BACH TO BOULEZ (pronounced 'back' to Boulez)
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Arnold Bax Symphony No.4 1/5
Bax considered his Fourth to be a "brazenly romantic"(his exact words) symphony. Like all of his other six works in this genre, the fourth is tuneful, evocative and quite exciting. Bax's music will NOT hurt your ears, unless you are not all that romantic.
None the less.....DISCOVER AND ENJOY!
Edmund Rubbra Symphony No 3 1/3
I'm thrilled to see some of the glorious symphonies of Edmund Rubbra on YouTube. This Symphony and the Fourth, along with the remaining seven symphonies, are some of the finest symphonies written by a Twentieth Century English composer. I just wish his wonderful and transcendental Seventh Symphony was available on YouTube.
Please discover and enjoy!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Boulez - "Livre pour cordes"
Give this splendid work a good listen to....it will NOT hurt your ears!
Boulez - Notation VII
This is a movement from Boulez' "Notations". A very exciting work one would not associate with Boulez considering most of the other masterpieces he has written. There are moments in this movement that remind me of Messiaen's "Turangalila Symphony". It is short, so give it a try.....you may like it!
This will NOT hurt your ears!
Ravel - Ma Mere l'Oye(Mother Goose) Suite 1/5
Originally written for piano and later orchestrated into a work lasting half an hour long. The suite is a condensed version of the original orchestrated piece. This is an exquisite and charming work, brimming with brilliant tunes and exuberant orchestrations.
Please ENJOY! I hope you love this as much as I do!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Vagn Holmboe Symphony No. 3 1/4
It was suggested to me that I should hear the music of this great Danish composer by a good friend of mine from Denmark. I don`t know Holmboe`s music at all and this symphony has surprised me with it`s exuberance and remarkable accesibility. I will spend more time getting to know this great Danish composer`s music. Thank-you very much, Evan!
Discover and ENJOY!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Shostakovitch - an excerpt from 'The Gadfly'
This CAN'T hurt your ears! The previous post might disturb......this does not! When I first discovered this, it shocked the hell out of me as I didn't think the composer had it in him to write such beautiful music. I hope you love this as much as I do!
Listen and ENJOY!
Shostakovitch - an excerpt from Symphony no. 14
Shostakovitch that might hurt your ears! This clip is from his Fourteenth Symphony and in my opinion it is one of his masterpieces. It may not be for all but I adore it!
Prokofiev Symphony No.1 1/2
If the Fourth Symphony does hurt your ears, there is no way this symphony will do any harm. This work is a joy to listen to and it ranks amongst some of the most loved works Prokofiev ever wrote!
Listen, discover and ENJOY!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Prokofiev Symphony No. 4 1/4
I have avoided Prokofiev's Fourth Symphony for far too long. I have been well aware of Prokofiev's symphonies no.'s 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7, but have maintained a wrongful determination to avoid discovering his Third and Fourth. Part of the problem probably stems from the fact that the composer re-wrote this symphony in 1947 and added an additional 14 minutes onto the score. I once heard this version and took an immediate dislike to it. The ORIGINAL version, however, it a total delight. If you like/love his music to "Romeo and Juliet", this wonderful symphony should not be difficult to appreciate.
Please discover and ENJOY!
(Just a note: His Third is more difficult to appreciate as it sounds like he was trying to imitate the sounds one would hear in a steel foundry.......crash.....bang.....boom!)
Saturday, January 1, 2011
The Mahler Year
Last year we celebrated the 150th anniversary of Mahler's birth. This year we commemerate Mahler's death 100 years ago. This clip is from the Master's early years. He was twenty years old when he wrote this dramtic cantata.
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