Spam Roundup January 2019

Even with spam filters, some comments manage to make it through. Some of it's so oddly written, that it's oddly amusing. Here's a roundup of some of the "best" comments I received this month from spambots around the world.

Know what I mean?

- It's wonderful that you are getting thoughts from this piece of writing as well as from our dialogue made at this time. [What dialogue?]

- I have read all that, so at this time me also commenting here. [I've heard all that, so at this time me also ignoring you.]

 - If someone wishes expert view regarding blogging afterward I suggest him/her to go to see this blog. [If you/they say so. I'll take/reject that as a compliment.]

"Lumbering along" rolls into 2019

The popularity for The Straco Express Layout, Part 23 - Lumbering Along remains strong. Keep in mind as you read these comments that they're supposedly commenting and reacting to a short post about a cheap Japanese friction truck. 

 - You actually make it seem really easy along with your presentation however I to find this topic to be actually one thing that I think I'd never understand. [I don't understand what there is to not understand.]

 -  I love reading through a post that will make people think. [Me, too! Can you provide a link?]

  - Very useful advice in this particular post! It's the little changes that will make the largest changes. [Except in the case of posts about cheap Japanese toys.]

   - I am not positive where you are getting your info, however good topic. [Oh, I make everything up.]

A Fastidious Return

Fine way of explaining, and fastidious piece of writing to take data about my presentation subject.

And remember: it's the little changes that will make the large changes -- or at least enough change to break a dollar bill.

Garlands for Steven Stucky - Cross Section of Contemporary Music

Steven Stucky was both a successful composer and an influential teacher. His Second Concerto for Orchestra won the Pulitzer Prize. Stucky produced a large number of works and taught some of the most important composers of the next generation.

It's no surprise then, that this musical memorial to Stucky would feature an impressive lineup of contributors. "Garlands" includes 32 short piano works, plus a selection by Stucky for mezzo-soprano, oboe, and voice.

Some of these pieces pay homage to Stucky's style. Others retain their composer's own individuality. The result is a virtual cross-section of contemporary music in all its diversity.

Established masters John Harbison, Esa-Pekka Salonen, William Kraft, Christopher Rouse, and Manus Lindberg are represented. Several of Stucky's students contributed as well, including Jesse Jones, Joseph Phibbs, Hannah Lash, and Fang Man.

Gloria Cheng masterfully performs each work idiomatically -- which is no mean feat. The pieces range from the neo-romantic to the extreme avant-garde. "Garlands" is a fitting tribute to a great musician and a wonderful time capsule of this moment in time.

Garlands for Steven Stucky 
Gloria Cheng, piano 
Bridge 9509

Collecting and Collecting Information 36

The Distler Trans Europ set. The box art displays
considerable artistic license.

I've written before about the H0 train set Distler made for Cragstan. A recent auction offering provided some additional information about Distler products.

Interchangeable parts

Distler's design for Cragstan was done quite economically, recycling parts from another popular set.

The Distler TD5000 set shares many components with
their Santa FE set made for Cragstan.

The Trans Europ Express set was based on a European prototype. Many European passenger trains have locomotives at both ends, allowing point-to-point travel without complicated switching maneuvers at the terminals.

Another set offered by Distler had the same configuration. The TD5000 set, like the Trans Europ set, has two locomotives.

In both cases, only one of them is powered. The other is a dummy locomotive.

The Distler Trans Europ set.

I had previously found examples of Distler sets that were identical in profile to the Cragstan set. The only differences being the graphics and the lack of a second locomotive in the American set.

Trans Europ vs. Santa Fe

Two examples of Cragstan/Distler rolling stock.
The body and base of the passenger car are identical to the
Trans Europ version.

This set uses many of the same parts as the Cragstan set. The locomotive has a different profile, but the frame is similar to the TD5000 and the Cragstan/Dister F3. The power truck (and by inference the motor) is identical.

The passenger cars are the same, too. The lithography is different, and the truck frames are painted gray (they're silver on the Cragstan cars).

By using many of the same components, Distler kept costs down. An important feature for these simple toys -- and vital for American importers. I can see why Distler got the gig with Cragstan.

Not entirely the same

Shared parts keep costs down. But there are some key differences that make this set unique. The locomotive has an entirely different profile than the Santa Fe F3 or the TD5000.  The heightened cab isn't attached to a TD5000 shell -- it's part of the shell. That required its own stamper.

The locomotive trucks are also different. Their smooth sides suggest streamlining. These trucks required a different stamper as well. I wonder if the TD5000 was a later model. If so, it would suggest economies were made, as the truck frames for the locomotive and the passenger cars are all the same.

Diabelli Project 222 - Piece for Piano, Part 8

The Diabelli Project is about offering my weekly flash-composition sketches freely to all. Like Antonio Diabelli's theme, these sketches aren't great music. But perhaps (as in Diabelli's case) there's a Beethoven out there who can do great things with them.

I decided to try writing another complete piece in 10-minute weekly installments. It's definitely exercising a different set of creative muscles than my daily work requires.

This week's installment of the Piece for Piano begins at the bottom of page 4. Basically, I just continue the long, slow melody in the right hand that I started last week. The left hand continues its arpeggios. Not to worry, though, things won't remain in this state much longer.

As always, you can use any or all of the posted Diabelli Project sketches as you wish for free. Just be sure to share the results. I'm always curious to see what direction someone else can take this material.

#ClassicsaDay #ClassicalWinter Week 4

For January 2019, #ClassicsaDay went with a winter theme. December's theme, #ClassicalChristmas centered around sacred works of the season. #ClassicalWinter is about sharing secular compositions. that have a snow or winter theme. 

Here are my Classical Winter posts for the fourth week of January.

Terje Isungset - Fading Sun

Isunget is a Norwegian percussionist and composer who incorporates the natural world into his music. In "Fading Sun" and many of his other works, he uses instruments made of ice.

Erich Wolfgang Korngold - Der Schneemann

Korngold completed his ballet "Der Schneemann" (The Snowman) in 1908. He was eleven years old. The ballet was premiered in 1910 and became a hit in Vienna.

Thomas Arne - Blow blow thou winter wind

The text is from Shakespeare's "As You Like It." Arne wrote incidental music for a 1740 production of the play, including this setting. It was later published in 1763.

John Rutter - Blow, blow thou winter wind

The text is from Shakespeare's "As You Like It." John Rutter wrote his choral setting in 2014.

Jacques Offenbach - Ballet of the Snowflakes from "Le voyage dans la lune"

The ballet is from Offenbach's 1875 operetta, "Voyage to the Moon." It takes place at the end of Act III. The setting is the moon, "50 degrees below zero."

Le Concert Brisé; offers mellow performances of Schmelzer Sonatas

There's something about the sound of a cornett I find very soothing. It's even mellower than the flugelhorn. And when played by William Dongois, it can sound as smooth as melted caramel. And, in this case, that's all to the good.

This release features a selection of works by Johann Heinrich Schmelzer. Schmelzer (c.1623-1680) was a contemporary of Froberger, and enjoyed considerable success during his lifetime. He provides a link between the Venetian style of the 1600s and what would become the Northern German style of Bach.

By some accounts, Schmelzer began his career as a cornettist, then transitioned to the violin. The sonatas on this release could be performed by either instrement in the solo role. Dongois and Le Concert Brisé mostly choose the cornette. It's a wise choice for the sacred works, such as the Sonata seconda.

The combination of cornette and organ is a warm blend that invites spiritual contemplation. The organ is voiced in the Italian style, with mean-tone temperament. It gives the chords an added richness.

Although Schmelzer wrote for the two interchangeably, there is a definite change in character when the violin takes center stage. Structurally, Sonata No. 5 is similar to the Sonata Seconda. But the violin commands more of the listener's immediate attention. The heavily ornamented melodies seem to flow like a mountain stream when played by the cornette. With the violin, they seem rather busy.

That's no fault of the performer. Alice Julien-Laferrière plays with a well-rounded tone, even in the upper register. Her articulation is clean and accurate.

Overall, this is an excellent collection of music by an important -- albeit now relatively obscure -- composer.

Johann Heinrich Schmelzer: Sonatas
Le Concert Brisé; William Dongois, cornett and conductor
Accent

Clementi Sonatas Span Career

This release presents a snapshot of Clementi's development as a composer -- and the development of his chosen instrument. Sandro De Palma performs at a modern keyboard. but he carefully matches his playing to the works.

De Palma gives Clementi's 1771 Op. 1 Sonata in a delicate, mannered reading. It's easy to hear a close resemblance to Mozart in De Palma's interpretation.

When Clementi published his Op. 8 sonatas, much had changed. Pianos were more robust and had a wider range. Da Palma brings out the strong dynamic contrasts in the work. If the Op. 1 sonata sounded like Mozart, this one sounds like early Beethoven.

The disc opens and closes with two sonatas from Clementi's Opus 50. This 1821 publication was his final collection of keyboard sonatas. The piano sonata in G minor, Op. 50 No. 3 is titled "Didone Abbandonata," and portrays the emotional arch of the story. Clementi's final sonata seems to sit somewhere between Beethoven and Schubert, stylistically. The Op. 50 No. 2 sonata leans more toward Beethoven, with its crashing fortes and frenetic energy.

De Palma makes the most of these late sonatas, playing forcefully and in full command of his instrument. A well-thought-out program executed brilliantly.

Muzio Clementi: Piano Sonatas
Sonata in B-flat major, Op. 1, No. 3; Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 8, No. 2;  Sonata in D minor, Op. 50, No.2; Sonata in G minor, Op. 50, No. 3 "Didone abbandonata"
Sandro De Palma, piano 
Naxos 8.573880  

Max Bruch Music for Clarinet and Viola - Late Romantic Goodness

Like his friend and colleague Johannes Brahms, Max Bruch didn't write for the clarinet until late in his career. For Bruch, it was something personal. His son was an accomplished clarinetist and premiered the works on this release.

Although written in the early 1910s, these works are unapologetically Romantic in style. But there's nothing nostalgic about this music. Bruch is in full command of his materials, developing them in fresh and exciting ways.

The combination of clarinet and viola is brilliant. Both instruments have a dark, rich sound, that is even richer when they play in unison or in harmony. And yet they have different timbres and abilities, so dramatic contrast is also possible.

The double concerto gives both instruments their due. Lush harmonies support long, lyrical themes of uncommon beauty.

The eight pieces for clarinet, viola, and piano are eight succinct gems of chamber music. Some feature the clarinet, others the viola. Most, though, balance all three instruments equally.

Clarinetist Giovanni Punzi and violist Eva Katrine Dalsgaard seem to have a chemistry between them. Their performances dovetail neatly. Often their exchanges sound more like spontaneous conversations rather than playing assigned passages.

If you only know Bruch's First Violin Concerto, by all means, give this disc a listen. And if you are familiar with Bruch's broader catalog, give this disc a listen as well. It will not disappoint.

Max Bruch: Double concerto for Clarinet, Viola, and Orchestra, Op. 88
8 Pieces for Clarinet, Viola, and Piano, Op. 83
Giovanni Punzi, clarinet; Eva Katrine Dalsgaard, viola; Tanja Zapolski piano
Copenhagen Phil; Vincenzo Milletarì, conductor
Brilliant Classics 95673

Diabelli Project 221 - Piece for Piano, Part 7

The Diabelli Project is about offering my weekly flash-composition sketches freely to all. Like Antonio Diabelli's theme, these sketches aren't great music. But perhaps (as in Diabelli's case) there's a Beethoven out there who can do great things with them.

I decided to try writing another complete piece in 10-minute weekly installments. It's definitely exercising a different set of creative muscles than my daily work requires.

This week's installment of the Piece for Piano begins in the last measure of the second system. We begin with a grand sweep up the keyboard. A younger version of myself would have made the high A the climax. Instead, I dropped back down to the C, giving the run (hopefully) a kind of bounce.

I'm not through with the sweeping gestures, though. The left-hand roves up and down while the right presents a version of the opening melody.

As always, you can use any or all of the posted Diabelli Project sketches as you wish for free. Just be sure to share the results. I'm always curious to see what direction someone else can take this material.

#ClassicsaDay #ClassicalWinter Week 3

For January 2019, #ClassicsaDay went with a winter theme. December's theme, #ClassicalChristmas centered around sacred works of the season. #ClassicalWinter is about sharing secular compositions. that have a snow or winter theme. 

Here are my Classical Winter posts for the third week of January.

Georgy Sviridov “Waltz” and “March,” from "Snow Storm"

Sviridov's 1975 work is subtitled "Musical illustrations after Pushkin for orchestra." It's based on his film score "The Blizzard," an adaptation of Pushkin's original story.

Henry Purcell - Frost Song from "King Arthur"

The "Frost Scene" from Purcell's 1691 masque is its most-performed music. Purcell is said to have been inspired by the Frost Faires hosted on the frozen Thames in winter.

Francis Poulenc - La Bonne Neige from "Un Soir de Neige"

Poulenc completed "Un Soir de Neige" in just three days in December. It features four settings of Paul Éluard's wintery poetry.

Einojuhani Rautavaara - Cantus Arcticus

This 1972 composition is Rautavaara's best-known work. It incorporates birdsongs recorded in northern Finland, near the Arctic Circle.

Émile Waldteufel - Skaters Waltz, Op. 183

Les Patineurs Valse was composed in 1882. Waldteufel was inspired by the skating rink at Paris's Bois de Boulogne.

Hans Gál Cello Music Unabashedly Romantic

The first part of Hans Gál's story isn't unusual. Like many talented Jewish musicians in Austria and Germany, his career was derailed by the rise of Nazism.  was one of many talented German and Austrian musicians. Gál fled to England, settling in Edinburgh and becoming a respected teacher.

Gál wrote throughout his life in a tonal post-romantic style. After the War, this style was considered somewhat old-fashioned, and his music fell into disfavor. It's only been in recent years that it's been rediscovered and presented to the world.

One of Gál's champions is conductor Kenneth Woods. In every recording he makes a strong case for Gál's music -- and this disc is no exception. Gál's Concertino for Cello and String Orchestra, Op. 87 receives its world premiere recording here.

The work was completed in 1966, and I can understand audiences of the day thinking it old-fashioned. But taken on its own merits, the concertino is well-constructed work of beauty. Gál's language may be tonal, but it's one full of imagination.

Cellist Matthew Sharp digs into the material with relish, artfully shaping every phrase for maximum effect. The concertino is an expressive work, and what it most seems to express is joy. A welcome rediscovery, indeed!

The recording also includes Gál's two sonatas for solo cello, Op. 109. Gál was a trained pianist, but these sonatas show he had a thorough understanding of the cello's capabilities. To my ears, the works almost sounded like extended cadenzas. The thematic ideas flow freely and develop logically.

Matthew Sharp played impressively in the concertino. With these solo sonatas, he's even more impressive. Sharp delivers finely nuanced performances that work on all levels.

Hans Gál: Concertino for Cello and String Orchestra
Matthew Sharp, cello
English Symphony Orchestra; Kenneth Woods, conductor
Avie AV 2380

Hof-Capelle Carlsruhe's Schmittbaur hommage an unusual mix

The Hof-Capelle Carlsruhe's first collection of Karlsruhe court music featured works by Johann Molter, with some filler by his contemporaries. This volume brings one of those composers -- Joseph Aloys Schmittbaur -- to the fore.

Schmittbaur was a well-respected composer and organist. One of his distinctions was copying Benjamin Franklin's glass harmonica and then improving upon it.

This homage features three of his works for glass harmonica.  They're modest in scope, and perhaps that's what makes them work so well. Schmittbaur takes full advantage of the capabilities of the instrument. The long decay of the notes is treated almost like pedaling in a piano to connect chords and melodic figures. 

Verrophon (glass harmonica) soloist Philipp Marguerre performs these works with great sensitivity. His skill brings out the best in these works -- and the instrument.

Some of Schmittbaur's chamber music had been misattributed to Haydn. Listening to the symphonies on this release, one can understand why. They're models of early classical era clarity. Schmittbaur lays out his themes in a straight-forward fashion, then develops them in elegant modulations. Schmittbaur follows the models of the Mannheim School and does so quite well.

But two of these symphonies were written in 1795 -- seven years after Mozart's "Jupiter" symphony, and the same year as Beethoven's first symphony and Haydn's Symphony No. 104.  Placed in context, Schmittbaur's symphonies sound somewhat old-fashioned. But that doesn't diminish from their enjoyment by a 21st Century listener!

The Hof-Capelle Carlsruhe performs with enthusiasm and energy, which makes the symphonies fun to listen to. I thought the harpsichord a little too prominent in the mix for my taste, however. It gave the ensemble a slight metallic edge I don't remember hearing in their previous recording.

Hommage a Joseph Aloys Schmittbaur
Hof-Capelle Carlsruhe
Profil CD PH18064

Collecting - And Collecting Information 35

When labels fail

In the early postwar years, Japan provided a steady supply of inexpensive toys to the American market. Many of these cheap tin toys were brought in by American importers under their own brand. Others were simply brought in and distributed to jobbers for placement in dime stores, department stores, and pharmacies.

Margins were low, and it was never about brands -- just price. Many of the small friction cars I've accumulated for the Straco Display Layout have no logos on them. Sometimes it's possible to figure out which company made a particular piece. 

If a company didn't always brand their toys, the original packaging can often help.  But not always.

Another dead end

When I saw this new old stock convertible for sale, I was hopeful. It's identical (save in color) to one I already own (see Straco Express Layout, Part 35). The vehicle itself has nothing to indicate which company made it.

The new old stock convertible (top), and the example
I own (bottom). Origin still unknown.

Unfortunately, neither does the packaging. The label simply reads "Four wheels friction car, Japan" in a generic font. Obviously, these toys were made for the low end of a rack jobbers' selection. My guess is they retailed for a nickel or less, and were sold in the late 1950s.

And another insight

I ran across another vintage Japanese friction car in its original packaging on eBay. The label was of better quality than the convertible's. It was printed on cardstock and in color! The information was equally unhelpful, though. "Assorted Cars" is pretty generic.

But I own an example of that same vehicle (see Straco Express, Part 31). So I know the car itself is branded. On the side is the "TN" trademark of Nomura. And that provides some additional information. Nomura either provided an importer with these cars, or another Japanese company sourced them to put together packages for importers.

Either way, I now know that Nomura was at least one of the suppliers for "Assorted Cars." The next step will be to find other vehicles in bags with this same label. Will they all be Nomura toys? Hard to say. Nomura usually put their brand on the packaging (even when making products for other companies). I think it likely that other toy manufacturers also provided products for "Assorted Cars" (whoever they were).

No question - this is the same car that 's in the bag.

And there's the TN mark on the back.

Diabelli Project 220 - Piece for Piano, Part 6

The Diabelli Project is about offering my weekly flash-composition sketches freely to all. Like Antonio Diabelli's theme, these sketches aren't great music. But perhaps (as in Diabelli's case) there's a Beethoven out there who can do great things with them.

I decided to try writing another complete piece in 10-minute weekly installments. It's definitely exercising a different set of creative muscles than my daily work requires.

This week's installment of the Piece for Piano begins in the last two measures of the first page. The flowing arpeggios in the left hand have become a staccato rhythmic pattern. The right hand continues to work with the original melody, expanding on one of the motifs. Yes, I'm going somewhere with all of this. Stay tuned!

When I ran out of time, the left hand seemed to be in a holding pattern. But holding for what?
As always, you can use any or all of the posted Diabelli Project sketches as you wish for free. Just be sure to share the results. I'm always curious to see what direction someone else can take this material.

#ClassicsaDay #ClassicalWinter Week 2

For January 2019, #ClassicsaDay went with a winter theme. December's theme, #ClassicalChristmas centered around sacred works of the season. #ClassicalWinter is about sharing secular compositions. that have a snow or winter theme. 

Here are my Classical Winter posts for the second week of January.

Ralph Vaughan William - Scott of the Antarctic (soundtrack)

This 1948 film chronicled Robert Scott's failed attempt to reach the South Pole. Vaughan Williams effectively depicted the cold and desolation with his score. In 1952 he expanded the material to create his seventh symphony, Sinfonia antartica.

Jean Sibelius - Talvikuva (Winter Scene) from Five Sketches, Op. 114

Sibelius completed the work in 1929. It would be his last published work for solo piano. Talvikuva is the second of the five sketches.

Carter Pann - Slalom

"Slalom" is a series of skiing vignettes. Section titles include "First Run," "On One Ski, Gyrating," and "Open Meadow, Champagne Powder."

Jacques Ibert - La promenade en traineau from "Petite Suite"

Ibert's 1944 piano work is entitled "Small Suite in 15 Scenes." No. 7 is more popularly known by its English title, "Sleigh Ride."

Randall Thompson - Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Frostiana: Seven Country Songs was completed by Thompson in 1959. Robert Frost was a friend of Thompson's. The work was commissioned for the bicentennial of Amherst, MA, where Frost had lived.

Gernsheim Complete Cello Sonatas - Three Views of a Life

Friedrich Gernsheim was an important composer, conductor, and concert pianist at the end of the 19th Century. He was a close friend of Brahms, and his style somewhat similar. Like Brahms, Gernsheim wrote in "pure" music that eschewed extramusical inspiration.

This release features Gernshiem's three cello sonatas, as well as two other works for cello and piano. The first sonata was finished in 1868, the second in 1906, the last in 1916, two years before the composer's death. Collectively, they provide three snapshots of Gernsheim's development as a composer.

Gernsheim completed his Cello Sonata No. 1 in D minor when he was 29. To me, the work sound somewhat conventional. Gernsheim seems to stay close to the classical norms of the era. It's a well-crafted work, but one that didn't engage me as much as the other two.

His second sonata is a different matter. Long, flowing melodies readily break into motivic building blocks. The sonata is tightly organized, with little wasted energy. Gernsheim compositional skill is more fully developed, and it shows. Every note is there for a reason. The harmonies are much more adventuresome, and Gernsheim uses some interesting third relationships to link together his material.

The Sonata No. 3 in E minor, Op. 87 started out as a reworking of the second sonata. In the end, he built an entirely new composition over the structure of the second. The Sonata has an unrelenting emotional intensity that commands your attention. The finely crafted melodies give testament to Gernsheim's skill.

Although cleanly recorded. the sound of the cello seemed a little thin to my ears, especially in the upper register. Technically the playing was first-rate. Gernsheim's sonatas leave plenty of room of individual expression. Alexander Hülshoff's playing had a singing quality to it that made Gernsheim's lyrical melodies especially beautiful.

Gernshiem was a concert pianist and wrote accordingly. Although quite challenging, Oliver Triendl played with sensitivity and aplomb. I think the success of these works depends on the emotional investment of the players. These are very successful performances.

Friedrich Gernsheim: Complete Cello Sonatas
Alexander Hülshoff, cello; Oliver Triendl, piano
CPO 555 054-2

Danielpour String Quartets Lyrical and Accessible

This release features world premiere recordings of Danielpour's latest string quartets.

Danielpour's renowned for his operas and vocal works. That same lyricism infuses these chamber works. Each quartet is masterfully constructed, and take the listener on sonically rewarding journeys.

String Quartet No. 5 is subtitled "In Search of La vita nuova." According to Danielpour, this 2004 quartet represents his long love affair with Italy. But there's little overtly Italian in the music. Rather, Danielpour distills the refreshing vitality of the region and presents it in his own musical language.

The sixth quartet "Addio," is concerned with families, and how they eventually pull apart. While not readily apparent in this recording, as the quartet progresses, three of the players leave the stage and play from the sidelines. Danielpour quotes from Beethoven's "Adieux" sonata, Straus' "Four Last Songs" and Mahler's Ninth Symphony (each concerned with leaving). Danielpour's own tonal style lets him seamlessly weave these quotes into his music.

The last quartet, "Psalms of Solace" is inspired by a search for the divine. Its final movement features a soprano singing an amalgam of Biblical texts.

The Delray Quartet is a relatively new ensemble, yet they play with the cohesiveness of a much older group. They have a smooth ensemble blend. Even when one instrument is featured, it seems more "first among equals" than soloist + accompaniment.

Hila Pittmann is a fine singer. My one complaint is that sometimes her voice gets buried in the mix, making it difficult to clearly hear the lyrics.

All in all, though, a fine recording of modern string quartets that would fit in a mainstream chamber music program.

Richard Danielpour
String Quartets Nos. 5-7
Delray String Quartet; Hila Piltmann, soprano
Naxos 8.559845

Classical Pearls Before Swine

December 2018, Stephen Pastis introduced a new character in his strip Pearls Before Swine. Franz, the Punning Piano Teacher riffs on composer names.

Naturally, it was a theme I quite enjoyed. Some names are regular staples for puns. Franz Joseph Haydn (pronounced "High-den") and Franz Liszt (pronounced "list") are easy and frequent targets. But that's only the starting point for Pastis:

There's more to this series than just music puns, though. Note how Pastis ups the ante by making each successive pun more tortured and convoluted until we get to the end. 

Will Franz return? Rat only grazed him the first time. I'm hoping Pastis' wit remains sharp, and Rat's aim poor.l

Diabelli Project 219 - Piece for Piano, Part 5

The Diabelli Project is about offering my weekly flash-composition sketches freely to all. Like Antonio Diabelli's theme, these sketches aren't great music. But perhaps (as in Diabelli's case) there's a Beethoven out there who can do great things with them.

I decided to try writing another complete piece in 10-minute weekly installments. It's definitely exercising a different set of creative muscles than my daily work requires.

This week's installment of the Piece for Piano begins in the second system. The climax the music has been building to over the past few installments finally arrives at the double bar. At that point, I revisit the opening material. But it's not exactly the same (I try not to do exact repeats). The development of this material will probably continue on into next week's sketch.

When I ran out of time, the left hand seemed to be in a holding pattern. But holding for what?
As always, you can use any or all of the posted Diabelli Project sketches as you wish for free. Just be sure to share the results. I'm always curious to see what direction someone else can take this material.

#ClassicsaDay #ClassicalWinter Week 1

For January 2019, #ClassicsaDay went with a winter theme. December's theme, #ClassicalChristmas centered around sacred works of the season. #ClassicalWinter is about sharing secular compositions. that have a snow or winter theme. 

Here are my Classical Winter posts for the first week of January.

Giacomo Puccini - "Che gelida manina" (What a cold little hand) - La Boheme

In the first act of "La Boheme" takes place in the middle of winter. Mimi visits her neighbor Rudolfo to get a light for her candle. Both are freezing in the poorly heating garret.

Claude Debussy - The Snow is Dancing

This is the fourth movement of "The Children's Corner." Debussy's friend and colleague André Caplet orchestrated the suite in 1911.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 1 in G minor, Op. 13 "Winter Dreams"

The title comes from the first movement, marked "Dreams of a Winter Journey." The themes outlined in G minor in this movement return in the final movement, now in G major, suggesting arrival.

Franz Joseph Haydn - "Der Winter" from "Die Jahreszeiten," Hob.XXI:3

Haydn's massive 1801 oratorio is in four sections, one for each season. "Der Winter" is the final part. It represents the year's end, and life's' end as well.

Rosner: Orchestral Music Volume 2

This installment of Rosner's orchestral music shows a wide range of emotional expression.

The 1976 Five Ko-ans for Orchestra encapsulates the essence of Rosner's style. The music's mostly triadic, with chords resolving in delightfully unexpected ways. Rosner incorporated Renaissance modality and late Medieval counterpoint into his music.

It's no accident that the final movement of this work is titled "Isorhythmic Motet." The blending of early music compositional techniques with a modern orchestra makes the work sound timeless, not bound to a particular century or idiom.

Unraveling Dances is a late work. It's a set of theme and variations laid over a multi-rhythmic bolero. Yes, there's a nod to Ravel's "Bolero," but Rosner's work sounds much closer to the dance's origins.

The Parable of the Law is a harrowing setting of a Franz Kafta text. A person comes to a door, and the doorkeeper refuses him admittance. The person waits out his entire life, only to learn at death that the door was meant only for him.

Rosner's orchestral setting provides a roiling and restless accompaniment to the baritone.  The baritone relates The Parable of the Law sometimes singing, sometimes shouting, sometimes growling.

While Rosner shows great skill, for me, it's the least interesting work I've heard from this composer. It just seemed as if the whole work was just one (overly long) exposition.

Christopher Burchett delivers an exceptionally dramatic performance. But there's just not that much for him to work with.

The London Philharmonic Orchestra under Nick Palmer shine. Rosner uses a unique orchestral palette, and this ensemble makes it sound magnificent.

While I personally think the Parable is weak, overall I liked the album. Five Ko-ans is considered one of Rosner's best work, and it's easy to hear why. And Unraveling Dances is just plain fun. In this case, two out of three is very good.

Arnold Rosner: Orchestral Music, Vol. 2
Five Ko-ans for Orchestra, Op. 65; Unraveling Dances, Op. 122; The Parable of the Law, Op. 97
Christopher Burchett, baritone; London Philharmonic Orchestra; Nick Palmer, conductor
Toccata Classics NOCC 0465

Pacoloni Ensemble performance of Thysius Lute Book rings true

Dutch philosopher, theologian, and musician Adriaan Smout collected over 900 compositions from the late 1500s. This massive collection made its way to John Thysius, a book collector, for whom the collection is named.

The collection is a virtual cross-section of European lute music. While most of the sources aren't listed, modern scholars have traced works back to various English, French, Italian, and German sources.

The Pacoloni Ensemble takes an imaginative approach in their programming. The disc is carefully sequenced for context. Most tracks contrast with the ones that preceded them. A few form a miniature suite of similar pieces.

The ensembles vary the sound by using one to four lutes. Different combinations yield different timbres. And a few tracks also use percussion for added energy.

There's a roughness to the playing I found appealing. When the four lutes are playing together, attacks aren't always precise. To me, that seems more appropriate to the way these works would have been originally heard.

These lute pieces were written for amateur music-making. The Pacoloni Ensemble gives us an idea of what these pieces would have sounded like (had they been played by exceptionally gifted amateurs).

Adriaan Smout: Thysius Lute Book
Pacoloni Ensemble
Brilliant Classics 95821

Happy New Year!