My last post until early August

Time to go visit family and baby-sit a siamese cat in Alberta, while everybody goes on vacation. Actually the cat baby-sits me, if you have any idea what a siamese cat is like.

The Mahler Third

This clip is the latter half of the third movement from Mahler's Third Symphony....this is one of my favourite movements that he ever wrote. Great fun!

And still another Mahler favourite

Another Mahler favourite

Favourites from Mahler's "Des Knaben Wunderhorn"

Happy belated Birthday Herr Mahler!

It has been so hot recently and I also forgot this past Wednesday to post a commemoration on the 150th birthday of one of my very favourite composers of all time...Gustav Mahler!

Summer heat.....hot and sticky!

I'm a bit late with this clip. I had intended to post it on the Summer Solstice but I forgot. Considering how hot it is this past week, I can attest to the fact that summer is indeed here!

Stravinsky's game of cards

I have recently discovered this masterpiece on a two disc CD with Riccardo Chailly conducting the Royal Concertgebouw. This is a work I really should have known, but sadly I have never spent a lot of time discovering the music of Stravinsky. Shameful, isn't it, that I have not spent more time listening and discovering his works? Stravinsky is one of the greatest of 20th Century originals!

Gurrelieder.....Schoenberg's glorious Tonal masterpiece!

This 20th Century classic is a must hear for those who appreciate post romantic music. Schoenberg's sound world is closely modeled on the Wagnerian leitmotif, with lush orchestral scoring and pleasing melodies. It is a big and glorious masterpiece that must be heard! If you like the Mahler Eighth Symphony, this is a work for you!

Gustav Mahler's 150th Birthday year!

This year we celebrate and commemorate Gustav Mahler's 150th Birthday! His actual birth date is July 7, 1860. It pains us that he did not live longer. Mahlerites the world over appreciate the legacy he did leave for us, in his glorious symphonies and songs! Thank-you Herr Mahler for everything you have given us and we will remember you with love in this celebratory birthday year! Happy Birthday, where ever you are!

Serenade to Music

One of the truly most beautiful pieces ever written. In the original version, it is sung by sixteen soloists with orchestra as opposed to just orchestra alone. Original versions are in this case much more prefered!

Bruckner's Symphony of Faith

Despite all the revisions that Bruckner did to some of his symphonies, this one was not touched up or altered in any way by the composer. It is a glorious work and one of his greatest!

Originals are better!.....and sometimes strange

This is a clip of Mussorgsky's "Night on Bald Mountain" in it's original version, not tampered by Rimsky-Korsakov! In the tampered version that is very well known, the piece ends quietly with church bells. In the Original vrsion, the piece is "demonic" all the way through and ends with a bang! Much more exciting! I do not like Rimsky-Korsakov's music very much.....no, wait....I despise his music...all of it!

Music by a twenty year old Mahler!

An amazing work for a twenty year old to compose in 1880. I fear twenty years old kids today can barely keep their pants up or tie their shoes! This incredible work has never failed to amaze me....Mahler was a genius! I am and always will remain a Mahlerite! Just bought a recording of this conducted by my new favourite Mahler conductor, Riccardo Chailly. The two disc album also contains the song cycles: "Kindertotenlieder", "Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen" and the sumptuous "Ruekert Lieder", wonderfully sung by Brigitte Fassbaender. Get the album(on the Decca label), it is astonishing!

Arion Orchestra....one of North America's very best!

Although I adore Toronto's "Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra", I regard "Arion" as just one step better and they truly shine in their recordings on the "Atma" and "Early-music.com" labels. This is music making on the very highest level. They have recorded Vivaldi, Telemann, Rebel, Bach....etc. Recently at the "Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute's" third concert held at the University of Toronto, I had a chance to speak with the "First Lady" of the transverse flute: Claire Guimond. She was an instructor during the two week event, teaching the transverse to students who are graduates of their instrument(flute). What an amazing and elegant lady and performer. She could have charmed the pants off of me. I have heard her play live and in recording....I adore her! She is also a member of "Arion", a Montreal based period orchestra that personally I consider North America's finest period ensemble! In the beginning of the video clip, Claire is narrating and wearing headphones. She is a wonderful performer and human being, She has no greater fan that myself!

Please click on my site under Institutions I follow: "early-music.com" to find out about Arion and the recordings that I heartily recommend! Vive Arion! Bravo Claire Guimond!

Another Bach?.....Wilhelm Friedemann, naturally!

Shameful isn't that I don't know much about WF Bach, but his music is very intriguing and inviting! It is performed by the "Akademie fuer Alte Musik, Berlin" which is one of my favourite groups.

Discover and enjoy!

Vaughan-William's "Riders to the Sea"

Vaughan-Williams most successful opera. I have always considered his earlier opera "Hugh the Drover" to be just as excellent! This is an excellent example of an opera that is successful and takes only 45 minutes to perform, much like Bartok's masterpiece!

ENJOY!

Bartok's glorious masterpiece "Duke Bluebeard's Castle"

One of the greatest of all 20th Century operas! This is a masterpiece depsite it's short duration time of just around one hour. Truly glorious music especially after Judith opens the fifth door!

ENJOY!

Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress

Another great 20th Century opera that I really should know! This is marvelous music and eventhough I first discovered it about 25 years ago, I didn't get to deep in to this work. It is a 20th Century "Mozartian" opera with totally accesible music and melodies. Take some time to discover it!

ENJOY!

To the Memory of an Angel

Berg's heart felt memorial to the death of Manon, daughter of Walter Gropius and Alma Maria Mahler(widow of Gustav Mahler). This work was the last composition by Berg and was not premiered until shortly after his death in 1935. This is one of the greatest Violin Concertos of the Twentieth Century.

Listen carefully and enjoy! It "won't hurt your ears"!