Classical Listening

[Musicology]

Luigi Boccherini
String Quartet
Fandango Espagnol
c.1770

Formality and informality combined

G448/4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y1QtLRSiMM&feature=fvw

[stlukesguild]

Anouar Brahem

Anouar Brahem (أنور ابراهم) was born on October 20, 1957 in the town of Halfouine in the Medina of Tunis, Tunisia. He is an oud (a pear-shaped stringed instrument similar to the lute commonly used in Middle Eastern music) player and composer... one of the most innovative in Middle Eastern music. Anouar Brahem is an artist who, while profoundly imbued with his Arab heritage, is unequivocably modern, well anchored in his times and headed towards the future. He is furthermore, an artist unperturbed by the clash of cultures. His music in many ways echoes his home of Tunis, a multi-faceted city, rooted in its Arab-Moslem culture and nourished on its African and Mediterranean, Spanish and French influences. His music is founded upon Arabic classical music, but also reveals elements of folk music (French and Middle-Eastern), jazz, and French classical music (especially Eric Satie).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGbINkei3Ww

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_q5J...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzhy3...eature=related

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

Sorry to interrupt your Brahem posting St Lukes, but this thought just crossed my mind:

I had posted a piece by Van Cliburn in the Sonata thread and realized two things; Van Cliburn would be appropriate here and secondly, to mention the anniversary celebrating “The Texan who conquered Russia”, albeit I’m a couple of months late.
I’m referring to Van Cliburn’s triumph at the first International Tchaikovsky Competition held in Moscow, April 14th, 1958.
Cliburn performed the finale of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3.

Link to the Van Cliburn Foundation:
http://www.cliburn.org/index.php?page=van_50th

News report by Dan Rather:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPRNx...eature=related

Van Cliburn playing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7MAr...eature=related

Gilliatt

[Musicology]

Pablo Sarasate
'Zigunerweisen' (Gypsy Airs)
Jascha Heifetz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMOT-ns2HM8

[David Lurie]

Enjoying the Mozart and Brahms Clarinet Quintets as realized by the great French clarinettest Gervase de Peyer with the Melos Ensemble of London, nicely paired on this Seraphim Classics reissue:

http://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Brahms-...4633152&sr=1-3


It scarcely gets better than this...

Interesting suggestion, in the last few weeks I have listened many times a SACD of these quintets featuring the Scharoun Ensemble Berlin with Karl-Heinz Steffens at the clarinet, nice performances but now I'll try to hear them played by the ensemble you have mentioned.

[Emil Miller]

This piece by Ravel, that most idiomatic of French composers, has been a favourite mine for years. It is easily the best of the available performances on Youtube and, perhaps not surprisingly, the oldest.
There is also a two piano version scored by the composer which is very well played and makes a fascinating comparison.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaEfBWLbte4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4mXMkSlg-o

[stlukesguild]

Gilliat... Van Cliburn is never an "interruption". And his performances... especially of the Tchaikovsky first (recorded immediately after his triumph in Moscow... and with the same Russian conductor: Kiril Kandrashin) are more than of mere historical worth. They are quite wonderful. I need to give that disc a spin again today.

Brian... Ravel is certainly a favorite of mine as well... being as enamored of French music as I am. Just recently I jumped on the grossly inexpensive box sets of Ravel and Debussy conducted by Pierre Boulez. Incredibly, the orchestral works of Ravel performed by the inimitable Jean Martinon are available from EMI for even less (around $12 US for the three disc set)! I have virtually everything by Ravel (he, unfortunately, not being more prolific) so now its a question of seeking out different interpretations.

Today... beside the Tchaikovsky... I'll be listening to Chopin in the never-matched recording of his Nocturnes by Arthur Rubinstein:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGRO05WcNDk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnFs85pLmj4

[Emil Miller]

Gilliat... Van Cliburn is never an "interruption". And his performances... especially of the Tchaikovsky first (recorded immediately after his triumph in Moscow... and with the same Russian conductor: Kiril Kandrashin) are more than of mere historical worth. They are quite wonderful. I need to give that disc a spin again today.

Brian... Ravel is certainly a favorite of mine as well... being as enamored of French music as I am. Just recently I jumped on the grossly inexpensive box sets of Ravel and Debussy conducted by Pierre Boulez. Incredibly, the orchestral works of Ravel performed by the inimitable Jean Martinon are available from EMI for even less (around $12 US for the three disc set)! I have virtually everything by Ravel (he, unfortunately, not being more prolific) so now its a question of seeking out different interpretations.

Today... beside the Tchaikovsky... I'll be listening to Chopin in the never-matched recording of his Nocturnes by Arthur Rubinstein:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGRO05WcNDk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnFs85pLmj4

I recently posted part of Ravel's 1st piano concerto by Zimmerman and the Cleaveland Orchestra under Boulez. I think that it matches Michelangeli's recording but doesn't surpass it. Both concertos are 20th century masterworks which I think should be performed in concert more often. I have the Chopin Nocturnes by Rubinstein and also the definitive Van Cliburn performance of the Tchaikovsky. I say definitive because despite it having been played by virtually every concert pianist since it was written, I don't believe that Van Cliburn's performance could ever be bettered where there is a perfect blending of orchestra and piano. One of the truly great recordings in musical reproduction.

[Wilde woman]

Glad to see some love for Van Cliburn. He was the pianist who really lured me into classical music when I was younger. His Tchaikovsky #1 and Rachmaninoff #3 are historical landmarks, but I prefer his recording of Rachmaninoff #2.

[Emil Miller]

Glad to see some love for Van Cliburn. He was the pianist who really lured me into classical music when I was younger. His Tchaikovsky #1 and Rachmaninoff #3 are historical landmarks, but I prefer his recording of Rachmaninoff #2.

I too first heard the Van Cliburn when I was young and, although I was already familiair with the concerto, it was the most electrifying performance I'd heard to date and also since, despite havng heard many different performances in the interim. The ending is simply spectacular and it's no wonder that the Russians went wild at the concert performance. Unfortunately, he couldn't take the stress of travelling on the world concert circuit and gave up playing for teaching. I have his Brahms 2nd with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra which is another brilliant performance.

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

Anouar Brahem (أنور ابراهم) was born on October 20, 1957 in the town of Halfouine in the Medina of Tunis, Tunisia.
...His music in many ways echoes his home of Tunis, a multi-faceted city, rooted in its Arab-Moslem culture and nourished on its African and Mediterranean, Spanish and French influences.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGbINkei3Ww

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_q5J...eature=related

Pablo Sarasate
'Zigunerweisen' (Gypsy Airs)
Jascha Heifetz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMOT-ns2HM8

I'm having trouble trying to keep up with (and learn more about) all of this wonderful music.
I had in fact listened to the Brahem selections and the pablo Sarasate very early (5:30 am) yesterday. The quiet solitude of the morning was a perfect setting for these selections.
I particularly enjoyed the two Brahem selections I kept in the quote above.
You can clearly discern the mixed influences in "le pas du chat noir"

Now I need to cue up Ravel, Chopin,.......

[stlukesguild]

Glad to see some love for Van Cliburn. He was the pianist who really lured me into classical music when I was younger. His Tchaikovsky #1 and Rachmaninoff #3 are historical landmarks, but I prefer his recording of Rachmaninoff #2.

You should be in luck, then. The Tchaikovsky First and Rachmaninoff Second are coupled on the great RCA Living Stereo reissue:

[Musicology]

Ludwig van Beethoven
Festive Overture
'The Consecration of the House'
Op. 124

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

[Dostoevskian]

I've been celebrating the Schumann bicentennial.

Just finished the Requiem for Mignon (Abbado) and will be moving on to the great Cello Concerto (du Pre).

[Wilde woman]

The ending is simply spectacular and it's no wonder that the Russians went wild at the concert performance. Unfortunately, he couldn't take the stress of travelling on the world concert circuit and gave up playing for teaching.

Yes, agreed. It always amazes me that this tall Texan went into Russia during the Cold War and convinced all the judges that he was the best pianist. Quite a feat. And when was the last time you heard that a concert pianist got his own ticker tape parade?

It's such a shame that he gave up concert playing. I would've liked to have heard more piano concertos from him. I do love his Beethoven Sonatas and he did a lovely rendition of Chopin's Fantasie-Impromptu.

I still follow the Cliburn International Competition every summer because it's just a few minutes away from my hometown in Dallas. The competition is always fierce.

You should be in luck, then. The Tchaikovsky First and Rachmaninoff Second are coupled on the great RCA Living Stereo reissue

Yes, that's one of my favorite disks...and the one of my most oft-listened to.