Buying Western Classical Music

ajay124 · Nov 24, 2011

The Brandenburg Concertos 1-6 are probably the most accessible works to begin listening to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Posting a link to an excellent introduction of these concertos by Philip Pickett:

The Brandenburg Concertos

The early 80's recordings of these concertos by Trevor Pinnock and The English Concert orchestra have been a benchmark since the time of their release.

Brandenburg Concertos by Trevor Pinnock at jsbach.org

Bach: Brandenburg Concertos; Orchestral Suites: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trevor Pinnock, English Concert: Amazon.co.uk: Music

The EMI box set of J.S.Bach/Yehudi Menuhin/The Bath Festival Orchestra contains a very good version of these concertos along with other Bach works like his orchestral suites, violin concertos and harpsichord concertos. I have been playing all the 7 CD's from this set for many years and have never got tired of them. But sellers on Amazon seem to be demanding an exorbitant price for it. The Brandenburg Concertos seem to have been issued separately on a 2CD set by EMI and these are priced at an affordable price.

Bach - Orchestral Works: Johann Sebastian Bach: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Brandenburg Concertos, Violin Concertos (Bath Festival Orchestra, Menuhin): Johann Sebastian Bach: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Some more options :

Bach: Brandenburg Concertos: European Brandenburg Ensemble, Trevor Pinnock, J.S. Bach: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Bach: Brandenburg Concertos 1-6: Johann Sebastian Bach, Christopher Hogwood, Academy of Ancient Music, Stephen Hammer, Catherine Mackintosh, Christophe Rousset: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Bach: Brandenburg Concertos: Neville Marriner, Academy of St Martin in the Fields: Amazon.co.uk: Music

ajay124 · Nov 24, 2011

Good prices on good recordings

amitk777 · Nov 24, 2011

Hi Ajay,

Thank you very much , I did not know that flipkart had such a collection. At the moment I have just started to listen as much as I can, and just go by the ear, what seems the pleasant to the ear, and the you tube videos you have posted have been a great way to do it. Sometimes in the night, I just open this thread and play them one by one.

@ylesmana
The focus on Indian education has been hard science, not so much on soft skills, and music one great thing which anchors your life. The result is all to see the way we use our environment and even on our relationships. I plan to teach my son the way you have learnt.
My favorite is the kids channel of Boston WGBH , they explain in a way that is simple. For in western music I would just compare myself to a kid. The radio station some times takes up a single composer and the hour long program focuses on it, for example Tchaikovesky or the Bach family.

ajay124 · Nov 26, 2011

There are over 1100 known compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach. The first attempt to organize these works in a coherent manner was made by a society known as Bach Gesellschaft. Between 1850-1900 they published the written compositions of Bach as volumes numbering 1-46. In 1950 Wolfgang Schmieder created a new method for listing these works known as Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis. Like the Gesellschaft he used a thematic approach rather than a chronological one. According to him chronological listing should not be done as it was difficult to identify the actual dates for many compositions by Bach. The BWV listing is widely used for studying, releasing, collecting and listening to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Every work carries the prefix BWV followed by a number. The authenticated works are numbered from BWV 1-1128. Works of doubtful authenticity have been listed separately as BWV anh. The link below provides a complete listing of these works. Fortunately Google provides a German to English translation

List of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach, by BWV number - IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library: Free Public Domain Sheet Music

Maybe an understanding of Bach's music requires a 'scholarly' approach rather a 'casual listening' one. A shift from pop music to listening to The Well Tempered Clavier/Goldberg Variations would require a lot of patience and hard work. Even after having owned recordings of these works for over two decades, I have not come around to really appreciating a lot of this music. I am a casual/amateur listener and not a scholar. Several Bach CD's in my collection are like mountains which I love to look up at but have failed to climb! Some of his well known works are listed below. The ones I found relatively more accessible, when I first began listening to Bach, have been highlighted.

Brandenburg Concertos
Italian Concerto
Passacaglia And Fugue
Toccatas And Fugues
Violin Concerto/Double Concerto
Violin Sonatas And Partitas
Cello Suites
Flute Sonatas
Harpsichord Concertos
Goldberg Variations
The Well Tempered Clavier
English Suites
French Suites
Mass In B Minor(choral)
St. Matthew's Passion(choral)
Magnificat In D(choral)

ajay124 · Nov 26, 2011

Bach at the BBC Proms:

Toccata & Fugue in D Minor
BBC Proms 2010 - Bach Day 1 - Toccata and fugue in d minor bwv 565 - YouTube

Passacaglia & Fugue In C Minor
BBC Proms 2010 Bach Day 11 - Passacaglia and fugue bwv 582 - YouTube

ajay124 · Nov 27, 2011

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg in 1756 and only lived for 35 years. During his brief life he composed over 600 works which were catalogued by Ludwig Von Kochel in 1862. The Kochel catalogue lists all the works in a chronological order. This catalogue has been revised several times, most recently in 1984. Every work carried the prefix KV which in recent times has been shortened to K. The complete catalogue of Mozart's compositions is as follows:

Classical Net - Composer Works List - Mozart

With so many works to choose from, one would have to buy a lot of cds/vinyl to acquire a comprehensive collection of perhaps the most popular musical composer of all times. Mozart's music is immediately and immensely easy to fall in love with. A love story that endure's for the rest of one's life. My love affair with western classical music began with Mozart's piano concerto 20 and symphony's 25,40,41. I still consider these works to be among the greatest achievements of mankind since human life first evolved on our planet

Bernstein performs Mozart's 40th Symphony - 1/3 - YouTube
Bernstein performs Mozart's 40th Symphony - 2/3 - YouTube
Bernstein performs Mozart's 40th Symphony - 3/3 - YouTube

thatguy · Nov 27, 2011

ajay124 said:
Mozart's piano concerto 20 and symphony's 25,40,41.

Just to tempt the Bollywood fans, Salil Chaudhary's 'Itanaa na mujh se tu pyaar baDha' is based on the opening melody of Mozart's Symphony No 40. If the derived work is so beautiful, you can imagine how good the original is.

ajay124 · Nov 28, 2011

Mozart CD's on Amazon U.K. Before buying read reviews and check KV number in order to avoid confusion/duplication. Personally I don't feel that it is essential to buy the complete symphonies or piano concertos of Mozart. Only the late symphonies 25-41 and selected piano concerts can be bought. I have highlighted a few options which I believe are really good. Karl Bohm and Mitsuko Uchida are superb 'Mozartians'. Options 1,2,3,4 would be a great beginning for a Mozart collection.

Mozart: Wind Concertos and Serenades: W.A. Mozart: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: Symphonies Nos.35 "Haffner", 36 "Linzer", 38 "Prager", 39, 40, 41 "Jupiter": Berliner Philharmoniker, Karl Bhm: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos Vol. 1: Mitsuko Uchida, English Chamber Orchestra, Jeffrey Tate, Jeffrey Tate: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: Five Violin Concertos: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: Complete Violin Concertos: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: Symphonies 38-41: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Charles Mackerras, Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Karl Bhm, Wiener Philharmoniker, Berliner Philharmoniker: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: Requiem: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: The Piano Sonatas: Mitsuko Uchida: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos Vol.2: Mitsuko Uchida, English Chamber Orchestra, Jeffrey Tate, Jeffrey Tate: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: Clarinet Concerto / Clarinet Quintet: Jack Brymer, The Allegri String Quartet, Colin Davis, London Symphony Orchestra: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: The String Quintets: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Amadeus Quartet, Cecil Aronowitz: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: Violin Sonatas: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Itzhak Perlman, Daniel Barenboim: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart Concertos for Flute & Harp: Classic Library Series: James Galway, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: Die Zauberflte: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Karl Bhm, Berlin Radio Chamber Choir, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Evelyn Lear, Roberta Peters, Lisa Otto, Fritz Wunderlich: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: Late Symphonies: Staatskapelle Dresden, Colin Davis: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: The Works for Flute: Aurle Nicolet, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, David Zinman, The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Neville Marriner, William Bennett, Grumiaux Trio, Hubert Barwahser, London Symphony Orchestra, Colin Davis: Amazon.co.

Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 20 & 21/25 & 27: Friedrich Gulda, Wiener Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado: Amazon.co.uk: Music

EMI Masters - Horn Concertos Nos. 1-4 / Brain/Karajan: Brain/Karajan, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart - Flute and Harp, Clarinet Concertos; Flute Concerto No. 1: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Claudio Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: Flute Concertos - EMI Masters: Emmanuel Pahud, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Claudio Abbado, Berliner Philharmoniker: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: The Complete Piano Trios; Clarinet Trio: Beaux Arts Trio: Amazon.co.uk: Music

ajay124 · Nov 29, 2011

ajay124 · Dec 2, 2011

MARTHA ARGERICH is an Argentinian pianist who became an instant celebrity in 1965, when she won the International Chopin Piano Competition held in Warsaw. Subsequently she signed a contract with Duetsche Grammophon and gave a series of astonishing solo performances which were released as The Martha Argerich Collection 1. DG later issued box sets of Collection 2 and 3. Recently Decca has released a set called Collection 4.

I have not heard many recordings from the subsequent sets, but the first collection is truly remarkable. I bought this set a few months ago and did not cotton on to it initially. But at the moment it resides permanently on my audio rack. It is the only music that I am currently listening to. The transistion happened when I heard Argerich playing Bach's Toccata BWV 911, Partita BWV 826 and English Suite BWV 807. The other CD's with recordings of music composed by Chopin, Schumann, Ravel and Prokofiev are also superb. As these recordings were originally released as LP's the running time is around 40 minutes. But for anyone interested in classical piano music this set should be essential listening. These day Amazon CD prices seem to swinging as wildly as stock prices. Buy on dips!

From The (excellent)New Yorker: The Critics: Annals of Music

Martha Argerich: The Collection 1 - MusicalCriticism.com (CD review)

Martha Argerich - The Collection 1: Martha Argerich: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Martha Argerich: The Collection 2 - The Concerto Recordings: Martha Argerich: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Martha Argerich - The Collection 3: Chamber Ensembles: Martha Argerich: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Martha Argerich - The Collection 4 - Complete Philips Recordings: Martha Argerich: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Scintillating
Martha Argerich - Bach Partita No. 2 - Verbier Festival 2008 - YouTube

ajay124 · Dec 8, 2011

Frederic Chopin was a Polish composer from the Romantic period who composed music exclusively for the piano. There are over 200 published works of Chopin. Most of them are for solo piano. They range from Nocturnes (night songs), Ballads (love songs), Polonaise and Mazurkas (dances) to Preludes, Etudes, and Impromptu peices. Chopin also wrote two piano concertos which feature music for an orchestra. His Piano Concerto no.1, Etudes, Nocturnes, Mazurkas and Waltzes are very popular and have been performed by many virtuoso pianists.

Arthur Rubinstein's name is perhaps the most closely associated with Chopin among all the 20th century pianists. Fans and critics alike consider Rubinstein playing Chopin as a perfect union of 'poetry' and music. Definitely some of the most beautiful music created in the past hundred years. Most virtuoso pianists of the 20th century have recorded works by Chopin. Among the best known are Martha Argerich, Maurizio Pollini, Arturo Micheangeli, Dinu Lipatti, Krystian Zimerman, Murray Perahia, Sviatoslav Richter and Maria Joao Pires.

The Rubinstein set is more or less essential listening. There are two set of Rubinstein recordings. A mono set from the 1930's and a stereo set from the 1960's. For audio reasons it is better to get the stereo set. In 2010 to celebrate his 200th birth anniversary, DG released a comprehensive 17 CD set called Chopin Complete Edition. This is the set I bought recently from Amazon and am listening to while I write this post

Chopin Complete Edition [17-CD Set] | ArkivMusic

Chopin Complete Edition: Martha Argerich, Claudio Arrau, Krystian Zimerman: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Rubinstein plays Chopin - Sony Classical Masters: Arthur Rubinstein, Frdric Chopin: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Amazon.co.uk: chopin argerich: Music

metalmickey · Dec 8, 2011

two awesome cd's on sale!
Flipkart.com: Tchaikovsky, Korngold: Violin Concertos [Hybrid SACD]: Music: Audio CD

Flipkart.com: Ravel: Bolero; Ma Mre LOye; Rapsodie Espagnole [Hybrid SACD]: Music: Audio CD

ajay124 · Dec 9, 2011

metalmickey

The hybrid SACD of Ravel's Bolero with Pierre Boulez/Berliner Philharmoniker is a steal at these prices. Someone should grab it while it is still available. Most Boulez recordings have a crisp and highly detailed 'audiophile' sound. It would make a great audition CD for the HFV meets being planned in Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad (Alas the north seems to have caught the winter chill and is hibernating!).

Tchaikovsky's music is always pleasing and Anne Sophie Mutter is a great violinist. Therefore both the cd's are worth acquiring. Unfortunately these are the only two hybrid SACD's on Flipkart which are sensibly priced.

Hybrid sacd Music: Buy in India @ Flipkart.com

Wiener Philharmoniker - Maurice Ravel Bolero - YouTube

ajay124 · Dec 10, 2011

Times change and so do we. A few months ago my music listening mostly revolved around modern composers like Mahler, Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Bartok and Prokofiev. All of whom have now been placed on the back burner. And the glorious triumvirate of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven is once again holding center stage. With one addition. The third BIG B after Bach and Beethoven, Johannes Brahms is currently my favorite composer.

Brahms was a German composer from the Romantic period. He was born in Hamburg in 1833. At the age of 20 he had a momentous meeting with Robert Schumann and Clara Schumann. Schumann was the most famous composer of those times. His wife Clara, was an accomplished and well known pianist. Brahms was young, unknown and had composed very little music. Yet Schumann announced him to the musical world as the great hope for the future. As someone who would give ideal expression to the music of the nineteenth century.

Robert Schumann and Richard Wagner were perhaps the most influential composers of the first half of the 19th century. Composers influenced by Schumann considered Beethoven as their ideal. An ideal which could be emulated but perhaps never bettered. Composers influenced by Wagner also considered Beethoven as their ideal. But they felt that they had to build on Beethoven's legacy and attempt to go beyond what he had created. Ironically Johannes Brahms is the only composers from that generation, whose symphonies can be considered to be on an equal footing with Beethoven's 9 symphonies . After Schumann died in 1856 the most prominent champion of his ideas were Brahms and Clara Schumann.

Johannes Brahms' four symphonies are among the greatest ever composed. His two Piano Concertos, Violin Concerto, Double Concerto, Hungarian Rhapsodies and German Requiem are all works of extraordinary beauty. His compositions were inspired and infused with the purity of the classical period, the lush grandeur of the Romantic period and the secular flavour of the coming modern age. They were a bridge which connected the past, present and future of western classical music in the mid nineteenth century.

Suggested recordings:

There are several well known recordings of the 4 symphonies by Wilhelm Furtwangler, Otto Klemperer, Herbert Von Karajan, Carlos Kleiber, Bernard Haitink, Claudio Abbado and Simon Rattle. Furtwangler conducted the symphonies several times. His fans consider these recordings as the greatest. Unfortunately all these recordings would probably be mono and not comparable to modern recordings for sound quality. Kleiber's version of the 4th is magnificent but he only conducted the 4th and 2nd symphony. Among the modern recordings, the Abbado/Berliner Philharmoniker set is considered to be very good, but it is also very expensive at the moment. The Bernard Haitink/Royal Concertgebouw 7CD set is sensibly priced, fairly comprehensive and a joy to listen to. A great introduction to Brahms.

Brahms: The Symphonies & Concertos: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Claudio Arrau, Henryk Szeryng, Jnos Starker, Brahms, Bernard Haitink: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Brahms: Symphony No.4: Wiener Philharmoniker, Carlos Kleiber: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Brahms: The Complete Symphonies 1, 2, 3, 4: Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Brahms - Symphonies 1 - 4: Philharmonia Chorus, Johannes Brahms, Otto Klemperer, Christa Ludwig,
Philharmonia Orchestra: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Brahms: Complete Symphonies: Johannes Brahms, Claudio Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Brahms: The Symphonies: Johannes Brahms, Simon Rattle, Berliner Philharmoniker: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Furtwngler Conducts Brahms and Beethoven: Johannes Brahms, Ludwig van Beethoven, Wilhelm Furtwngler, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Brahms: 21 Hungarian Dances: Johannes Brahms: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Brahms: The Piano Concertos 1, 2: Haydn and Handel Variations: Vladimir Ashkenazy, Wiener Philharmoniker, Bernard Haitink, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Brahms: Violin Concerto: Oistrakh, Szell: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Beethoven: Triple Concerto/Brahms: Double Concerto: Mstislav Rostropovich, Johannes Brahms, Ludwig van Beethoven, Herbert von Karajan, George Szell, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, David Oistrakh, Sviatoslav Richter: Amazon.co.uk:

Brahms - Piano Concerto 1 etc: Serkin, Szell, Ormandy: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Piano Concertos: J. Brahms: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Brahms - Violin Concerto: Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Johannes Brahms, Carlo Maria Giulini: Amazon.co.uk: Music

EMI Masters - A German Requiem / Otto Klemperer: Otto Klemperer, Johannes Brahms: Amazon.co.uk: Music

ajay124 · Dec 11, 2011

You Tube in high definition. My humble computer audio/video set up (iMac/Cyrus 6VS2/Onkyo BS) positively sings when playing these superb recordings uploaded by the London Symphony Orchestra. I can almost reach out and touch my favorite 21st century conductor.... Maestro Valery Gergiev! I am hooked to the sound and vision of LSO

Mahler: Symphony No 3, 1st movement (Valery Gergiev, London Symphony Orchestra) - YouTube

Mahler: Symphony No 6, 1st movement (Valery Gergiev, London Symphony Orchestra) - YouTube

Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet, No 13 Dance of the Knights (Valery Gergiev, LSO) - YouTube

Lso's Channel - YouTube

ajay124 · Dec 20, 2011

Franz Schubert was born in Vienna in 1797. Mozart had passed away a few years ago, Beethoven's early compositions had been published and Haydn still reigned at the top. Like Mozart, Franz Schubert was a child prodigy who started playing and composing music from a very early age. Like Mozart he died young. By the time he was 20 he had already composed many works which are among the most frequently performed works today. His music was infused with the spirit of the classical trio Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven and also the the awakening romantic spirit of the nineteenth century. His best works are incredibly beautiful, but he found very little recognition from the public during his brief life. Only a few people who were close to him and were familiar with his music recognized his genius. At the age of 25 he contacted syphilis. He continued composing major works but his health kept deteriorating. A few years later, at the age of 31, he passed away. In such a short time Franz Schubert composed over a 1000 works. Many of these are lieder's. A lieder is a song composed for voice and piano and set to words which are often taken from well known poems. Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann and Gustav Mahler are among the masters of this art form. He also composed nine symphonies and many works for the piano and violin. His 8th symphony has only two movements and was never completed. Yet this symphony popularly known as the 'Unfinished Symphony' is one of the most remarkable works of music ever created.

Schubert's works were catalogued in the 20th century by Otto Duetsch and assigned the prefix D followed by a number. This catalogue lists works in a thematic sequence rather than a chronological one from D1-D998. The complete list is available here:

List of compositions by Franz Schubert, by musical genre - IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library: Free Public Domain Sheet Music

Well known works:

Symphony No.8 (Unfinished)
Symphony No.4,5,9
Trout Quintet
Death And The Maiden
Rosamunde
Moments Musicaux
Wanderer Fantasy
String Quintet in C Major
Die Schone Mullerin (lieder cycle)
Winterreise (lieder cycle)

Many years ago I bought a 21 CD set of Schubert (DG) from a boutique music shop in Frankfurt which was so comprehensive that I never felt the need to buy more Schubert cd's. This box was released as an anniversary set by Deutsche Grammaphon. Most of the recordings are from the 60's-70's with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Weiner Philharmoniker and featuring composers and musicians like Karl Bohm, Wilhelm Kempff, Daniel Barenboim, Melos Quartett and Dietrich Fischer-Deiskau. I surfed online but could not locate this set anywhere.

Suggested recordings from currently available CD's on Amazon U.K.:

Schubert: Symphonies Nos 3 & 8: Franz Schubert, Carlos Kleiber, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Schubert: Symphonies Nos 5, 8 & 9 /OAE Mackerras: Franz Schubert, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Charles Mackerras: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Schubert: Trout Quintet/String Quartet No.14 - "Death and the Maiden": Franz Schubert, Amadeus Quartet, Norbert Brainin, Peter Schidlof, Martin Lovett, Siegmund Nissel, Emil Gilels: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Schubert: The Last Four Quartets - Death and the Maiden etc.: Franz Schubert, Quartetto Italiano: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Schubert: Complete Impromptus: Franz Schubert, Alfred Brendel: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Schubert: Piano Works: Franz Schubert, Alfred Brendel: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Schubert: Song Cycles: Franz Schubert: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Franz Schubert: Impromptus D 899 & 935 Moments musicaux D 780 Piano Sonatas: F. Schubert: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Schubert: The Late Quartets; Quintet: Emerson String Quartet: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Schubert: String Quintet in C: Franz Schubert, Emerson String Quartet, Mstislav Rostropovich: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Schubert: Complete Trios: Franz Schubert, Beaux Arts Trio, Grumiaux Trio: Amazon.co.uk: Music

This is what a good high fidelity system is meant to play!

Schubert: Symphony No.8 'Unfinished' Allegro moderato 1/2 Carlos Kleiber - YouTube

ajay124 · Dec 21, 2011

Check out the Berlin Phil's high definition digital concert hall. With Maestro Claudio Abbado at the helm.

BerlinPhil's Channel - YouTube

BerlinPhil's Channel - YouTube

BerlinPhil's Channel - YouTube

BerlinPhil's Channel - YouTube

ajay124 · Dec 22, 2011

Imagine a columbus, an adventurer, an exile or a runaway setting foot on a new land. The rising excitement, anticipation, trepidation and hope for a better future. Antonin Dvorak wrote the New World Symphony when he 'discovered' America. But the music he composed to evoke this sense of discovery is universal. It would stir any any youthful heart to set out on a new adventure.

Dublin Philharmonic, Dvorak, New World Symphony - 1st Mvt, Conductor Derek Gleeson - YouTube

ajay124 · Dec 27, 2011

Joseph Haydn is one of the greatest composers of western classical music. He practically invented musical forms such as the symphony and string quartet in the eighteenth century. He was born in Austria in 1732. He started learning music at the age of 5 and by the time he entered his 20's, he was making a modest living as a music teacher in Vienna. In 1761 he was placed in charge of the orchestra at the Esterhazy estate in Eisenstadt, Austria. It was here that he started composing his major works and over the next few decades he became the most famous composer of his times. In 1781 Haydn met Mozart and both the composers mutually admired each others work. Haydn was twice as old as Mozart but with typical modesty he hailed Mozart as the "the greatest composer known to me either in person or by reputation". In 1792 he briefly became Beethoven's mentor and teacher. About Beethoven he remarked that "he will one day become Europe's greatest composer and I am proud to have been his teacher." Both Mozart and Beethoven may have achieved greater fame but their music owes a debt to the wonderful and original compositions of Franz Joseph Haydn.

Haydn's work's were catalogued by Anthony Van Hoboken in 1957. The Hoboken Verzeichnis lists 750 works with the prefix Hob or H and includes 100+ symphonies and 60+ string quartets. Among his best known works are:

Symphonies 6,7,8 (Morning, Noon Evening)
Symphonies 45,48,49 (Farewell, Maria Therese, La Passione)
Symphonies 94,100,101,104 (Surprise, Military, Clock, London)
Sun Quartets 23-28
Russian Quartets 29-34
Erdody Quartets 60-65
Trumpet Concerto in E Flat
Cello Concerto in D Major
The Creation

Recordings:

Haydn: London Symphonies, Vol.1: Joseph Haydn: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Haydn: London Symphonies, Vol.2: Joseph Haydn: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Haydn: The 12 London Symphonies: London Philharmonic Orchestra, Eugen Jochum: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Haydn: String Quartets, Opp.51, 54, 55, 64, 71 & 74: Amadeus Quartet: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Haydn: Cello Concertos 1 & 2: Mstislav Rostropovich, Franz Joseph Haydn, Academy of St Martin in the Fields: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Haydn: Cello Concertos No. 1 in C Major & No. 2 in D Major; Symphony No. 13 in D Major; Sinfonia Concertante in B-Flat Major - Sony Classical Masters: Steven Isserlis, Joseph Haydn, Sir Roger Norrington: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Haydn: Concertos: Joseph Haydn, Leopold Hofmann, Eugene Ormandy, Jnos Rolla, Philadelphia Orchestra, Liszt Chamber Orchestra, Gilbert Johnson, John de Lancie, Bernard Garfield, Jacob Krachmalnick: Amazon.co.uk: Music

ajay124 · Dec 29, 2011

Georg Frideric Handel is the most famous composer from the Baroque era after Johann Sebastian Bach. Together these two composers dominate the music from the Baroque Period (1600-1750). There are several other composers like Antonio Vivaldi, Domenico Scarlatti, Georg Phillip Telemann, Tomaso Albinoni, Claudio Monteverdi and Johann Pachelbel whose works are popular even today, but perhaps none of them are quite in the league of Bach and Handel. Handel was born in Germany in 1785, in the same year as Bach. He grew up in a devoutly religious and musical environment. Music was an integral part of the the churches and courts of the local nobility. In 1805 he moved to Italy to study opera and a few years later he settled in England. Most of his famous works were composed in England over the next four decades while serving in various royal courts and performing at the Royal Academy Of Music and Covent Garden. Handel wrote over 40 operas and 30 oratorios.The first popular listing of his works was done by the Handel Gessellschaft society between 1850-1900. Since 1978 Bernd Baselt's Handel Werke-Verzeichnis catalogue with a thematic listing from HWV1-612 is widely considered to be the most comprehensive.

Handel's Compositions

Famous works:

Water Music
Music For The Royal Fireworks
Messiah(oratorio)
The Cuckoo And The Nightingale
The Harmonious Blacksmith
Concerto Grassi Op. 6&7
Coronation Anthems

Recordings:

Handel: Orchestral Works: Georg Friederich Handel: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Handel: Messiah: Trevor Pinnock: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Handel: Water Music & Fireworks Music: The English Concert, Trevor Pinnock: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Handel: Messiah: Georg Friederich Handel, Sir Colin Davis, London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra, Heather Harper, Helen Watts, John Wakefield, John Shirley-Quirk: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Handel: Water Music Suites 1, 2, 3, Music for the Royal Fireworks: George Frideric Handel, John Eliot Gardiner, English Baroque Soloists: Amazon.co.uk: Music

HANDEL : Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks: Georg Friederich Handel, Rafael Kubelk, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Handel: Complete Organ Concertos: Simon Preston, Ursula Holliger, George Frideric Handel, Trevor Pinncok, The English Concert: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Messiah is perhaps the greatest Christmas music ever composed!

Lso's Channel - YouTube

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