Variations on the Last Rose of Summer

Variations on the Last Rose of Summer by Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst is potentially one of the hardest pieces of music for solo violin out there- reserved for only elite professional violinists. Ernst took a simple melody and wrote several variations that showcase virtuosic violin playing, but also keeps the idea of the piece.

Midori Goto, violin prodigy performed this piece of music at Carnegie Hall when she was only 19 years old. For me, this performance is not only a great showcase of virtuosic violin playing but also a really nice interpretation. My favorite variation is the one where the melody is played as left hand pizzicato while arpeggios are softly bowed. Here the violin is the accompaniment and melody at the same. I am always in awe of the coordination it must take to do this and the sound that Midori manages to produce.

So- Here is Midori Goto's Variations of the Last Rose of Summer by Heinrich Ernst. Please let me know your thoughts, opinions- and of course- your favorite interpretation of the melody! :)

Capriccio Italien

One would expect that someone's musings over the folk tunes of the Italian countryside to be light-hearted and jovial. However, Capriccio Italien was written by Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky, and therefore, we can assume otherwise. Don't be mislead by me though; this piece certainly is lighthearted and jovial, however, only half of it is. In no way do I mean to mock Tchaikovsky's music either, for I am certainly a big fan of his music. Sometimes I wonder why some of his music expresses such extremes- of loneliness and hurt, and othertimes triumph and wonder. But through those extremes, I always feel like there is a sublime force pulsing through his music.

The beginning of this piece starts of with trumpet call, supposedly the Italian post's military bugle call. The strings then lead a somber melody, the woodwinds take over with the strings playing underneath and then the trumpet cuts through with the military call again. The winds finish this somber melody and the music slows down until it stops. Out of the silence, the oboes lead a folk tune. The strings then embellish this tune with ascending scales until the music changes themes into a full-out dance.

In case we had forgotten the melancholy theme from before, Tchaikovsky brings it back after such a jolly theme. Then, we get a sort of mix of the dance theme and the somber theme in a sort of tarantella. This tarantella is then turned into a new theme accompanied by heavy percussion and ends with a loud, brilliant flourish.

Here is Part One
Part Two

The Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra led by Antal Dorati

Bach Partita No 3 E Major (Preludio)

So I have some more violin music for you tonight! I don't believe I have posted any Bach at all, and so I need to change that.

Have you ever been around a person or event that has such "good vibrations" (to quote the Beach Boys) that you can't help but catch onto them and become absorbed in that energy? That's how this prelude makes me feel mostly. There is no doubt of the boundless energy that this music possesses; the perpetual sixteenth notes and joyful energy push it forward without a single glance back to past events.

However, the part I really enjoy about this piece of music is that it does not only embody sheer happiness, but also finesse and refinement. Like a person who is undiscriminating to whom they share their jollity with but is also elegant and mentally aware in social and academic standings.

Nathan Milstein was an accomplished violinist of the twentieth century and learned all of the Bach 6 sonatas and partitas for violin solo when he was still in his teens. Milstein was most known for his performances and interpretations of these works. So please indulge with me in this beautifully refined, yet vivacious interpretation of Bach's preludio in E Major.


Partita No. 3 in E
I. Preludio

Bruch Concerto 3rd Movement

Hello there everyone!

After quite a break from the blog, I am back. I guess it's been about three weeks from the last time I posted since I have been moving and settling into college (exciting, exciting!)

Well, I wanted to post a piece of music that would celebrate a "new chapter of life" (yes, very cliche expression... sorry) I first thought that perhaps an overture would be fitting, since it is the beginning of an opera and therefore would make metaphorical sense as the beginning of a journey. I did have a couple overtures in mind: The Marriage of Figaro and Overture from The Royal Fireworks. However, I instead changed my mind, as I often do. :P

This performance is probably my most favorite musical performance right now, and while I'm not sure if I would call this concerto my favorite composition, I still love it a lot. Kyung Wha Chung made quite a name for herself when she first debuted with the Tchaikovsky Concerto when Itzhak Perlman canceled a performance and she took his place as the soloist. She was only eighteen at the time, and this performance is from shortly after, during her time spent touring and performing with the London Symphony Orchestra.

What I love about this performance is that Ms. Chung really works the orchestra, with the help of Maestro Previn. The communication between the soloist and the orchestra is phenomenal. One certain strength Chung is known for is her dynamic range and her ability to convey emotion through her playing; the energy put into this performance really makes it stand out against others.

So here is Kyung Wha Chung playing the Bruch Violin Concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andre Previn
III. Allegro Energico

Enjoy!

The Maple Leaf Rag

As a classical violinist, I think I'd have to say that my guilty pleasure is ragtime music. I really do like ragtime, and I'm well aware that many people find it annoying and say that it all sounds the same, but I like it anyway :)

I picked the Maple Leaf Rag to talk about tonight, it's pretty much the staple of ragtime music, and you've probably heard it before, probably several times before. I know the ice cream truck that comes around my neighborhood plays it! What I like about this piece though, is that it isn't trying to be anything, it's just a simple tune in the usual ragtime form. There is no heavy statement or meaning attached to it, it's just a rag- good to dance to, if you like or chat over.

The Maple Leaf Rag was composed by Scott Joplin, the most well known composer of ragtime music.
Here is Scott Joplin himself playing on an old pianola roll!
But I also wanted to find another, more modern recording...
So here is one! Unfortunately this person did not leave their name, so I cannot credit them properly, but I like the tempo of this recording a lot!
Hope that's enough syncopation for you tonight, folks!

Finlandia

In 1899, a Finnish composer, Jean Sibelius wrote Finlandia: A Tonal Poem for Orchestra as a salute to his country. The first few minutes of this music is turbulent and disruptive representing the country's struggle for peace. Eventually, the music becomes peaceful and joyous with just as much energy as the beginning of the music. This composition was later reworked into a hymn and had lyrics written for it, and is now one of the most important patriotic songs to Finland.

Although Sibelius was a composer of the modern era, he preferred to compose his music in the older romantic style. I generally just love music of the romantic era, but I think that this style also fits well as a patriotic song.

Because I like both recordings:

Here is a very energetic and bright recording of the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra led by Lim Kek-tjiang.

This recording of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra led by Sakari Oramo starts of a little darker, but has an equally fantastic finish.

Mozart Piano Sonata No. 11, Movement 3

So, if we've established that the first movement was like morning, and the second movement was afternoon- this movement seems like an evening out to me. The first time I heard this a couple weeks ago, I instantly imagined a dance at a dinner party. It's not often that images so clear like this one was come into my mind while listening to music, but it's exciting when they do.

I love the way Mitsuko Uchida interprets this movement, the sort of light, tip-toeing theme smoothly transitions into a grand, happy statement but it still is quite a contrast. My favorite part of this movement, however, is the ending. I love the bubbly happiness that is prevalent in the first movement that mixes with one of the themes from the last movement, and just like the first movement, the sonata ends with a clean, understated cadence. I suppose this is Mozart's way of letting us know that this music is just to be taken lightly. :)
III. Rondo alla Turca

Mozart Piano Sonata No. 11, Movement 2

If we think of the first movement of this piano sonata as a quiet, thoughtful and reflective morning kept to oneself, then this second movement is sort of like the day/afternoon. The happy theme that the movement begins with seems to illustrate the normal, happy interactions with others in everyday life. This theme (don't laugh :P) reminds me of playing pokemon on a gameboy when you are walking around a town and the chipper music is playing in the background.
However, not everyday can be completely pleasant. When you walk through the grassy sections in a pokemon game, you can be called into a battle by a wild pokemon, and the music changes to the battle music. The chipper happy beginning theme of this movement sometimes takes a turn into A minor, perhaps representing a little drama or problem amongst everyday life- but, like a pokemon battle, it isn't major drama and is quickly resolved.

So there you have it- Pokemon: Inspired by Mozart!
Well, just kidding about that.... but you never know...
Again, Mitsuko Uchida with movement 2: Menuetto

Mozart Piano Sonata No. 11, Movement 1

The introspective, yet mainly optimistic feel to this piano sonata is a real treat to listen to. This first movement is played as a theme with six variations that follow it. The main theme which everything is based off of is simple, quiet and reflective.

The first variation is a more bubbly and bright version of the theme and leaves the listener satisfied. The second variation is still more bubbly that the original theme with perpetual sixteenth notes, but keeps the same introspective quality of the beginning. The third variation takes a turn into A minor and is a little darker, but is kept moving by perpetual sixteenth notes again. The fourth variation is similar to the first variation in the fact that is also bubbly, but the fourth variation also sounds very springy. The fifth movement is also optimistic, but also is usually played a bit slower and has the same reflective element from the original theme and sounds more lyrical than the other variations. Now, if we were to combine the reflective quality of the original theme, the bubbly feeling of the first variation and the springiness of the fourth variation- plus a little extra pizazz, I think we end up with the sixth variation which finishes this movement with a simple cadence.

A friend of mine once said that Mozart's music is: simple plus elegant with a touch of fun. I think that this piece of music embodies that description exactly.

Here is Mitsuko Uchida's interpretation of this sonata:
I. Allegretto Grazioso Part 1
I. Allegretto Grazioso Part 2
Please stay tuned for the second and third movements (:

Overture to "Candide"

This first time I heard this piece of music, I wasn't completely taken by it. The first time I played it, I absolutely loved it. Maybe it was something about being there in the middle of the music and being able to feel the energy in the hall. This piece is high-energy, but I think that with this piece of music specifically (although some people will argue every piece of music) experiencing it live in a concert hall gives you the full effect.

You may be acquainted with the satirical novel "Candide" or sometimes known as "Optimism" by Voltaire, from which this music is modeled after. Like the literature, Leonard Bernstein's composition is full of musical "jokes" and lots of little themes seem to spring up randomly throughout the piece, as if someone had been talking and then been distracted. The percussion lays down lots of big bangs and crashes, but they are always offset by a cheerful melody in the strings or woodwinds. This music is certainly optimistic and sometimes romantic, just like Voltaire's character, Candide.

Here is the Overture to Candide with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by the composer himself, Leonard Bernstein.

A Night on Bald Mountain

This piece of music reminds me of a graveyard. Does that sound weird? Well if you have ever seen the original Fantasia movie, perhaps it doesn't. The animation shows lots of spirits flying around during the night. This piece of music has two very distinct parts to it. The first part sounds somewhat scary and is a sort of fast dance. The second part sounds like a reverie and begins with bells. The flute and clarinet melodies accompanied by a harp in this section are just absolutely gorgeous.

In the Fantasia animation, when the bells chime, the spirits go back from where they came from so they are gone before dawn. I suppose it's like Halloween in a way- the spirits come out at night, but disappear before a certain time the next day.

I have played this piece before with one of the youth orchestras I took part in. Leonard Slatkin of the DSO came in to conduct us during one of our rehearsals on this piece, it was quite exciting! And of all the violinists he could have called on to play the col legno part (where you bounce the wood of your bow against the strings)- he called on me! I was a little nervous, but it was totally worth it. Not many people my age can say they have worked with a conductor like Leonard Slatkin- definitely a memory I will never forget.

Here is Modest Mussorgsky's night on Bald Mountain played by the philharmonic orchestra of Ural at Nantes conducted by Dimitri Liss

And also, here is the Fantasia animation of the same piece

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6, movement 4

Tchaikovsky could have ended his symphony right there after the third movement and left everyone feeling happy and satisfied. However, I don't think that Tchaikovsky was that kind of person, and thus, he leaves us with his last movement of Pathetique.

Did you think that such sadness as we heard in the first movement would be forgotten? That a naive, triumphant theme could steal the show after such mourning and loss? Here, the answer is no- and besides, the naive theme was just that: naive. Tchaikovsky sends us the first chord of this movement, and it hits us like a crashing wave- with impact. The orchestra grieves again, but now they are worn out (no, I don't mean the players, although they might be..) and even through hopeful efforts, real happiness is still absent. Near the end of the movement, things get significantly quieter. The energy of the orchestra slowly wears down to just a heartbeat and fades. Not a happy ending, but perhaps a more suitable one than the end of the third movement.

Again, Yuri Temirkanov with the Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala of Milan
IV: Adagio Lamentoso

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6, movement 3

So according to my album sleeve, the third movement of Tchaikovsky's Pathetique symphony is a "spirited march (with it's underlying tarantella theme in 12/8 time) represents the triumph of previous success" It's easy to hear the triumph and excitement in this movement, however, the beginning of this movement shows a trace of uncertainty and sadness mixed in with the celebrations. By the middle of the movement, all unhappiness is completely forgotten and the triumph of this movement is in full swing. Tchaikovsky builds the excitement and happiness until we reach a big bang finish, and we could almost stop right there- but no we don't. There's one more movement to come yet.

III. Allegro Molto Vivace

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6, movement 2

So after a little uncertainty about what to write for the 2nd through 4th movements of this symphony, I think I have a better idea today. This afternoon I bought a recording of the symphony by the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra :) According to the album sleeve, this second movement is supposed to "illustrate the transient pleasures of everyday life" It is written as a trio in 5/4 time- weird! (but really cool) The unusual time signature gives the music a sort of strange lilt.

The beginning of the movement sounds very country-like and pleasant to me, but I think between the parts where the main melody of this movement is heard- the unusual time signature helps to show hints of stress and disruption beneath the pleasant everyday life. This is can be heard especially during the middle section of this movement at: 2:40
The timpani, again, provides that sort of somber heartbeat. After this middle developmental section, life continues- and so does the cheery melody from the beginning of the movement. The end of the movement is a little strange; we hear the stress of the middle section illustrated by the cellos and brass, while it is answered reassuringly by the horns and winds. Again, we have the theme of hope as the movement comes to a quiet close.

Same recording as last post
Movement II: Allegro Con Grazia

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 "Pathetique" First Movement

This music is moving-
There aren't really many other ways to put it. As one might venture to guess, since this is Tchaikovsky, a composer of the romantic era- that this symphony is full of romance. But to say that it only speaks with romance is selling it short. Tchaikovsky was quite happy with this symphony after he had completed it- he thought it expressed what he wanted it to.

The first movement starts with a quiet, somber tone. When the first melody is introduced, the music holds the same mournful feeling and quickly turns to passionate grieving. Then hope is introduced. The orchestra takes that idea and runs with it- but nothing is ever really achieved here- only hopes and dreams are illustrated. These dreams are awakened with a bang(beginning of the second link), and we hear the first grieving melody again in the strings as they frantically scurry at the instance of a catastrophe further illustrated by the brass. Things quiet down, but are still filled with tension and disharmony; the orchestra is truly grieving and these emotions boil over again. Then the same "hopeful romantic" melody as heard earlier in the movement comes back again- but this idea is only a painful reminder of what could have been and no longer can be. Pizzicato in the strings serves as a heartbeat for the woodwinds to lament over, and the timpani ends the movement with a gentle roll.

There will be more to come over the next few days- I'm still working on analyzing this symphony in moods! ^__^ This is by no means any sort of real storyline that Tchaikovsky had in mind for this piece- just my interpretation.

First Movement Part A
Part Two
conducted by Yuri Temirkanov with the Orchestra del Teatro all Scala

Mozart Symphony No. 35 "Haffner"

So yeah, I've skimped off on the blogs over the past couple days... >.<
But anyway, there's nothing I can do about that now- so let's get right into it!

One of the pieces I got to see the DSO perform Saturday evening was Mozart's Symphony No. 35 "Haffner." I've always liked Mozart for his Salzburg Symphonies, but before Saturday night I'd never heard this one before. I liked hearing this symphony a lot because I found it easy to listen to all the parts at once. It made me smile when I heard ascending melodic lines and a descending bass line at the same time- it's just a small idea, but it adds a lot more interest than the melodic and bass lines moving together. And of course, as a violinist, I loved to hear the focus on the strings :)

One of my friends described this piece as "Simple, with a bit of elegance"

So enjoy!
The Vienna Philharmonic, led by Karl Bohm

I. Allegro Con Spirito
II. Andante
III. Menuetto
IV. Presto

Some favorite musical parodies!

So lucky me! I get to see the Detroit Symphony Orchestra tonight with a couple friends- it should be a blast :)

So today, instead of posting some classical music with a little description about it and what I think of the music- I'm going to post some comedy skits made up by classical musicians!

Here are some hilarious skits from Igudesman and Joo's "A Little Nightmare Music" show. I'm not sure how to explain their comedy, so I won't! I'll let them explain for you :P

I&J Piano Lesson
I&J Rachmaninoff had big hands
I&J Riverdance

Artist's Life

So, last night's blog was really bad x___X and I was in a foul mood- I hope it didn't show through too much in my writing, but I feel like I didn't do the Firebird Suite justice. Unfortunately I don't really have time to make amends tonight, since I'm kipping at a friends.

One piece of music that I'd like to leave you with, if anyone is out there reading, is a personal favorite of mine- Artist's Life by Johann Strauss. About a year and a bit ago, I went through a phase of listening to a lot of Strauss. This piece I really like, I like the gentle harmonious beginning, and the waltz quality to it that Strauss is famous for. What intrigues me about this piece is the title- what did Strauss mean to convey? Was he talking about a musical artist in the title, a painter- or some other kind of artist. I also love how this piece sort of gains momentum as it goes along. Maybe that sounds weird, but I don't know how else to describe it :)

Here is Seji Ozawa (One of my favorite conductors!)conducting the Vienna Philharmonic

Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky

Okay, I'm lazy and tired tonight- so not much of an analytical report of the music tonight, sorry folks!
If I can get a ride to the DSO this weekend, I might be able to see this music and 3 really other cool pieces for $5 a ticket! ^___^ Courtesy of a youth orchestra I was in. There is a little information on this piece in the link.
This is the video from Fantasia 2000

Intimate Voices

At the request of a friend, I am posting some of Sibelius' music tonight! ^__^

The Sibelius String Quartet in D minor, "Intimate Voices" is not quite like the peppy, bright music I have been posting recently. Like the name "Intimate Voices" suggests, this composition for string quartet sounds like a conversation. I won't attempt to make up a storyline for the music- at least not right now, but you can hear when each musical line (or character) talks, agrees, disagrees and discusses amongst themselves. It is interesting to follow the mood of this piece and how it changes. There is discord and harmony, sadness and happiness, wisdom and folly and it is all illustrated in the conversations between the instruments. However, the overall tone of the music is somber and mournful. Perhaps the moments of happiness and harmony further intensify the main underlying theme of unhappiness in the quartet. For all my attempts to explain the themes of this music, I found it a little hard to follow. Lots of small unexpected mood changes pop up and sometimes it is hard to define how all the little changes in this piece contribute to the whole.

Here is the Emerson String Quartet's version:
Movement 1/2
Movement 3
Movement 4/5

The Emperor's Concerto- Beethoven

I had the privilege of seeing a live concert of this wonderful piano concerto when I was at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp last summer. Our teachers and mentors played in the orchestra behind the pianist. This was the first piano concerto I really came to love, I like the way Beethoven establishes a connection between the orchestra and the solo piano part. Of course, the piano takes center stage, but the orchestra is there for more than just a little backup harmony. When I listen to this concerto, it becomes obvious to me that the musical line the orchestra plays at any said time has (an important) impact on the pianist's line, and vice-versa. I guess it's always a composer's goal to make this happen but to me, this concerto seems to do more than just skim the surface.

I love the way this concerto ends and the way different themes and ideas are brought back several times throughout. Some things to listen for: double bass acting as a sort of "heartbeat" for the piano, especially in the second movement; and the orchestra getting louder over the piano so that the piano has to react- this happens throughout, but especially in the second half of the first movement.
This recording is of Glenn Gould on piano, with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra conducted by Karel Ancerl. There is also a short narrated introduction to the piece at the beginning.

Movement 1 Part A
Movement 1 Part B
Movement 2
Movement 2/3

Overture to Russlan and Ludmilla

The overture to the opera "Russlan and Ludmilla" is a very popular piece for symphonic orchestra. Even if you don't know much about orchestral music, you've probably heard this piece before- perhaps on TV or in a movie. Mikhail Glinka's operas Russlan and Ludmilla, and A Life for the Czar laid the foundations of Russian national opera.

With everyone's mind on the end of the school year and graduations, I think that this music is a good fit for this time of year since it is so triumphant. This piece is already quite fast, but this recording I found is really fast. The first few seconds of the recording I was thinking "Wow this is much faster than the last recording I listened to... I'm not sure if I like this..." But after the first ten seconds, I was sold.

Here is Yevgeny Mravinsky conducting the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra in a brilliant, rambunctious, and wonderfully energetic recording of The Overture to Russlan and Ludmilla.

A lively violin concerto by Vivaldi ^__^

So for a complete change in style, I thought I'd talk about a baroque piece tonight. Anton Steck was the first person (perhaps only) to make a CD recording of this piece, I couldn't find another recording of this work online.

Vivaldi's Violin Concerto in B-flat Major (RV 368) seems to spell out a summer's day to me. The first movement is very lively, and features a very technically challenging, high energy violin part, that seems to soar in a blue sky on a sunny day, while the orchestra frolics on the green grass below. The second movement is sort of like a lazy late afternoon under sweltering heat, and a time for relaxation. The third movement is in the evening when the social life really begins. It has some of the liveliness of the first movement again and you can hear a bit of call and answer from the soloist and the orchestra.

This concerto was the most technically difficult piece of music Vivaldi ever wrote for violin, and possibly one of the most difficult pieces for violin written within the eighteenth century. Naturally, no violinist could resist posting this! :)

This is a recording of Anton Steck featured on violin with a small chamber ensemble, Modo Antiquo, conducted by Federico Maria Sardelli. This concerto is only short, all three movements only add up to about nine minutes.

Claire de Lune

Claire de Lune, meaning "moonlight" in french recently became popular when it was featured on the Twilight movie soundtrack. Claire de Lune was published as part of a piano suite (Suite Burgamasque) by the french composer Claude Debussy- the suite was completed in 1888.

Claude Debussy was famous for his impressionistic style of composition, impressionistic as in not always having a fully formed melody, but instead just an impression of one. Debussy was greatly inspired by nature and aimed to compose music that created an impression of a landscape.
Claire de Lune speaks gently with romance and color, and I find it has a nostalgic feel to it, it also reminds me of a melody you might hear in a wind-up music box.

The following is a link to a beautiful interpretation of Claire de Lune played by Vladmir Valdivia:
Claire de Lune

About Classical Music for Dummies :)

Hi- I'm Veggie, a vegetarian violinist. I'm creating this blog to introduce people to the joys of classical music, and to help myself learn and explore more classical music myself. Many young people like myself are very well-versed with popular music, but perhaps not so much with the classical. Since I have started listening to (and playing) classical music, I have found that it sometimes offers much more musical interest than pop. If you have just started exploring classical music, I urge you to exercise some patience, since it is sometimes an acquired taste. You may also find it more enjoyable to sit down and just focus on the music without doing anything else.

When I think of a piece of classical music that almost anyone could love, the first piece that comes to my mind is the Dvorak Cello Concerto. I recently played the first movement of this piece with a youth orchestra I was enrolled in this year. Our orchestra had the honor of performing this piece with a very talented young man featured on the cello- he got accepted to the Juliard school of music for this fall!

Unfortunately, many people write classical music off as boring- this piece is far from boring! The orchestra quickly sets up the stage with drama, and you can feel a sort of emotional tension right away and the strings soon erupt with a loud outburst. Things get quiet again for a short while and the melody gets passed around between the woodwinds and the strings, and things start to sound placid and peaceful- then triumphant. Then the cello comes in, and I'll let Rostropovich take it from there.

The following are links to this piece of music on youtube of Mistislav Rostropovich on cello performing with the London Philharmonic Orchestra led by conductor Carlo Maria Giulini. I find it most enjoyable to watch the musicians playing in the video while I listen.

The concerto has three movements, and while the first movement is quite satisfying by itself, it is part of a complete work.

The first movement is in two parts:
Part A
Part B

The Second movement:
Part A
Part B

The Third movement:
Part A
Part B

Please leave me your comments and opinions on this blog and the music! Thanks ^___^