Classical Listening

[Musicology]

Adalbert Gyrowetz (1763-1850) -
Symphony No.1 in D Major
Opus 12

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcrDhOTdSUE

In the bizarre world of the music business the Bohemian composer Adalbert Gyrowetz may be credited with over 50 symphonies, nearly 40 operas, (one of which was performed several hundred times in Vienna alone) almost 20 masses and dozens of chamber works (many of very high musical quality) but is today given only a minor footnote in musical history. He tends to be remembered as the 'helper' and translator of German into English for the far more celebrated Josef Haydn during his tours of England in the 1790's. (For which Josef Haydn was no doubt very, very grateful !)

[mal4mac]

Beethoven, Romance for violin and orchestra, nº2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slh3szggVAw

[Musicology]

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

It helps, of course, if you come from the right bloodlines. But why is Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) so famous ? Why does ‘Wikipedia’ describe him as, ‘the supreme genius of modern German literature' ? Well, one good reason is that Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, ‘the supreme genius of modern German literature’, came from the right bloodlines, as already said, but also was a prominent member of the Bavarian Illuminati who was prepared (for 30 pieces of silver) to abandon his career in law and to pose in romantic settings - for example, having his portrait painted for the adoring faithful back home during his 2 year journey to Italy (1786-8). We don’t need to go in to the details, do we ? Although details of what he was actually doing in Venice during that second year remain as obscure and unknown today as always. With entire parts of his correspondence (and that of his correspondents) conveniently destroyed.

But, in his defence, Goethe, of course, is author of that well known poem, ’Faust’ and of that most famous novel ’The Sorrows of Young Werther’. Both of which have often been set to music. (Neither of which are recommended for those who enjoy life or who see their glass half full, rather than half empty !). But Goethe, that well known heroic climber of a volcano in Italy, keeper of notes on geological formations, poseur extraordinaire, and a visitor to many ancient architectural sites of ancient Italy during those two formational years could not contain his enthusiasm for what he witnessed in Italy. Which, when its details were read back home, came as real news to the highly cultured Germans, who had obviously never seen the land of Italy. Thus Goethe became even more famous. (Despite Italy's monuments being widely known to everyone including Italians and non-Italians over the last 2000 years across Europe. Some of whom could write themselves).

To be fair, Goethe, touched by ideas of modesty, hoped his life to be remembered more for his theory of colour than for being ’the supreme genius of modern German literature’. Now there's modesty for you, yes ? Illuminati projects included.

And thus he, the ‘supreme genius of modern German literature’ was allowed to be cultivated as an indispensable part of ‘western culture’. Having calling cards to the aristocracy of western Europe (which he never stopped using) and basking in the glory of being 'the supreme genius of modern German literature'. Having friends in high places throughout this period of iconic status. And whose awful fate, as you know, was to become famous - very famous, in fact, for being, well, very famous.

The extreme end of Goethe criticism may even be contained in an infamous statement by Hans Johst -

‘When I hear the word ‘culture’ I reach for my holster’

But these two extreme views on Goethe and his iconic status are surely balanced by the observation (available to anyone with a brain) that the recognition of ‘genius’ is paying lip service to a wholesale revival of enforceable Babylonian culture, which specialises in and even demands the making of shrunken pantheons with (or without) your consent and the writing of sanitised and civilised versions of cultural history. With our brains stuck firmly in 'neutral'.

Ludwig van Beethoven
Overture
Egmont

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-_qruHlvDM

[Emil Miller]

Please , oh please Litnetters don't take the bait. After interminable posts on Mozart, it would be very stupid to start it all over again with Goethe. Even if you are outraged at the proposition that he is another fraudulent product of the past machinations of others, don't reply to this post or you run the risk of having screeds of psycho babble disfiguring the forum indefinitely.

[LitNetIsGreat]

Agreed.

Beethoven, Romance for violin and orchestra, nº2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slh3szggVAw

That was a good suggestion. Listening to that with a left over glass of red which accompanied a spaghetti bolonaise.

I'm in the mood for a little violin tongiht, something, anything, to get me out of this semi-depressive state. Start with this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGgrv3jezfY

Then this I think, more Beethoven:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVuyh-Hs9lQ

Edit: isn't that Emil in the front row?

[Musicology]

You are quite right Emil Miller. Everyone knows von Goethe is (and I quote) 'the supreme genius of modern German literature'. And this is not a matter of discussion. Coz' we have nothing to say in its defence. And we never have. Remember, there will be no whitewash at the white house etc. And we must never tolerate outrageous conspiracy theories.

I love that sort of education !!! It's so..... 'illuminated'. So.....'enlightened'....

Scam me some more !!

One thing is sure, Austrian/German audiences really appreciate symphonic composers other than their own - as we see here - and we in Britain all love the supreme genius of von Goethe.

Jean Sibelius
7th Symphony
Finale

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgXCI...feature=fvwrel

Jean Sibelius
5th Symphony
Finale

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkzrS...eature=related

'Music, and music so-called, all moves towards Music to be heard'.

Please , oh please Litnetters don't take the bait. After interminable posts on Mozart, it would be very stupid to start it all over again with Goethe. Even if you are outraged at the proposition that he is another fraudulent product of the past machinations of others, don't reply to this post or you run the risk of having screeds of psycho babble disfiguring the forum indefinitely.

[Lokasenna]

Please , oh please Litnetters don't take the bait. After interminable posts on Mozart, it would be very stupid to start it all over again with Goethe. Even if you are outraged at the proposition that he is another fraudulent product of the past machinations of others, don't reply to this post or you run the risk of having screeds of psycho babble disfiguring the forum indefinitely.

Quite. It would be a shame for this beautiful thread to go down. Musicology, if you want to talk Goethe, by all means start another thread.

I went to a very nice concert the other evening. Quite an eclectic programme of music, but all very enjoyable - even if the promised and much anticipated Saint-Saens' Piano Concerto No. 2 was replaced at the last minute (due to illness) by Mozart's much less interesting Piano Concerto No. 14.

One of the items on the programme was something I hadn't heard in a long while, and I'd forgotten just how beautiful it is:

Ravel - Pavane pour une infante défunte

It's such a wonderful little thing, sweet and sad all at the same time.

[Emil Miller]

Agreed.



That was a good suggestion. Listening to that with a left over glass of red which accompanied a spaghetti bolonaise.

I'm in the mood for a little violin tongiht, something, anything, to get me out of this semi-depressive state. Edit: isn't that Emil in the front row?

I trust the red wine was Italian. No it isn't me in the front row as I like my violin music to be of a slightly later provenance even if it were originally for the piano.

http://youtu.be/DsRup1iD_ME

[Musicology]

Yes, you are right. I don't want to talk about Goethe. (He was first mentioned by someone else. And now we have finished talking about Goethe). The thread does not go down merely because he is believed to the greatest literary genius in German history.

Quite. It would be a shame for this beautiful thread to go down. Musicology, if you want to talk Goethe, by all means start another thread.

I went to a very nice concert the other evening. Quite an eclectic programme of music, but all very enjoyable - even if the promised and much anticipated Saint-Saens' Piano Concerto No. 2 was replaced at the last minute (due to illness) by Mozart's much less interesting Piano Concerto No. 14.

One of the items on the programme was something I hadn't heard in a long while, and I'd forgotten just how beautiful it is:

Ravel - Pavane pour une infante défunte

It's such a wonderful little thing, sweet and sad all at the same time.

[LitNetIsGreat]

I trust the red wine was Italian. No it isn't me in the front row as I like my violin music to be of a slightly later provenance even if it were originally for the piano.

http://youtu.be/DsRup1iD_ME

I wasn't thinking you were there for the violin music specifically...

I enjoyed the link you posted, but now I think I'm going either to watch some more Woody Allen interviews or listen to Chopin piano - a bit of both.

No, the red wasn't Italian, it was (is) Chilian, but I didn't buy it myself anyway, it was bought for me so I'm grateful all the same.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqdcDGmtJqI&feature=fvst

[mal4mac]

Beethoven, Symphony 7, Allegretto, mvt 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uOxOgm5jQ4

Something lighter:

Cavalleria Rusticana - Intermezzo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDVFaheqQAg

Mozart uninteresting?! Well sometimes, rarely. But I don't agree that KV 449 is uninteresting. Was it the performance? Try:

M. Uchida plays Mozart Piano Concerto No.14, KV 449 (2/3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hI42K2sMPU

Favourite music website (this week): http://www.spotify.com - an amazing number of free, first-class performances... more 'big hitters' than Naxos music library...

Spotify enabled me to explore Bilson's Mozart set to see if I really needed it to supplement Perahia's - I decided "no" - Bilson/fortepiano doesn't bring enough "feeling" to the slow movements for me.

Music book I'm reading today: "Music for the People" by Gareth Malone - a good beginners guide, and turned me on to Spotify! It's also full of good references to utube - not as good as this thread though...

[Musicology]

Jacques Loussier Trio
Live in Concert
JS Bach
'Italian' Concerto
Second and Third Movement

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqHOc...eature=related

Cantata 84/B

Aria
Recitative
Chorale

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP5bc...eature=related

[mal4mac]

Grumiaux - Krebbers - Bach concerto for two violins BWV 1043 - (finale)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz_q4Q5chWE

[Musicology]

Hi mal4mac,

Wow, Grumiaux has such marvellous tone quality in almost everything I've heard from him. One of the very finest violinists, for sure. I heard his recordings of chamber works and they were wonderful also.

Regards

Grumiaux - Krebbers - Bach concerto for two violins BWV 1043 - (finale)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz_q4Q5chWE

[mal4mac]

Grumiaux, Mozart concertos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdFOwooVItI