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Two New 21st Century Loves
General | Posted 10 years ago
MatthiasRat here!I frequently browse Youtube for classical music; a lot of what I find is not that interesting, but there's a ton of great stuff out there. Pieces I truly fall in love with I'll do what I can to buy them on CD. In the last couple of months I found these new composers, both of whom I think will be regarded as masters of the early 21st century, Lee Actor and Philip Sawyers.
First we have Lee Actor's Violin Concerto:
https://youtu.be/vzoblwzHKBs
The opening movement is deeply serious and full of drama. The basic material is stated from the outset and Actor draws searching melodies and dramatic rigor from every note. The Violin opens with a melody in double-stops and the material assigned perfectly fits the character of the instrument. The second movement is slow and meditative, while the finale is a romp full of color and bravura. Each century has its great Violin Concertos; Lee Actor's opens this century with a statement that belongs in the standard repetoire.
Also on the same CD is his 2nd Symphony and Timpani Concerto. The Timpani Concerto is a light-hearted romp, but the 2nd Symphony is an intense and deeply serious work built entirely upon a dotted-note rhythm that dominates nearly every measure. The Harmonic language is very accessible and shows an attentiveness to color and an openness to letting the melody have the final say. Both are available on Youtube and well worth a listen.
The second composer is Philip Sawyers. His musical language is harder-edged and he uses 12-tone techniques in some of his music without actually employing strict serialism; but he also gives a tonal backbone to his music that provides an excellent and approachable blend fully in keeping with the new Romanticism that I find so appealing in recent music.
On the CD I bought are three pieces. The first, "The Gale of Life" is a breathless explosion of sound guaranteed to make you sit up and take notice. This serves perfectly as a Concerto opener or the first piece after the intermission to prove that the orchestra is ready for more! The second, "Symphonic Music for Strings & Brass" is the only work composed in the 20th century and shows the more tonal side (and written when Sawyers was just 21 years old) as well as highlighting plainchant and evokes an ancient sound-world without falling into a grass-is-greener idealism. The meat and potatoes is the First Symphony. The opening movement is dissonant and very dark, while the second is a beautiful adagio that reveals the tonal side as in the previous piece; the scherzo is a unrelenting tour-de-force (which inspired "The Gale of Life" actually) and it leads directly into the Finale which brings back the darkness of the first movement, transforming it into an affirmation of power and triumph. The applause at the end is well-deserved.
https://youtu.be/GQxd0N1J8WY
I am eager to hear more from both of these fantastic new composers!
Dominus tecum
Widor Organ Symphony #6 - Behold the Power
General | Posted 10 years ago MatthiasRat here!Charles Marie Widor is bet known for his Organ Symphonies (the most frequently played is the finale to his Fifth which is a fiendishly difficult romp that sounds like nothing more than boys at play). But the composition of his that most captures the power and grandeur of the Organ is his Sixth Organ Symphony. The first movement alone will raise any roof; I had the privilege of seeing a live performance of this work and was utterly blown away ; my very bones rattled with its might! So sit back and hold on tight as Widor shows us just what a Grand Organ can do!
https://youtu.be/yxdo6vV1cvM
Dominus vobiscum
Mozart Ave verum Corpus
General | Posted 10 years ago MatthiasRat here!Today I would like to share with you something special to me. Unlike previous suggestions, this one is short (only forty-six measures long), but it is also one of the most sublimely beautiful pieces of music I have ever heard. The high point of my singing career was to sing this piece, Mozart's Ave Verum corpus, in a version for SAB choir. Never have I touched anything else as beautiful or that stirred my soul with such longing and joy.
Written only six months before his unfortunate death, Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus is written for SATB choir, Strings, and Organ. It is a Motet in D Major, though its melodic and harmonic language is very advanced, traversing several different key groups and using all twelve tones of the chromatic scale without once sounding out of place. The hymn, "Ave Verum Corpus", is a meditation on the Catholic belief in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, a refelction of Mozart's deep faith; but you do not need to share it to be swept up by the beauty of this work.
If I had but five minutes left to live, I would spend it in prayer with this piece.
Here is a recording conducted by the great Leonard Bernstein (who would also die only six months after this recording): https://youtu.be/6KUDs8KJc_c
The score for this work is freely available online: http://dme.mozarteum.at/DME/nma/nma_cont.php?vsep=20&gen=edition&l=1&p1=261
Now listen, close your eyes, and be carried into Beauty itself! Thank you, Mozart!
Dominus vobiscum
Henri Dutilleux Symphony No. 1
General | Posted 10 years ago MatthiasRat here! I have some music I want to share with you, my fellow Furry Classical Music Lovers!Henri Dutilleux's Symphony No. 1: http://youtu.be/hhcHRS3NIcI
Henri Dutilleux (1916-2013) was a French composer most of whose works are considered modern masterpieces. His music is predominantly atonal though he did not use the serial technique of Schoenberg to achieve his harmonic language. Probably his two primary influences are Claude Debussy and Igor Stravinsky (shades of which you can hear in his first symphony).
Dutilleux's Symphony No. 1 was written in 1951 and immediately became a masterwork of the twentieth century. It is tautly constructed, brilliantly orchestrated with special attention to tamber and color (a hallmark of the French compositional technique) and designed with an almost symmetrical arch.palindrome structure. It is in four movements.
I. Passacaille (0:00): The first movement begins quietly, with double-bass plucking out the Passacaglia theme (ala Jazz), but grows more intricate with the additional of more instruments. It builds and builds like a wave nearing shore and then settles down into quiet reflection.
II. Scherzo molto vivace (07:07): The second movement follows without a break with a skittering theme that propels the listener forward in a way anyone familiar with movie music would appreciate. The intensity persists for the duration of the movement, rushing oneward to a dramatic fortissimo exclamation point.
III. Intermezzo (13:11): This movement is the central section of the symphony and is the only true slow movement. The melody moves between the orchestral sections, always changing and never once repeating itself. Close your eyes and allow yourself to be carried along.
IV. Finale con variazioni (19:07): The final movement is the mirror to the first two movements. It begins with a dramatic fortissimo series of chords before settling into a rigorous set of varitions which proceed at a pace only slightly less frenetic than the Scherzo. A little over halfway through the violence dissipates into the other-worldly calm evinced by the opening of the first movement. The final string chord settles the music quietly in D flat Major. It has been called the most beautiful conclusion in all modern music.
I fell head-over-paws in love with this piece the first time I heard it. I hope that you will too!
Dominus vobiscum
Emilie Mayer's Symphony No. 7 in F Minor
General | Posted 10 years agoHey gang! I shared the first movement to this on my personal account 
last night, but here is Emilie Mayer's Symphony No. 7 in F Minor in its entirety! Emilie Mayer was a relatively unknown German composer from the Romantic period. Like most female composers, she never really got the recognition she deserved in her time. (It was hard to stand out when Beethoven was all the rage!) Let's change that, shall we?
https://youtu.be/3GaUyM8gr_Q
Have a great weekend fur fans! Enjoy!
- svelto
Vilém Blodek's Symphony in D-minor
General | Posted 10 years agoVilém Blodek's Symphony in D-minor (1859)
I have yet to find a commercial recording of this symphony, but I thought it was worth sharing via YouTube. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
https://youtu.be/eftrUSXY3nM
- svelto
I have yet to find a commercial recording of this symphony, but I thought it was worth sharing via YouTube. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
https://youtu.be/eftrUSXY3nM
-
sveltoBlitzstein Airborne Symphony
General | Posted 10 years agoGreetings fellow Classical Music Furs! I am 
matthiasrat and am honored to be helping svelto bring beautiful music to FA!
Since tomorrow is the seventieth anniversary of D-Day, I thought I would share this piece written about the war: Mark Blitzstein's Airborne Symphony. In twelve connected sections, it begins with the theory of flight, the history and mythology, and the quiet triumph of Kittyhawk before turning to the war itself. Section V which introduces the enemy includes a sarcastic and almost sadistic march to Hitler. Section VII is chilling as it recounts the cities bombed to ruin in the war. Section IX is a hilarious send up to the motto 'Hurry up and Wait'. Section X, the Ballad of the Bombadier, is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard and moves me to tears. The final triumph in Sections XI and XII is piercd at the very end by a cry of warning that we not create the enemy again.
This piece was a favorite of Leonard Bernstein, and in this recording is narrated by the great Orson Welles.
https://youtu.be/_rEGmcQBbFk?list=P.....VEjvqTJ7cf-fI8
Please enjoy my dear fellow Classical Music Furs!
Dominus vobiscum
matthiasrat and am honored to be helping svelto bring beautiful music to FA!Since tomorrow is the seventieth anniversary of D-Day, I thought I would share this piece written about the war: Mark Blitzstein's Airborne Symphony. In twelve connected sections, it begins with the theory of flight, the history and mythology, and the quiet triumph of Kittyhawk before turning to the war itself. Section V which introduces the enemy includes a sarcastic and almost sadistic march to Hitler. Section VII is chilling as it recounts the cities bombed to ruin in the war. Section IX is a hilarious send up to the motto 'Hurry up and Wait'. Section X, the Ballad of the Bombadier, is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard and moves me to tears. The final triumph in Sections XI and XII is piercd at the very end by a cry of warning that we not create the enemy again.
This piece was a favorite of Leonard Bernstein, and in this recording is narrated by the great Orson Welles.
https://youtu.be/_rEGmcQBbFk?list=P.....VEjvqTJ7cf-fI8
Please enjoy my dear fellow Classical Music Furs!
Dominus vobiscum
Phantom Friday - ClassicalFurs
General | Posted 10 years agoDid you enjoy Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, Phantom of the Opera? Then you'll want to hear Phantasia, featuring Andrew Lloyd Webber's brother, Julian (on cello), and world-renowned violinist Sarah Chang. Everyone should have this disc in their collection!
https://youtu.be/P69Z7hmCPDA
The CD (which also includes the wonderful piece, The Woman In White Suite), is available for purchase at the link below. This disc is now out of print and is becoming harder and harder to find!
http://www.amazon.com/Phantasia-Jul...../dp/B0009K2Z2M
Happy Friday fur fans!
- svelto
https://youtu.be/P69Z7hmCPDA
The CD (which also includes the wonderful piece, The Woman In White Suite), is available for purchase at the link below. This disc is now out of print and is becoming harder and harder to find!
http://www.amazon.com/Phantasia-Jul...../dp/B0009K2Z2M
Happy Friday fur fans!
-
sveltoThe transformative power of classical music - TED Talks
General | Posted 10 years ago"Benjamin Zander has two infectious passions: classical music, and helping us all realize our untapped love for it -- and by extension, our untapped love for all new possibilities, new experiences, new connections."
I think a lot of us probably feel as passionate about classical music as Mr. Zander does. If you've got 20 minutes to spare, this is worth the watch!
https://youtu.be/r9LCwI5iErE
Enjoy!
- svelto
I think a lot of us probably feel as passionate about classical music as Mr. Zander does. If you've got 20 minutes to spare, this is worth the watch!
https://youtu.be/r9LCwI5iErE
Enjoy!
-
svelto*SALE* Vaughan Williams - Symphonies 1-9 Decca Collection
General | Posted 10 years agoHey guys!
I'm downsizing some of my classical collection (particularly Decca albums) and wondered if anyone was interested in purchasing a like new copy of Vaughan Williams Symphonies 1-9 box set, with Adrian Boult conducting. These are 24-bit 96kHz remasters of some vintage Vaughan Williams recordings. Going price on Amazon seems to be around $15 for Very Good condition, however, I would be willing to offer the same price on a Like New copy. Shipping will likely be around 4-5 dollars and will go out via UPS. (I will verify that discs are in stated condition before sending out) Most of my albums are immediately transferred to my PC after purchase, and are placed on a shelf where they sit undisturbed. Truly an "adult-owned" environment. Please let me know if you're interested! Thanks!
- svelto
I'm downsizing some of my classical collection (particularly Decca albums) and wondered if anyone was interested in purchasing a like new copy of Vaughan Williams Symphonies 1-9 box set, with Adrian Boult conducting. These are 24-bit 96kHz remasters of some vintage Vaughan Williams recordings. Going price on Amazon seems to be around $15 for Very Good condition, however, I would be willing to offer the same price on a Like New copy. Shipping will likely be around 4-5 dollars and will go out via UPS. (I will verify that discs are in stated condition before sending out) Most of my albums are immediately transferred to my PC after purchase, and are placed on a shelf where they sit undisturbed. Truly an "adult-owned" environment. Please let me know if you're interested! Thanks!
-
sveltoClassicalFurs: Stuck on Hans Rott
General | Posted 11 years agoFor well over a month now, I have had one composition as my go-to piece for both work and play. The composer is Hans Rott and the piece, the Symphony in E Major.
Hans Rott is still a relatively unknown composer today. Born 1858 in Braunhirschengrund, a suburb of Vienna, Austria, Rott came from a family of performers. His mother Maria was an actress and singer, while his father Carl was a famous comedian in Vienna. Rott is best known as the "founder of the New Symphony" according to Gustav Mahler, who was not only a good friend of Rott's but also a classmate/roommate while the two studied at the Conservatory. Rott studied under Anton Bruckner, and graduated with honors from Bruckner's organ class in 1877. Bruckner complimented Rott on his ability to play Bach, as well as his ability to improvise. Quite the compliment considering Bruckner's improvisation abilities!
Rott wrote the first movement of his Symphony in E Major when he was only 19 years old! His ambition and talent, however, failed to impress Johannes Brahms and Hans Richter, the two composers that Rott hoped would perform his symphony. Brahms did not appreciate Bruckner and the influence he had over the Conservatory students, and he even told Rott that he should consider giving up music; that he had no talent whatsoever. (This could not have been more falsely stated!)
Following the harsh criticism from both Brahms and Richter, Rott fell into a deep depression that he was never able to completely shake. In October of 1880, Rott reportedly threatened a fellow train passenger (who happened to be lighting a cigar) with a revolver, claiming that Brahms had filled the train with dynamite. A year later Rott was committed to a mental hospital, and in 1883 he we diagnosed with hallucinatory insanity, persecution mania. Recovery was not expected. He died of tuberculosis a year later, at the young age of 25, with Bruckner and Mahler both attending his funeral at the Zentralfriedhof.
It's really unfortunate that Rott died at such a young age. Many scholars believe that, had Rott composed longer, his work may have even overshadowed Mahler today. While listening to the Symphony in E Major, you may hear certain passages that sound very Mahler-esque. Mahler may have "borrowed" some ideas from Rott, but the consensus seems to be that it was done more in honor of Rott's work, rather than simply Mahler stealing Rott's ideas. After all, had it not been for Mahler's popularity (and friendship with Rott), we would likely never have known that Rott existed to begin with!
I hope that you enjoy the Symphony in E Major as much as I do. I just can't get it out of my head! Or maybe I just have a soft spot for misunderstood composers? Either way, I think you'll enjoy it very much.
Hans Rott's Symphony in E Major
The best recorded version I have come across is CPO's recording of the Symphony in E Major with Dennis Russell Davies conducting. The Hyperion version has slightly better audio quality, however, there are particular passages that are paced too slow IMO. An Amazon link to the CPO version is listed below. Enjoy furfans!!
Buy Hans Rott's Symphony in E Major - CPO
- svelto
Hans Rott is still a relatively unknown composer today. Born 1858 in Braunhirschengrund, a suburb of Vienna, Austria, Rott came from a family of performers. His mother Maria was an actress and singer, while his father Carl was a famous comedian in Vienna. Rott is best known as the "founder of the New Symphony" according to Gustav Mahler, who was not only a good friend of Rott's but also a classmate/roommate while the two studied at the Conservatory. Rott studied under Anton Bruckner, and graduated with honors from Bruckner's organ class in 1877. Bruckner complimented Rott on his ability to play Bach, as well as his ability to improvise. Quite the compliment considering Bruckner's improvisation abilities!
Rott wrote the first movement of his Symphony in E Major when he was only 19 years old! His ambition and talent, however, failed to impress Johannes Brahms and Hans Richter, the two composers that Rott hoped would perform his symphony. Brahms did not appreciate Bruckner and the influence he had over the Conservatory students, and he even told Rott that he should consider giving up music; that he had no talent whatsoever. (This could not have been more falsely stated!)
Following the harsh criticism from both Brahms and Richter, Rott fell into a deep depression that he was never able to completely shake. In October of 1880, Rott reportedly threatened a fellow train passenger (who happened to be lighting a cigar) with a revolver, claiming that Brahms had filled the train with dynamite. A year later Rott was committed to a mental hospital, and in 1883 he we diagnosed with hallucinatory insanity, persecution mania. Recovery was not expected. He died of tuberculosis a year later, at the young age of 25, with Bruckner and Mahler both attending his funeral at the Zentralfriedhof.
It's really unfortunate that Rott died at such a young age. Many scholars believe that, had Rott composed longer, his work may have even overshadowed Mahler today. While listening to the Symphony in E Major, you may hear certain passages that sound very Mahler-esque. Mahler may have "borrowed" some ideas from Rott, but the consensus seems to be that it was done more in honor of Rott's work, rather than simply Mahler stealing Rott's ideas. After all, had it not been for Mahler's popularity (and friendship with Rott), we would likely never have known that Rott existed to begin with!
I hope that you enjoy the Symphony in E Major as much as I do. I just can't get it out of my head! Or maybe I just have a soft spot for misunderstood composers? Either way, I think you'll enjoy it very much.
Hans Rott's Symphony in E Major
The best recorded version I have come across is CPO's recording of the Symphony in E Major with Dennis Russell Davies conducting. The Hyperion version has slightly better audio quality, however, there are particular passages that are paced too slow IMO. An Amazon link to the CPO version is listed below. Enjoy furfans!!
Buy Hans Rott's Symphony in E Major - CPO
-
sveltoHALLOWEEN Music Suggestion *Smetana's Ma Vlast*
General | Posted 11 years agoHappy Halloween classical fur-fans!
I thought I would share a composer and work which is still relatively new to me; Bedřich Smetana, and his most famous work, Má vlast (My Homeland). Má vlast was written as sort of an auditory journey of the history, legends and landscape of Smetana's homeland, Bohemia, now the Czech Republic.
To learn more about Bedřich Smetana Click Here - Wikipedia
Unfortunately, Má vlast was composed at a time when Smetana's health began to seriously decline. He managed to finish the first two movements before leaving Prague, and the last four he composed after his move to Jabkenice. Má vlast was performed for the first time on the 5th of November, 1882, roughly 6-7 years after he first began composing it. Smetana passed away just two years later at the Kateřinky Lunatic Asylum in Prague. His mind had all but completely deteriorated, and he was "periodically violent". The hospital's registered cause of death was listed as senile dementia, however, an autopsy report concluded that syphilis was likely the true cause. It makes one wonder whether the changes in his brain were responsible for what ultimately became his most famous composition. Madness and genius always seem to go hand in hand!
Usually I post a Grooveshark link to the reviewed works, but there are a number of different performances of Má vlast on Grooveshark which all sound a little different, so I'll let you all judge which one is best!
http://grooveshark.com/#!/search?q=smetana+ma+vlast
The piece I used for reference doesn't seem to be available for streaming, but is available HERE
A "budget version" by Naxos, which also sounds quite nice, is available HERE
Have a safe and happy Halloween weekend, gang!
- svelto
I thought I would share a composer and work which is still relatively new to me; Bedřich Smetana, and his most famous work, Má vlast (My Homeland). Má vlast was written as sort of an auditory journey of the history, legends and landscape of Smetana's homeland, Bohemia, now the Czech Republic.
To learn more about Bedřich Smetana Click Here - Wikipedia
Unfortunately, Má vlast was composed at a time when Smetana's health began to seriously decline. He managed to finish the first two movements before leaving Prague, and the last four he composed after his move to Jabkenice. Má vlast was performed for the first time on the 5th of November, 1882, roughly 6-7 years after he first began composing it. Smetana passed away just two years later at the Kateřinky Lunatic Asylum in Prague. His mind had all but completely deteriorated, and he was "periodically violent". The hospital's registered cause of death was listed as senile dementia, however, an autopsy report concluded that syphilis was likely the true cause. It makes one wonder whether the changes in his brain were responsible for what ultimately became his most famous composition. Madness and genius always seem to go hand in hand!
Usually I post a Grooveshark link to the reviewed works, but there are a number of different performances of Má vlast on Grooveshark which all sound a little different, so I'll let you all judge which one is best!
http://grooveshark.com/#!/search?q=smetana+ma+vlast
The piece I used for reference doesn't seem to be available for streaming, but is available HERE
A "budget version" by Naxos, which also sounds quite nice, is available HERE
Have a safe and happy Halloween weekend, gang!
-
sveltoWhat's happening classical fur fans? 10/29 BREAK OF REALITY!
General | Posted 11 years agoHave any of you seen any interesting classical concerts lately? Do you have a performance on the horizon that you're gearing up for?
This past weekend I had the pleasure of meeting Break of Reality, a cello-rock group based out of NY. What a talented group! The band consists of 3 cello players (each of them sporting a $7,000+ Luis and Clark CARBON FIBER cello!) and a drummer who switched back and forth between a full drum set and a djembe. They played a little bit of everything, from Mozart to Tool. Definitely not your average cello group!
Here are a few songs from their new album, TEN:
Helix
Star
If you like what you heard, please consider supporting them, as they are not only a unique classical group but also educators who donate their time and money to teaching kids how to play the cello! (They spent an entire workweek in my area before I attended their "public" show)
Break of Reality's Bandcamp
This past weekend I had the pleasure of meeting Break of Reality, a cello-rock group based out of NY. What a talented group! The band consists of 3 cello players (each of them sporting a $7,000+ Luis and Clark CARBON FIBER cello!) and a drummer who switched back and forth between a full drum set and a djembe. They played a little bit of everything, from Mozart to Tool. Definitely not your average cello group!
Here are a few songs from their new album, TEN:
Helix
Star
If you like what you heard, please consider supporting them, as they are not only a unique classical group but also educators who donate their time and money to teaching kids how to play the cello! (They spent an entire workweek in my area before I attended their "public" show)
Break of Reality's Bandcamp
9/26 California Guitar Trio's MASTERWORKS!
General | Posted 11 years agoHello classical fur fans!
Lately I've been on a bit of an acoustic-kick, and thought I would share an artist I've gained some major appreciation for!
Has anyone heard of the California Guitar Trio? They are a 3 man group; Paul Richards of Salt Lake City, Utah, Bert Lams of Affligem, Belgium, and Hideyo Moriya of Tokyo, Japan. The three men trained with Robert Fripp (King Crimson), and learned to play in the New Standard Tuning (also known as C Pentatonic Tuning), which is typically a tuning reserved for mandolins, cellos, violins and violas. The CG3 have released 16 albums of numerous genres, with some of my favorite being their classical and Christmas albums.
Recently I came across their album entitled Masterworks. If you're a fan of classical guitar, I think you'll enjoy the heck out of this album! Not only are the pieces perfectly executed, but the sound quality of the album is extremely impressive and really sounds fantastic on a good set of headphones. My personal favorite is their rendition of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. Enjoy!
1. Passacaglia
2. Adagio Sostenuto, Moonlight Sonata
3. Presto Agitato, Moonlight Sonata
4. Adagio Opus 11
5. Prelude Circulation
6. William Tell Overture
7. Allegro Con Brio, Symphony No. 5
8. Winter, Four Seasons, Allegro
9. Toccata and Fugue In D Minor
10. Fratres
11. Ave Maria
Click Here to Stream - California Guitar Trio's Masterworks
Hope everyone has a safe and happy weekend!
-Svelto
Lately I've been on a bit of an acoustic-kick, and thought I would share an artist I've gained some major appreciation for!
Has anyone heard of the California Guitar Trio? They are a 3 man group; Paul Richards of Salt Lake City, Utah, Bert Lams of Affligem, Belgium, and Hideyo Moriya of Tokyo, Japan. The three men trained with Robert Fripp (King Crimson), and learned to play in the New Standard Tuning (also known as C Pentatonic Tuning), which is typically a tuning reserved for mandolins, cellos, violins and violas. The CG3 have released 16 albums of numerous genres, with some of my favorite being their classical and Christmas albums.
Recently I came across their album entitled Masterworks. If you're a fan of classical guitar, I think you'll enjoy the heck out of this album! Not only are the pieces perfectly executed, but the sound quality of the album is extremely impressive and really sounds fantastic on a good set of headphones. My personal favorite is their rendition of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. Enjoy!
1. Passacaglia
2. Adagio Sostenuto, Moonlight Sonata
3. Presto Agitato, Moonlight Sonata
4. Adagio Opus 11
5. Prelude Circulation
6. William Tell Overture
7. Allegro Con Brio, Symphony No. 5
8. Winter, Four Seasons, Allegro
9. Toccata and Fugue In D Minor
10. Fratres
11. Ave Maria
Click Here to Stream - California Guitar Trio's Masterworks
Hope everyone has a safe and happy weekend!
-Svelto
I know, I've been slacking... What are you listening to??
General | Posted 11 years agoI've been seriously slacking on the Friday Music Suggestions the last couple weeks, mostly because I changed positions at work and have had next to no free time! What's everyone listening to today??
-Svelto
-Svelto
Friday Music Suggestion! SKYRIM SOUNDTRACK 7/25/14
General | Posted 11 years agoHappy Friday, classical fur-fans!
Due to my recent addiction to the game, Skyrim, I've decided to recommend the game soundtrack for today's Friday Music Suggestion! Even if you've never heard of Skyrim before, I think you'll appreciate the mood that this soundtrack creates. It makes you want to get out there and conquer the world!!!
Check it out HERE! - *Condensed Version*
Or HERE! - *FULL 3.5 hour version, for work? :)*
I'd also like to give a shout out to a few composers who have shared some of their recent work with me.
, , 
& 
You'll find a few of their works under the classicalfurs favorites, but be sure to check out their profiles for further enjoyment!
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Viva la Classical!
- svelto
Due to my recent addiction to the game, Skyrim, I've decided to recommend the game soundtrack for today's Friday Music Suggestion! Even if you've never heard of Skyrim before, I think you'll appreciate the mood that this soundtrack creates. It makes you want to get out there and conquer the world!!!
Check it out HERE! - *Condensed Version*
Or HERE! - *FULL 3.5 hour version, for work? :)*
I'd also like to give a shout out to a few composers who have shared some of their recent work with me.
, , 
& 
You'll find a few of their works under the classicalfurs favorites, but be sure to check out their profiles for further enjoyment!
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Viva la Classical!
-
sveltoPost AC wrap up and Friday Music suggestion! 7/11/14
General | Posted 11 years agoFirst of all, a big THANK YOU to all who stopped by 
's dealer's table to say hello to me at AC! I hope to see your faces again at future conventions! We will almost certainly be at MFF (unless it happens to coincide with another mini winter vacation in Florida!) so I hope to see some new and familiar faces there as well! There would be no classicalfurs group without the encouragement and support that I've received over these past few weeks, so really, thank you for the support, fans!
For today's music suggestion, I've picked the Symphony in C major, Op.13/16 No. 5, by Carl Stamitz
The eldest son of Johann Stamitz, Carl Stamitz (1745-1801) was a violinist and composer of the pre-classical era. He was born in Mannheim, Germany and in addition to his father's training, he also worked very closely with Christian Cannabich who succeeded Johann Stamitz's position as leader of the Mannheim orchestra.
From Wikipedia:
"By the time he was seventeen, Stamitz was employed as a violinist in the court orchestra. In 1770, he resigned from his post and began travelling. As a travelling virtuoso on the violin, the viola and viola d'amore, Stamitz often accepted short-term engagements, but never managed to gain a permanent position with one of the European princes or in one of the orchestras of his time.
In 1770 he went to Paris, where he went into service with Louis, Duke of Noailles, who made him his court composer. He also appeared in the Concerts Spirituels, sometimes together with his brother Anton, who had probably come to Paris with him. With Paris as his base, he made frequent concert tours to a number of German cities: on 12 April 1773 he appeared in Frankfurt am Main; a year later he was in Augsburg; and in 1775 he ventured as far as the Russian capital, Saint Petersburg. In 1777 he dwelt for a time in Strasbourg where Franz Xaver Richter was music director. During the years 1777 and 1778 he was successful in London, one of many Austro-German musicians, such as Carl Friedrich Abel, J. C. Bach and in his last years Joseph Haydn, to be drawn there. His stay in London was possibly facilitated through his contact with Thomas Erskine, Earl of Kellie (1753–1781), who had received lessons from Carl’s father Johann during a tour of the continent. Between 1782 and 1783, Stamitz gave concerts in The Hague and in Amsterdam. In 1785 he returned to Germany to appear in concerts in Hamburg, Lübeck, Braunschweig, Magdeburg and Leipzig. In April 1786 he made his way to Berlin, where on 19 May 1786 he participated in the performance of Handel's Messiah, under the baton of Johann Adam Hiller.
Stamitz gradually descended into poverty. After his death in November 1801, a substantial number of tracts on alchemy were found in his library. Because of this it is thought that he dabbled in attempts of gold-making."
Stylistically, Stamitz's music is not too far removed from the works of the young Mozart, or those of Haydn's middle period. Stamitz's works are characterized by regular periods and appealing melodies, with the voices quite often led in thirds, sixths and tenths. The writing for the solo instruments is idiomatic and virtuosic, but not excessively so.
The opening movements of Stamitz's concertos and orchestral works are regularly constructed in sonata form, with an extensive double exposition. Their structure is additive in nature and does not exhibit the thematic development that is considered typical of the Viennese classical style. The middle movements are expressive and lyrical, sometimes called 'Romance' and usually constructed according to the Liedform (ABA, ABA' or AA'B). The final movement is often (and in the concertos almost always) a French-style rondo.
I. Grave-Allegro assai
II. Andante grazioso
III. Allegro
Unfortunately, the Symphony in C major seems to be somewhat obscure on the internet, so the links above are actual download links to MP3s of the individual movements.
If you like what you're hearing, you can buy the CD that includes this symphony HERE
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Viva la Classical!
svelto
's dealer's table to say hello to me at AC! I hope to see your faces again at future conventions! We will almost certainly be at MFF (unless it happens to coincide with another mini winter vacation in Florida!) so I hope to see some new and familiar faces there as well! There would be no classicalfurs group without the encouragement and support that I've received over these past few weeks, so really, thank you for the support, fans!For today's music suggestion, I've picked the Symphony in C major, Op.13/16 No. 5, by Carl Stamitz
The eldest son of Johann Stamitz, Carl Stamitz (1745-1801) was a violinist and composer of the pre-classical era. He was born in Mannheim, Germany and in addition to his father's training, he also worked very closely with Christian Cannabich who succeeded Johann Stamitz's position as leader of the Mannheim orchestra.
From Wikipedia:
"By the time he was seventeen, Stamitz was employed as a violinist in the court orchestra. In 1770, he resigned from his post and began travelling. As a travelling virtuoso on the violin, the viola and viola d'amore, Stamitz often accepted short-term engagements, but never managed to gain a permanent position with one of the European princes or in one of the orchestras of his time.
In 1770 he went to Paris, where he went into service with Louis, Duke of Noailles, who made him his court composer. He also appeared in the Concerts Spirituels, sometimes together with his brother Anton, who had probably come to Paris with him. With Paris as his base, he made frequent concert tours to a number of German cities: on 12 April 1773 he appeared in Frankfurt am Main; a year later he was in Augsburg; and in 1775 he ventured as far as the Russian capital, Saint Petersburg. In 1777 he dwelt for a time in Strasbourg where Franz Xaver Richter was music director. During the years 1777 and 1778 he was successful in London, one of many Austro-German musicians, such as Carl Friedrich Abel, J. C. Bach and in his last years Joseph Haydn, to be drawn there. His stay in London was possibly facilitated through his contact with Thomas Erskine, Earl of Kellie (1753–1781), who had received lessons from Carl’s father Johann during a tour of the continent. Between 1782 and 1783, Stamitz gave concerts in The Hague and in Amsterdam. In 1785 he returned to Germany to appear in concerts in Hamburg, Lübeck, Braunschweig, Magdeburg and Leipzig. In April 1786 he made his way to Berlin, where on 19 May 1786 he participated in the performance of Handel's Messiah, under the baton of Johann Adam Hiller.
Stamitz gradually descended into poverty. After his death in November 1801, a substantial number of tracts on alchemy were found in his library. Because of this it is thought that he dabbled in attempts of gold-making."
Stylistically, Stamitz's music is not too far removed from the works of the young Mozart, or those of Haydn's middle period. Stamitz's works are characterized by regular periods and appealing melodies, with the voices quite often led in thirds, sixths and tenths. The writing for the solo instruments is idiomatic and virtuosic, but not excessively so.
The opening movements of Stamitz's concertos and orchestral works are regularly constructed in sonata form, with an extensive double exposition. Their structure is additive in nature and does not exhibit the thematic development that is considered typical of the Viennese classical style. The middle movements are expressive and lyrical, sometimes called 'Romance' and usually constructed according to the Liedform (ABA, ABA' or AA'B). The final movement is often (and in the concertos almost always) a French-style rondo.
I. Grave-Allegro assai
II. Andante grazioso
III. Allegro
Unfortunately, the Symphony in C major seems to be somewhat obscure on the internet, so the links above are actual download links to MP3s of the individual movements.
If you like what you're hearing, you can buy the CD that includes this symphony HERE
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Viva la Classical!
sveltoclassicalfurs (Svelto) is at AC!
General | Posted 11 years agoHappy 4th of July classical fur-fans!
Yesterday and I arrived in Pittsburgh for Anthrocon! She has a table in the dealer's den across from Sofawolf Press, and I am her assistant for the weekend, so I'll be around if you'd like to say hi!
Hope you all have a safe and happy holiday!
-
Yesterday
and I arrived in Pittsburgh for Anthrocon! She has a table in the dealer's den across from Sofawolf Press, and I am her assistant for the weekend, so I'll be around if you'd like to say hi! Hope you all have a safe and happy holiday!
-
LATE Friday Music Suggestions 6/27/14
General | Posted 11 years agoWhew! It's been one heck of a week! I could really use a little Britten to start the weekend!
Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, Op. 10
Written by Benjamin Britten in 1937, Variations is dedicated to Frank Bridge, Britten's music teacher.
Introduction and Theme
Variation 1: Adagio
Variation 2: March
Variation 3: Romance
Variation 4: Aria Italiana
Variation 5: Bourrée classique
Variation 6: Wiener Waltzer
Variation 7: Moto perpetuo
Variation 8: Funeral March
Variation 9: Chant
Variation 10: Fugue and Finale
Each of the ten variations is a musical representation of specific qualities in Bridge's personality, but "reflected through the prism of Britten's own personality."
From Wikipedia:
"The Adagio represented Bridge's integrity; the March was his energy; the Romance his charm; the Aria Italiana his humour; the Bourrée his tradition; the Wiener Walzer his enthusiasm; the Moto perpetuo his vitality; the Funeral March his sympathy; the Chant was his reverence; the Fugue was his skill (it contains a number of references to other works by Bridge; and their mutual affection appears in the Finale."
My favorite of the variations is the Funeral March. It sounds as though it came straight out of a horror film!
-Svelto
Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, Op. 10
Written by Benjamin Britten in 1937, Variations is dedicated to Frank Bridge, Britten's music teacher.
Introduction and Theme
Variation 1: Adagio
Variation 2: March
Variation 3: Romance
Variation 4: Aria Italiana
Variation 5: Bourrée classique
Variation 6: Wiener Waltzer
Variation 7: Moto perpetuo
Variation 8: Funeral March
Variation 9: Chant
Variation 10: Fugue and Finale
Each of the ten variations is a musical representation of specific qualities in Bridge's personality, but "reflected through the prism of Britten's own personality."
From Wikipedia:
"The Adagio represented Bridge's integrity; the March was his energy; the Romance his charm; the Aria Italiana his humour; the Bourrée his tradition; the Wiener Walzer his enthusiasm; the Moto perpetuo his vitality; the Funeral March his sympathy; the Chant was his reverence; the Fugue was his skill (it contains a number of references to other works by Bridge; and their mutual affection appears in the Finale."
My favorite of the variations is the Funeral March. It sounds as though it came straight out of a horror film!
-Svelto
Crowd-surfing a classical concert?! FRIDAY SUGGESTIONS! 6/20
General | Posted 11 years agoA little classical humor for your Friday!
A leading scientist was ejected by fellow audience members during a performance of Handel’s Messiah after he took the director’s invitation to “clap and whoop” to the music a step too far by attempting to crowd-surf.
Check out the story HERE!
Well, at least they can't say he wasn't passionate about the music!
For today's music suggestion, I have chosen Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 3 "The Bells of Zlonice", the first movement, in particular, Maestoso - Allegro
Dvořák was a Czech composer who lived from 1841-1904, and incorporated the folk music of Moravia into much of his work. The Bells of Zlonice was composed in 1865, when Dvořák was just 24 years old! Dvořák never got a chance to hear Symphony No. 1 performed, nor did he have a chance to revise it, as it was lost shortly after its composition. It finally resurfaced in 1923, nearly 20 years after his death. From Wikipedia:
"Dvořák submitted the score for a competition in Germany, but never saw it again, and always believed it was destroyed or irretrievably lost. He later included the work in a list of early compositions he claimed to have destroyed. However, in 1882, an unrelated person named Dr. Rudolf Dvořák, a 22-year old Oriental scholar, came across the score in a second-hand bookshop in Leipzig, and bought it. At that time the composer Dvořák was not widely known; although he had written six symphonies, only one of them (No. 6) had been published and only three of them (Nos. 3, 5 and 6) had been performed. Rudolf Dvořák kept the score in his possession, telling nobody about it, not even the composer. He died 38 years later, in 1920, when it passed to his son. The son brought it to the attention of the musical world in 1923. Its authenticity was proven beyond doubt, but it did not receive its first performance until 4 October 1936 in Brno, and even then, in a somewhat edited form. Following the work's premiere, Hans Holländer wrote a review of the work. He noted that although the writing was at times awkward, the orchestration was not. He noted that it seemed to be similar in style to Beethoven and Smetana. It was not published until 1961, and was the last of Dvořák's symphonies to be either performed or published."
I find it interesting that the first symphony ever composed by Dvořák was also the last to be performed. Perhaps the best was saved for last?
Click HERE for Symphony No. 1, The Bells of Zlonice, Movements I-IV
AS ALWAYS - FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR FAVORITES BELOW IN THE COMMENTS!
-Svelto
A leading scientist was ejected by fellow audience members during a performance of Handel’s Messiah after he took the director’s invitation to “clap and whoop” to the music a step too far by attempting to crowd-surf.
Check out the story HERE!
Well, at least they can't say he wasn't passionate about the music!
For today's music suggestion, I have chosen Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 3 "The Bells of Zlonice", the first movement, in particular, Maestoso - Allegro
Dvořák was a Czech composer who lived from 1841-1904, and incorporated the folk music of Moravia into much of his work. The Bells of Zlonice was composed in 1865, when Dvořák was just 24 years old! Dvořák never got a chance to hear Symphony No. 1 performed, nor did he have a chance to revise it, as it was lost shortly after its composition. It finally resurfaced in 1923, nearly 20 years after his death. From Wikipedia:
"Dvořák submitted the score for a competition in Germany, but never saw it again, and always believed it was destroyed or irretrievably lost. He later included the work in a list of early compositions he claimed to have destroyed. However, in 1882, an unrelated person named Dr. Rudolf Dvořák, a 22-year old Oriental scholar, came across the score in a second-hand bookshop in Leipzig, and bought it. At that time the composer Dvořák was not widely known; although he had written six symphonies, only one of them (No. 6) had been published and only three of them (Nos. 3, 5 and 6) had been performed. Rudolf Dvořák kept the score in his possession, telling nobody about it, not even the composer. He died 38 years later, in 1920, when it passed to his son. The son brought it to the attention of the musical world in 1923. Its authenticity was proven beyond doubt, but it did not receive its first performance until 4 October 1936 in Brno, and even then, in a somewhat edited form. Following the work's premiere, Hans Holländer wrote a review of the work. He noted that although the writing was at times awkward, the orchestration was not. He noted that it seemed to be similar in style to Beethoven and Smetana. It was not published until 1961, and was the last of Dvořák's symphonies to be either performed or published."
I find it interesting that the first symphony ever composed by Dvořák was also the last to be performed. Perhaps the best was saved for last?
Click HERE for Symphony No. 1, The Bells of Zlonice, Movements I-IV
AS ALWAYS - FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR FAVORITES BELOW IN THE COMMENTS!
-Svelto
Calling all classical composers!
General | Posted 11 years agoHave you composed something that you would like to share with the group?? Remember, classical doesn't just mean music from the classical-era. All types of classical music are welcome here! If you would like to share your work, please post a link in the comments section! I'm excited to hear more original material from the folks here on FA!!! :-D
-Svelto
-Svelto
Friday Music Suggestions! 6/13/14
General | Posted 11 years agoHey gang! Thanks to all the new watchers, as this group would simply not exist without your passion for classical music! I thought I would use this opportunity to make Fridays a "music suggestion" day, where I post a link and a little blurb about one of my favorite classical works. In addition, I'd love to hear your comments about pieces that sound similar!! As always, you can post your favorite suggestions to the front page with a shout! (This is a great way to spotlight multiple styles of classical music for those who may be new to the fandom!) With all that being said, I'll go ahead and talk about one of my favorite pieces!
How many of you are familiar with Joseph Jongen?
Jongen was a Belgian composer, accomplished organist, and a music teacher! He lived from 1873-1953 and during his lifetime he composed 241 opuses! (Although he was said to have destroyed a number of these works) One of his most impressive works is the Symphonie Concertante which he composed in 1926 for Rodman Wanamaker, of the Wanamaker organ company. The Wanamaker organ is the largest operational pipe organ in the world, and Jongen composed the Symphonie Concertante for the organ's debut performance in Philadelphia, at the Wanamaker department store. Unfortunately, Rodman Wanamaker died in 1928 before Jongen had a chance to perform his symphony for the first time, and the piece was shelved for years. In 2008, the Symphonie Concertante was finally performed for the first time with the Wanamaker organ and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
The first movement is by far my favorite of the four. I hope you all enjoy this piece as much as I do!
Click Here for the Symphonie Concertante - I. Allegro, Molto Moderato
Quick video of the Wanamaker Organ in action!
Joseph Jongen WIKI
Jongen's Symphonie Concertante and Franck's Fantasie in A; Pastorale on AMAZON
-Svelto
FREE MUSIC for Amazon Prime members!!
General | Posted 11 years agoAmazon just released their own version of "Spotify" for Prime members! (well, sort of)
Upon searching this morning, I was able to quickly find a few classical albums worth checking out!
- 2Cellos (Sulic & Hauser) *if you're on the fence regarding classical music, be sure to check this out!*
- Ludovico Einaudi - I Giorni and Una Mattina
- Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers and The Return of the King
- Handel: Water Music & Music for the Royal Fireworks
- Antonio Vivaldi: La Viola Da Gamba In Concerto *OUTSTANDING sound quality!*
- Bernstein Century - Copland: Appalachian Spring; Rodeo; Billy the Kid; Fanfare for the Common Man
*If you're not familiar with Copland, this is a good place to start!*
There are many selections now available for FREE on Amazon Prime Music (not just classical music!) and I'm a little more apt to pick Baroque selections, (somewhat of a phase I seem to be going through) but I hope this short list is at least helpful for those who are new to the genre.
Did I miss something really good?? Feel free to share it below in the comments! :)
Viva la Classical!
-Svelto
Classical Furs has been salvaged!
General | Posted 11 years agoHello classical music fur-fans!
My name is Svelto, and I've salvaged this account in hopes of connecting with other furs who share my interest and passion for classical music! My plan is to post reviews of some of my favorite works, as well as encouraging others to share their favorites as well! At the moment this page is under construction, but please check back often for updates!
Viva la Classical!
-Svelto
My name is Svelto, and I've salvaged this account in hopes of connecting with other furs who share my interest and passion for classical music! My plan is to post reviews of some of my favorite works, as well as encouraging others to share their favorites as well! At the moment this page is under construction, but please check back often for updates!
Viva la Classical!
-Svelto
