#ClassicsaDay #ClassicalSpring Week 4 & 5

Classical Spring For January 2019 the #ClassicsaDay team made #ClassicalWinter then theme. It seemed only right to continue the trend and celebrate Spring. So for April 2019, everyone is encouraged to share classical works inspired by the season.

Some famous pieces may readily come to mind, such as the "Spring" movement from Vivaldi's "Four Seasons," or Copland's "Appalachian Spring." I decided to avoid the obvious and dig a little deeper. 

Here are my posts for the fourth and fifth week of #ClassicalSpring.

4/22 Ralph Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending

George Meredith's poem about a lark in flight inspired Vaughan Williams to write this work. Originally it was for violin and piano. He orchestrated it in 1920, the version most often performed today.

4/23 Heinrich Schutz - Italienische Madrigale "Ride la Primavera" SWV 7

Schutz studied in Venice with Gabrieli and possibly Monteverdi. His first collection of published compositions was "Italienische Madrigale" in 1611. "Ride la Primavera" is one of two madrigals about spring in the collection.

4/24 Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov: Yar-khmel (Spring Overture), Op. 1

Ippolitov-Ivanov studied with Rimsky-Korsakov. His teacher's influence (especially in orchestration) can be heard in this work.

43/25 Karl Goldmark - Im Frühling, Overture Op.36

Goldmark's Im Frühling (In the Spring) premiered in 1889. Goldmark was largely self-taught as a composer. His work in the Vienna Theater in der Josefstadt gave him first-hand experience in orchestration.

3/26 Hermann Goetz - Frühlings-Ouvertüre (Spring Overture), Op. 15

Goetzs's 1864 overture is part of a small body of works. Goezt died of tuberculosis at age 35, before his career could fully develop. His music fell into obscurity after his death, although it was later championed by Mahler.

4/29 Zdenek Fibich - Spring, Symphonic Poem Op. 13 (1881)

Czech composer Zdenek Fibich was an ardent admirer of Wagner. This often put him at odds with the Czech musical community which was fostering a national identity distinct from Germany and Austria.

4/30 Johann Caspar Ferdinand Fischer - Suite No. 1 in C, Op. 1 "Journal du Printemps"

Bohemian composer Johann Fischer was greatly influenced by Lully. His 1695 Journal du Printemps is a set of eight orchestral suites, written in the French style. They were the first orchestral suites published in Germany.