Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Osvaldo Golijov - http://www.osvaldogolijov.com


COLLAGE
Tuesday 30 June 2009 20:00 - 22:00

list of played tracks
details in the following order:
name of composition, artist, composer, album



1. Stabat Mater - Fac, ut ardoat our meum ; Inflammatus et accensus ; Quando corpus morietur ; Isabella Poulenard, soprano, Jean-Louis Comoretto, alto, La Grande Ecurie Jean-Claude Malgloire, director Pergolesi: Stabat Mater Giovanni Battista Pergolesi

2. Sonata in G – Vivace, Lento, Allegro - Robert King: The King's Consort Bach - Six Trio Sonatas Johann Sebastian Bach

3. Handel: Il volo cosi fido - from Riccardo Lisa Saffer, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan Handel: Arias for Cuzzoni George Frideric Handel

4. Beethoven: 32 Variations On An Original Theme In C Minor Leon McCawley Beethoven: Piano Music Ludwig Van Beethoven

(detailed notes on 32 Variations are below, at the end of this list)

5. Schubert: String Quintet In C, Op. 163, D 956 - 2. Adagio Pablo Casals, Isaac Stern, Paul Tortelier, Etc. Schubert: String Quintet In C, Franz Schubert

6. Je te veux Angela Gheorgiu, voice; Malcolm Martineau, piano My World: Songs from Around the Globe Satie, Eric (1866-1925)

7. Phoenician Suite For Solo Cello - Phoenician I, II, III Carel Henn Appassionato Phoenix Benedict

8. Night Of The Flying Horses Yo-Yo Ma: Silk Road Ensemble New Impossibilities Osvaldo Golijov 1960 -

9. Hag gad-ja Aleksandar S. Vujic Aleksandar S. Vujic

10. Chassidischer Gesang Aleksandar S. Vujic

11. Pater Noster Pro Cantu Youth Choir Far Horizons Aleksandar S. Vujic

13. Sicillene Carel Henn Appassionato Maria Theresia von Paradis


Notes on 32 Variations in C minor, WoO (werke ohne Opus) . 80

( 32 Variationen über ein eigenes Thema ) It was composed 1806.

In the compositions of Ludwig van Beethoven, C minor is commonly regarded as a special key. Beethoven chose this key for works that are powerful and emotionally stormy. He reserved C minor for his most dramatic music, where he seems to be impatient of any compromise.

Well known examples of other works in c min are:
Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph II, WoO 87 (1791)
Piano Trio, Op. 1, No. 3 (1793) , Piano Sonata, Op. 10, No. 1 (1795-8)
Piano sonata, Op. 13, "Pathétique" (1798)
String Trio, Op. 9, No. 3 (1798)
Piano Concerto No. 3 (1800)
String Quartet, Op. 18, No. 4 (1800) , Violin Sonata, Op. 30, No. 2 (1802)
Symphony No. 3, Eroica - II movement, "Funeral March" (1803)
32 Variations in C minor, WoO. 80 (1806)
Coriolan Overture, Op. 62 (1807)
Fifth Symphony (1808)
String Quartet No. 10, Op. 74, scherzo movement (1809)
Piano Sonata No. 32, Op. 111 (the last piano sonata, 1822) – the one with boogie woogie variations. And, of cource, the
“Choral Fantasy" Op. 80

The 32 Variations in C minor consists of the eight bar main theme and 32 variations. Throughout most of the variations, the descending chord line of the left hand has an important influence.

It could be said this work takes the form of a baroque chaconne which is a set of variations on a harmonic progression.

Sometimes instead of a term chaconne, passacaglia is used – even though there is a difference between the two.

(The chaconne has been understood by some nineteenth and early twentieth-century theorists—in a rather arbitrary way—to be a set of variations on a harmonic progression, as opposed to a set of variations on a melodic bass pattern (to which is likewise artificially assigned the term passacaglia), while other theorists of the same period make the distinction the other way around. In actual usage in music history, the term "chaconne" has not been so clearly distinguished from passacaglia as regards the way the given piece of music is constructed, and "modern attempts to arrive at a clear distinction are arbitrary and historically unfounded."


It is interesting to note that Bach's unaccompanied Violin Partita in D minor, Beethoven's Thirty-Two Variations in C minor for piano, and the finale of Brahms's Symphony No. 4 in E minor each contain a similar chaconne.

One could conclude that Beethoven was influenced by the chaconne from Bach's Partita but Bach’s work was not published until twenty years after Beethoven's death.

Brahms, on the other hand, transcribed the Bach chaconne for piano left hand, practiced Beethoven's Thirty-two Variations and borrowed the themes from both for the finale of his Symphony No. 4.


If we compare how each of these composers applied the old Baroque chaconne form we can see the differences and similarities and how they departed from the tradition.
(Works: Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98 (69-72).
Sources: J. S. Bach: Violin Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004 (64-66)

The 32 variations are written on Beethoven’s own theme.
The theme is 8 bars long and so is each variation. Initially the variations are ornamental and later on develop into character variations.

The biggest challenge in writing a set of variations, especially when there are as many as 32 of them, is to keep the work from breaking into a fragmentary and dispersed structure.

Beethoven has employed two strategies to avoid this.
Firstly, he grouped the variations in pairs, that contrast each other but are similar in structure.

Secondly he introduced a minor – major contrast within the same key of C. The work starts in C minor but round the middles Beethoven goes into the major key to build dramatic tension. The circle is closed by a return to C min.

The music becomes more detailed and complex, the tension grows and we get a feeling of Beethoven’s well-known transition from darkness to light although this is not a typical example of this principle.

The ending of this work is much more complex and Beethoven stops numbering the variations and connects them into a larger unit, making reference to the beginning in order to round the work off and finish with a virtuosic coda.

Writing a successful set of variations is a risky business and not all composers have been up to the challenge – the masters were Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms as well as Schumann in his own free way.

The CD that we are going to listen to today has a special meaning to me . I received it as a prize on an FMR programme a long time ago from Danie Marais, the much-loved FMR presenter who died some years ago. Tonight I am sharing it with you.

The pianist is Leon McCawley and he is playing Beethoven’s
32 Variations in C minor, WoO (werke ohne Opus) . 80,


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listing:


Var. I, II, III consist of arpeggios and repeating notes. The only difference among these three variations is which hands play the arpeggios; in Var. I, the right hand does so, Var. II, the left hand, and Var. III, both hands.

Var. IV is a variation looking into precision of staccato, and the descending base line is quite prominent.

Var. V is a quiet variation looking at the contrast between staccato and legato.

Var. VI is a turbulent variation marked fortissimo as well as "sempre staccato e sforzato." The sforzato's are indicated in the music.

Var. VII and VIII are markedly quieter variations than Var. VI but are more musically more difficult.

Var. IX is a variation with many slurs.

Var. X and XI are marked sempre forte with an inversion of the main theme, with the only difference between them being that Var. X's thirty-second notes are played with the left hand, and Var. XI with the right.

Var. XII-XVI mark the Maggiore (Italian for "major") and are thus emotionally different from the other variations. Var. XII is marked semplice, so it should not be overplayed, while XIII is even quieter. Var. XIV has staccato thirds, and XV and XVI contain numerous, albeit slow, octaves.

Var. XVII marks the return of Minore and is marked dolce, implying that it should be played more quietly.

Var. XVIII offers a stark contrast to Var. XVII, with very rapid right hand scales.

Var. XIX is a variation with arpeggios in the form of sixteenth triplets like Waldstein Sonate.

Var. XX and XXI are technically difficult variations with scales.

Var. XXII is noted for its tenutos and sforzatos.

Var. XXIII offers a contrast to Var. XXII and thus is marked pianissimo. It consists of detached chords.

Var. XXIV and XXV are light (thus quiet) variations emphasizing staccato and leggiermente, respectively.

Var. XXVI and XXVII are technically difficult and consist of thirds.

Var. XXVIII is a stark contrast to XXVII, as it is marked semplice.

Var. XXIX consists of difficult arpeggios in the form of sixteenth triplets.

Var. XXX is a contrast to XXIX and is quite slow.

Var. XXXI is even quieter than XXX and technically simple, consisting of left hand arpeggios, and the theme is repeated in the right hand in its original form.

Var. XXXII is the last variation, a technically difficult and fast passage. Its main theme consists of left hand 32nd notes and a right hand playing two sevenths, and a group of eight 32nd notes.

Typically, performances of this piece last from 10 to 12 minutes.


Sunday, June 14, 2009


COLLAGE
Tuesday 2 June 2009 20:00 - 22:00
list of played tracks
details in the following order:
name of composition, artist, composer, album


1. Un peccator pentito - Spargete sospiri Les Arts Florissants Rossi, Luigi 1597 – 20 February 1653 Rossi: Oratorio per la Settimana Santa

2. Sonatae tam aris quam aulis servientes: Sonata XII Paul McCreesh: Gabrieli Consort & Players Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber (1644-1704) Biber Missa Salisburgensis

3. K 462 In F Minor: Andante Pieter-Jan Belder Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757) Domenico Scarlatti - Complete Keyboard Sonatas [Disc 30]

4. Mendelsshon: Songs Without Words Op.38 no 2 in C Minor Allan Schiller MENDELSSOHN (1809 – 1847) Richard Baker's Favourite Piano Music

5. Elegie (Op. 23) for Piano, Violin and Cello Rogeri Trio Josef Suk -1874- 1935 The Rogeri Trio

6. Ravel: Pavane pour une Infante defunte Allan Schiller Maurice Ravel 1875 – 1937) Richard Baker's Favourite Piano Music

7. Heitor Villa Lobos - Estudio No 1 Jovan Jovicic Heitor Villa Lobos (1887 -1959) Classical Guitar

8. Heitor Villa Lobos - Estudio No 8 Jovan Jovicic Heitor Villa Lobos (1887 -1959) Classical Guitar

9. Five Little Songs By R.L.Stevenson.: The Swing Catherine Dune/Stephane Petitjean Hahn, Reynaldo 1875 – 1947 Melodies Retrouvees

10. Five Little Songs By R.L.Stevenson.: Windy Nights Catherine Dune/Stephane Petitjean Hahn, Reynaldo 1875 – 1947 Melodies Retrouvees

11. Five Little Songs By R.L.Stevenson.: My Ship And I Catherine Dune/Stephane Petitjean Hahn, Reynaldo 1875 – 1947 Melodies Retrouvees

12. Five Little Songs By R.L.Stevenson.: The Stars Catherine Dune/Stephane Petitjean Hahn, Reynaldo 1875 – 1947 Melodies Retrouvees

13. Five Little Songs By R.L.Stevenson.: A Good Boy Catherine Dune/Stephane Petitjean Hahn, Reynaldo 1875 – 1947 Melodies Retrouvees

14. Sonata for Cello and Piano Op. posth: Fliessend Johannes Goritzki, David Levine Othmar Schoeck (1886 – 1957) Schoeck / Weill: Cello Sonatas

15. Sonata for Cello and Piano Op. posth: Schnell Johannes Goritzki, David Levine Othmar Schoeck (1886 – 1957) Schoeck / Weill: Cello Sonatas

16. Sonata for Cello and Piano Op. posth: Andantino Johannes Goritzki, David Levine Othmar Schoeck (1886 – 1957) Schoeck / Weill: Cello Sonatas

17. Poulenc: Improvisations no10 in F (Eloge des Gammes) Allan Schiller Poulenc, Francis (1899-1963) Richard Baker's Favourite Piano Music

18. Spiegel im Spiegel for violin & piano John Lenehan, Rebecca Hirsch Arvo Part 1935 - The Calm - Inspired 20th Century Classics

19. Misa Criolla: Kyrie Mercedes Sosa Ariel Ramirez 1921 - Misa Criolla

20. Misa Criolla: Gloria Mercedes Sosa Ariel Ramirez 1921 - Misa Criolla