classical music recommendations

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Interesting story about American soldiers who met an elderly Richard Strauss during World War II:

http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultur ... rican-army

Hi guys, still a little behind all of you, mezzanine have to read your article! Been watching this, which I mentioned a while back in the thread, then bought:

Glen Gould DVDs

It's a nice set so far, only $40 for 10 dvds.

I think Glen Gould looks like Uncle Fester (in a good way ), but he plays all this crazy music with no sheet music to go by, it looks like his whole body is playing that piano. Maybe that's what made him have a stroke, maybe just used it all up and there was nothing left in the well. Not sure if that's possible, but sad he died anyway (unlike Hilary Hahn, he is actually dead ). At least he did what he loved while he was alive. What more can you ask for?

This is the first video of the set:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NjTYe_dBlg[/youtube]

LOL, can't believe I did that. I do know your name though, I blame it on spellcheck!

Speaking of mezzanines - I found out recently that (regarding my Met season tickets), I am not in the mezzanine as I thought I was. Where the Met is concerned, balcony means 5 stories up! The mezzanine tickets are (as the ticket agent tried to discreetly explain to me, for the er um very wealthy).

All is not lost, the balcony is supposedly the best acoustic spot in the house and I bought a pair of hysterically funny (but useful) opera glasses, which I think I can wear now that I know I will be miles away from the hoity toity class!

By the way, I loved the Golliwog piece you left in the racism thread. It sounded like it had a touch of ragtime in it.

Hah, I've never actually seen someone wearing the opera glasses. I think I would have trouble keeping a straight face if I saw someone peering over them.

Here's one I only just came across, it's completely mesmerizing. I really need to listen to more Rachmaninoff, I keep stumbling across works of his and many are just incredible.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oam6xPS5DJA[/youtube]

I love how Rachmaninoff remained loyal to the style of the earlier Romanticists even as his contemporaries were diverging into Impressionism, Expressionism, Modernism and so forth. Rachmaninoff had a very old-world style for his era. He was still composing by the time George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, and other Jazz pioneers had taken over the radio waves.

By the way, I wish I had time to go back, listen very deeply, and comment on more of the treasures in this thread. I promise you, if you have the curiosity and patience, there are endless worlds to explore.

Maybe you're a young aspie who's just found this thread during your summer break? Take full advantage and indulge yourself in these videos.

Thinking about learning an instrument? With enough listening, you'll be able to identify any instrument in a recording upon hearing it. You'll probably notice that one of these instruments "speaks" to you more than any other! Follow your heart and choose the one that you love, no matter its difficulty.

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Here's a well-known violin work transcribed to lute, J.S. Bach's Partita No. 3 in E major.

This recording is by award-winning Swedish classical guitarist Göran Söllscher.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn0d0NEa740[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbLbjJnyifo[/youtube]

The last I shared by modern composer Aram Khachaturian was the waltz from his Masquerade Suite.

This adagio from his ballet Spartacus was performed by the Vienna Philharmonic.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of5ebCY5__Q[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo7m6Mt4D_0[/youtube]

That's nice lute playing of the J.S. Bach. Could spend an entire life time listening to nothing by J.S. Bach

Russian composer Alexander Borodin had been working on the opera Prince Igor prior to his death in 1887.

A performing version was prepared by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov, appearing in 1890.

The Polovtsian Dances occur in Act I or Act II, depending on which version of the opera is being used.

Instrumental version

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKU70bu_0FA[/youtube]

*** Spoiler Alert ***

Polovtsian Dances scene from the opera: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V5Rgg0IMCM

Prince Igor prologue: "Prince Igor is about to set out on a campaign against the Cumans/Polovtsy and their Khans who have previously attacked the Russian lands. The people sing his praise and that of his son, the other leaders and the army (Chorus: "Glory to the beautiful Sun"). A solar eclipse takes place to general consternation. Two soldiers Skula and Yeroshka desert feeling sure that Vladimir Yaroslavich, Prince Galitsky, will offer them work more to their liking. Although Yaroslavna, Igor's wife, takes the eclipse for a bad omen, Igor insists that honour demands that he go to war. He leaves her to the care of her brother, Prince Galitsky, who tells of his gratitude to Igor for sheltering him after he was banished from his own home by his father and brothers. The people sing a great chorus of praise (Chorus: "Glory to the multitude of stars") as the host sets out on their campaign against the Polovtsy."

Prologue song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRcSdtwFRD8

I did it! I have been considering taking up the piano again for a while, and I went out and bought a nice keyboard today and am going to sign up for lessons soon. Here's hoping that I manage to stick with it this time! (I played when I was younger for around a year)

Here's a piano piece by Rachmaninoff! If I can learn to play this in the next 10 years, I think I'll be doing pretty well

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5Ysk6NQIR0[/youtube]

I loved the lute transcriptions mezzanotte! Here's a piece from a composer who wrote a good bit for the lute. I was going to post one just for lute, but I stumbled upon one of my all-time favorite classical singers (Andreas Scholl):

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP5rKwHvhQ0[/youtube]

Good for you Stargazer, I hope you have a blast!

Did you guys hear the Met season might be messed up due to strikes? So they called me Friday and asked me for a further donation (because I became a member when I bought the tickets). I was like, Are you freaking kidding me? Hopefully they will sort it all out and we will all have lovely falls. Anyway, I'm going to see an opera by Salieri in a couple of weeks by a different opera company - the tickets only cost $35!

mezzanotte and nights like these, have you got any special musical plans coming up? OR any of our newer members?

Stargazer, what a fine choice! At every house party, there's always an old piano sitting in the corner somewhere. You'll dust it off with a little Debussy and be the star of the evening!

Wozeree, I'm hoping that you'll see all the operas your heart desires. I'm optimistic they'll reach agreements and sort everything out.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/30/arts/ ... -past.html

Pizza..

Pizzi...

Pizzicato!

Someone tell these guys they are playing violins... not guitars!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CAXpuPqfv0[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSFUaVKGc0Y[/youtube]