#ClassicsaDay #FallBreak Week 4

For several years now the Classics a Day team has come up with a new theme for each month. But sometimes we all need a break. Plus, none of the suggested themes seemed particularly inspired. So this month there's no theme. 

Everyone's enjoying a fall break. For some of us, it will be a break from posting. For me, I'm just going to post some of my favorite classical works. After all, this is the music I'd want to enjoy on break!

Here are my posts for the fourth and final week of #FallBreak.

10/24/22 Joachim Raff: Symphony No. 3 "im Walde"

Raff was a major symphonist in the late 1800s. But when he died, his music vanished from the repertoire. After hearing his symphonies, I have no idea why. This is good stuff!

10/25/22 PDQ Bach: Echo Sonata for Two Unfriendly Groups of Instruments

Peter Schickle is a comedic genius -- and a darned good composer. Like all good comedies, the humor relies on timing. There are plenty of so-so performances of this piece. The original, though (recorded under Schickle's supervision) remains the best.

10/26/22 Steve Reich: Clapping Music

Talk about minimal. 2 performers, no instruments, eight notes. So cool.

10/27/22 Jon Lord: Gemini Suite

This was Jon Lord's second work blending rock musicians with an orchestra. Like the earlier Concerto for Group and Orchestra, this featured members of Deep Purple, with Malcolm Arnold conducting.

10/28/22 Arnold Rosner: Prelude to "The Tragedy of Queen Jane," Op. 78

Rosner was a student of Alan Hovhaness' music. His own works incorporated Renaissance harmonies and Medieval counterpoint for music that sounded like no one else's.

Next month: Forgotten Composers

#ClassicsaDay #FallBreak Week 3

For several years now the Classics a Day team has come up with a new theme for each month. But sometimes we all need a break. Plus, none of the suggested themes seemed particularly inspired. So this month there's no theme. 

Everyone's enjoying a fall break. For some of us, it will be a break from posting. For me, I'm just going to post some of my favorite classical works. After all, this is the music I'd want to enjoy on break! 

Here are my posts for week 3 of #FallBreak.

Bohuslav Martinu: Symphony No. 5

I analysed this work for a masters-level 20th Century Symphonies course. I got a B. My analysis was fine, but the professor throught the source material wasn't that complex (otheers in the class were tackling Mahler, Webern, and Schoenberg). Doesn't matter -- it's still one of my favorites.

Charles Villiers Stanford - Songs of the Fleet, Op. 177

Who doesn't love a rollicking sea chanty? Stanford's songs are more nuanced, but still quite evocative of the sea.

Amy Beach: Piano Concerto

Beach was a superb pianist, and this concerto reflects her skill both as a performer and as a composer. Too bad her husband didn't agree.

Horatio Parker: Hora novissima

Usually Parker's only referred to as the composition professor who tried (and failed) to teach Charles Ives, supergenius. But that's not entirely fair. Parker was no hack. I find this work skillfully constcruted and quite beautiful.

Stefania de Kennessy: Sunburst

The joyous energy that bursts from this music never fails to cheer me. Think contemporary music is too academic and ugly? Give this a listen. And know there's plenty more where that came from.

#ClassicsaDay #FallBreak, Week 2

For several years now the Classics a Day team has come up with a new theme for each month. But sometimes we all need a break. Plus, none of the suggested themes seemed particularly inspired. So this month there's no theme. 

Everyone's enjoying a fall break. For some of us, it will be a break from posting. For me, I'm just going to post some of my favorite classical works. After all, this is the music I'd want to enjoy on break! 

Here are my posts for week 1 of #FallBreak.

10/10/22 Arnold Bax - Tintagel

If I could only recommend one Bax composition for someone to listen to, this would be it.

10/11/22 Charles Ives - Symphony No. 2

Mashups started much earlier than you think. Ives put several well-known American tunes into the blender and pureed them for this 1897 classic.

10/12/22 Antonin Dvorak: Symphony No. 1 in C minor "The Bells of Zlonice"

Dvorak wrote this symphony for a competition contest. It didn't win. I've always wondered whose symphony did win, and what it sounds like.

10/13/22 Florence Price: Symphony No. 1 in E minor

If I had my way, orchestras would give Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 a rest and program Price's symphonies instead. Just for a year or so. That might be enough to get these into the repertoire. (no disrepect to Dvorak intended)

10/14/22 Alan Hovhaness: Symphony No. 66 Hymn to Glacier Peak

Yes, I (like many others) first fell in love with Hovhaness' music because of his Symphony No. 2. But over time, I've come to like this symphony even more.