B Minor Violin Concerto No. 3 of Charles Camille Saint Saens

The Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61, by Camille Saint-Saëns was written in 1880. Saint-Saëns dedicated the concerto to fellow composer-virtuoso Pablo de Sarasate, who played the solo part at the premiere. The work is in three movements: Allegro non troppo; Andantino quasi allegretto; Molto moderato e maestoso. This is the last of Saint-Saëns' violin concertos.It has innovative melodies. The virtuoso demands are evident in the second movement and the chorale of the final movement. It is reminiscent of the conclusion of the Fourth Piano Concerto and the Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28. Gil Shaham New York Philharmonic Giuseppe Sinopoli http://youtu.be/n-gCf0nmDH8

John Williams Compilation

http://youtu.be/7gztnm6GS9M http://youtu.be/v_fJg7ncjaI http://youtu.be/lZXb33tLMOU http://youtu.be/smGCkI5A_BI

La Traviata

The Complete Opera at the Glyndebourne Festival in 1988 London Philharmonic with Bernard Haitink http://youtu.be/49UZa0TO2zQ Performances of La Traviata depend much on the principal soprano. Marie McLaughlin has all of the attributes needed for a role that is a virtuoso one. She mesmerises. Violetta is a socialite seeking love in Act One. She becomes a quiet and domestic woman in Act Two who sacrifices her love for Alfredo to the family values he has talked her into adopting, leading to the dying penitent of Act Three. Walter McNeil is a poetic Alfredo. He is excellent in Act Two, Scene Two. His public humiliation of Violetta is painful to watch; and this makes his repentance at her deathbed extremely moving. Brent Ellis is powerful as his father Germont. The duet in which he convinces Violetta into leaving his son and comes to value what he is destroying is one of the high points of the opera. Bernard Haitink is impressive in his reading with the London Philharmonic.

The Mirror Crack'd Guy Hamilton 1980

This 1980 version of Agatha Christie's less-loved novels is very well directed by Guy Hamilton with brilliant performances by Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis,Angela Lansbury and Edward Fox. It is a narrative that tells of gentle rebuke. It is set in the English countryside of the nineteen fifties. The backdrop is filming of `Mary Queen of Scots' with Taylor and Kim Novak as two cats out to shred each other .When one of Ms. Rudd's fans is murdered at a reception given for her, Miss Marple (Angela Lansbury) and her nephew Inspector Delbert Craddock (Edward Fox) investigate the crime. There is a very young Pierce Brosnan doing a silent cameo in a film within this film and he gets to star opposite Elizabeth Taylor. It was quite an interesting baptism for him.

Tchaikovsky G Major Concert Fantasia for Piano and Orchestra

Of all the works that Tchaikovsky wrote for piano and orchestra, this concert fantasy ia quie adventurous. It is not a one-movement fantasia as most people would think. No one can gauge what was in Tchaikovsky's mind when he wrote this. It was written after his G Major Second Piano Concerto. He was trying something different. It is actually a concert piece in two movements. It was written as a showcase for a virtuoso pianist who could play out a grand rhapsody. Eugen D'Albert had actually inspired him to write this fantasy. He was a rotege of Liszt. The honour for the premiere went to Sergei Taneyev who was also responsible for bringing wide success not only to this Fanatsy but also to both the piano concertos. The first movement is Quasi Rondo but it is not a traditional rondo. It is more an expansive sonata movement with a brilliant cadenza replacing the development section. The second movement is called `Contrasts'. It reminds people of the third orchestral suite. It makes a good finale to the Fantasy. http://youtu.be/yr7nGKcUrig

Two Serious Melodies for Violin and Orchestra Sibelius

1. Cantique 2. Devotion These two earnest pieces were also transcribed for cello and orchestra. They were written in 1914 and first performed on March 30, 1916 by cellist Ossian Fohström (to whom Sibelius dedicated them) and the Helsinki Orchestra conducted by Sibelius. The first, "Cantique (Laetare anima mea)" (the subtitle means "Rejoice, my soul") is scored for a pair of flutes, clarinet, two horns, timpani, harp and strings.The harp and the string textures recall the style of Ralph Vaughan Williams. The second, "Devotion (Ab imo pectore)" ("From my very heart") features a larger orchestral setting: two flutes, clarinet, two bassoons, four horns, three trombones and strings. This opens with pulsating strings over which the soloist soars. Poignant dissonance marks the central section. Both these pieces use good tone color. Sibelius was a very good violinist himself. Dong-Suk Kang Gothenburg Symphony Neeme Jarvi http://youtu.be/aEkbuN9n4ys

Spring Song 1895 Sibelius

Spring Song was composed as an improvisation for orchestra in D major. Sibelius recast it in F major and called the work in 1895,"The Sadness of Spring".It has an optimism which is rare among the works of Sibelius. It uses prominent bells at the end of the song. Lahti Symphony Osmo Vanska http://youtu.be/FRe2bheb2FI