Monday, November 25, 2013

Louise Farrenc Symphony No. 1 in C Minor


Louise Farrenc was a French composer. She was a virtuosa pianist and teacher. This Op. 32 First Symphony was written in 1842. Andante sostenuto - Allegro;Adagio cantabile;Menuetto: Moderato; Finale - Allegro. assai Radio-Philharmonie Hannover des NDR. Johannes Goritzki The first movement and the finale of the symphony have sharp motives and cadences. The melodies that have been used are dark in shade. Do not be deceived by the output of this fascinating lady composer. There are no happy endings in this, her first symphony. The Adagio Cantabile is lyrical and beautiful. The style is influenced by Haydn and Beethoven. The Minuet also reminds people of a little Mozart and Mendelssohn. Goritzki has read the symphony well with sharpness and good intonation. It is disturbing to realise that this symphony and the female composer has been neglected for so long. If it is male chauvinism, then it be damned! http://youtu.be/HbcldWVPGGI

Friday, November 22, 2013

The Ripening Symphony No.1 Josek Suk


Josef Suk was a student of Dvorak and became his successor. He then became the teacher of Bohislav Martinu. Other Czech masters were Bedrich Smetana and Leos Janacek. Suk's contribution to the development of Czech Bohemian music is neglected. His compositions do not find their way easily to the concert stage. He started writing his first symphony and called it the Ripening when he was only twenty three. The symphony is more in the mould of a symphonic poem and more in the idiom of incidental music. This is a work in which Suk puts his listeners through the entire breadth of human emotions as he suffered the pain of losing two people whom he loved much in life. The symphony is full of moving emotional content. Belohlavek delivers this symphony with authority and refinement, maintaining a lovely balance with the London players. Josef Suk Symphony No.1 Op.14 in E Major BBC Symphony Jiří Bělohlávek 1. Allegro ma non troppo-Allegro-Energico con fuoco-Tempo I-Tranquillo-Maestoso- Allegro con brio 2. Adagio-Pochettino piu mosso-Molto appassionato-Tempo I 3. Allegro vivace-Poco meno mosso-Tempo I 4. Allegro-Allegro con brio-Grandioso e maestoso http://youtu.be/gIf9iTyJi8M

Moritz Moszkowski Piano Concerto in E Major


Moszkowski's E Major Piano Concerto was composed for the virtuoso of that time, Josef Hofmann. There are memorable themes in this concerto and a display of ample genius. The orchestration sparkles.The concerto was written in 1898. The concerto was popular for several decades after its premiere but fell into oblivion and neglect after that. By the time the First World War was over, Moszkowski had lost his wife and daughter and he too became a recluse, suffering ill health. He considered Scriabin and Schoenberg as artistic madmen. He died in Paris in 1925. Piers Lane BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Jerzy Maksymiuk http://youtu.be/yoFPcGIEdxA

Friday, November 15, 2013

Complete Third Piano Concerto of Tchaikovsky in E Flat Major


Pianist: Irina Dubkova Smolensk Symphony Orchestra Vladimir Minin Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 3 in E-flat major, Opus Posthumous 75, turned out to be a troublesome creation of his. It was first conceptualised as a symphony (the movements are there in his Seventh Symphony). Initially, it was planned as a three-movement concerto, only to become a single-movement "Allegro brilliante" when published posthumously. Controversy remained despite the intentions of the composer as to what form this concerto would have ended up with had Tchaikovsky lived to complete it. It was due to the efforts of Sergei Taneyev that the concerto was revived. Most pianists who have performed this work have played the single-movement "Allegro brilliante." More recently, the three-movement version has received increased attention. The music also served as the basis for the ballet "Allegro Brillante", as imagined and choreographed by George Balanchine in 1956 for the New York City Ballet Tchaikovsky's first mention of using his abandoned Symphony in E flat as the basis for a piano concerto came as early in April 1893 [Brown, David, "Tchaikovsky: The Final Years" ] After completing the `Pathétique' symphony, Tchaikovsky turned once again to the concerto, only to go through further doubt whether he should retain or publish it. Once Tchaikovsky finished scoring the "Allegro brilliante" in October 1893, he requested Taneyev to look it over. Taneyev, on whom Tchaikovsky relied for techhical advice pianistically, found the solo part lacking in virtuosity. Tchaikovsky had told Siloti that if Taneyev shared his low opinion of the concerto, he would destroy it. The composer did not carry out this threat, however. Taneyev gave the first performance of the concerto in Saint Petersburg on January 7, 1895, conducted by Eduard Nápravník. Though the Third Concerto is in a considerably more completed shape than the Mahler Tenth Symphony or the Bartók Viola Concerto, it really belongs in their same category of musical what-ifs and considered accordingly. Tchaikovsky might have tailored the solo part, with its cascades of runs throughout the work and the presence of trills in the cadenza. There is no justification of why this concerto should not be performed in its three-movement format as worked out by Taneyev more so than it is actually done. http://youtu.be/P4MyuRdK1jo

Thursday, November 7, 2013

The Sun can make your Bones stronger


Osteoporosis is on the rise in the world mainly on account of the Vitamin D deficiency. People just do not know how to take advantage in proper limits of the bountiful sunshine that nature has blessed them with. It is an amazing fact that out of the people suffering from osteoporosis, seventy eight per cent in the world are women. This is because they do not like to go out in the sun and are mainly indoors. People have got used to the comfort of shade and air conditioning to such an extent that they avoid the sun as far as possible. They abhor the hot and sunny weather. The homes also block out the rays of the sun as people prefer to stay in sheltered and screened areas. Cars have black tinted windows and many people even get the sunscreens applied with the high SPF. All these things block out the sun’s rays and also the absorption of Vitamin D into the skin. This supply of Vitamin is necessary for the maintenance of good health and for your bones. It is a natural and cost-effective way to prevent the risk from bones becoming brittle and fracturing easily. To keep your bones and your muscles in a healthy shape, you have to take in sufficient quantities of Vitamin D by means of safe exposure to sunlight and with proper diet, particularly if you are above the age of fifty. The diet has to be rich in proteins and calcium. It will also be beneficial if you try to stay active with the help of muscle strengthening activities. Read more: http://healthmad.com/nutrition/the-sun-can-make-your-bones-stronger/#ixzz2jwdEglbs

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Eastern Mediterranean Cruise Holiday


The Eastern Mediterranean itinerary usually includes Venice, Valletta, Athens and Istanbul. The departure port is Savona. It is one of the major ports in northern Italy on the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean cruises are quite affordable. Sometimes, with discounts, certain cruise operators may offer the Eastern Mediterranean package for about eight hundred dollars a person for an eleven day cruise. Major cruise operators have started expanding their cruise routes to give more choice options and variety to their sail itineraries. The Eastern Mediterranean cruise is more popular than the western one which includes Spain, France, Portugal and Monte Carlo. These cruises can be booked throughout the year. This is good news for those people who cannot take holidays during the conventional Christmas and New Year period. When you take a Mediterranean cruise during the summer, you have to remember that certain parts of Europe and West Asia tend to get quite hot. Some of the renowned cruise operators for the Eastern Mediterranean Cruises are the AVC (America’s Vacation Center), Azamara Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Oceania Cruises, MSC Cruises, Windstar Cruises and Costa Cruises. The Eastern Mediterranean Cruise begins from Savona. The first port of call is Venice. The Venetian Lagoon is made up of over one hundred islands which are linked by a chain of canals, making Venice a unique city in the world. It is the heart of the Italian culture and a haven for romantic cruisers. You have to take a ride on the Gondola to make your day magical. The atmosphere at St. Mark’s Square is quite lively. The rooms of the Doge’s Palace will fascinate you. You cannot miss the sight at the Bridge of Sighs. You can also take a walk on the cobble-stoned paths of this interesting city that floats. Another famous site here is the St. Mark’s Basilica. The interior holds beautiful mosaics and statues. Next stop is Valletta in Malta, an archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. Valletta is the capital city of Malta and is an exciting port of call. Malta is spread across seven islands situated to the South of Sicily with its ancient Grand Harbor. Valletta’s history dates back to almost seven thousand years. The tourists can take a peek into the city’s past by visiting the Byzantine temples which are even more ancient than the Pyramids of Egypt and the Stonehenge of England. The Maltese islands became an independent republic in 1974. Tourism and trade have developed since then. October is a busy month for Valletta as more than seventy five thousand visitors come to Malta as a cruise destination. In a year, more than half a million people visit this city. The voyage then continues to Athens as its next destination. People will take in this ancient city with complete awe as it is sighted. No Mediterranean cruise is complete without a call to Athens and the Greek Islands. It is a city where the past does meet the present. Many people regard it as the birthplace of the western civilized world. From Valletta to Athens, you pass the glorious islands of Corfu, Mykonos, Patmos, Rhodes and Santorini. You can take a guided tour of the Acropolis in Athens. It is the ancient citadel. You can also visit the ancient Agora and Hephaisteion. The Eastern Mediterranean Cruise sails from Athens to Istanbul after you soak in the power of the Greek art and architecture. Istanbul is another great city of antiquity where the west meets the east, making it an important cultural seat of the Orient. This is the concluding port of call on this Mediterranean-Aegean odyssey. Noteworthy places of interest here are the sixth century Byzantine Cathedral of Hagia Sophia, the Blue Masjid, the Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar. Visitors are interested in the bargain collections at the Grand Bazaar. This is the largest covered market that you will find anywhere in the world. It has over four thousand shops and cafeterias. There are sixty five streets here. The seventeenth century Blue Masjid (Mosque) is probably the most distinct Masjid in the world. Its interior will display over thirty shades of blue. The Topkapi Palace is a remnant of the architecture of the Ottoman Empire, built by its Sultans and is a famous attraction. Istanbul has always remained a big attraction city for cruises and each year the number of tourists coming in to Istanbul is increasing in the past few years. For many centuries, Istanbul, known earlier as Constantinople, has been a center of attraction in the Bosphorus Strait. It was the capital of the Roman Empire in the East. The great capital cities of Europe looked like mere villages when compared with Constantinople. You will find the confluence of Europe and Asia here. There are mixed cultures in Istanbul of the Asians, the Persians and the Turks. The renowned classic Eastern Mediterranean Cruise concludes at Istanbul. You just cannot get tired of the Mediterranean Sea and its valuable ports. Read more: http://trifter.com/practical-travel/luxury-travel/eastern-mediterranean-cruise-holiday-2/#ixzz2jwcFmScN

Friday, November 1, 2013

King Christian II Suite Sibelius


Sibelius composed the King Christian II Suite in 1898. The concert suite is a selection from the incidental music for the play written by his friend Adolf Paul. The play deals with the love of King Christian II, ruler of Denmark, Sweden and Norway, for a Dutch girl Dyvecke, a commoner. A complete performance of the suite takes about 25 minutes. The suite movements are Nocturne, Elegy,Musette, Serenade and the Ballade. The Fool's Song of the Spider is lost from the incidental music sketches. Bournemouth Symphony Paavo Berglund http://youtu.be/32XoYYBau7A