do the piece more justice), but it is interesting to hear some of it on piano if you're already familiar with the piece. Here is the version played for the original Disney Fantasia movie, Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. I personally find this very interesting to watch - it seems to enhance the music for me, and is much more uplifting to me than Stravinsky's own program for the piece, which I find frankly disturbing.
All the above compositions were from Stravinsky's early period. His middle period of composition is termed Neoclassical. During this time, he wrote music which reinvestigated the compositional style of the classical period. One such piece is his Symphony of Psalms. Just prior to writing it, Stravinsky had a re-awakening of his Christian faith, and this is partly what inspired him to write the piece. Here is the third movement (Psalm 150) of the work.
Although I don't have any examples to play, his last period of composing featured music written with twelve-tone-row technique (serialism), in which the 12 half-steps of the chromatic scale are all treated equally and used in a certain order. The effect is atonality in music. This compositional technique was popularized by the Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg, and will be explored here more on his birthday.
Composer of My Ancestry
The Norwegian Composer, Edvard Grieg, was born on June 15 in 1843. Much of his music draws largely from Norwegian folk music. Grieg was quite a gifted pianist, and had the opportunity to study in Leipzig, Germany. His piano music shows clear influences from Liszt, Schumann, and Chopin.
One of the most popular compositions (and rightly so) is his Piano Concerto in A minor. The piece is often compared with Schumann's Piano Concerto in the same key, which Grieg heard Clara Schumann perform in Leipzig in 1858 (he composed his own concerto 10 years later). The first movements of both pieces begin with a short piano cadenza leading into an orchestral introduction of the first theme, followed by a repetition of the theme in the piano. After this follows some quicker piano passage-work and eventually the second theme. I've also observed that Rachmaninoff's 1st piano concerto is clearly influenced by both of these concertos, with the same type of program at the beginning. Listen to the first movements of the Schumann, Grieg, and Rachmaninoff 1st piano concertos to see what I mean.
Here is the continuation of the Grieg 1st movement and the 2nd movement (starting at 4:20), and the third movement (starting at 0:45). The second movement of this piece is to me one of the most beautiful movements in all of classical music. I know that since I'm Norwegian, too, I'm probably biased, but it's not like I've ever even been to Norway or know any of the language or culture. But there is something so pure and wistful about the 2nd movement (clearly influenced by the 2nd movement of Beethoven's Emperor Concerto, another one of the most beautiful pieces in all of classical music).
Another very popular work by Grieg is the music he wrote for Henrik Ibsen's play, Peer Gynt. He put some of the music together into two Peer Gynt Suites, from which we get Morning Mood, Anitra's Dance, In the Hall of the Mountain King, and Solveig's Song among others. Although Grieg was influenced by a lot of the mainstream Romantic composers of his day, these last few compositions should give a taste of his unmistakable sound, probably because of the Norwegian folk music influence. I'm getting misty-eyed right now thinking about how my Grandmother used to ask me to play Solveig's Song for her on the piano all the time (she immigrated from Norway).
Grieg also wrote a lot of little piano pieces, many of which are included in his suites of Lyric Pieces, wonderful little gems, some profound and difficult, but most of them quiet little understated pieces. Here's a few: Wedding Day at Troldhaugen, March of the Dwarfs, The Butterfly, Melody, and Peace of the Woods. I've recently been playing through these and bought a 7-CD set of all of Grieg's piano works - delightful to listen to!
One of the most popular compositions (and rightly so) is his Piano Concerto in A minor. The piece is often compared with Schumann's Piano Concerto in the same key, which Grieg heard Clara Schumann perform in Leipzig in 1858 (he composed his own concerto 10 years later). The first movements of both pieces begin with a short piano cadenza leading into an orchestral introduction of the first theme, followed by a repetition of the theme in the piano. After this follows some quicker piano passage-work and eventually the second theme. I've also observed that Rachmaninoff's 1st piano concerto is clearly influenced by both of these concertos, with the same type of program at the beginning. Listen to the first movements of the Schumann, Grieg, and Rachmaninoff 1st piano concertos to see what I mean.
Here is the continuation of the Grieg 1st movement and the 2nd movement (starting at 4:20), and the third movement (starting at 0:45). The second movement of this piece is to me one of the most beautiful movements in all of classical music. I know that since I'm Norwegian, too, I'm probably biased, but it's not like I've ever even been to Norway or know any of the language or culture. But there is something so pure and wistful about the 2nd movement (clearly influenced by the 2nd movement of Beethoven's Emperor Concerto, another one of the most beautiful pieces in all of classical music).
Another very popular work by Grieg is the music he wrote for Henrik Ibsen's play, Peer Gynt. He put some of the music together into two Peer Gynt Suites, from which we get Morning Mood, Anitra's Dance, In the Hall of the Mountain King, and Solveig's Song among others. Although Grieg was influenced by a lot of the mainstream Romantic composers of his day, these last few compositions should give a taste of his unmistakable sound, probably because of the Norwegian folk music influence. I'm getting misty-eyed right now thinking about how my Grandmother used to ask me to play Solveig's Song for her on the piano all the time (she immigrated from Norway).
Grieg also wrote a lot of little piano pieces, many of which are included in his suites of Lyric Pieces, wonderful little gems, some profound and difficult, but most of them quiet little understated pieces. Here's a few: Wedding Day at Troldhaugen, March of the Dwarfs, The Butterfly, Melody, and Peace of the Woods. I've recently been playing through these and bought a 7-CD set of all of Grieg's piano works - delightful to listen to!
Sunday, June 8, 2008
The Poet Speaks
Robert Schumann was born on this day in 1810 in Germany. Schumann is a very interesting person to learn about in many ways. He was of a very passionate temperament, was mentally unstable, was a very well-respected music critic, and of course wrote lots of very beautiful music that has stood the test of time.
Schumann would also have been possibly considered a great pianist, but while studying piano with the great Friedrich Wieck, he injured his right hand permanently and so gave that up as a career and focused on composing instead. He did fall in love with Wieck's daughter, Clara, however, and eventually married her (after a long legal battle with her father, who was very much against their union). Clara turned into one of the greatest pianists of her day, and often showcased her husband's piano works after he composed them.
An example of this is his Piano Concerto in A minor. This piece is one of the most popular romantic piano concertos in the repertoire today. Many very beautiful themes, lots of spontaneity (typical of Schumann), and impressive pianism. It was first performed by Clara. Here is a performance by the great virtuoso Martha Argerich, who I'm sure could have rivaled Clara had she lived at that time: first movement, parts 1 and 2, 2nd movement, and 3rd movement.
Schumann's skills as a writer and music critic gave him the unique opportunity to assist other younger composers and musicians who greatly benefited from his generous encouragement and enthusiasm. Schumann helped both Felix Mendelssohn and Johannes Brahms in their careers as musicians. Brahms became very close to the Schumanns later in life. Although many writers have played up that he was in love with Clara and speculate about an affair, it is unlikely that anything untoward happened between them, although Clara and Brahms did become very good friends after Schumann died (in an insane asylum).
Here are some more of Schumann's best:
Toccata, Op. 7 - a monstrously difficult piece, requiring immense technique and endurance. It displays unbridled joy and passion, but has lots of light-hearted parts, too.
Carnaval, Op. 9. This work is a set of 20 short pieces, each of very different character, very spontaneously jumping between tender/slow and frantic/fast moods. Several pieces are written with certain people in mind, such as Clara Wieck (not yet his wife), a different love-interest (displaced by Clara), composer Chopin, composer Paganini, etc. It is a very likeable piece, and very passionate. Here are the opening few pieces.
Schumann also wrote 4 symphonies, all of which are quite good. Here is the opening movement of the 3rd symphony, "Rhenish".
Finally, probably his most well-known and loved little gems, the "Scenes from Childhood", Op. 15. They are little piano pieces in which the composer reminisces about his childhood as an adult. Here they are, pieces 1-8 and 9-13. By the way, the last piece in this set is entitled "The Poet Speaks", in case you were wondering about the title of my blog entry.
Schumann would also have been possibly considered a great pianist, but while studying piano with the great Friedrich Wieck, he injured his right hand permanently and so gave that up as a career and focused on composing instead. He did fall in love with Wieck's daughter, Clara, however, and eventually married her (after a long legal battle with her father, who was very much against their union). Clara turned into one of the greatest pianists of her day, and often showcased her husband's piano works after he composed them.
An example of this is his Piano Concerto in A minor. This piece is one of the most popular romantic piano concertos in the repertoire today. Many very beautiful themes, lots of spontaneity (typical of Schumann), and impressive pianism. It was first performed by Clara. Here is a performance by the great virtuoso Martha Argerich, who I'm sure could have rivaled Clara had she lived at that time: first movement, parts 1 and 2, 2nd movement, and 3rd movement.
Schumann's skills as a writer and music critic gave him the unique opportunity to assist other younger composers and musicians who greatly benefited from his generous encouragement and enthusiasm. Schumann helped both Felix Mendelssohn and Johannes Brahms in their careers as musicians. Brahms became very close to the Schumanns later in life. Although many writers have played up that he was in love with Clara and speculate about an affair, it is unlikely that anything untoward happened between them, although Clara and Brahms did become very good friends after Schumann died (in an insane asylum).
Here are some more of Schumann's best:
Toccata, Op. 7 - a monstrously difficult piece, requiring immense technique and endurance. It displays unbridled joy and passion, but has lots of light-hearted parts, too.
Carnaval, Op. 9. This work is a set of 20 short pieces, each of very different character, very spontaneously jumping between tender/slow and frantic/fast moods. Several pieces are written with certain people in mind, such as Clara Wieck (not yet his wife), a different love-interest (displaced by Clara), composer Chopin, composer Paganini, etc. It is a very likeable piece, and very passionate. Here are the opening few pieces.
Schumann also wrote 4 symphonies, all of which are quite good. Here is the opening movement of the 3rd symphony, "Rhenish".
Finally, probably his most well-known and loved little gems, the "Scenes from Childhood", Op. 15. They are little piano pieces in which the composer reminisces about his childhood as an adult. Here they are, pieces 1-8 and 9-13. By the way, the last piece in this set is entitled "The Poet Speaks", in case you were wondering about the title of my blog entry.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Armenian Folk Music
Today in 1903, Aram Khachaturian was born in Georgia (then Imperial Russia) to an Armenian family. He enjoyed music from a young age, but did not study formally or learn to read music until he was older.
He initially was a supporter of communism and its ideals, joining the party in 1943. But after writing his third symphony (which was intended to be dedicated to the communist party), he was denounced by communist leaders (who also attacked two other popular Russian composers, Prokofiev and Shostakovich). This attack shocked him and forced him to reconsider his positions.
Khachaturian was also very proud of his Armenian heritage, and he incorporated Armenian folk-music into his compositions. His most famous work of music is the "Sabre Dance" from his Ganaye ballet, which is played in all sorts of movies, cartoons, TV shows, etc. Here is an excellent performance of it.
Other than the previous piece, my main exposure to Khachaturian is through his Piano Concerto from 1936. It is modern and dissonant, but is full of very moving themes and dazzling piano passage-work. It is truly romantic at it's heart, despite the modern sounds throughout. The second movement is especially beautiful, and the whole piece is full of themes that sound like folk-music. Here is a recording of this piece, 1st movement parts 1 and 2, 2nd movement, and 3rd movement.
He initially was a supporter of communism and its ideals, joining the party in 1943. But after writing his third symphony (which was intended to be dedicated to the communist party), he was denounced by communist leaders (who also attacked two other popular Russian composers, Prokofiev and Shostakovich). This attack shocked him and forced him to reconsider his positions.
Khachaturian was also very proud of his Armenian heritage, and he incorporated Armenian folk-music into his compositions. His most famous work of music is the "Sabre Dance" from his Ganaye ballet, which is played in all sorts of movies, cartoons, TV shows, etc. Here is an excellent performance of it.
Other than the previous piece, my main exposure to Khachaturian is through his Piano Concerto from 1936. It is modern and dissonant, but is full of very moving themes and dazzling piano passage-work. It is truly romantic at it's heart, despite the modern sounds throughout. The second movement is especially beautiful, and the whole piece is full of themes that sound like folk-music. Here is a recording of this piece, 1st movement parts 1 and 2, 2nd movement, and 3rd movement.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Avant-garde "music"
Gyorgy Ligeti was born today in 1923 in Romania.
Ligeti's music is best known in the general public for his music in several Stanley Kubrick films, including "2001: A Space Odyssey". Concerning one of the movements from his Requiem, for Soprano and Mezzo Soprano solo, mixed Chorus and Orchestra (1963-65), the wikipedia article written on Ligeti says: "It is a massive (twenty-part choral) quasi-fugue where the counterpoint is re-thought in terms of the material, consisting of melismatic masses interpenetrating and alternating with complex skipping parts. It was a part of this movement that accompanied the enigmantic monolith scenes in Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey." Remember that eerie music? I sure do, and I haven't seen the movie for probably a decade.
Ligeti wrote 3 books of piano etudes later in his life, some of which I've heard in concert and I think are kind of interesting. I found this rather frightening (but rather gimmicky) performance of one of them on youtube:
Etude No. 13, "The Devil's Staircase". The pianist contrasts it with Bach's "Sheep May Safely Graze" for effect (hey, I have to link to some real music at least once on this blog entry!).
Finally, his Poeme Symphonique for 100 Metronomes, "written" in 1962. Here's the musical "score", just in case you'd like to read it while you listen. You gotta love the avant-garde!
Ligeti's music is best known in the general public for his music in several Stanley Kubrick films, including "2001: A Space Odyssey". Concerning one of the movements from his Requiem, for Soprano and Mezzo Soprano solo, mixed Chorus and Orchestra (1963-65), the wikipedia article written on Ligeti says: "It is a massive (twenty-part choral) quasi-fugue where the counterpoint is re-thought in terms of the material, consisting of melismatic masses interpenetrating and alternating with complex skipping parts. It was a part of this movement that accompanied the enigmantic monolith scenes in Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey." Remember that eerie music? I sure do, and I haven't seen the movie for probably a decade.
Ligeti wrote 3 books of piano etudes later in his life, some of which I've heard in concert and I think are kind of interesting. I found this rather frightening (but rather gimmicky) performance of one of them on youtube:
Etude No. 13, "The Devil's Staircase". The pianist contrasts it with Bach's "Sheep May Safely Graze" for effect (hey, I have to link to some real music at least once on this blog entry!).
Finally, his Poeme Symphonique for 100 Metronomes, "written" in 1962. Here's the musical "score", just in case you'd like to read it while you listen. You gotta love the avant-garde!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Two of the Greatest Romantic Composers, Part 2
Brahms' music starkly contrasts Tchaikovsky's. The emotions that come through are powerful, but reserved and controlled, not wild and frantic. However, aside from a few selected works, Brahms' music doesn't have the immediate appeal that Tchaikovsky's does. Yet I find that his music is deeper and becomes more satisfying with each listen. The deeper I get into a particular Brahms piece, the more I am in amazement at the complex, intellectual brilliance that went into the composition. Yet the rugged beauty in his music doesn't need an intellectual understanding of it to enjoy it.
Here are some of my favorites of Brahms.
Orchestral music:
Piano Concerto No. 1 - a monumental work of genius. Although very difficult for the pianist, there is no gratuitous "showing-off" - the orchestra and piano work together to create musical ideas and cohesiveness. Unfortunately, the concerto was received very harshly when the composer premiered it, with an icy silence after one performance, and hissing by a later audience. That sort of thing would be unheard of today - and today's music isn't close to being in the same league! Here is pianist Stephen Hough discussing the piece after playing it. Here is the monumental concerto, parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 (First movement up to part 3, 5:15; Second movement up to part 5, 2:20, Third movement the rest). The second movement is one of my favorite pieces of all time. My piano teacher recalls his teacher telling him "It will create a chapel in your soul!" It is full of calm and beauty, and the climax in the middle is very moving. The other two movements are powerful and full of austere beauty.
Piano Concerto No. 2 - an even more difficult piece for the pianist, and even more integrated into the orchestra part, such that it was called "a symphony with piano obbligato" in early days. It has four movements, making it even larger than the first concerto (if that were possible!). This ranks as one of the most difficult concertos of all time (up there with Rachmaninoff 3rd). I think of it as one of the most satisfying musical meals I could ever have. The longer the better (it is usually about an hour long)! It is more pastorale and less austere than the first concerto, and the emotions in the piece run the whole gamut. Here is the first movement, parts 1 and 2. The second movement, which Brahms jokingly called "a tiny wisp of a scherzo" is here. The third movement is a beautiful slow movement, complete with a cello solo. Here are parts 1 and 2, the latter also containing part of the fourth movement, which is light-hearted but still full of power and beauty, concluding here.
Violin Concerto - one of the greatest violin concertos of all time. It can be very austere and serious, especially in the first movement, but there are more light-hearted and tender moments as well, especially in the 2nd and 3rd movements. Critics of his time have said that it is not a concerto for violin as much as "against the violin" and others have said it was "unplayable". It is indeed a hard piece, but it has stood the test of time and is one of the most loved works of all time today. Here are the first, second, and third movements (the first is incomplete here).
Double Concerto - Brahms' last composition for orchestra, it is a concerto for violin and cello together. It is characteristically austere and powerful, but not without lots of beautiful writing and good humor in many places. The opening is especially powerful, with the orchestral outburst followed by a cadenza for the cello, then violin, then both together before the orchestra comes back to have a longer introduction. This a moving piece! Here are parts 1, 2, 3, and 4. The middle movement (part 3 here) is particularly tender and full of the "deep" Brahms beauty.
Four Symphonies - all four of his monumental symphonies are precious jewels. They were late in coming, due to the composer's dissatisfaction and highly self-critical nature. The first symphony was finished in his 40's, and is a tour-de-force. The last movement is very reminiscent of Beethoven's 9th symphony, and so Brahms was dubbed as the continuation of Beethoven - very high praise, but which I think is appropriate. The second symphony is very pastorale and beautiful - probably my favorite Brahms symphony. Since this blog entry is too long already, I'll link only to the third movement, my favorite. I would highly recommend this recording, which is a performance of Brahms and Tchaikovsky's last symphonies (Brahms 4th, Tchaikovsky's 6th) as well as some absolutely brilliant commentary (about 20 minutes per piece) by the great conductor, Leonard Bernstein. It includes other pieces on it as well, with commentary. This will give you a good idea of the musical genius in the creative process by both of these composers in their symphonies.
Variations on a Theme of Haydn - a set of variations on a theme unlikely by Haydn, but that doesn't matter. It's one of his most accessible works, but this doesn't mean it's not deep! The mood changes throughout, from very thoughtful and pensive to unabashedly joyful. I was only able to find a 2-piano version worth listening to (the orchestral version is superior), but here is the opening.
Chamber Music:
Brahms wrote lots and lots of chamber music. It tends to be pretty thick and heavy, but is, once again, quite satisfying in a way that no other composer can match (except perhaps Bach or Beethoven).
Violin Sonatas - he wrote 3, all of which are an incredible feast for the soul. Here is the first movement (parts 1 and 2) of the G major sonata. Brahms also wrote two viola sonatas, originally written as Clarinet sonatas, later transcribed for viola. They are both wonderfully rich and a joy to listen to and play, as are his two cello sonatas.
Brahms also wrote several piano trios and piano quartets, all amazing and monumental works. However, his Piano Quintet in F minor (written for piano and string quartet), to me is the peak, the pinnacle, of all chamber works written for piano and strings. Yes, you heard me right. I know that's kind of a strong statement, but that's how I feel. All four movements are astounding in their passion and integration between the instruments. It is a very serious work with a passion and energy unmatched by any other piece I know of. The most amazing and innovative movements are the 3rd and 4th. The third movement has a driving force and passion in it that stirs my soul every time I listen to it. The fourth movement has extraordinary harmonies in it, pushing the envelope of Romantic music. Listen especially to 7:00 on to the end - so much passion and fire!
Here are some of my favorites of Brahms.
Orchestral music:
Piano Concerto No. 1 - a monumental work of genius. Although very difficult for the pianist, there is no gratuitous "showing-off" - the orchestra and piano work together to create musical ideas and cohesiveness. Unfortunately, the concerto was received very harshly when the composer premiered it, with an icy silence after one performance, and hissing by a later audience. That sort of thing would be unheard of today - and today's music isn't close to being in the same league! Here is pianist Stephen Hough discussing the piece after playing it. Here is the monumental concerto, parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 (First movement up to part 3, 5:15; Second movement up to part 5, 2:20, Third movement the rest). The second movement is one of my favorite pieces of all time. My piano teacher recalls his teacher telling him "It will create a chapel in your soul!" It is full of calm and beauty, and the climax in the middle is very moving. The other two movements are powerful and full of austere beauty.
Piano Concerto No. 2 - an even more difficult piece for the pianist, and even more integrated into the orchestra part, such that it was called "a symphony with piano obbligato" in early days. It has four movements, making it even larger than the first concerto (if that were possible!). This ranks as one of the most difficult concertos of all time (up there with Rachmaninoff 3rd). I think of it as one of the most satisfying musical meals I could ever have. The longer the better (it is usually about an hour long)! It is more pastorale and less austere than the first concerto, and the emotions in the piece run the whole gamut. Here is the first movement, parts 1 and 2. The second movement, which Brahms jokingly called "a tiny wisp of a scherzo" is here. The third movement is a beautiful slow movement, complete with a cello solo. Here are parts 1 and 2, the latter also containing part of the fourth movement, which is light-hearted but still full of power and beauty, concluding here.
Violin Concerto - one of the greatest violin concertos of all time. It can be very austere and serious, especially in the first movement, but there are more light-hearted and tender moments as well, especially in the 2nd and 3rd movements. Critics of his time have said that it is not a concerto for violin as much as "against the violin" and others have said it was "unplayable". It is indeed a hard piece, but it has stood the test of time and is one of the most loved works of all time today. Here are the first, second, and third movements (the first is incomplete here).
Double Concerto - Brahms' last composition for orchestra, it is a concerto for violin and cello together. It is characteristically austere and powerful, but not without lots of beautiful writing and good humor in many places. The opening is especially powerful, with the orchestral outburst followed by a cadenza for the cello, then violin, then both together before the orchestra comes back to have a longer introduction. This a moving piece! Here are parts 1, 2, 3, and 4. The middle movement (part 3 here) is particularly tender and full of the "deep" Brahms beauty.
Four Symphonies - all four of his monumental symphonies are precious jewels. They were late in coming, due to the composer's dissatisfaction and highly self-critical nature. The first symphony was finished in his 40's, and is a tour-de-force. The last movement is very reminiscent of Beethoven's 9th symphony, and so Brahms was dubbed as the continuation of Beethoven - very high praise, but which I think is appropriate. The second symphony is very pastorale and beautiful - probably my favorite Brahms symphony. Since this blog entry is too long already, I'll link only to the third movement, my favorite. I would highly recommend this recording, which is a performance of Brahms and Tchaikovsky's last symphonies (Brahms 4th, Tchaikovsky's 6th) as well as some absolutely brilliant commentary (about 20 minutes per piece) by the great conductor, Leonard Bernstein. It includes other pieces on it as well, with commentary. This will give you a good idea of the musical genius in the creative process by both of these composers in their symphonies.
Variations on a Theme of Haydn - a set of variations on a theme unlikely by Haydn, but that doesn't matter. It's one of his most accessible works, but this doesn't mean it's not deep! The mood changes throughout, from very thoughtful and pensive to unabashedly joyful. I was only able to find a 2-piano version worth listening to (the orchestral version is superior), but here is the opening.
Chamber Music:
Brahms wrote lots and lots of chamber music. It tends to be pretty thick and heavy, but is, once again, quite satisfying in a way that no other composer can match (except perhaps Bach or Beethoven).
Violin Sonatas - he wrote 3, all of which are an incredible feast for the soul. Here is the first movement (parts 1 and 2) of the G major sonata. Brahms also wrote two viola sonatas, originally written as Clarinet sonatas, later transcribed for viola. They are both wonderfully rich and a joy to listen to and play, as are his two cello sonatas.
Brahms also wrote several piano trios and piano quartets, all amazing and monumental works. However, his Piano Quintet in F minor (written for piano and string quartet), to me is the peak, the pinnacle, of all chamber works written for piano and strings. Yes, you heard me right. I know that's kind of a strong statement, but that's how I feel. All four movements are astounding in their passion and integration between the instruments. It is a very serious work with a passion and energy unmatched by any other piece I know of. The most amazing and innovative movements are the 3rd and 4th. The third movement has a driving force and passion in it that stirs my soul every time I listen to it. The fourth movement has extraordinary harmonies in it, pushing the envelope of Romantic music. Listen especially to 7:00 on to the end - so much passion and fire!
Two of the Greatest Romantic Composers, Part 1
Today is the birthday of two very important composers of the mid-romantic era of music. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born in 1840 in Russia. Johannes Brahms was born in 1833 in Hamburg, Germany.
Although not part of "The Five" Russian Composers (see blog on Jan 2), Tchaikovsky had interactions with them, and he wrote music that was quite nationalistic. He is the prototype of a composer who "wears his emotions on his sleeve", so to speak. His music is passionate, intense, and very accessible, bursting with beautiful melodies. His philosophy of music was that it should be immediately comprehensible to the listener. He felt that his fellow composer, Brahms, placed too many demands on the listener, and that Brahms' music lacked beauty.
I remember reading somewhere that Brahms didn't care much for Tchaikovsky's music, either. He attended a concert of his fellow composer's music and promptly fell asleep through it. Brahms' music is worlds apart from Tchaikovsky's. He is much more reserved in his displays of emotion, and can be very austere. A complaint from a critic of his day was that Brahms' music wanders around and never goes anywhere.
I suppose it depends on one's personality which composer's music one would like better. When I was younger, I listened more to Tchaikovsky's music and remember saying that his 5th Symphony was my favorite piece of music. Those days are long gone - aside from a few of his best works, his music holds my interest much less, and a lot of it seems frantic, repetitive, and noisy.
Brahms, on the other hand, composes some of the deepest music that I know. It may be hard to get into at first, but upon repeated listens, it is more rewarding than the music of most other composers.
I'll start first with a sampling of Tchaikovsky's best works:
Piano Concerto No. 1 - one of the most well-known of pieces of all classical music. It is chock-full of wonderful themes and has both beautiful orchestral writing and beautiful and impressive piano passage-work. Here is the first movement (parts 1, 2, and 3).
Violin Concerto - one of the absolutely best violin concertos in the romantic repertoire. It is a priceless gem of a piece, again full of beautiful melodies. The 2nd movement to me is one of the best works of all time - hauntingly sad and beautiful. Here is the first movement (parts 1 and 2), the sublime second movement, and the third movement.
Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra - this very beautiful piece of music was the closest thing to a cello concerto that the composer wrote. It has characteristic beautiful melodies and lots of interesting variations. Here is a performance of this great piece, parts 1, 2, and 3.
Six Symphonies - His 4th, 5th and 6th symphonies are the most well known. The 3rd is quite good, too. The 6th symphony, called "Pathetique" is the most famous, and rightly so. It has a lot of pathos, especially in the 4th and final movement. The 3rd movement is a fast scherzo that ends so triumphantly, most audiences feel impelled to applaud such that the orchestra has to start the last movement before they finish clapping just to get on with the show. The last movement is such a heart-wrenching contrast to the previous movement, it is probably why the symphony is named so. My uncle commented to me years ago "when you listen to that movement, you just want to lay down and die" - not far from the truth, but it sure is a beautiful piece.
Nutcracker Suite - again another very famous suite of pieces (originally part of a ballet), parts of which are probably recognizable by most people. It has immediate appeal, and for good reason. So many catchy melodies, orchestral textures, and rhythms to feast on. Here's the Waltz of the Flowers, the last piece in the suite.
Since this blog entry is already quite long and we haven't touched Brahms' music yet, I'll put that in part 2.
Although not part of "The Five" Russian Composers (see blog on Jan 2), Tchaikovsky had interactions with them, and he wrote music that was quite nationalistic. He is the prototype of a composer who "wears his emotions on his sleeve", so to speak. His music is passionate, intense, and very accessible, bursting with beautiful melodies. His philosophy of music was that it should be immediately comprehensible to the listener. He felt that his fellow composer, Brahms, placed too many demands on the listener, and that Brahms' music lacked beauty.
I remember reading somewhere that Brahms didn't care much for Tchaikovsky's music, either. He attended a concert of his fellow composer's music and promptly fell asleep through it. Brahms' music is worlds apart from Tchaikovsky's. He is much more reserved in his displays of emotion, and can be very austere. A complaint from a critic of his day was that Brahms' music wanders around and never goes anywhere.
I suppose it depends on one's personality which composer's music one would like better. When I was younger, I listened more to Tchaikovsky's music and remember saying that his 5th Symphony was my favorite piece of music. Those days are long gone - aside from a few of his best works, his music holds my interest much less, and a lot of it seems frantic, repetitive, and noisy.
Brahms, on the other hand, composes some of the deepest music that I know. It may be hard to get into at first, but upon repeated listens, it is more rewarding than the music of most other composers.
I'll start first with a sampling of Tchaikovsky's best works:
Piano Concerto No. 1 - one of the most well-known of pieces of all classical music. It is chock-full of wonderful themes and has both beautiful orchestral writing and beautiful and impressive piano passage-work. Here is the first movement (parts 1, 2, and 3).
Violin Concerto - one of the absolutely best violin concertos in the romantic repertoire. It is a priceless gem of a piece, again full of beautiful melodies. The 2nd movement to me is one of the best works of all time - hauntingly sad and beautiful. Here is the first movement (parts 1 and 2), the sublime second movement, and the third movement.
Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra - this very beautiful piece of music was the closest thing to a cello concerto that the composer wrote. It has characteristic beautiful melodies and lots of interesting variations. Here is a performance of this great piece, parts 1, 2, and 3.
Six Symphonies - His 4th, 5th and 6th symphonies are the most well known. The 3rd is quite good, too. The 6th symphony, called "Pathetique" is the most famous, and rightly so. It has a lot of pathos, especially in the 4th and final movement. The 3rd movement is a fast scherzo that ends so triumphantly, most audiences feel impelled to applaud such that the orchestra has to start the last movement before they finish clapping just to get on with the show. The last movement is such a heart-wrenching contrast to the previous movement, it is probably why the symphony is named so. My uncle commented to me years ago "when you listen to that movement, you just want to lay down and die" - not far from the truth, but it sure is a beautiful piece.
Nutcracker Suite - again another very famous suite of pieces (originally part of a ballet), parts of which are probably recognizable by most people. It has immediate appeal, and for good reason. So many catchy melodies, orchestral textures, and rhythms to feast on. Here's the Waltz of the Flowers, the last piece in the suite.
Since this blog entry is already quite long and we haven't touched Brahms' music yet, I'll put that in part 2.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Russian Musical Wit and Dissonance
Sergei Prokofiev was born today in the Ukraine in 1891. He gained a reputation as a young man of being a musical rebel. You can hear it in his music - beautiful melodies and interesting harmonies interrupted frequently by brutally dissonant, brash interludes. Some of his music is immediately recognizable and accessible to anyone. A lot of his music, though, takes some getting used to, but is still very rewarding after adjusting to the unusual sounds.
Here are clips of some of his best music:
Peter and the Wolf - probably the most beloved work by Prokofiev. It is a children's tale, involving an orchestra and narrator. Each instrument symbolizes a character in the tale - Strings (Peter), Flute (Bird), Oboe (Duck), Clarinet (Cat), and so forth. If you've never heard this before, you're missing out! A great story with terrific music! Here's a trailer for one particularly entertaining-looking production.
Symphony No. 1 "Classical" - one of his most accessible works. A delightful piece of music with very interesting harmonies/melodies, meant to emulate the music of Josef Haydn; it is one of the first "Neo-classical" works written by Prokofiev. Here are movements 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major - probably my favorite piece by this composer, and certainly his most popular concerto. The dialogue between piano and orchestra is vibrant, interesting, full of "witty dissonance" contrasting with beautiful melodies and harmonies. Here are movements 1, 2, and 3.
7th Piano Sonata - one of the composer's "War Sonatas" (including Nos. 6, 7, and 8). The third movement is very rhythmic, especially interesting, and technically extremely challenging (listen to the last 2 minutes - crazy!).
March from The Love for Three Oranges - this is a short transcription for piano played by the composer, taken from one of his operas. Short, joking, full of wit and sarcasm.
Sonata for Cello and Piano - one of my favorite cello sonatas. It is was one of Prokofiev's last compositions, but is much more mellow and lyrical than many of his earlier works, but still full of fun. The second movement sounds "Peter and Wolf"-ish to me and lots of fun. Here are movements 1, 2, and 3.
Here are clips of some of his best music:
Peter and the Wolf - probably the most beloved work by Prokofiev. It is a children's tale, involving an orchestra and narrator. Each instrument symbolizes a character in the tale - Strings (Peter), Flute (Bird), Oboe (Duck), Clarinet (Cat), and so forth. If you've never heard this before, you're missing out! A great story with terrific music! Here's a trailer for one particularly entertaining-looking production.
Symphony No. 1 "Classical" - one of his most accessible works. A delightful piece of music with very interesting harmonies/melodies, meant to emulate the music of Josef Haydn; it is one of the first "Neo-classical" works written by Prokofiev. Here are movements 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major - probably my favorite piece by this composer, and certainly his most popular concerto. The dialogue between piano and orchestra is vibrant, interesting, full of "witty dissonance" contrasting with beautiful melodies and harmonies. Here are movements 1, 2, and 3.
7th Piano Sonata - one of the composer's "War Sonatas" (including Nos. 6, 7, and 8). The third movement is very rhythmic, especially interesting, and technically extremely challenging (listen to the last 2 minutes - crazy!).
March from The Love for Three Oranges - this is a short transcription for piano played by the composer, taken from one of his operas. Short, joking, full of wit and sarcasm.
Sonata for Cello and Piano - one of my favorite cello sonatas. It is was one of Prokofiev's last compositions, but is much more mellow and lyrical than many of his earlier works, but still full of fun. The second movement sounds "Peter and Wolf"-ish to me and lots of fun. Here are movements 1, 2, and 3.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Difficult Piano Music
Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff was born today in 1873 in Russia. He was born one year before Schoenberg and two years before Ravel, and unlike his colleagues, stayed very much in the Romantic period, though some of his later stuff sounds pretty modern. He was a truly amazing pianist (we have recordings of him!), one of the best and most technically sound of the 20th century. Like Chopin, he is another composer for pianists, although unlike Chopin, he wrote 3 symphonies, and a few other works that did not feature the piano. He had very big hands, supposedly spanning an interval of a 13th (C to A)!
The other day, our little family was eating dinner at the dinner-table, and my precious little 21-month-old daughter was learning to say some new words, so I decided to give her a couple of tough ones:
Daddy: Rachel, can you say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?
Rachel: (quizzical look)
Daddy: Rachel, can you antidisestablishmentarianism?
Rachel: (quizzical look with an impish smile)
Daddy: Rachel, can you Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff?
Rachel: (Rachel looks away toward her box of composer statuettes) 'off! 'off! 'off!
(Translation: hey, where's my Rachmaninoff figurine?! I want it right now!)
My wife and I both got a hearty laugh out of this one! Anyway...
I'd like to start with what I think is Rachmaninoff's best music - his piano concertos. Two of them have become standard repertoire, due to not only their beautiful melodies and lush chords, but also their impressive technical challenges to the pianist.
Piano Concerto No. 1, 1st Movement, played by the composer himself. This was his first published composition, written when the composer was only 19 years old. Even at such a young age, this composition is full of fire, strength, and maturity, with some really great melodies and amazing virtuosity.
Piano Concerto No. 2, 1st Movement, 2nd Movement, 3rd Movement. Perhaps overall his most well-loved concerto. It begins with large chords in the piano, getting louder and louder until the orchestra bursts in with the first theme. It is chock full of beautiful melodies and counter-melodies, as well as some amazing virtuosity. The 2nd movement is especially beautiful and tender. It sounds to me like he was influenced by Chopin's 1st Concerto, 2nd movement, one of the most magical pieces ever written. Rachmaninov's movement comes very close to rivaling it.
Piano Concerto No. 3, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5. This is probably the most technically difficult piano concerto ever written. It is not perhaps as immediately accessible as the 2nd concerto, but it has many very beautiful melodies, and has strength, force, and fire that exceeds its predecessor.
For some of the most powerful, commanding piano-playing you'll ever hear, listen to the extremely difficult cadenza in the first movement (he plays the difficult version here), part 2 from about 2:30 to 4:30. All three movements have great beauty and amazing virtuosity, but probably the most breathtaking energy is found in the 3rd movement (Parts 4 and 5).
Piano Concerto No. 4, 1st Movement. Probably his least popular concerto, it is still full of that beautiful nostalgia and virtuosic chromaticism that characterizes his music.
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 - I include this with his piano concertos, because it is for piano and orchestra and of similar length and difficulty. It's beauty and creativity rivals at least concertos 1 and 4, if not 2 and 3. The magical 18th variation is quite well-known and one of his most well-loved themes (Part 2, 5:25 to 8:00).
Rachmaninoff wrote a few chamber works as well, including his sonata for Cello and piano. Here is the Cello Sonata, 2nd movement, a very powerful piece with high energy and a lovely relaxing, lyrical middle section. I want to play this piece with a cellist someday!
He also wrote a numerous amount of solo piano pieces, most of them dazzling and difficult to play. Here are some of his best:
Preludes:
Op. 3, No. 2 in C# minor, probably his most popular composition of all, although Rachmaninoff himself grew to dislike it because he was asked to play it so often. This version with the composer himself at the piano is quite stunning.
Op. 23, No. 4 in D Major, one of my favorites. It is quite simple in form and melody, one of his least virtuosic pieces, but still quite difficult to play well.
Op. 23, No. 5 in G minor, another one of his most popular pieces. The middle section has some beautiful inner melodies that are brought out nicely in this recording.
Op. 32, No. 12 in G# minor, another popular piece. Full of fire, passion, and nostalgia.
Op. 32, No. 10 in B minor, another one of my favorites. It is very sad, wistful, and nostalgic, but full of fire and passion. An anecdote tells of how this was supposed to have been a picture of Rachmaninoff's longing to come home to Russia after having been exiled to other countries during the communist take-over.
Etudes-Tableaux:
Op. 39, No. 3 in F# minor, a very difficult piece - watch the flying fingers!
Op. 33, No. 5, an insanely difficult piece! This time watch the notes.
I'll end on a couple of his more light-hearted pieces, all performed by the composer:
Lilacs, a beautiful little piece with lots of flowery passages
Humoresque
Polka de V.R. (a polka written by Vasili Rachmaninoff, Sergei's father, arranged and played here by the son) - a delightful little piece, and a great way to end this post.
The other day, our little family was eating dinner at the dinner-table, and my precious little 21-month-old daughter was learning to say some new words, so I decided to give her a couple of tough ones:
Daddy: Rachel, can you say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?
Rachel: (quizzical look)
Daddy: Rachel, can you antidisestablishmentarianism?
Rachel: (quizzical look with an impish smile)
Daddy: Rachel, can you Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff?
Rachel: (Rachel looks away toward her box of composer statuettes) 'off! 'off! 'off!
(Translation: hey, where's my Rachmaninoff figurine?! I want it right now!)
My wife and I both got a hearty laugh out of this one! Anyway...
I'd like to start with what I think is Rachmaninoff's best music - his piano concertos. Two of them have become standard repertoire, due to not only their beautiful melodies and lush chords, but also their impressive technical challenges to the pianist.
Piano Concerto No. 1, 1st Movement, played by the composer himself. This was his first published composition, written when the composer was only 19 years old. Even at such a young age, this composition is full of fire, strength, and maturity, with some really great melodies and amazing virtuosity.
Piano Concerto No. 2, 1st Movement, 2nd Movement, 3rd Movement. Perhaps overall his most well-loved concerto. It begins with large chords in the piano, getting louder and louder until the orchestra bursts in with the first theme. It is chock full of beautiful melodies and counter-melodies, as well as some amazing virtuosity. The 2nd movement is especially beautiful and tender. It sounds to me like he was influenced by Chopin's 1st Concerto, 2nd movement, one of the most magical pieces ever written. Rachmaninov's movement comes very close to rivaling it.
Piano Concerto No. 3, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5. This is probably the most technically difficult piano concerto ever written. It is not perhaps as immediately accessible as the 2nd concerto, but it has many very beautiful melodies, and has strength, force, and fire that exceeds its predecessor.
For some of the most powerful, commanding piano-playing you'll ever hear, listen to the extremely difficult cadenza in the first movement (he plays the difficult version here), part 2 from about 2:30 to 4:30. All three movements have great beauty and amazing virtuosity, but probably the most breathtaking energy is found in the 3rd movement (Parts 4 and 5).
Piano Concerto No. 4, 1st Movement. Probably his least popular concerto, it is still full of that beautiful nostalgia and virtuosic chromaticism that characterizes his music.
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 - I include this with his piano concertos, because it is for piano and orchestra and of similar length and difficulty. It's beauty and creativity rivals at least concertos 1 and 4, if not 2 and 3. The magical 18th variation is quite well-known and one of his most well-loved themes (Part 2, 5:25 to 8:00).
Rachmaninoff wrote a few chamber works as well, including his sonata for Cello and piano. Here is the Cello Sonata, 2nd movement, a very powerful piece with high energy and a lovely relaxing, lyrical middle section. I want to play this piece with a cellist someday!
He also wrote a numerous amount of solo piano pieces, most of them dazzling and difficult to play. Here are some of his best:
Preludes:
Op. 3, No. 2 in C# minor, probably his most popular composition of all, although Rachmaninoff himself grew to dislike it because he was asked to play it so often. This version with the composer himself at the piano is quite stunning.
Op. 23, No. 4 in D Major, one of my favorites. It is quite simple in form and melody, one of his least virtuosic pieces, but still quite difficult to play well.
Op. 23, No. 5 in G minor, another one of his most popular pieces. The middle section has some beautiful inner melodies that are brought out nicely in this recording.
Op. 32, No. 12 in G# minor, another popular piece. Full of fire, passion, and nostalgia.
Op. 32, No. 10 in B minor, another one of my favorites. It is very sad, wistful, and nostalgic, but full of fire and passion. An anecdote tells of how this was supposed to have been a picture of Rachmaninoff's longing to come home to Russia after having been exiled to other countries during the communist take-over.
Etudes-Tableaux:
Op. 39, No. 3 in F# minor, a very difficult piece - watch the flying fingers!
Op. 33, No. 5, an insanely difficult piece! This time watch the notes.
I'll end on a couple of his more light-hearted pieces, all performed by the composer:
Lilacs, a beautiful little piece with lots of flowery passages
Humoresque
Polka de V.R. (a polka written by Vasili Rachmaninoff, Sergei's father, arranged and played here by the son) - a delightful little piece, and a great way to end this post.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Father of the Symphony
Franz Josef Haydn was born today in 1732 in Austria.
The above article quotes musicologist James Webster summarizing Haydn's role in the history of classical music: "He excelled in every musical genre… He is familiarly known as the 'father of the symphony' and could with greater justice be thus regarded for the string quartet; no other composer approaches his combination of productivity, quality and historical importance in these genres."
Haydn wrote a whole lot of music. Check out the list! Among them: more than 100 symphonies, 52 piano sonatas, 80-some string quartets, and the list goes on.
I have to confess, I haven't listened to a lot of Haydn's music. Some of it sounds a little bit simplistic to me, and just not as good as Mozart. But other works I've heard sound very rich and quite advanced, like Beethoven. He had a great richness especially in some of his later works. While Haydn (the elder) and Mozart got along very well, playing music together at times and having mutual admiration for each other's works, Haydn and Beethoven's relationship was at times tense. Beethoven had taken lessons from Haydn for a short while, but found his teaching unsatisfactory.
Haydn had a really good sense of humor. This is evident in his "Surprise" symphony (heard here), "Farewell" symphony, and many other works.
Here's a couple other links:
- Trumpet Concerto in Eb, 3rd movement - a delightful piece of music, I grew up hearing my brother play this
- Part of a piano Sonata, showing more of his sense of humor...
- Another piano sonata, light-hearted and full of spirit
- Symphony No. 104, a mature work, and his last symphony.
The above article quotes musicologist James Webster summarizing Haydn's role in the history of classical music: "He excelled in every musical genre… He is familiarly known as the 'father of the symphony' and could with greater justice be thus regarded for the string quartet; no other composer approaches his combination of productivity, quality and historical importance in these genres."
Haydn wrote a whole lot of music. Check out the list! Among them: more than 100 symphonies, 52 piano sonatas, 80-some string quartets, and the list goes on.
I have to confess, I haven't listened to a lot of Haydn's music. Some of it sounds a little bit simplistic to me, and just not as good as Mozart. But other works I've heard sound very rich and quite advanced, like Beethoven. He had a great richness especially in some of his later works. While Haydn (the elder) and Mozart got along very well, playing music together at times and having mutual admiration for each other's works, Haydn and Beethoven's relationship was at times tense. Beethoven had taken lessons from Haydn for a short while, but found his teaching unsatisfactory.
Haydn had a really good sense of humor. This is evident in his "Surprise" symphony (heard here), "Farewell" symphony, and many other works.
Here's a couple other links:
- Trumpet Concerto in Eb, 3rd movement - a delightful piece of music, I grew up hearing my brother play this
- Part of a piano Sonata, showing more of his sense of humor...
- Another piano sonata, light-hearted and full of spirit
- Symphony No. 104, a mature work, and his last symphony.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)