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