Classical Listening

[Emil Miller]

(I just discovered that Samuel Barber was an American, but I was under the impression that Samuel Barber was British, perhaps because "Adagio for Strings" was played at Princess Di's funeral. The piece has been called "the saddest music of all time," but its poignance is undeniably beautiful.)

I thought that Frank Bridge was an American until I discovered that he was Britten's teacher. The 'saddest music of all time' is obviously a subjective choice but as far as the English are concerned, this is the piece that breaks their hearts.

http://youtu.be/X8fn2R6Hx30

[LitNetIsGreat]

Mozart's No. 20 piano concerto.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h71c4u_95P8

I'm in the mood for Mozart this week, which usually means the piano concertos. I think I'll listen to them all and drink lots of champagne and wine (and ale of course) sounds a good week to me don't you think?

[stlukesguild]

I've been exploring of rediscovering a lot of Mozart's works that I have yet to explore in great depth. Today it was the Haffner Serenade and the Serenata Notturno. But right now... its something with a bit more muscle: Beethoven's 3rd and 8th by George Szell.

[Emil Miller]

Mozart's No. 20 piano concerto.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h71c4u_95P8

I'm in the mood for Mozart this week, which usually means the piano concertos. I think I'll listen to them all and drink lots of champagne and wine (and ale of course) sounds a good week to me don't you think?

Champagne is also a wine but I have been reliably informed that it is best served to young blonde females, unlike ale of course that's still the preserve of the male, but if champagne and Mozart are your thing then go with it man.
Unfortunately I am currently engaged in a war of attrition with my waistline, which means a sharply restricted alcohol intake, and as it takes more than Mozart to cheer me up under such circumstances, I shall be listening to other great classics throughout the weekend such as:

http://youtu.be/I4My1jlhTVE

[LitNetIsGreat]

Champagne is also a wine but I have been reliably informed that it is best served to young blonde females, unlike ale of course that's still the preserve of the male, but if champagne and Mozart are your thing then go with it man.
Unfortunately I am currently engaged in a war of attrition with my waistline, which means a sharply restricted alcohol intake, and as it takes more than Mozart to cheer me up under such circumstances, I shall be listening to other great classics throughout the weekend such as:

http://youtu.be/I4My1jlhTVE

That's certainly different to Mozart!

Well I'm 95% an ale man as you know, but occasionally I like a bit of red wine or bottle of fizz...unfortunately there were no young blonds present. I have been pushing it a little of late with the food and drink but I seem to have got away with it around the waist for now.

[Charles Darnay]

My background accompaniment for today is Respighi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMeXzqTfNcY

I think Pines of Rome has a such a simple pleasure to them.

[LitNetIsGreat]

The Pines of Rome is such a fantastic title, so good that the music just can't live up to it.

Listening to Mozart piano concerto no.22 tonight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6ot4c8HVSA

[stlukesguild]

It was Mozart for me this evening as well... the Requiem to be exact. Perhaps it was appropriate... our old dog that has slept in the bed with us since she was a pup started having seizures this week. We were sure we'd be forced to have her put to sleep today... but the vet assured us that she was quite healthy for her age and that such seizures were not uncommon... and controllable with a regimen or anti-seizure medication. Thus the inevitable is delayed... and we spent the evening with steaks cooked over the grill and accompanied by Young's Double Chocolate... and the dog begging for table scraps. Much better than spending the day digging a grave in the back-yard and dealing with the fact that the wife would have been an absolute mess.

Perhaps the Requiem was the wrong choice after all. But what music would be appropriate for having cheated death? Gounod's Faust?

[MorpheusSandman]

Perhaps the Requiem was the wrong choice after all. But what music would be appropriate for having cheated death? Gounod's Faust?

Or Rake's Progress...

[stlukesguild]

I actually spent yesterday evening listening to Gounod's Faust... a highly enjoyable opera... regardless of how profound (or not). The opera is quite different from most that I know (outside of the Russians) in that the male voice and choruses dominate... and most of the male voices are baritone or bass-baritone.

[LitNetIsGreat]

Glad your dog is well, I didn't know you had a pet. Funny the books I am very slowly reading, All Creatures Great and Small and follow ups, contained a similar story about a dog they thought would have to be put down because of seizures but it turned out was fine after a simple course of treatment.

[MorpheusSandman]

I actually spent yesterday evening listening to Gounod's Faust... a highly enjoyable opera... regardless of how profound (or not).

It's enjoyable--I especially love the version with Sutherland playing Marguerite; God what a voice she had in her prime!--but I've never really thought that it was nearly as great as its reputation suggests.

[stlukesguild]

I listened to the version with Cluytens conducting and Victoria de los Angeles as Marguerita. I've never been overly fond of Sutherland. I'm far more enamored of Callas (and it seems one loves one or the other).

Right now I'm listening to a singer I would place well above Sutherland:



Sutherland, of course, had a far greater range... her instrument was unrivaled... but I'm not overly impressed with what she does with it. Wunderlich was perhaps the most natural and lyrical tenor. One never senses that he is straining at all. It is a real tragedy that he died so young... and under such freak circumstances.

Returning to Sutherland... not long ago a discussion of Netrebko and Alagna in Manon came up on an opera site I frequent. It was pointed out that today there is a greater expectation that the singers be physically suited to their roles. After watching this...



the question was raised... "Could we actually accept Sutherland and Pavarotti rolling about the bed together in this scene? Sutherland as a woman able to seduce a man on first sight?"

[LitNetIsGreat]

I'm just picking on random numbers of Mozart piano concertos! Tonight's lot 15 and 16.

I love the piano concerto, it is probably my favourite type of classic piece, probably my favourite form of music. With this is in mind it is somewhat puzzling that I have never sat down and listened to the whole lot of them (Mozart's) something that must be corrected. Instead I have stuck to a few and played them repeatedly. I'm going to do a little reading on the concertos, though as I remember it is the later ones that are considered the best is it not? These are the ones I've usually stuck with, but I want to play and listen to them all quite a lot.

OK, I've gone through the 15/16 and into the later works, 24, 25 and 26, though I must go to bed soon!

[stlukesguild]

The school year is rapidly running down. I have 5 more days with children... and they are all absolutely insane. Thus when I come home I need something to put me in a better frame of mind. Neely's been going with Mozart... a descent choice... but I prefer this:



The concept of putting children in a big oven holds a strange attraction at the moment.