TCP Classical

A weblog about classical music.

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Large Choral Works: Personal Favorites - Gounod's 'St. Cecelia Mass'

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Today’s post is a continuation of several recent posts dedicated to personal favorite large choral classical works in the western tradition. From my earliest memories as a child listening daily to classical music on our home phonograph, the most memorable moments continue to be the large choral works that became ingrained in my consciousness and remain so to this day.

Charles Gounod’s St. Cecelia Mass is one of these very special choral works. From its first hearing in the mid-sixties (recorded in 1963) on an Angel LP disc, it became a family favorite – and remains so to this day, just short of fifty years later. Of course the original vinyl disc was replaced several times over the decades, until it went out of print in the late eighties or early nineties. I thought that our family might never be able to reconstruct the original sound from that recording, but I was quite excited to find the EMI re-release on CD arriving in 2001. We were not disappointed. The CD was an excellent transcription (in ADD format) and we had our beloved ‘St. Cecelia Mass’ back with us in all of its glory, with greater clarity and less noise than we had with our original recordings.

There is something almost ‘transformational’ that draws one into this music named after Saint Cecelia, the patroness of musicians and Church music. This blog is being posted on Tuesday, November 20th, two days prior to St. Cecelia’s day of feast celebrated world-wide every year on November 22nd. Each segment of the Roman Catholic mass that Gounod celebrates flows seamlessly into one inspiring work, and the entire composition takes approximately 45 minutes to perform. In addition to my favorite performance by the Choeurs René Duclos and the Orchestre de la Société de Concerts du Conservatoire Paris conducted by Jean-Claude Hartemann (1963), I have a more recent performance (digitally recorded) by the Choeurs de Radio-France and the Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique conducted by Georges Pretre (1990). Both are excellent, but I still have a love (and personal preference) for the Hartemann 1963 recording.

Gounod’s St. Cecelia Mass follows the ‘classic’ outline of the Roman Catholic Mass, and includes the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Offertorium, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei and Domine Salvum. All of the segments fit together in a beautiful, seamless manner. The most well known of these segments is arguably the Sanctus that shows up on many compilation recordings made by a variety of world-class artists.

Now, please sit back, relax and actively listen to soprano Jessye Norman singing the ‘Sanctus’ from Gounod’s St. Cecelia Mass.

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Large Choral Works: Personal Favorites - Mozart's 'Requiem Mass'

Today’s post is a continuation of several recent posts dedicated to personal favorite large classical choral works. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem Mass, K626, is believed to be his last composition. Composed on his deathbed in 1789, his ‘Requiem’ was left unfinished by the composer. We still do not have definitive proof on how much of his ‘Requiem’ was written by Mozart, and how much may have been written or perhaps completed (as many today believe) by his student Franz Xaver Süssmayr. We many never know for sure.

In my library I have a recording made by Sir Georg Solti, the Vienna State Opera Chorus and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in 1991 on the 200th anniversary year of Mozart’s death. It features an elite group of soloists including soprano Arlene Auger, mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli, tenor Vinson Cole and Bassist René Pape and is arguably the best rendition of Mozart’s ‘Requiem’ that I have heard to date.

Most musical scholars believe that Mozart sketched out (probably with Süssmayr) a reasonably complete outline of his musical ideas for his ‘Requiem’. As has been well documented in both the play ‘Amadeus’ by Peter Shaffer and the movie ‘Amadeus’ directed by Miloš Forman whose screenplay was adapted from the play, Mozart was unable to complete his ‘Requiem’ prior to his untimely death at the age of 35. My sense of this wonderful work is that it is an exceptionally compelling masterpiece, regardless of how it ultimately came into being. I tend to judge a composition’s ultimate value in the number or times that I seek it out for my own personal listening pleasure. Is that not how we all judge our favorite classical compositions?

Mozart’s ‘Requiem’ follows the classic outline of the Requiem mass from the Roman Catholic liturgy. It opens with the Introit and Kyrie that set the tone for the music to follow. After the short Dies irae transition, the Tuba mirum sounds to this active listener as vintage, lyrical Mozart. The Rex tremendae and Recordare bring out the pathos longing of the liturgical prose and provide excellent balance for the ‘Requiem’ as a whole. The Confutatis was featured in the movie ‘Amadeus’ as one of Mozart’s last compositional efforts as he outlines for his nemesis, the court composer Antonio Salieri, how the music should be written. Mozart’s Lacrimosa is one of the ‘Requiem’s’ most compelling movements and is followed by the Offertorium and the sublime Hostias that continues the momentum.

For my personal taste, the most exceptional music of this multi-movement composition is the Benedictus that follows right after the Sanctus. Scored for the four primary human voices, soprano, alto, tenor and bass, on listening this music always seems to immediately engage this active listener and resonate in a very special way. When my father passed away in late 1992, my mother (a very knowledgeable and active musician) included the ‘Benedictus’ from Mozart’s Requiem in my father’s memorial service that was sung by the local college choir from my hometown in rural Kansas.

The ‘Requiem’ comes to an end with two memorable movements, Agnus Dei and the wonderful Communio for solo soprano and chorus. When you have a moment, please sit back, relax – and actively listen to Mozart's 'Requiem' as performed in this YouTube™ clip by Sir Georg Solit conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Vienna State Opera Chorus in a live performace commemorating the 200th anniversary of the death of Mozart.

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Large Choral Works: Personal Favorites - Haydn's 'The Creation'

Today’s post is the third of several dedicated to personal favorite large classical choral works. ‘The Creation’, composed by Franz Joseph Haydn (1798), has been rising over the years in my own personal lexicon to the point where it is on virtually the same plan as ‘Messiah’. For me, it is about the music. The Biblical stories of the Creation from the Books of Genesis and Psalms, etc. are well known and will not be repeated in today’s post, but the way in which Haydn evokes the telling of the story in musical terms is simply amazing. Apparently, the passage from Genesis ‘And God Saw the Light’ was so musically descriptive that, upon its premiere, the audience gasped with amazement and appreciation and interrupted the performance for several minutes.

‘The Creation’ is widely considered Haydn’s masterpiece. I agree with this assessment and encourage all of my readers to consider adding a recording of this very special composition to one’s own personal musical library. My favorite recording (in English) is the collaboration of Robert Shaw conducting the Atlanta Chamber Chorus and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra with an exceptional group of soloists including one of my all-time personal favorites, soprano Dawn Upshaw. There are many world-class sopranos with numerous wonderful recordings available today, but there is something very special to this active listener when Dawn Upshaw is singing. Her rendition of ‘Deh vieni, non tardar’ from ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ is absolutely amazing and that incredible clarity of sound and emotion is evident throughout her entire performance in ‘The Creation’. I would single out the aria ‘On Mighty Wings’ as one example of her superb artistry in this exceptional recording.

Haydn’s ‘Creation’ was published in 1800 in two languages, German and English, a rarity both then and now. He had given a great deal of thought to the libretto and firmly believed that a German speaking audience would generally prefer listening to ‘The Creation’ in German, and an English speaking audience would likewise prefer listening in English. The libretto that Haydn ultimately chose was a combination of passages from the Biblical books of ‘Genesis & Psalms’ and Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ as compiled and edited by Baron van Swieten. The baron is credited with recasting the original English translation into a German translation ‘Die Shöpfung’ from which Haydn could compose. I do agree with many critics that the German translation is somewhat more lyrical when performed, but I still enjoy listening to ‘The Creation’ in English to more effectively follow the narrative. 

Here are a couple of YouTube™ clips of Leonard Bernstein making some comments about Haydn’s masterpiece, ‘The Creation’, prior to his collaboration with the Bavarian Radio Chorus & Orchestra in performing this work in Ottobeuren DE in 1986. Leonard Bernstein on Haydn’s ‘The Creation’ (1986) followed by ‘The 5th Day’ performed by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Chorus & Orchestra conducted by Leonard Bernstein (1986).

Please sit back, relax and 'actively listen as we close today's post with ‘The Heavens Are Telling’ performed by The Academy of Ancient Music conducted by Christopher Hogwood (2010).

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Large Choral Works: Personal Favorites - Handel's 'Messiah'

Today’s post is the second of several dedicated to personal favorite large classical choral works. Since I started blogging about classical music in the western tradition almost four years ago, I have consistently returned to personal favorites in this extensive literature. I realize that many of you share (and many of don’t share) my passion for my personal favorites, but I wanted to focus today’s blog on certain aspects of a given masterwork – in this case, ‘Messiah’ by George Frederick Handel, to give you some insights into my perception of these various works.

The history of this particular composition is well known and will not be repeated here. Less well known, is the degree to which Handel (Händel auf Deutsch) took advantage of his early experiences in England, becoming a permanent resident in 1712 and one of England’s greatest composers and performers of the eighteenth century. “Messiah’ has been a tremendous success from its premier in 1742 through present day performances on a world-wide stage.

My own love affair with Messiah had its beginnings in listening to recordings (and live performances) in our rural Kansas community starting in the very early fifties. My initial foray into live performances of ‘Messiah’ was as a ‘last stand’ second violinist during the holiday season of my fourth grade year (1958). Every year thereafter through my entire college career, I either performed Messiah as a violinist in the orchestra or as a tenor in the choir. I have never grown tired of this particular work and have found myself on a life-long search for the ‘perfect’ performance of ‘Messiah’ that has kept my full interest right up to today’s post. 

Why is this music so inspiring?

My sense is that my interest in this particular composition is derived from the confluence of three main driving forces; a) the Biblical story of the birth of the ‘Messiah’, b) the power of the music itself and c) my own personal experiences in both listening to and performing this composition during my youth.

a)   My family and I were avid churchgoers from my earliest days through my formative years at home. Each year during the Christmas and Easter holiday seasons; ‘Messiah’ was performed in our local community. In addition, specific selections were almost always being performed in our weekly Sunday church services.

b)   There is an amazing confluence of music and libretto in this particular work. The marriage of music and story line is a ‘near perfect’ fit, at least to this observer. As the story of Christ’s birth, life, death and resurrection unfolds, Handel’s music captures the essence of the story with uncanny focus and clarity. The oratorio format allows for a combination of a ‘singing narrative’ with both arias and choruses supporting the story line.

c)   I have learned over the years the power of early experiences, with listening to – and performing – this work being some of the most intense memories that I have from this formative period of my life.

Why is this work a worthy addition to anyone’s personal library?

The short answer is to simply purchase a copy of ‘Messiah’ (many are available today as CDs, digital downloads and even a few as 33 1/3 rpm vinyl discs) and actively listen to this work on your own time. It may (or may not) speak to you from the outset, but it is a worthy of your investment in time and active listening. Although I have half a dozen different recordings in my personal library, I find that I am continually drawn to the recording that has made the biggest impact on my psyche, the 1959 collaboration between the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy. This YouTube™ clip of the tenor aria ‘Every Valley Shall Be Exalted’ is performed by Kurt Streit & the English Concert (2010) conducted by Trevor Pinnock.

As always, please sit back, relax and actively listen to this wonderful piece of music.

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Large Choral Classics: Pre-Baroque to Modern

Today’s post is the first of several dedicated to large classical choral works in the western tradition. I have chosen these seven works drawn from each of the seven periods that I have previously defined as the universe for my comments on various aspects of classical music. Each of these works is representative of a specific period and draws its inspiration from the religious experiences of its composer. My earliest childhood memories include listening to large community ensembles performing many of these works, most notably ‘Messiah’ by George Frederick Handel, and I wanted to begin to share some of these extraordinary compositions with my readers. The absence of Bach’s Mass in B minor, Handel’s “Messiah” and Brahm’s Ein Deutsches Requiem (among others) is by design. These masterpieces are well exceptionally well known and I simply wanted to expand our reader’s knowledge base with these other special examples.

I. Pre Baroque: Giovanni Palestrina – Hodie Christus Natus Est. This particular work, unlike those that follow in today’s post, was chosen as a representative example of this particular period and does not stand out as being unusual for any of its musical attributes. Instead, it simply follows the evolving framework of music during that particular period of time and is, as always, a joy to experience. This YouTube™ clip of Hodie Christus Natus Est speaks for itself.

II. Baroque: Bach’s ‘St. Matthew Passion’. I had the good fortune to attend a recent performance of this masterpiece by Chicago’s Music of the Baroque in the Harris Theatre in Millennium Park during the 2008 concert season. The music critic of the Chicago Tribune™, John von Rhein, made these comments attesting to the special aspects of this amazing work. The St. Matthew Passion is scored for twin choirs and orchestras making it an exceptionally difficult work to perform. This complete YouTube™ performance in German is by the Chorus and Orchestra Collegium Vocale Gent conducted by Philippe Herreweghe.

III. Classical: Haydn’s ‘The Creation’. The more I return to this exceptional work, the more I enjoy it and continue to seek it out. I have several recordings in my own personal library, but find that I prefer the collaboration between Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Chorus. This compete YouTube™ performance is by Nicholas Harnoncourt and the Consentus Musicus Wien from the summer of 2010.

IV. Early Romantic: Mendelssohn’s ‘Elijah’. I grew up listening to ‘Elijah’ in our home without even knowing the composer or the title of this special composition. My mother had performed this work in college and it was one of her favorite large choral pieces. In this YouTube™ clip Seattle ProMusica performs 'He Watching Over Israel' in May of 2009.

V. Romantic: Dvorak – ‘Stabat Mater’. I have included this relatively unknown work both for its haunting beauty and to help it find its rightful place in the pantheon of large classical choral works in the western tradition. In this YouTube™ clip the ‘Dolorosa’ from ‘Stabat Mater’ is performed by the Hudson Valley Singers in collaboration with the New York Metamorphoses Orchestra conducted by Eugene Sirotkine in October of 2011.

VI. Early Modern: Poulenc – 'Stabat Mater'. Francis Poulenc is certainly not a household name to many classical music aficionados, but he is one of the most brilliant French composers of classical music in the first half of the twentieth century. In this YouTube™ clip, the Monteverdi Chorus in Wurzburg Germany performs Poulenc’s ‘Stabat Mater’ in its entirety in the winter of 2012. In addtion, we have Poulenc’s ‘Agnus Dei’ from his ‘Mass in G’ performed in a recording by Rias-Kammerchor on Philharmonia Mundi.

VII. Modern: Rutter – Mass of the Children. The 'Gloria' from John Rutter’s ‘Mass of the Children’ is performed in this YouTube™ clip by the Orquestra Filharmònica de la Universitat de València in collaboration with Pequeños Cantores de Valencia (2004). As always, please sit back, relax and actively enjoy these exceptional masterpieces.

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Next Generation Classical Advocates

Today’s post is the third in a three-part series examining the challenges facing America’s symphony orchestras, and other classical musical enthusiasts, in developing the next generation of classical music listeners and concertgoers. Having already discussed the changing American landscape for hands-on experience in playing instruments geared toward classical music and hearing classical music being played in churches, schools and local ensembles, my focus for today’s post is on key advocacy approaches that I believe will help enable our past successes to continue.

Given these various issues, how does one reach out and hope to have an impact on today’s youth? In short, I believe that the answer lies in introducing classical music to them on their own terms; music videos, podcasts, YouTube™ clips, etc. that are geared to their own ‘world’. An excellent example of this can be seen in this YouTube™ clip of this recent Los Angeles Philharmonic rendition of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue (1924) performed under the direction of Gustavo Dudamel (age 31) with Herbie Hancock (jazz artist) at the piano. In this single performance, the modern world of classical music and jazz comes together and is performed by leading American artists recognized by America’s youth, but likely not in the context of a classical music performance. 

Many of our youth have already discovered opera, as it is a multi-sensory medium with staged performances including ‘actors’, arias, and choruses all to full orchestral accompaniment. The Metropolitan Opera is now broadcasting live performances that can be seen in many local movie theaters throughout the nation. Free concerts such as those performed each summer at the Grant Park Music Festival in Chicago also bring classical music to more youthful audiences that enjoy listening to a live outdoor concert in a casual setting with their friends. In addition, an increasing number of classical concerts now include short introductions by various artists including soloists and conductors to the compositions that they are about to perform. In the 1950s and 1960s, Leonard Bernstein, Music Director of the New York Philharmonic, performed a series of concerts for America’s youth that were broadcast live on national television. This YouTube™ clip is from the original broadcast from the Young People’s Concert on January 18, 1958, broadcast from Carnegie Hall entitled ‘What does music mean?’ Enjoy!

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Next Generation Classical Listeners

In my previous post I began what I hope will be an extended discussion about supporting classical music in the twenty-first century. I titled that particular post ‘Next Generation Concertgoers‘ and outlined several factors that I believe had a real effect on my generation’s (the baby boomers) in-person concert attenance and financial support for America’s symphony orchestras throughout the country. That post focused on the abundant local opportunities throughout America, especially in our primary and secondary educational programs in the fifties and sixties, for instruction in music. This instruction helped to enable the various vocal and instrumental programs available in one’s local environment including church or school choirs, bands and orchestras, and helped to provide the baby boomers with a strong foundation for lifelong knowledge – and sustained interest – in classical music.

Simply put, today’s youth are not likely to experience the nurturing home environment that was a constant in my life from early childhood through my high school years. The roots of classical music in the western tradition emanated from the Catholic Church and found its way into most of the choral and instrumental musical compositions in modern American churches of all denominations. Today’s youth simply don’t have the same weekly church experiences which were part of the lives of most baby boomers. Along with declining weekly church attendance, perhaps the biggest change affecting today’s in-person listeners is that most of today’s schools have given up their ‘hands-on’ musical instruction due to differing priorities and budget restrictions.

Given this ‘sea change’ relative to classical music access in today’s world, it makes perfect sense to this blogger that our American society is facing today’s symphonic attendance and support challenges. I should also note that although I happen to be fluent in most of today’s newest technological advances including iTunes™, Pandora™, etc., technology clearly is not a substitute for the 'hands-on' classical music basics that my generation was able to experience. Yes, it is easier to find classical compositions with the click of a mouse on one’s various devices or on the world-wide-web, but today’s youth simply do not even know where to begin. Any individual can find the exciting world of classical music in a serendipitous fashion, but the various options available today to experience classical music in a ‘hands-on’ manner are simply not the same.

As a preview of my third and final upcoming post in this present conversation, please enjoy this '60 Minutes' YouTube™ clip of one of today’s brightest stars and thought leader in today’s conversation with Gustavo Dudamel, the new (2009) Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Enjoy!

[tcpclassical-blog]

Next Generation Concertgoers

Having just spent a lovely weekend in the company of a group of highly knowledgeable symphonic concertgoers, today’s post marks my initial foray into this ongoing challenge for American symphony orchestras. It is well-documented that American symphony orchestras have been experiencing declining subscription sales as their primary group of patrons, the baby boomers, are retiring and watching their pennies more closely. All of these orchestras, including those with substantial endowments, are working overtime trying to narrow the widening gap between declining subscription revenue and increasing operating costs.

Both of my parents were avid churchgoers and wanted our family to experience both the choral and instrumental music that was played (usually by our church choir accompanied by our church organist) each Sunday. Much, but certainly not all, of the music written by the baroque composers including Bach and Vivaldi (era II.) and classical composers including Haydn and Mozart (era III.) that was a staple in our household was written for churchgoers including their renown church masses, Christmas music, etc. Although I enjoyed listening to their large choral works, I was particularly drawn to their more secular compositions including Bach’s violin concertos, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Haydn’s cello concertos and Mozart’s Sinfonie Concertante all of which were performed by our local college and community ensembles.

Our primary and secondary schools in my small-town Midwestern community all offered a variety of hands-on classical music opportunities (bands, orchestras, etc.) which was either free for any student wishing to participate or occasionally for a nominal fee for special events. Once we entered high school, all of our music directors (band, chorus and orchestra) were themselves performers in top-flight local ensembles. Several classical FM stations broadcast concerts and recorded music of which we frequently took advantage. The Wichita KS community offered several additional opportunities not found in our local towns. The Wichita Youth Symphony, conducted by senior members of the Wichita Symphony, accepted audition-only members from the greater Wichita area. The Wichita Symphony, comprised primarily of performing faculty from Wichita State University and talent Wichita musicians, offered the entire community a place to hear world-class musicians (pianist Van Cliburn, conductor Pierre Monteux, violinist Ruggiero Ricci, etc.) during the nineteen fifties and sixties.

As I conclude today’s post, it makes even more sense to me today how my home, my local community and my extended southwest KS environment (as noted in today’s post) helped to give rise to the experience, tools and knowledge – and ultimately my interest – in classical music in the western tradition that has provided me with a lifetime source of enjoyment. Given the decline in most of the aforementioned opportunities throughout the various American public school systems, my sense is that our next generation of concertgoers hasn’t really been sufficiently exposed to classical music to peak their interest in being today’s subscribers.

As always, please sit back, relax and actively enjoy this YouTube(TM) clip of the 4th movement of Brahms' 2nd Sympohny  performed by the Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra. This movement was the showcase piece performed at the first all-Kansas high school orchestra concert in the spring of 1966, one of the most memorable events of my early musical years.

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Musical Films: Impromptu, Tchaikovsky, Rhapsody in Blue

Musical Films: Impromptu (Chopin), The Tragic Life (Tchaikovsky) & Rhapsody in Blue (Gershwin)

Today’s blog marks the second in my new series of master composers in the western classical tradition in films. As noted in my previous post, I have watched with great interest over the past several decades how an increasing number of world-class, well known classical composers have been featured in a variety of films. I am partial to those productions that have a significant focus on the music of these masters as an integral part of the story line and today's examples continue on that theme.

I recently watched the BBC documentary (2008) about the tragic life of a musical genius, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) and found that it offered an amazing perspective on the Russian musical psyche and national self-consciousness. The British conductor, Charles Hazelwood, narrates the film and conducts selected works of Tchaikovsky with the Maryinsky Youth Philharmonic Orchestra to emphasize aspects of Tchaikovsky and his challenges and struggles throughout his life. A central theme in this movie is Tchaikovsky’s homosexuality that created serious emotional and creative issues throughout his short life of 53 years. I do not have any video clips to add to today’s post, but would heartily recommend this movie to my readers, especially serious fans of Tchaikovsky and his quintessentially Russian music.

We conclude today’s post with a classic film that has been around for over half a century, Rhapsody in Blue (1945) the story of composer George Gershwin (1898-1937). Many reviewers have commented on the fact that this film has not been restored which is a real pity given the fact that Gershwin, Al Jolson and a host of other legendary performers were featured (along with much of Gershwin’s finest music) in this two plus hour extravaganza. Consistent with the other exceptionally brilliant talent in today's post, George Gershwin left us in the prime of his life at the tender age of 38. This YouTube™ clip covers the entire movie, but it is the version dubbed in Spanish for an international audience. As always, please sit back, relax and actively enjoy this priceless experience.

[tcpclassical-blog]

Musical Films: Amadeus, Immortal Beloved & La Traviata

Musical Films: Amadeus (Mozart), Immortal Beloved (Beethoven) & La Traviata (Verdi)

Today’s blog marks the first in my new series of master composers in the western classical tradition in films. I have watched with great interest over the past several decades how an increasing number of world-class, well known classical composers have been featured in a variety of films starting with Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘La Traviata’ in 1982, ‘Amadeus’ (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1984) and ‘Immortal Beloved’ (Ludwig van Beethoven in 1994) among others. I am partial to those productions that have a significant focus on the music of these masters as an integral part of the story line.

When 'Amadeus' burst on the scene featuring a two plus hour soundtrack of Mozart’s music, performed in its original form by Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, it set a standard that few, if any movies, have been able to match. The story was line was adapted from Peter Shaffer’s play ‘Amadeus’ and depicts the mythical (or perhaps real) love / hate relationship of court composer Antonio Salieri to the brilliant, yet vulgar, musical genius of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The movie strongly suggests that Salieri hastened, if not caused, Mozart’s death at the tender age of 35. The movie won 8 Academy awards in 1984 including Best Picture, Best Director (Miloš Forman) and Best Actor (F. Murray Abraham). This short clip of Salieri comparing his music to Mozart's music highlights the consistent tensions of that film. 

'Immortal Beloved' came to the screen in 1994 and, in a manner similar to Amadeus a decade earlier, focused much of the screenplay on the music of one of the truly great geniuses of classical music in the western tradition, Ludwig van Beethoven. In the film, the drama focuses on the speculative search for the mysterious women Beethoven once referred to in a letter as his ‘immortal beloved’. Gary Oldman portrays Beethoven in the film along with Isabella Rossellini as one of the key women in Beethoven’s life. The overall sense of the film is electric, fast-paced and deftly incorporates Beethoven’s music throughout the story line.

As always, please sit back, relax and enjoy this clip of the ‘Ode to Joy’ from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony from ‘Immortal Beloved’!

[tcpclassical-blog]

Violin Concertos: Personal Favorites (Late Works)

Violin Concertos: Personal Favorites (Late Works)

Today’s post is the second in a two-part series on my favorite violin concertos. Part one covered the Baroque, Classical and Early Romantic eras. Part two covers the Romantic, Early Modern and Modern ears. I have decided to focus on five compositions in each of these posts, to give the reader a flavor of both the depth – and breadth – of these amazing compositions, realizing that we will only be scratching the surface of this extensive genre. Another blogger might well come up with ten different personal favorites, and that is as it should be. My choices tend to feature highly melodic, easy to listen to works that I tend to favor regardless of genre.

I would be remiss if I left out of today’s post, my second Romantic era composition, Johannes Brahm’s Violin Concerto in D Major, Op.77, written in 1878 and dedicated to his friend Joseph Joachim. As a perennial staple on the concert stages of the world, Brahm’s violin concerto is a must-have for the personal library of virtually any serious enthusiast. I have several different performances by a series of artists in my library, and enjoy listening to the differing interpretations of each of these artists performing this amazing work. This YouTube™ clip of the 3rd Movement of Brahm’s violin concerto is performed by Julia Fischer and the NDR Sinfonieorchester conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas.

My third, and concluding Romantic era composition, is the 3rd violin concerto of Camille Saint-Saëns, his Op.61, written in 1880. It is a beautiful work, and is a well-crafted example of late Romantic compositions. In my personal library, this work is paired with my first example in today’s post, Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole, and is also performed by Joshua Bell accompanied by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Dutoit. Here is a recent example of this marvelous work with Julia Fischer performing the 3rd movement at a concert in Frankfort Germany.

Sir Edward Elgar’s Violin Concerto in B minor, Op.61 (1910) is my fourth and only Early Modern era composition in today’s review. Prior to preparing today’s post, I have not studied this particular composition by Elgar and I am thrilled to know more about it. I have not yet decided which recorded performance to add to my own library, but I thought you might enjoy hearing Nigel Kennedy perform this entire work on YouTube™ recorded at the BBC Proms concerts. 

We conclude today’s post with the Philip Glass Violin Concerto 1 (1987) that subsequently became one of his most admired and performed compositions. The 1st Movement of Concerto 1 on this YouTube™ clip is being performed by Adele Anthony and the Ulster Orchestra conducted by Takuo Yuasa.

[tcpclassical-blog]

Violin Concertos: Personal Favorites (Early Works)

Violin Concertos: Personal Favorites (Early Works) 

Periods: Baroque (Era II), Classical (Era III) and Early Romantic (Era IV)

In today’s blog I would like to return to a perennial topic, personal favorite compositions. I have recently written a post about piano concertos, and am now turning my attention to a short list of favorite violin concertos. Why concertos and not sonatas, or perhaps concert pieces? For my own personal taste, a concerto is scored for a full orchestra and soloist (or soloists) and I am drawn to the larger sound and overall presence that these pieces command.

As a former violinist, I continue to enjoy world-class performers performing works that I have studied, in some cases performed, but most I have simply admired from afar. The mechanically less demanding works for violin and orchestra were often written in the Baroque period and include compositions by several of my all-time top ten favorite composers including Bach and Vivaldi. The first concerto that makes today’s short list is the Bach Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in E major BWV 1042 (circa 1720) that virtually every aspiring violin student looks forward to studying, and, if possible, performing with a full ensemble. It is vintage Bach with wonderful melodies, harmonies and the counterpoint that we have come to love in a Bach composition. In my own library, I have the performance by Nigel Kennedy and the Berlin Philharmonic (2000) released on the EMI Classics label. It is up tempo, joyous and worthy of a place in one’s own personal library. Here is a YouTube™ clip of Kennedy performing the first movement of this Bach concerto.

As an unabashed fan of the music of Franz Joseph Haydn, the next concerto is his Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in C major, Hob.VIIa:1 (circa 1765). I have several excellent versions in my library and will highlight my most recent addition performed by Gil Shaham and the Sejong Soloists on the Canary Label (2010). In this YouTube™ clip, Shaham performs this work in collaboration with the Israel Philharmonic and Dan Etinger conducting from the harpsichord.

Although Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote 5 wonderful, charming concertos for violin and orchestra, my next concerto, the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major, Op.61, was written by Ludwig van Beethoven and completed in 1806. It appears that it was very poorly received for a number of reasons, but was revived several decades later by the violinist Joseph Joachim and it has been a mainstay of the active concert repertoire every since. This work is still considered to be one of the best violin concertos ever written and merits careful, active listening on the part of any enthusiast of classical music in the western tradition. I have the collaboration between Itzhak Perlman and Daniel Barenboim conducting a live performance with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (1990) when both artists were at the height of their powers. On balance, this is one of the best recordings of this work that I have heard to date.

Niccolò Paganini’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra 1 in D major, Op. 6 (circa 1817) is my fourth concerto for today’s post. This work is both a dazzling showcase for the soloist’s technical skills and a wonderful, melodic early Romantic composition that continues to thrill audiences worldwide. This YouTube™ clip of the 3rd Movement of Paganini’s 1st Violin Concerto is performed by Diomedes Saraza, Jr. with the Symphony Orchestra conducted by Christoph Poppen.

I will close this post with my fifth and final concerto, Felix Mendelssohn’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in E minor, Op.64 (1844). Arguably one of the most loved, and most frequently performed, violin concertos in the entire repertoire of classical music in the western tradition, Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor was written when he was still in his teens (age 19) and completely captures the youthful enthusiasm and vitality penned by the composer. This YouTube™ clip of the 3rd movement of Mendelssohn’s E minor Violin Concerto is being performed by Sarah Chang and the New York Philharmonic conducted by Kurt Masur.

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Musical Culture: From Mao to Mozart (China)

Musical Culture: From Mao to Mozart (China)

Periods: Modern (Era VII.)

A close friend recently asked me if I had seen the documentary ‘From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China’ taken during Stern’s cultural exchange visit to China in 1979. I had not seen it but found this film is special in several different ways. The visit by Isaac Stern was one of the first exchange visits by western artists from any genre in 1979 shortly after the end of China’s ‘Cultural Revolution’ with the death of its founder and Communist Party Chairman, Mao Zedong in 1976. 'From Mao to Mozart' was released in 1980 in the United States and won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. From this blogger’s perspective, it also is one of the finest documented examples of musical instruction from any perspective; teacher to student communications, cross cultural communications, etc.

Isaac Stern was accompanied on this visit to China by his co-performer and piano accompanist, David Golub and by his family including his wife Linda and their two sons David and Michael. Stern’s vision for this visit was to focus on music, culture and teaching in his travels within China rather than simply giving concerts. I found myself actively engaged throughout the entire documentary. Highlights of his visits include rehearsing with the China Central Symphony Society (now the China National Symphony Orchestra) conducted by Li Delun and his visits to both the Central Conservatory of Music and the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. In each visit Stern gives special attention to the art of playing music with emotion and feeling rather than simply playing the notes that appear on the score. He specifically noted that the older students, mid-teens and older, were playing with little empathy and feeling, while the primary school students, pre-teen and younger, were much more passionate in their musical expressions. Why?

As it turns out, in the most poignant passage of this documentary, the teachers of the older students had been disgraced, humiliated and tortured with many committing suicide as a result. A famous musician of that period recalls (quite painfully) how he was forced to reside in a closet for years right above the latrine area where the odors were almost unbearable along with the constant humiliation for being a teacher of western music.

Stern returned to China in 1999 at the invitation of the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music, a year that marked the 20th anniversary of his original visit in 1979. The reissued ‘From Mao to Mozart’ on DVD in 2001 contains several short scenes from 1999 of Stern teaching a class at the Conservatory, performing with his 1979 Chinese conductor Li Delun (now in a wheel chair) and performing with his son David conducting the orchestra.

This article from the New York Times™ in July of 2009 recounts Stern’s initial visit and the impact that it had on western classical music throughout China. In October 2009, the China Philharmonic Orchestra honored the memory of Isaac Stern’s 1979 visit on its 30th anniversary with the now forty year old cellist Xian Wang appearing as a guest soloist. In closing, please take a few moments to familiarize yourself with this classic documentary available in its entirety on YouTube™. I know that you will find it inspirational. Enjoy!

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Stradivarius Society: World-Class Violins on Loan

The Stradivarius Society – World-Class Violins on Loan

Periods: Baroque (Era II.)

With the passing of one of the co-founders of the Stradivarius Society in mid April, I thought it would be appropriate in today’s post to highlight the wonderful work of the Stradivarius Society in support of upcoming world-class violinists. Co-founded in 1985 by Mary Galvin and Geoffrey Fushi, the Stradivari Society has been lending violins made by the finest Italian craftsmen including Amati, Guarneri, and Stradivari, etc. to deserving young artists in support of their budding careers.

The first recipient awarded an instrument in 1981 was the then 10-year-old violinist prodigy Midori. Today Midori is a ‘Distinguished Professor of Music’ at USC and a much sought after violinist throughout the world. I have several of her recordings in my own personal library that I find immensely interesting. Her collaboration on the Dvorak Violin Concerto and Romance with Zubin Meta and the New York Philharmonic in 1989 (at the age of 18) is one of my overall favorites. Her instrument is the Guarnerius del Gesù ‘ex Huberman’ (ca.1734) courtesy of the Stradivari Society.

Another one of today’s leading world-class violinists (and one of my personal favorites) Gil Shaham was awarded his Stradivarius Comtesse de Polignac (ca.1699) by the Stradivarius Society in 1989 at the age of 18. For my taste, I find Shaham’s musicality and style to be among the finest of all of today’s violinists performing on the world stage. I have four CDs in my personal library that showcase both Shaham’s significant capabilities and overall versatility. Included are several violin concertos, violin sonatas, an octet and a compilation of guitar and piano duos with several showcase concert pieces throughout. His collaboration with Lawrence Foster and the London Symphony Orchestra on the DG Label (1992) that includes Henryk Wieniawski’s Concertos 1 in F sharp minor and 2 in D minor for Violin and Orchestra along with Wieniawski’s concert piece Legende in G minor, Op.17 and Pablo de Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen, Op.20. This special compilation is one that everyone should have in his own personal library.

I will conclude today’s post with a few comments about another artist, Philipe Quint, who very recently (2010) was awarded the Stradivarius ‘Ruby’ (ca. 1708) by the Stradivari Society. I had the very good fortune to attend a private parlor concert featuring Philipe Quint presented by Mary Galvin and Geoff Fushi co-founders of the Stradivari Society to Mrs. Galvin’s Women’s Athletic Club colleagues and friends in January of 2009. I was sufficiently impressed to go online to see what recorded compositions were available. Not having any Charles-Auguste de Beriot violin concertos in my library, I found Quint’s Naxos recording (2008) of Beriot’s 2nd in B minor, his 3rd in E minor and his 5th in D Major in collaboration with Kirk Trevor and the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra. I have always enjoyed Beriot’s music since encountering it in my studies in high school and Quint’s interpretations of these works has continued to grow on me over the years.

Please sit back, relax, and ‘actively’ enjoy one of the greatest violin compositions ever written, Beethoven’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, Op.61, in this YouTube™ clip being performed by Stradivari artist Joshua Bell on his Stradivarius Gibson ex Huberman (ca.1713).

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Instruments: Piano Trios (Piano, Violin & Cello)

Compositions for Pianos – Piano Trios

Periods: Classical to Romantic (Eras III, IV, and V)

Today’s post is the third in a three-part series of posts focusing on the role of the piano in classical compositions in the western tradition, with a special emphasis on the classical, early romantic and romantic eras from the mid-eighteenth century through the end of the nineteenth century. Part one focused on the sonata for solo piano, part two on concertos for solo piano accompanied by a symphony orchestra and today’s post on piano trios, compositions written for piano, violin and cello.

I was surprised by the number of piano trios listed in the Wikipedia™ reference to ‘piano trio repertoire’; trios continually being written by composers from the emergence of the piano in the mid-eighteenth century to the latest entry in this compilation having been composed in 2010. Yet it makes sense from several perspectives. With the piano being the centerpiece of the majority of these compositions, both from a harmonic and gravitational aspect, the three voices (i.e. the piano, violin and cello) are less complex than larger works with many different voices. The composer picks which instruments he wishes to showcase and composes music to suit his perspective.

I have a limited number of chamber works in my personal collection including piano trios composed by Mozart (Classical) and Beethoven, Schubert, Hummel and Mendelssohn (Early Romantic) plus several piano trios by Schumann & Brahms (Romantic). As I listened to these various compositions while working on this post, I was impressed by how all of these composers were able to allow each of these three voices to be heard; the piano was ever-present as I expected but not overbearing. I admit that I am continually drawn to those compositions written during early nineteenth century and the same is true with these piano trios. I have two renditions of Beethoven’s Piano Trio in B flat, Op.11. The first rendition is performed by Emanuel Ax, Richard Stoltzman and Yo-Yo Ma on the Sony Label (1995) with the usual violin part being scored for the clarinet. The second rendition is performed by the Eroica Trio on the Angel label (2003). Both are excellent and would be nice additions to one’s personal library. Here is a YouTube™ clip of the Orbis Trio playing the first movement of Beethoven’s Piano Trio in B flat, Op.11.

I am continually drawn to Hummel’s compositions for piano trios. My rendition of his Op.12, Op.35, Op.65 & Op.96 is performed by the Beaux Arts Trio on the Philips Label (1996) and showcases all of the instruments involved. Here is a YouTube™ clip of Hummel’s Op.35 Trio in G Major performed as part of a recent senior recital at Samford University in 2011.

Schumann’s piano trios are bit more on the melancholy side with several (his Op.63 and Op.110) being written in minor keys. I have the Op.63, Op.80 and Op.110 in my personal collection being performed by the Beaux Arts Trio on the Philips Label (1997). I rarely listen to these works and was persuaded to do so as part of my preparation for writing today’s post. Although I immensely enjoy many of Schumann’s compositions including his symphonies, his piano concerto, concert pieces for solo piano, etc., these trios do not move me as have his other compositions. That being said, one should judge these works on their own merits.

I will close today’s post with on Brahm’s Piano Trio in A minor, Op.114, performed in my library on a compilation CD by Emanuel Ax on piano, Richard Stoltzman on the clarinet and Yo-Yo Ma on cello. This compilation is referenced earlier in this post in my comments on Beethoven’s Op.11 piano trio. As always, please sit back, relax and enjoy this rendition of the 1st Movement of the Brahm’s Trio in A minor, Op.114 performed by the Oscine Trio.

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Instruments: Piano Concertos (Piano & Orchestra)

Compositions for Pianos – Concertos for Piano & Orchestra 

Periods: Classical to Romantic (Eras III, IV, and V)

With today’s post, I am continuing a new series focusing on the role of the piano in classical compositions in the western tradition, with a special emphasis on the classical, early romantic and romantic eras from the mid-eighteenth century through the end of the nineteenth century. In my previous post we took a look at sonatas written for solo piano and found there to be a rich library of works written in the waning days of the Classical era and early days of the early Romantic era.

The same is true for piano concertos, compositions written for solo piano accompanied by an orchestra. By the middle of the eighteenth century, the piano had evolved to the point where a vibrant new sound could be created by the piano that quickly found its way into wonderful new compositions by such masters as Franz Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. I have several of the twelve wonderful keyboard concertos of Haydn and most of the twenty-seven piano concertos written by Mozart in my own personal library. I have the exquisite Haydn Concerto 11 in D for keyboard performed by a young Evgeny Kissin (age 18) and the Moscow Virtuosi on the RCA Red Label (1989) that I would strongly recommend to anyone. Mozart’s concertos for piano and orchestra are one of the original benchmarks for this remarkable genre and I have several favorites to which I frequently return including his 19th in F major in 1784 (K459), his 21st in C major in 1785 (K467) ‘Elvira Madigan’ and his 23rd in A major in 1786 (K488). These three examples are all quintessential Mozart; exceptionally melodic, upbeat and absolutely wonderful examples of this genre. Here is a YouTube™ clip of Vladimir Horowitz in a recording session playing 3rd Movement of Mozart’s Concerto 23 conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini.

Ludwig van Beethoven and Johann Nepomuk Hummel followed these examples with exceptional creations of their own. Beethoven is known worldwide, Hummel generally not. As many of my readers know, Beethoven composed five concertos for piano and orchestra, each of which stand on its own merits. My personal favorites are Concerto 1 in C Major (1797) and Concerto 5 in E flat major (1810) and I have several excellent recordings of each in my personal library. Here is a YouTube™ clip of Daniel Barenboim playing the 1st Movement of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto 5 ‘Emperor’ in collaboration with the Berlin State Opera Orchestra. Hummel composed eight concertos for piano and orchestra which, like Beethoven, have a sound unlike anything heard before. I so enjoy these particular Hummel works that I have added all eight to my own personal library and, although I frequently listen to any given concerto, I have found them to pass the test of time in terms of enjoyment and interest.

By the middle of the nineteenth century, composers were creating longer, more complex concertos for piano and orchestra. This new group of composers, Robert Schumann and Edward Grieg among them, were also composing fewer works for this genre than had their immediate predecessors. Robert Schumann wrote only one such work (completed in 1845), but it has become a perennial favorite of concertgoers worldwide per this YouTube™ clip performed by Martha Argerich. On reflection, the fact that Edward Grieg wrote only one concerto is amazing – and that he chose the piano for the fruits of his efforts. Here is a short clip of the opening movement of the Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor (1868), also one of the perennial favorites of concertgoers everywhere, performed by Valentina Lisitsa.

In previous blogs I have referenced both Tchaikovsky’s 1st Piano Concerto in B flat minor (1875) and Rachmaninoff’s 2nd in C minor (1901). As always, please sit back, relax and enjoy these clips of each; the Tchaikovsky being performed by a teenage Evgeny Kissin in the late eighties and the Rachmaninoff by the mature Kissin of today.

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Instruments: Piano Sonatas (Solo Piano)

Compositions for Pianos – Sonatas for Solo Piano

Periods: Classical to Romantic (Eras III, IV, and V)

With today’s blog, I am starting a new series focusing on the role of the piano in classical compositions in the western tradition, with a special emphasis on the classical, early romantic and romantic eras from the mid-eighteenth century through the end of the nineteenth century. My reasons for this revolve around my life-long interest in the piano, the technological innovations that the modern piano brought to this genre and the role that I believe that it played in the evolution of classical music in the western tradition. 

The evolution of the modern piano is its own an interesting study. The initial piano appears to have been created around 1700 by an Italian craftsman, Bartolomeo Cristofori of Padua, who was intimately familiar with the instruments of that time including the Clavichord and the Harpsichord. It took almost a century of slow, evolutionary piano development before the rapid advances in piano technology began to take place throughout the nineteenth century. Virtually all of the compositions of Haydn, Mozart and Clementi were written for the fortepiano that had a limited range of five octaves plus a fifth (i.e. 66 keys). These fortepianos were essentially made of wood, increasingly strengthened over time to be able to accommodate the various technological advances sought by the composers and performers of the time. I have several piano sonatas in my own personal library written by Muzio Clementi, Franz Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Of these, I am personally drawn to the sonatas penned by Haydn and really enjoy both of the piano sonatas, Op.30 & Op.52, performed by Evgeny Kissin on the Sony Label CD released in 2000.

As we move into the nineteenth century, two quintessential masters of this genre – Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert – each wrote a series of piano sonatas that set a very high bar for all future composers writing for the piano. Beethoven’s name is synonymous with several of these works that include his Op. 8 ‘Pathetique’, Op.14 ‘Moonlight’, Op.21 ‘Waldstein’ & Op.23 ‘Appassionata’ among others. I have a wonderful recording of these four sonatas by the renowned pianist Wilhelm Kempff created in 1965. As noted in the reviews per these notes on the Amazon.com™ web site, I also have come to truly appreciate Kempff’s interpretations and find myself frequently returning to these recordings which are approaching their fifty year anniversary.Here is a YouTube(TM) clip of Kempff playing the first movement of the Waldstein Sonata.

Franz Schubert’s catalog of works includes twenty-one numbered sonatas for solo piano. In my opinion, they are very much the equals of Beethoven’s sonatas and I find myself drawn to them for their sheer depth and beauty. I have in my library five of the seven CDs recorded by András Schiff for the London Label in the nineties as well as several other recordings of his quintessential final sonata D960 in B flat major. Here is Leon Fleisher playing the fourth and final movement.

As the nineteenth century came to a close, the piano sonata was in a state of flux. The various musical forms and conventions of the previous century were coming into question resulting in fewer classical ‘sonata form’ compositions being written with each passing decade. I have two in my library, Christian Sindig’s Sonata in B minor, Op.91 (1909) performed by Eva Knardahl and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Sonata 2 in B flat minor (1913) performed by Lang Lang. Both are interesting works, but have not found their way into the mainstream of solo piano music being readily performed in today’s concert halls.

As always, please sit back, relax and enjoy this excerpt on YouTube™ from Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata 2 being performed by Enrico Pace.