<![CDATA[Classical Music Forums - Talk Classical - Blogs - Pierre's Tuesday Blog by itywltmt]]> http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/ This is a classical music discussion forum. A leading musicians and listeners community on the web. en Sat, 18 May 2013 15:45:40 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.talkclassical.com/images/misc/rss.jpg <![CDATA[Classical Music Forums - Talk Classical - Blogs - Pierre's Tuesday Blog by itywltmt]]> http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/ Once Upon the Internet - Reiner Hochmuth Plays the Haydn Cello Concertos http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1165-once-upon-internet-reiner.html Tue, 14 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT En français


According to the artist's webpage, German cellist Reiner Hochmuth began to play the cello at the age of 10. After winning numerous prizes at German Youth Competitions he chose to study music seriously rather than pursue chemistry.

In 1973, he spent one year in private study with Paul Tortelier at the Folkwang-Hochschule in Essen (where he returned in 1976 to study with Janos Starker and graduated with honours in 1980) and made his debut playing Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme with the Hamburger Symphoniker. After winning first prize at Bristol's International Cello Competition Reiner toured through England to perform with a number orchestras. Performances with the New Philharmonia as well as with the German Youth Orchestra in London are highlights of this period.

In 1983 the National Institute of Art in Taipei, Taiwan, asked him to become a guest professor for a period of three years. Since then he was travelling to Asia to perform in various countries and to teach. In 1995 he came into contact with the Chi Mei Culture Foundation which runs its own museum and owns a great collection of fine instruments. Since that time Reiner Hochmuth got the chance to play the two important Strad Cellos ("Ex Boccherini - Ex Cassado" and "The Pawle") for concerts and recording.

Hochmuth was (and still is) one of the first "internet savvy" cellists, a member of the Internet Cello Society and was featured on the original MP3.COM (In fact, his website still shows signs of that relationship.)

Among his "complete" recordings available on the service at the tine is today's featured tracks from his Haydn album with the Polish Chamber Orcehstra - a solid "old school" performance. As filler, I added another Haydn recording I downloaded at the time, by the period Orchester Damals und Heute, of the "Trauer" (funeral) symphony.

Happy listening!

Franz Josef HAYDN (1732-1809)
Concerto no. 1, in C Major, for cello and orchestra, Hob VIIb:1
Concerto no. 2, in D Major, for cello and orchestra, Hob. VIIb:2

Reiner Hochmuth, cello
Polska Filharmonia Kameralna
Wojciech Rajski, conducting
(Thorofon CTH 2001)

(MP3.COM, 23 November 2001)

Symphony no. 44, in E Minor, Hob. I:44 “Trauer”
Das Orchester Damals und Heute
Michael Alexander Willens, conducting
(MP3.COM, ca. 2001)

Internet Archive URL: https://archive.org/details/03Concerto

May 17 2013, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will feature a new podcast "The Paris Symphonies - Part 2" at its Pod-O-Matic Channel . Read more May 17 on the ITYWLTMT Blogspot blog. ]]> itywltmt http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1165-once-upon-internet-reiner.html This Day in Music History - 7 May 1824 http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1161-day-music-history-7.html Tue, 07 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Related: http://www.talkclassical.com/24869-y...eethovens.html

This week's selection from the Podcast Vault tries to recreate a concert that took place 189 years ago today. A concert that, in may ways, stands as the event where one of Classical Music's most beloved works of the SYmphonic repertoire received its first performance.

(This, might I had, is in sharp contrast to another noteworthy historic event that will celebrate its centenary later this month.)

In these pages almost a year and a half ago, I discussed a specific event that was organised by Beethoven - a mammoth undertaking - where no less than 4 of his major mature works received their premiere. This day, at Vienna’s Kärntnertortheater, was the composer's first on-stage appearance in 12 years.

The concert opened with the lesser-known overture Die Weihe des Hauses (The Consecration of the House), written in 1822.for the opening of Vienna’s new Theater in der Josefstadt.

Also premiered were the Kyrie, Credo and Agnus Dei from the Missa Solemnis, here presented as ‘Drei Hymnen’ to surmount the problem of liturgical music being censored for performace in a theatre.

Finally, the concert included the world premiere of the Symphony No. 9, which featured the touching spectacle of the completely deaf Beethoven, billed as assistant conductor (the performance was officially directed by Michael Umlauf, the theatre's Kapellmeister), beating time oblivious to the fact that the music had ended and the audience was applauding. Contralto Caroline Unger walked over and turned Beethoven around toward the crowd so he could accept their warm applause.

In order to fit my self-imposed 90-minute ceiling for a podcast (why I sometimes don't...), I limited the Missa excerrpts to the Kyrie movement only - the latter two sections are available through links from an earlier recording by the same orchestra and conductor (the NBC Symphony under Toscanini).

If you have read my Beethoven Cycle post from almost 2 years ago, you know I have a soft spot of the Leibowitz Beethoven cycle, which I originally obtained from the Reader's DIgest almost 35 years ago now. There's something unapologetic about Leiboiwitz's approach to the work: this ain't a HIP performance to be sure! It is great stereo sound, and the digital transfers from the Chesky engineers have retained (to my ears) all the awe that I experienced the first time the old vinyls were spinning on my old tuntable.

Happy Listening!

ITYWLTMT Podcast Montage #54 – Musikalische Akademie der 7. Mai 1824
(Originally issued on Friday, May 4, 2012)


Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Die Weihe des Hauses (Consecration of the House), op. 124
Orchester des Wiener Festwochen
Josef Krips, conducting

"Kyrie" from Drei Hymnen (Missa Solemnis Op.123)
Lois Marshall, soprano
Nan Merriman, mezzo-soprano
Eugene Conley, tenor
Jerome Hines, bass
Robert Shaw Chorale
NBC Symphony Orchestra
Arturo Toscanini, conducting
[Credo and Agnius Dei from YouTube]

Symphony no. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 (Choral)
Inge Borkh, soprano
Ruth Sievert, contralto
Richard Lewis, tenor
Ludwig Weber, bass
Beecham Choral Society
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Rene Leibowitz, conducting



May 10 2013, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will feature a new podcast "The Paris Symphonies - Part 1" at its Pod-O-Matic Channel . Read more May 10 on the ITYWLTMT Blogspot blog. ]]> itywltmt http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1161-day-music-history-7.html La chronique du disque (April 2013) http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1159-la-chronique-du-disque.html Tue, 30 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT En français (http://itywltmt.blogspot.com/2013/04/la-chronique-du-disque-avril-2013.html) ---Quote--- *The rules will be kept simple:* here’s what I found, here’s where I found it, here’s a couple of sentences about it and (possibly) some opinions. Not unlike Olympic Figure Skating, I will... En français

The rules will be kept simple: here’s what I found, here’s where I found it, here’s a couple of sentences about it and (possibly) some opinions.

Not unlike Olympic Figure Skating, I will provide two sets of marks (letters A to D) on sound quality (SQ) and on overall impression (OI). These grades are entirely subjective, but here are some guidelines:

  • About “sound quality”: my point of reference is my iPod (160 GB iPod Classic) with standard earbud-type earphones. I ride the buses here in the National Capital Region; buses and work are where I do most of my iPod listening, so this gives you an idea of the ambient noise… When it comes to sound quality, a good grade means I hear the music clearly, good recording pick-up, acoustically pleasing.
  • About “overall impression”: my point of view varies widely. It may be jaded by other performances I have heard or own (comparisons will be identified if they apply), but a good grade means I heard conviction, virtuosity, and I enjoyed it.
My Acquisitions for April


Freni / Vickers - Verdi: Otello
[In-Store Purchase]


In many ways this is a sign of the times; I do most of my music acquisition on-line nowadays, as I would have to get out of my way to find a record store with a good enough CM section for me to browse. The local HMV used to have a portion of one rack dedicated to CM. Today, HMV carries almost a 50-50 blend of music CDs and DVDs, and an HMV I recently visited didn’t even have a CM section anymore… But what it did have was a clearance of releases from the excellent EMI Classics Operas series (on sale for 2 for $10!) though it had a very limited selection., I picked up two, including a re-issue of the excellent Karajan recording of Otello with Jon Vickers singing the title role. The re-issue is excellent, and the package comes with a CD-ROM containing the full libretto with translation. Great value, great performance. A for SQ, A for OI.


An Evening of Magic: Chuck Mangione Live at the Hollywood Bowl
[Torrent Disk 1 Disk2 ]


Chuck Mangione falls somewhere between a guilty pleasure and nostalgia in my music collection. This double-LP set, reissued to CD, has been in my personal collection for almost 30 years, and the magic and electricity of the concert is fully captured on disc. Mangione by now is working with his quartet (Grant Geissman, Charles Meeks, James Bradley Jr. and Chris Vadala), and he's joined on stage by a full complement of strings and winds assembled among local musicians. Though he has released a number of live as well as studio recordings, this one stands out (with Land of Make Believe) as a great “you had to be there” moment. Great fun! A for SQ, A- for OI.


BALAKIREV: Symphony No 2 / Russia
[eMusic]


Off eMusic this month, I downloaded two NAXOS recordings of the orchestral music of Mily Balakirev, the lerader oif the late 19th century quintet of composers closely associated with St-Petersberg (Rimsky, Mussorgsky, Borodin and Cesar Cui being the other four). I gather from listening to the two symphonies I downloaded (the second being featured on this particular recording) that Balakirev must have been more compelling a person than a composer in the symphonic form; I believe Borodin’s symphonies are far superior, but you be the judge! A- for SQ, B+ for OI.


CUI: Suites Nos 2 and 4 / Le Flibustier
[eMusic]


Speaking of the “Mighty Handful”, Cesar Cui is probably the one name we forget from the quintet (sometimes, I surprise myself swapping him out for Glazunov when I recall the members of the group…) This intriguing release of two of Cui’s orchestral suites is my “find” of the month. Cui’s music sounds more “Western” than “Russian” – it is so refined – and so different from the music of his mates – especially Mussorgsky and Rimsky. Well worth the download! A- for SQ, A- for OI.


Khachaturian Concerto For Violin & Orchestra
[eMusic]


Igor Oistrakh’s violin prowess pales in comparison to that of his famous father, but this vintage recording of Khatchaturian’s concerto shows him in great, and at times brilliant, form. The Khartcahturian concerto is one of those pieces that falls in and out of vogue, and is viewed by some as overrated. However, it does stack up against concertos (especially Western concertos) of the second half of the 20th century. The performance I downloaded is a poor digital transfer – I’m sure there are better re-issues of this recording. In spite of it, the work by Goosens and the Philharmonia comes through as a solid job, and the soloist is strong. A- for SQ, A- for OI.

May 3rd 2013, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will feature a new podcast "You Call That a Symphony?" at its Pod-O-Matic Channel . Read more May 3rd on the ITYWLTMT Blogspot blog. ]]> itywltmt http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1159-la-chronique-du-disque.html Tell Me A Story With Music: The Tone Poem http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1157-tell-me-story-music.html Tue, 23 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT En français (http://itywltmt.blogspot.ca/2013/04/raconte-moi-une-histoire-en-musique-le.html) All this month on my Friday Blog and Podcast (http://itywltmt.blogspot.ca/p/whats-new-on-itywltmt.html) I have been exploring the theme of story telling. Of course, the most popular form of story... En français

All this month on my Friday Blog and Podcast I have been exploring the theme of story telling. Of course, the most popular form of story telling in music is the tone poem, an invention that - as I explained in my post on Symphonie Fantastique - in one of the key contributions of the Romantic era. A toine poem is, by definition, the antithesis of form, it is a pure musical canvas, used to paint a particular story, express emotions, all those things we routinely associate with story telling.

Today;s playlist merely proposes a handful of tone poems (or orchestral fantasies), spanning nearly 100 years.

Our journey begins with Franz Liszt, who musiologists claim to be the inventor of the genre. In a past Tuesday Blog, I proposed Liszt's finest tone poem, Les préludes. Today's playlist presents another of his creations, Tasso.

One has to believe that the next torch bearer for the genre has to have been Richard Strauss. Strauss composed a series of epic tone poems, some of them massive beyond compare (Also Sprach Zarathustra, Ein Helkdenleben) and others (composed early in his career) have become standards of the genre, including Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks, my choice for this week's playlist.

Not all works get the moniker Tone Poem, but they do fit the mold. One of these is the series of orchestral fantasies by Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Hamlet - all of them featured on my Podcasts almost two years ago - and Francesca da Rimini, my selection for today. Francesca is a lengthy work for the genre (at almost 30 minutes) but packs quite a punch. This performance by Tchaikovsky conductor extraordinaire Evgenii Mravinski grabs you from the initial downbeat and doesn't let go until the bitter end.

There are quaint and simple tone poems, and we owe quite a few to Camille Saint-Saëns: his Phaeton and this one, Omphale's Spinning Wheel illustrate that the genre doesn't need to go over-the-top (a la Strauss), that straight-forward and economical composing does just as good a job.

My final selection today is Gershwin's tone poem An American in Paris, a work that has transcended the concert hall (thanks to Vicente Minelli and Gene Kelly). In researching for today's post, I encountered this nice fact-filled web page that talks not only about the well-known back story to the work, but also discusses the story of the recording featured today, the world-premiere recording by Nathaniel Shilkret. I was amazed at how well the performance stacks up to the "modern" performances (Previn, Tilson-Thomas, ...). I'm especially impressed with some of the sound effects and, if you pay close attention, you will hear Gershwin himself playing the Celesta.

Happy Listening!

PLAYLIST

Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
Tasso: Lamento e Trionfo, S.96
Leipzig Gewandhaus under Kurt Masur

Pyotr Ilich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Francesca da Rimini (symphonic fantasy) in E-, Op.32
Leningrad Philharmonic under Evgenii Mravinski

Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949)
Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Op. 28, Trv 171
RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra under Fritz Reiner

Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921)
Le Rouet d'Omphale, symphonic poem in A, Op.31
Orchestre du Conservatoire under Charles Munch

George GERSHWIN (1898-1937)
An American in Paris (1928)
Victor Symphony Orchestra under Nathaniel Shilkret

YouTube Playlist @ http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...2RUNoeTePZnRhQ

April 26 2013, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will feature a new podcast "C'est poétique" at its Pod-O-Matic Channel . Read more April 26 on the ITYWLTMT Blogspot blog. ]]> itywltmt http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1157-tell-me-story-music.html Once Upon the Internet: Fauré/Franck: Cello Sonatas http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1148-once-upon-internet-faur.html Tue, 16 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT En français (http://itywltmt.blogspot.ca/2013/04/shauna-rolston-joue-franck-et-faure.html) Sometimes, I have presented CDs cover-to-cover on Once Upon the Internet, and this month’s installment is one of those occasions, featuring a 1987 CD I downloaded from MP3.COM more than 10 years ago. ... En français

Sometimes, I have presented CDs cover-to-cover on Once Upon the Internet, and this month’s installment is one of those occasions, featuring a 1987 CD I downloaded from MP3.COM more than 10 years ago.

The CD features a then 20-year old Shauna Rolston accompanied by pianist Menahem Pressler in a chamber recording of two of the most popular French sonatas (the sonatas in A by Gabriel Fauré and César Franck), but transcribed for the cello.

Shauna Rolston is one of Canada’s finest cellists. Raised in a musical family – her dad Thomas was concertmaster and associate conductor of the Edmonton Symphony and her mother Isobel is a pianist, accompanist and longtime harpist of the same orchestra. A precocious talent, she began studying the cello at the age of three, and by age eight gave her first cello recital. She participated regularly in cello master classes, studying in Banff with Zara Nelsova, János Starker, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, and Gabriel Magyar, and in Europe with Pierre Fournier at the Geneva Conservatory and William Pleeth at the Britten-Pears School, Aldeburgh.

Rolston is an advocate for new music, and has premiered a number of works written for her. Composers who have written for her include Kelly-Marie Murphy, Heather Schmidt, Oskar Morawetz, Bruce Mather, Christos Hatzis and Chan Ka Nin, as well as Krzysztof Penderecki, Gavin Bryers, Mark Anthony Turnage, Rolf Wallin, Augusta Read Thomas, Karen Tanaka, and Gary Kulesha.

In 1994 Shauna Rolston joined the music faculty of the University of Toronto where she is a Professor and Head of the String Department. She is also a regular Visiting Artist for the Music and Sound Programs at the Banff Centre.

Although she has played in chamber and orchestral settings in Korea, Japan, Canada, Europe, and the USA, her discography is rather modest. Indeed, this 1987 recording and a handful of CBC Record releases (with the CBC Radio Orchestra and Calgary Philharmonic) pretty much sum up her recorded output. The same cannot be said of her recital partner on this CD, Menahem Pressler, a founding member of the Beaux Arts Trio. In addition to recording nearly the entire piano chamber repertoire with the Beaux Arts Trio for Philips, Menahem Pressler has compiled over thirty solo recordings, ranging from the works of Bach to Ben Haim. Last I heard, at almost 90 years of age, Mr. Pressler is still active as a recitalist.

Jules Delsart's arrangement for cello and piano of César Franck's Violin Sonata in A major was sanctioned by the composer, and has become a standard part of the cello repertoire. Ms. Rolston plays her own transcription for cello of the Fauré sonata.


César FRANCK (1822 - 1890)
Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major, FWV 8
Transcribed: Jules Delsart

Gabriel FAURE (1845 - 1924)
Sonata for Violin and Piano no 1 in A major, Op. 13
Transcribed: Shauna Rolston

Shauna Rolston (Cello), Menahem Pressler (Piano)
Venue: Rutgers Presbyterian Church, NYC (June 1987)
Summit Records DCD-109

Downloaded from MP3.COM ca. 2001

Internet Archive URL: https://archive.org/details/03SonateEnLaMajeurOp.133..

April 19 2013, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will feature a new podcast "C'est féérique" at its Pod-O-Matic Channel . Read more April 19 on the ITYWLTMT Blogspot blog. ]]> itywltmt http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1148-once-upon-internet-faur.html César Franck (1822 - 1890) http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1121-c-sar-franck-1822.html Tue, 09 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT En français (http://itywltmt.blogspot.com/2013/04/cesar-franck-1822-1890.html) Image: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Cesar_Franck_At_Organ.jpg/220px-Cesar_Franck_At_Organ.jpg I had originally programmed this post for our Organ and Lent series, but decided to push... En français


I had originally programmed this post for our Organ and Lent series, but decided to push it off to make room for my Marie-Claire Alain post. Let's call this some bonus organ, shall we...

According to Britannica online, Belgian-French composer César Franck “was the chief figure in a movement to give French music an emotional engagement, technical solidity, and seriousness comparable to that of German composers”. Among Franck’s composition students and disciples we count Vincent d’Indy, Ernest Chausson, Pierre de Bréville, Charles Bordes, and Guy Ropartz.

Admitted to his hometown conservatory of Liège at the age of eight, Franck’s progress as a pianist was so astonishing that in 1834 his father took him on tour and a year later dispatched him to Paris, where he worked with Anton Reicha, then professor at the Paris Conservatory.
Franck enrolled officially at the Paris Conservatory at age 17, and after winning several prizes there he pulled out of the institution prematurely, at his father’s insistence, to pursue a concert career. After 10 years spent travelling, composing and performing, Franck married in 1848 and settled down - he earned his livelihood as an organist and teacher and led a simple, almost ascetic life.

We acknowledge many of Franck’s compositions - his Symphony in D Minor (1888), Variations symphoniques (1885), Piano Quintet in F Minor (1879), String Quartet in D Major (1889), Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano (1886). However, today’s post focuses on Franck as an organist and composer of orhan works. Picking up our story, Franck was appointed organist to the Church of Saint-Jean-Saint-François in 1851 and in 1858 to that of Sainte-Clotilde, where he was already choirmaster. From the organ loft of Sainte-Clotilde came the improvisations for which he was to become famous and also their elaboration in organ and choral works.

As an organist he was particularly noted for his skill in improvisation, and on the basis of merely twelve major organ works, Franck is considered by many the greatest composer of organ music after Bach. His works were some of the finest organ pieces to come from France in over a century, and laid the groundwork for the French symphonic organ style. In particular, his Grande Pièce Symphonique, a 25 minute work, paved the way for the organ symphonies of Charles-Marie Widor, Louis Vierne, and Marcel Dupré.

The key to his music may be found in his personality. His friends record that he was "a man of utmost humility, simplicity, reverence and industry." Louis Vierne, a pupil and later titular organist of Notre-Dame, wrote in his memoirs that Franck showed a "constant concern for the dignity of his art, for the nobility of his mission, and for the fervent sincerity of his sermon in sound. […] Joyous or melancholy, solemn or mystic, powerful or ethereal: Franck was all those at Sainte-Clotilde."

Today’s playlist provides a good overview of Frabck’s organ legacy. Happy listening!

PLAYLIST


César FRANCK (1822 - 1890)

Offertoire (E-Flat Major) from "L'organiste, 1er volume", FWV 41, no. 28
Diego Innocenzi
INSTRUMENT: Cavaillé-Coll, St. François-de Sales, Lyon, France

Prélude, fugue et variation (B Minor), FWV 30
Michael Murray
INSTRUMENT : 1888 Cavaille-Coll-Organ Of St. Sernin, Toulouse

Fantaisie (C Major), FWV 28
David Enlow
INSTRUMENT: St Mary the Virgin, New York

Choral (no. 3, A Minor), FWV 40
Gerard Carter
INSTRUMENT: Théodore Puget, Père et Fils organ at Kincoppal-Rose Bay Chapel, Sydney.

Grande pièce symphonique (F-Sharp Minor) , FWV 29
André Marchal
INSTRUMENT : Grand Orgue de l'église Sainte-Eustache in Paris.

Psaume 150 (Louez le Dieu, caché dans ses saints tabernacles) chœur avec orchestre et orgue, FWV 69
Xaver Varnus on the great organ
The Budapest Tomkins Vocal Ensemble, The Budapest Opera Orchestra
Conducted by Tamás Vásáry

Pièce héroique, pour orgue , FWV 37
Katalin Mali
INSTRUMENT: Angster pipe organ of the St. Theresa Cathedral in Subotica Serbia

Final (B-Flat Major), FWV 33
Mark Laubach
INSTRUMENT: Berghaus organ at Grace Lutheran Church in the River Forest (Chicago), Illinois.

URL: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...fHVJDtBApCnRTT

April 12 2013, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will feature a new podcast "C'est fantastique" at its Pod-O-Matic Channel . Read more April 12 on the ITYWLTMT Blogspot blog. ]]> itywltmt http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1121-c-sar-franck-1822.html The Stars Align http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1136-stars-align.html Tue, 02 Apr 2013 06:00:00 GMT

For awhile now, we have had a fairly popular message thread on the forum "http://www.talkclassical.com/15023-keep-looking-up.html".

Of course, music and the bodies that occupy the night skies is a combination that conjures up many possibilities, like this one...


This thread is what inspired a montage on my weekly podcast well over a year ago.

The titles I had selected range from the early classical (Mozart's Jupiter Sympohony, either dedicated to the Roman God or the planet) all the way to contemporary song (When You Wish Upon a Star and Stardust), with significant stops along the way.

2013 marks the 30th anniversart of the passing of French-Canadian composer Claude Vivier, brutally murdered in Paris. Vivier, who trained under Karlheinz Stockhausen and made his name in electro-acoustics was both prolific and quite controversial. Although he had been performed regularly in Contemporary Music circles, receiving a commission by Charles Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony was quita a coup at the time. The piece, Orion, is one of his most lyrical compositions, and would have augured well for the composer.

Romantic composers and opera are also featured in this playlist, including excerpts from Aida and Tosca. Messiaen's monumental Turangalila is both astronomical and astrological - and a sensual experience in the strictest sense of the word.

Joseph Strauss' Music of the Sppheres and two sections from Holst's Planets round up the montage.

Happy Listening!

ITYWLTMT Podcast Montage #34 – Heavenly Bodies
(Originally issued on Friday, December 9, 2011)


Josef STRAUSS (1827-1870)
Sphären-Klänge, walzer (Music of the Spheres), Op.235
Bratislava Radio Symphony Orchestra
Ondrej Lenard, conducting

Ned WASHINGTON (1901-1976)
When You Wish Upon a Star (1940)
(arrangement by/de Robert Freedman)
Wynton Marsalis, trumpet
Branford Marsalis, saxophone
Kent Jordan, flute
Kenny Kirkland, piano
Ron Carter, acoustic bass
Jeff "Tain" Watts, drums
Studio orchestra
Robert Freedman, conducting

Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901)
“Celeste Aida“ (Heavenly Aida) (Act I, Sc. 4) from Aïda (1871) Jon Vickers, tenor
Leontyne Price, soprano
Orchestra e Coro del Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
Sir Georg Solti, conducting

Claude VIVIER (1948-1983)
Orion (1979)
WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
Peter Rundel, conducting

Olivier MESSIAEN (1908-1992)
“Joie du sang des etoiles (Joy of the blood of stars) from Turangalîla-symphonie, for piano, ondes martenot and orchestra, I/29
Yvonne Loriod , piano
Jeanne Loriod, ondes martenot
Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Seiji Ozawa, conducting

Howard Hoagland CARMICHAEL (1899-1981)
Stardust (1927)
Dave Brubeck Quartet

Gustav HOLST (1874-1934)
"Mars: The Bringer of War" and "Neptune: The Mystic" from The Planets, suite for orchestra and female chorus, Op.32
Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal
Choeur de femmes de l’OSM
(Iwan Edwards, chorus master)
Charles Dutoit, conducting
[Complete Performance: Dutoit conducts Staatskapelle Dresden]

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
III. Menuetto: Allegretto and IV. Finale: Molto allegro
from Symphony no.41 in C Major, K.551 ('Jupiter')
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Jane Glover, conducting

Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924)
“E lucevan le stelle“(When the stars were brightly shining) (Act III, Sc. 3) from Tosca (1900)
Giorgio Lamberti, tenor
Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
Alexander Rabbari, conducting



April 5th 2013, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will feature a new podcast "C'est legendaire" at its Pod-O-Matic Channel . Read more April 5th on the ITYWLTMT Blogspot blog. ]]> itywltmt http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1136-stars-align.html La chronique du disque (March 2013) http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1135-la-chronique-du-disque.html Tue, 26 Mar 2013 07:00:00 GMT En français (http://itywltmt.blogspot.com/2013/03/la-chronique-du-disque-mars-2013.html) ---Quote--- *The rules will be kept simple:* here’s what I found, here’s where I found it, here’s a couple of sentences about it and (possibly) some opinions. Not unlike Olympic Figure Skating, I will... En français

The rules will be kept simple: here’s what I found, here’s where I found it, here’s a couple of sentences about it and (possibly) some opinions.

Not unlike Olympic Figure Skating, I will provide two sets of marks (letters A to D) on sound quality (SQ) and on overall impression (OI). These grades are entirely subjective, but here are some guidelines:

  • About “sound quality”: my point of reference is my iPod (160 GB iPod Classic) with standard earbud-type earphones. I ride the buses here in the National Capital Region; buses and work are where I do most of my iPod listening, so this gives you an idea of the ambient noise… When it comes to sound quality, a good grade means I hear the music clearly, good recording pick-up, acoustically pleasing.
  • About “overall impression”: my point of view varies widely. It may be jaded by other performances I have heard or own (comparisons will be identified if they apply), but a good grade means I heard conviction, virtuosity, and I enjoyed it.
My Acquisitions for March


Hindemith, P.: Kammermusik No. 7 / Rheinberger, J.G.: Organ Sonata No. 7 (Biggs) (1952, 1957)
[eMusic]

In keeping with our Tuesday Blog Organ theme, I have acquired a NAXOS Classical Archives recording featuring American organist E. Power Biggs in a pair of works: the first is an organ concerto by Paul Hindemith, the other is a modern-sounding late 19th century organ sonata by Joseph Rheinberger. Sometimes, I have found recordings from that series to have sound issues, but not this one. This is a re-edition of an old Columbia Masterworks mono recording from 1957, and both the performances and the sound have been nicely preserved. E. Power Biggs is not everybody’s cup of tea shall we say, but he comes through as a thoughtful interpreter. I quite enjoyed this! A for SQ, A- for OI.


Schubert Franz - Complete Symphonies, Ricardo Muti & Wiener Philharmoniker
[Torrent]

Riccardo Muti is, in my book anyways, a solid conductor, and he is solid in many facets of the orchestral repertoire. His Brilliant Classics complete Schubert is quite strong – I relished the short Rosamunde Suite, he does justice to the more infamous pages (The Unfinished, the Great C Major) and he provides a very thoughtful interpretation of the lesser-played symphonies. The Vienna Philharmonic responds well to the Italian conductor, in a repertoire that is certainly in their wheel-house. Worth listening. A for SQ, A- for OI.


Dvořák: Legends, American Suite
[eMusic]

This disc features two works by Antonin Dvořák that were originally written for the piano and later orchestrated. The Legends are a set of 10 miniatures for two pianos (therefore a lot in the vein of the Slavonic Dances) but much more lyrical, as they are mnore song-like than dance-like. The “American” suite, a contemporary of the New World Symphony, is not very American at all – the usual Dvorak underlying thread of folk music doesn’t appear here to use American folk motifs, but rather the usual Slavic fare. Vernon Handley, who I associate with English music, leads spirited performances from the West Australian Symphony. A- for SQ, A- for OI.


IBERT: Macbeth / Golgotha / Don Quichotte
[eMusic]

Jacques Ibert was a prolific composer for the theatre and cinema. His best-known theatre score was music for Eugéne Labiche's Un chapeau de paille d'Italie, which Ibert later reworked as the suite Divertissement. Ibert wrote the music for more than a dozen French films, and for American directors he composed a score for Orson Welles' 1948 film adaptation of Macbeth. This score is featured in this Marco Polo recording of some of his film music. The other two scores pre-date the Macbeth by more than 15 years: Don Quichotte (Georg Wilhelm Pabst, 1932), and Golgotha (Julien Duvivier, 1935). The latter fim was part of the typical Good Friday TV Movie line-up on French-Canadian television in the 1960s and 70s. The crucifixion sequences with assorted theremin-generated mood effects is something that stood out in a reclusive corner of my memory, and is quite evident in the performance. A protege of Ernest Ansermet, conductor Adriano (yes, just a first name, like Fabio or Prince…) is featured here conducting. Should we hold in suspicion musicians bearing but a single name? Maybe the performances sounded better because I did… A for SQ, A for OI.


Choral Concert: Oxford Girls' Choir - FAYRFAX, R. / REDFORD, J. / HENRY V / LAMBE, W. / TAVERNER, J. / PRESTON, T. (Heavenly Voices)
[eMusic]

Richard Vendome conducts the Oxford Girls’ Choir and male and female soloists in a collection of choral repertoire, dominated by sacred titles of either renaissance or renaissance-inspired origin. The titles and the mood stemming from these selections is very a propos for this time of year, and the care taken in these renditions is to be commended. This is my favourite acquisition this month! A for SQ, A for OI.

March 29 2013, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will feature a new podcast "The Cross" at its Pod-O-Matic Channel . Read more March 29 on the ITYWLTMT Blogspot blog. ]]> itywltmt http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1135-la-chronique-du-disque.html Jonathan Orwig Plays Saint-Saëns http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1131-jonathan-orwig-plays-saint.html Tue, 19 Mar 2013 08:00:00 GMT En français (http://itywltmt.blogspot.ca/2013/03/jonathan-orwing-joue-saint-saens.html) My second Once Upon the Internet post in our Lenten organ series presents the complete sets of Preludes and Fugues for organ of French composer and organ virtuoso, *Camille Saint-Saën*s. For all his... En français

My second Once Upon the Internet post in our Lenten organ series presents the complete sets of Preludes and Fugues for organ of French composer and organ virtuoso, Camille Saint-Saëns.

For all his notoriety as a dominant figure in French music, we seem to forget that Saint-Saëns played the organ at various churches in Paris and in the surrounding area. In 1857, he replaced Louis Lefébure-Wely at the eminent position of organist at the Église de la Madeleine, which he kept until 1877. His weekly improvisations stunned the Parisian public and earned Liszt's 1866 observation that Saint-Saëns was ”the greatest organist in the world”.

Saint-Saens compositions for organ are surprisingly few - based on their opus numbers, many of them are either early works or works of the mature composer. Although it is one of his more famous compositions, the Saint-Saens “Symphony with organ” which I featured in my Podcast Vault post a couple of weeks ago provides more of an opportunity for the organ to “play along” with the orchestra than, say, a work specifically intended for a virtuoso organist – Saint-Saens was the conductor at the London premiere of the work, and not the organ soloist…

The two sets of three Preludes and Fugues date from 1894 and 1898, respectively, and therefore post-date Saint-Saens’ tenure at Sainte-Madeleine by nearly 20 years but it was still surely the reedy sound of that particular organ he had in mind when they were composed. The French composer’s economical style, coupled with his understanding of the sound of a great instrument conspire to provide two sets of at times eclectic and very different preludes and fugues. This isn’t quite your Father Bach Prelude and fugues…


The recording I uploaded years ago is by organist (and preacher) Jonathan Orwig. According to organlive.com, these recordings date back to the year 2000 when Orwig served as Pastor of Worship for First Baptist Church of Riverside, California. I am assuming these works were recorded on the Church’s 1966 Schantz organ .

As filler, I included a separate work (downloaded from dovesong.com, a website that has since removed its music links) by French composer and organist Maurice Duruflé, a choral and a capalla chorus work inspired by the latin text Veni Creator Spiritus (made famous by Gustav Mahler in his Symphony of a Thousand). Duruflé himself is playing his longtime organ at St-Etienne–du-Mont.

Happy Listening!

Camille SAINT- SAENS (1835-1921)

Préludes et Fugues, Op.99
No. 1.In Eb
No. 2.In B
No. 3.In Bb

Préludes et Fugues, Op.109
No. 1.In D-
No. 2.In G-
No. 3.In C

Jonathan Orwig, organ
Inst: Schantz organ, First Baptist Church of Riverside, California

Maurice DURUFLÉ (1902-1986)
Prelude, Adagio, and Chorale Variations on
'Veni, Creator Spiritus', for organ and baritone choir, Op.4
Maurice Durufle, organ
Baritone chorus of Saint-Etienne-du-Mont
Inat: Gallery organ, Eglise Saint-Etienne-du-Mont (Paris)

Downloaded from MP3.COM and Dovesong.com ca. 2002
Performance URL : http://archive.org/details/JonathanO...aydSaint-saens

March 22 2013, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will feature a new podcast "Requiem in d-Moll" at its Pod-O-Matic Channel . Read more March 22 on the ITYWLTMT Blogspot blog. ]]> itywltmt http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1131-jonathan-orwig-plays-saint.html Marie-Claire Alain (1926-2013) http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1130-marie-claire-alain-1926.html Tue, 12 Mar 2013 08:00:00 GMT En français (http://itywltmt.blogspot.ca/2013/03/marie-claire-alain-1926-2013.html) Related thread: RIP: Marie-Claire Alain (http://www.talkclassical.com/24127-rip-marie-claire-alain.html?highlight=marie+claire+alain) I had prepared a post for our Lenten organ series on the organ music of... En français

Related thread: RIP: Marie-Claire Alain

I had prepared a post for our Lenten organ series on the organ music of Cesar Franck, and had planned to use that today, However, the recent passing of French organist Marie-Claire Alain has prompted me to change my plan. I will use the Franck post at a later date, and will spend today showcasing the recorded legacy of Madame Alain, who died this past February 26 in a nursing home in a suburb of Paris.


According to bach-cantatas.com, Marie-Claire Alain is the youngest child in a family of distinguished musicians. Her father, Albert Alain (1880-1971), a composer and amateur organ builder, had been a pupil of Alexandre Guilmant, Louis Vierne and Gabriel Fauré. Her sister Odile was a promising soprano and pianist who lost her life early in a mountaineering accident; her older brother, Olivier Alain, was a composer, pianist, and musicologist. Her oldest brother was the renowned Jehan Alain, a composer and organist whose teachers included Marcel Dupré, Paul Dukas, and Jean Roger-Ducasse. He numbered Olivier Messiaen and Francis Poulenc among his closest friends and his works for organ - Litanies, in particular - established him as one of the brightest stars among rising French composers in the decade before his battlefield death in 1940, at 29. A twin sense of loss and inheritance informed her studies and career.

At the age of 11 she made her debutas organist in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. At age 18, in 1944, Marie-Claire entered the Paris Conservatoire, studying with Marcel Dupré for organ, Pié-Caussade for counterpoint and fugue, and Maurice Duruflé for harmony. She studied with M. Duruflé from 1944 until 1950, school-work being augmented by private lessons. During her Conservatoire years, she carried off four Premier Prix.

Her career truly takes off in 1950 with her formal debut in Paris. Over the years, she made frequent tours of Europe. In 1961 she made her first tour of the USA. During her career she has given well over 2,000 recitals world-wide. She succeeded her father as organist of the parish church of Saint-Germain-en-Laye after his death in 1971 and served for 40 years. As a performing organist, she was particularly known for performing substantial works entirely from memory. Her exhaustive repertoire included works by the Baroque masters as well as contemporary scores.

Marie-Claire Alain was much in demand as a teacher. She lectured at the Haarlem Summer Academy of Organists in Holland from 1956 to 1972. She also gave master-classes around the world. She had a long association with the St Albans International Organ Festival.

Marie-Claire Alain's reputation as a performer and recording artist would be hard to overstate. Her recordings number in the hundreds, and she recorded the complete works of J.S. Bach three separate times, a singular achievement. She also recorded the complete works of over a dozen other major composers for the organ, as well as many individual important works. She was the most-recorded organist in the world, with over 260 recordings in her catalogue, several of which have won awards. By the 1980's, she had become known as a specialist in 17th and 18th century music, with numerous recordings of works by François Couperin, Nicolas de Grigny, Antonio Vivaldi, Dietrich Buxtehude, Johann Pachelbel, Georg Frideric Handel, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Haydn, and Mozart - among many others - to her credit. But she also made distinguished recordings of Romantic repertoire with albums of works by Felix Mendelssohn, César Franck, Franz Liszt, Widor, Vierne, Francis Poulenc, and Jehan Alain - whose punctilious execution is suffused with passion - carrying into the 21st century living traditions extending to the middle of the 19th.

The following YouTube playlist only scratches the surface of the recording and performance legacy of Mme. Alain. With her passing, the long-standing connection between the great French Organ masters of the late Romantic era suffers a major blow. She will be missed.

PLAYLIST


Mafrie-Claire Alain at the organ (Instruments specified hereunder)

Léon BOELLMANN (1862 – 1897)
Suite Gothique, op. 25.
INSTRUMENT: Cavaillé-Coll, Eglise St. Sulpice, Paris

Jehan ALAIN (1911-1940)
Litanies, pour orgue, JA 119
INSTRUMENT : Grossen Hoforgel , Hofkirche, Luzern

Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Toccata in D minor ''Dorian''. BWV 538
INSTRUMENT: Gottfried Silbermann, Dom St. Marien, Freiberg

Toccata in F major. BWV 540
INSTRUMENT: Christian Müller, St. Bavokerk, Haarlem

Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor. BWV 582
INSTRUMENT : Collégiale de Saint Donat

Georg Frideric HANDEL (1685 – 1759)
Organ Concerto Op 7, No 1. HWV 306
INSTRUMENT: Eglise Saint-Pierre des Chartreux, Toulouse
Freiburger Barockorchester, Gottfried von der Goltz conducting

Théodore DUBOIS (1837 – 1924)
Toccata in G Major from Douze Pièces pour orgue ou piano-pédalier (1889)
INSTRUMENT: Cavaillé-Coll, Eglise St. Sulpice, Paris

Alexandre GUILMANT (1837-1911)
Finale from Sonata No 1, Op 42
INSTRUMENT: Cavaillé-Coll, Eglise St. Sulpice, Paris

Gabriel FAURE (1845 – 1924)
O Salutaris Hostia, op. 47 no. 1
with Camille Maurane
(Unidentified instrument)

Eugène GIGOUT (1844 – 1925)
Toccata in B minor from 10 pièces pour orgue (1890)
INSTRUMENT: Cavaillé-Coll, Eglise St. Sulpice, Paris

URL: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...dcfq0YT4XI8I6_

BONUS: More J.S. Bach by Mme Alain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of7GgiXagss

March 15 2013, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will feature a new podcast "Grande Messe des Morts" at its Pod-O-Matic Channel . Read more March 15 on the ITYWLTMT Blogspot blog. ]]> itywltmt http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1130-marie-claire-alain-1926.html Organ and Orchestra http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1116-organ-orchestra.html Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:00:00 GMT

There’s something iconic about seeing a full symphony orchestra on stage, with an organ in the background, like this picture of the Boston Symphony in front of the venerable organ at Symphony Hall.



I own an old vinyl recording of the BSO, daring the caretaker years of William Steinberg, performing Richard Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra, with that old organ marking the memorable opening sequence, full of power and majesty. Installed in 1949, the Symphony Hall Aeolian-Skinner organ is considered one of the finest concert hall organs in the world, replacing the original 1900 organ that Nadia Boulanger played as soloist at the premiere of Aaron Copland's Symphony for Organ and Orchestra in 1924.

Copland’s organ symphony is but one of a great number of works intended to combine the power and range of the organ with the equivalent power and range of a full orchestra. Like the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, mixing organ and orchestra is a great idea that probably wouldn’t have happened were it not to happen-stance. Georg Friedrich Händel, looking for filler material as players needed time off-stage between portions of his many oratorios, devised the “organ concerto” as a way to keep the audience entertained. The fact Händel was an accomplished organist must have helped, too…

Written in 1913 for the opening of the Wiener Konzerthaus and the commissioning of its historic Rieger organ, Strauss’ Solemn Prelude is another excellent example of the Peanut Butter Cup in action. The organ builder Rieger Orgelbau may be one of Europe’s oldest and finest outfit, but Saint-Hyacinthe‘s Casavant Frères is a prominent pipe organ builder in its own right, producing over 3800 organs since 1879. Many of these can be found in churches all over North America, and in Canada and Québec in particular. A fine example is the organ from Nativité de la Sainte-Vierge Parish in La Prairie, a community a few kilometers south of Montreal. This organ is featured in our recording of Vivaldi’s concerto for organ, violin and orchestra.

Casavant has built organs for Canadian concert halls, most recently for Calgary’s Jack Singer Concert Hall and Edmonton’s Francis Winspear Centre for Music. In May of 2014, the long-awaited Pierre-Béique organ at Montreal’s new Maison Symphonique will be completed by Casavant and one of the consultants retained in this undertaking, Notre Dame de Paris’ titular organist Olivier Latry, will have the privilege of commissioning the instrument in a performance of Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony.

The Montreal Symphony’s old home, Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, did not have a house organ. That hall, like many others built in Canada in the 1960’s and 70’s, was a festival hall intended as a multi-purpose venue. One similar hall was the home of the Hamilton Philharmonic, the Great Hall at Hamilton Place. I attended a performance of that Organ Symphony at a subscription concert of the Philharmonic during my Graduate School years. For the occasion, an electric organ and massive speakers were brought in. The hall shook on every chord, a lot like a bad performance of the Sensurround classic, Earthquake.

For their landmark recording of the Symphony, the MSO resorted to audio engineering trickery. The orchestra recorded its parts at its long-time recording home-away-from-home, the historic church in St-Eustache, North-East of the Island of Montreal and organist Peter Hurford recorded his parts on the majectic 1959 Beckerath organ, deep under the copper-laden dome of Montreal’s St-Joseph Oratory on Mount Royal. London/Decca engineers melded the two (no small feat considering the acoustic challenges of recording the organ performance under the reverbatorium that is the Oratory’s basilica) in such a way that listeners wouldn’t know that the peanut butter and chocolate aren’t in the same cup!

Happy Listening!

ITYWLTMT Podcast Montage #46 – Organ & Orchestra
(Originally issued on Friday, March 9, 2012)


Richard STRAUSS (1864 –1949)
Festliches Präludium (Solemn Prelude) for large orchestra and organ, op.61
Wolfgang Meyer, organ
(Schuke-Orgel, Berliner Philharmonie)
Berliner Philharmoniker
Karl Böhm, conducting

Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741)
Concerto for violin and organ in F Major, RV 542
Eleonora Turovsky, Violin
Geneviève Soly, organ
(Paroisse de La Nativité de la Sainte-Vierge, La Prairie, Qc
Casavant, Opus 2152, 1952)
I Musici de Montréal
Yuli Turovsky, conducting

George Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759)
Organ Concerto in D Minor, Op.7, No.4 (HWV309)
Harald Feller, organ
(Unknown Instrument)
Capella Istropolitana
Paul Kantschieder, conducting

Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921)
Symphony no.3 in C Minor, op. 78 (with organ)
Peter Hurford, orgue
(Orgue Beckerath – Oratoire St-Joseph de Montréal)
Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal
Charles Dutoit, conducting



March 8 2013, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will feature a new podcast "Requiems for Organ" at its Pod-O-Matic Channel . Read more March 8 on the ITYWLTMT Blogspot blog. ]]> itywltmt http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1116-organ-orchestra.html La chronique du disque (February 2013) http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1105-la-chronique-du-disque.html Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:00:00 GMT En français (http://itywltmt.blogspot.com/2013/02/la-chronique-du-disque-fevrier-2013.html) ---Quote--- *The rules will be kept simple:* here’s what I found, here’s where I found it, here’s a couple of sentences about it and (possibly) some opinions. Not unlike Olympic Figure Skating, I... En français

The rules will be kept simple: here’s what I found, here’s where I found it, here’s a couple of sentences about it and (possibly) some opinions.

Not unlike Olympic Figure Skating, I will provide two sets of marks (letters A to D) on sound quality (SQ) and on overall impression (OI). These grades are entirely subjective, but here are some guidelines:

  • About “sound quality”: my point of reference is my iPod (160 GB iPod Classic) with standard earbud-type earphones. I ride the buses here in the National Capital Region; buses and work are where I do most of my iPod listening, so this gives you an idea of the ambient noise… When it comes to sound quality, a good grade means I hear the music clearly, good recording pick-up, acoustically pleasing.
  • About “overall impression”: my point of view varies widely. It may be jaded by other performances I have heard or own (comparisons will be identified if they apply), but a good grade means I heard conviction, virtuosity, and I enjoyed it.
My Acquisitions for February


The Art Of The Fugue Glenn Gould
[Torrent]
Now, for our obligatory organ selection for Lent. Glenn Gould graduated with full honours from the Royal Conservatory in Toronto, including organ studies with Frederick C. Silvester (1942-49). He also performed in churches, likely as an organist, throughout his studies at the Conservatory. It is therefore not too surprising that Gould would explore a Bach piece that is suited for either Organ and piano – The Art of the Fugue – and that he would provide interpretations on both instruments. There are similarities and contrasts in both the texture and the interpretation of these works with each instrument; I found that where the piano version is much more personal (as personal as, say, the Goldberg variations) and has the usual excesses in dynamics (at both ends of the spectrum) we have come to know and accept from Gould, what I found more interesting was the rather tame and middle-of-the-road approach to the same pieces on the organ. I have to assume that Gould must have done repetition after repetition of the works on his own piano, whereas the access to the organ would have meant less “quality time” with the instrument. Do not take this to be a slight against Glenn as an organist - his choices of register and his dexterity at the instrument are up to snuff, just that it sounds less Gould-like (if I can use those works), although quite musical and refined. The choice of the instrument (a Casavant modern organ rather than a German mammoth organ) also adds to the more refined, less powerful sound, letting you appreciate Bach’s craft as a fugal master. These were MP3s… A- for SQ, A for OI.



The Jacques Loussier Collection (1959-2007)
[Torrent]
In 1959 Jacques Louissier formed the Play Bach Trio with bass player Pierre Michelot and percussionist Christian Garros. They used Bach's compositions as a base for jazz improvisation and had many live appearances, tours, and concerts, as well as a number of recordings The bit torrent link I found provides over 7 GB of flac files that span Loussier’s work, from 1959 to 2007, with all of the Play Bach studio and live recordings, as well as similar attempts at jazz-baroque using Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, as an example. As was the case for my Wendy Carlos review of last year, this is both nostalgic and at times anachronic, but always satisfying. Loussier can play the works outright (there are many times where he performs sections alone where that is obvious), but he does have a mischievous side that breaks out when the trio jazzes it up. The digital transfers are fair to good. B+ for SQ, A for OI.


Dom Quichotte... Cantates & concertos comiques
[eMusic]
Located on Saint-Catherine street in Leipzig, Gottfried Zimmermann’s coffee house would host weekly concerts by the Collegium Musicum back in the 18th century. The ensemble, founded by Georg Philipp Telemann and conducted by J.S. Bach between 1729 and 1739, performed secular cantatas and instrumental music for an audience of experienced music-lovers: duet or trio sonatas, pieces for solo instruments, concertos for violin, harpsichord, oboe, etc. It was in this spirit that the Café Zimmermann Ensemble was formed in 1998 to explore the orchestral music of that era. The ensemble is featured here in some French baroque secular cantatas and concertos, featuring a quite light-hearted Don Quichotte cantata. This is a different way of approaching a HUP performance. A for SQ, A- for OI.


SULLIVAN: Gilbert and Sullivan Overtures
[eMusic]
Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842 –1900) is best known for his series of 14 operatic collaborations with the dramatist W. S. Gilbert, including such enduring works as H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado. These works, direct forbears of the modern musical comedy, are full of great songs and music, and the overtures (which, as you would expect, combine many of the tunes in a medley format) are only occasionally programmed as stand-alone pieces in pops concerts. This NAXOS recording provides all the favourites, played with all the lilt required by a ballet orchestra (The Royal Ballet Sinfonia) and will bring a smile to your face. I quite enjoted this! A for SQ, A for OI.


Carole King - Tapestry (1971)
[Torrent]
Every so often in these pages, I have proposed “classic” (as opposed to classical) recordings. According to Wikipedia, Carole King’s 1971 album Tapestry is “one of the best-selling albums of all-time”, with over 25 million copies sold worldwide and certified diamond by the RIAA with more than 10 million copies sold in the US alone. Winner of the 1972 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, Tapestry was ranked number 36 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time in 2003. This is a long-time favouite in my record collection, another one of those old vinyls that I played so much you can almost hear the flip side of the album when you play it… So many of these songs are part of the pop music folklore that to single one out is simply impossible. Carole King is the standard-bearer for hit songwriting from the early 60’s, and it’s hard to imagine that she needed lots of coaxing before she finally decided to perform her own songs… Nostalgia attack! A for SQ, A for OI.

March 1st 2013, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will feature a new podcast "Ein Deutsches Requiem" at its Pod-O-Matic Channel . Read more March 1st on the ITYWLTMT Blogspot blog. ]]> itywltmt http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1105-la-chronique-du-disque.html Henrik Behrens Plays Mendelssohn and Bach Organ Works http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1091-henrik-behrens-plays-mendelssohn.html Tue, 19 Feb 2013 08:00:00 GMT En français

For our first post of our yearly Lenten Organ Festival, I am proposing some of Mendelssohn and Bach's organ music played on a "Churn Organ" by organist Henrik Behrens from Wuppertal, Germany.


I don't know much about the artist - in fact, I have tried in vain to contact him to find out more aboout him and the instrument he is recorded playing. You can, however, find some of his tracks on SoundClick and Last.fm.

The play and style are, well, very much in keeping with the style one would hear... at Church. Mr. Behrens plays the works pretty much as written, no flash or sizzle, and that's OK considering that these works from the Great Masters don't need extra spice.

Happy Listening!

DETAILS

Felix MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY (1809-1847)

Preludes and Fugue for organ, op. 37
  • No. 1 (C Minor)
  • No. 2 (G Major)
  • No. 3 (D Minor)
  • No. 4 (B-Flat Major)


Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)

Concerto for organ in G Major, after Johann Ernst von Sachsen-Weimar, BWV 592
Concerto for organ, in A Minor, after Antonio Vivaldi, (RV 522) BWV 593
Concerto for organ, in C Major, after Johann Ernst von Sachsen-Weimar, BWV 595

Choral Preludes I – Orgelbuchlein
  • In dulci jubilo (A Major), BWV 608
  • Jesu, meine Freude (C Minor),BWV 610
  • In dir ist Freude (G Major),BWV 615
  • Herr Gott, nun schleuss den Himmel auf (A Minor),BWV 617
  • Es ist das Heil uns hommen her (D Major),BWV 638
  • Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten (A Minor),BWV 642
  • Alle Menschen müssen sterben (G Major),BWV 643

Henrik Behrens, church organist
(Uncredited instrument)

Source: MP3.COM, 20 Dec 2001

Internet Archive URL: http://archive.org/details/HenrikBehrensOrganiste

February 22 2013, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will feature a new podcast "A Montage of Second… Sonatas" at its Pod-O-Matic Channel . Read more February 22 on the ITYWLTMT Blogspot blog. ]]> itywltmt http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1091-henrik-behrens-plays-mendelssohn.html Mardi Gras http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1090-mardi-gras.html Tue, 12 Feb 2013 08:00:00 GMT En français

Tomorrow will be Ash Wednesday – the official start to the Lenten season – and as we did last year, we will try and program more organ music during that time, starting next week with Once Upon the Internet.

But, as is the custom around the Christian world at this time, we get one last “kick at the can” before giving up some of the things we like best…

They call it Mardi Gras, or as the folks in New Orleans call it, Fat Tuesday.



I have planned a YouTube playlist full of music that is reminiscent of festivals, carnivals and (of course) Mardi Gras itself. To that end, I have programmed Stravinsky’s suite from his ballet Petrouchka which takes place at a Russian Mardi Gras fair, compete with a puppet show, buskers and a bear…

Rather than program the expected Carnival by Schumann, I went for more buskers and jesters depicted in from Carnival Scenes from Vienna.

In the vintage department, two pieces with a Roman theme: Berlioz’s Roman Carnival (Monteux in the 1940’s) and Respighi’s Feste Romane (Toscanini conducts).

And, my very favourite carnival piece, Dvořák’s salute to life in its most effervescent, the Karneval overture.

Happy listening!

DETAILS


Hector BERLIOZ (1803-1869)
Le carnaval romain, op. 9
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra under Pierre Monteux

Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
Hungarian Rhapsody in E-Flat Major, S.244, no. 9 ("Le carnaval de Pest")
Claudio Arrau, piano

Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)
Petrushka Suite (1945 Revised Version)
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski

Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Faschingsschwank aus Wien, op. 26
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, piano

Ottorino RESPIGHI (1879-1936)
Feste Romane, P. 157
Philadelphia Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini

Antonín DVOŘÁK (1841-1904)
Karneval, op. 92
London Symphony Orchestra under Istvan Kertesz

Playlist URL: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...yWGYWx5BAkK7qq

February 15 2013, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will feature a new podcast "A Montage of Second… Concertos" at its Pod-O-Matic Channel . Read more February 15 on the ITYWLTMT Blogspot blog. ]]> itywltmt http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1090-mardi-gras.html Two-Part Titles http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1086-two-part-titles.html Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:00:00 GMT Image: http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/1/3/3/8/2/22vault.jpg Every so often, I program music based on numerical themes, and this month it’s *all around the number two*. I did something not too dissimilar last year, and I thought I would pick one of those from the old Podcast...

Every so often, I program music based on numerical themes, and this month it’s all around the number two. I did something not too dissimilar last year, and I thought I would pick one of those from the old Podcast Vault.

There are many works in the repertoire that have two-part titles. Things like “Introduction and Allegro”, or “Prelude and Fugue” or, like in this case, “Schnell und beweglich”:



I assembled in this montage a series of works with two-part titles, for solo artists, in chamber combinations or in a concertante setting. Many of these will be familiar to you – either in the setting I chose or another.

I think you will love this music too

TYWLTMT Poscat Montage #42 – This & That
(Originally issued on Friday, February 10, 2012)


Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921)
Introduction et Rondo capriccioso, op. 28
Lev Gelbard, violin and Elena Kuschnerova, piano

Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Introduction and Allegro appassionato (Konzertstück), op. 92
András Schiff; piano
Wiener Philharmoniker under Christoph von Dohnányi

Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
Scherzo und Marsch, S. 177
Robert Silverman, piano

Hector BERLIOZ (1803-1869)
Rêverie et caprice, op. 8
Gullermo Figueroa, violin
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Prelude and Fugue in E Flat Major, BWV548 ('Wedge')
Marie-Claire Alain, organ
(instrument: Schnitger/Ahrend, Martinikerk, Groningen, The Netherlands)

Jacques HÉTU (1938-2010)
Adagio et Rondo, op. 3, No. 1a.
I Musici de Montréal under Yuli Turovsky

Frédéric CHOPIN (1810-1849)
Andante spianato and Grande Polonaise, op. 22
Sviatoslav Richter, piano
London Symphony Orchestra under Kyrill Kondrashin




Other Montages That Nay Interest You
All this month, montages on ITYWLTMT will feature works that have the number two in common. Past montages that did so include Two of a Kind, and The Powers of Two.

February 8 2013, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will feature a new podcast "A Montage of Second… Symphonies" at its [URL="http://itywltmt.podomatic.com/"]Pod-O-Matic Channel /URL]. Read more February 8 on the ITYWLTMT Blogspot blog. ]]> itywltmt http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/1086-two-part-titles.html