Listen to the Music!

Hello music lovers, here I will present topics in music with a strong focus on music listening. I have a wide range of music interests, including classical, blues, jazz, classic rock, and world music. I encourage you to enjoy my musical selections, hopefully expand your musical horizons, and to comment.

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Christian Cannabich (1731-1798)

Christian Cannabich (1731-1798) was born in Mannheim. He became concert master of the Mannheim Orchestra (1757-1773) after Johann Stamitz (1717-1757), and then director of the orchestra (1774-1798). From 1778 onwards, the Mannheim court relocated to Munich. Cannabich composed 76 symphonies, of which I have selected 3 for listening. His music is engaging, and remarkable for the use of wind instruments, including clarinets. I've also included Electra by Cannabich (text in German), which is very different to the opera by Richard Strauss (1864-1949). Enjoy!

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Cannabich: Symphony No. 54 in Eb+

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Cannabich: Symphony No. 50 in d-

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Cannabich: Symphony No. 68 in Bb+

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Cannabich: Electra (1781)

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Giovanni Paisiello (1740-1816) Piano Concertos

Giovanni Paisiello (1740-1816) was an Italian composer who studied with Francesco Durante in Naples. He worked in Naples, but also spent 8 years in the service of St. Catherine the Great in St. Petersburg (1776-1784), and was invited to Paris by Napoleon in 1802. He met W.A. Mozart on a couple of occasions at least (please refer to Giovanni Paisiello wikipedia). Paisiello composed 94 operas, including Il Barbiere di Siviglia (1782), now overshadowed by Rossini's opera from 1816. His instrumental works include 8 piano concertos and 9 string quartets, which are the focus of my selections.

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Giovanni Paisiello: Piano Concerto No. 4 in g-

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Giovanni Paisiello: Piano Concerto No. 8 in C+

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Giovanni Paisiello: String Quartet No. 8 in G+

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Leopold Mozart: Symphony in Bb+, Eisen B6

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Leopold Mozart (1719-1787)

Leopold Mozart (1719-1787) is known as the overbearing father of W.A. Mozart (1756-1791), the composer of the Toy Symphony, or the author of a treatise on violin playing published in 1756. In this post I will provide examples of Leopold Mozart as a composer. The last selection contains 7 symphonies by Leopold Mozart, conducted by Bohdan Warchal. I think Leopold's music is charming. Furthermore, his gift for melody, transparent textures, and sense of humour show connections between the music of father and son.

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Leopold Mozart: Symphony in Bb+

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Leopold Mozart: Concerto for 2 Horns in Eb+

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Leopold Mozart: 7 Symphonies conducted by Bogdan Warchal

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Early 17th century instrumental music: Salomone Rossi (ca. 1570-1630), Giovanni Paolo Cima (ca. 1570-1630), and Biago Marini (1594-1663)

The music of Salomone Rossi (ca. 1570-1630), Giovanni Paolo Cima (ca. 1570-1630), Biago Marini (1594-1663), and others, represent the emergence of a new style of Baroque instrumental music, an "instrumental monody" so to speak. Also signficant in the early 17th century was the rise of the violin as a solo instrument. I would be remiss if I did not recognize the contributions of Andrea Gabrieli (1532/33-1585) and Giovanni Gabrieli (1554/57-1612) to the early Baroque. Enjoy these musical selections of various types.

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Salomone Rossi: Sinfonia grave a 5

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Salomone Rossi: Two Trio Sonatas