Ottorino Respighi: Metamorphoseon modi XII (P. 169) (1930)

Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936): Metamorphoseon modi XII, Tema e Variazioni per orchestra (P. 169) (1930) — Philharmonia Orchestra diretta da Geoffrey Simon —

I. Tema (Andante moderato)
II. Modus I (Moderato non troppo)
III. Modus II (Allegretto)
IV. Modus III (Lento)
V. Modus IV (Lento espressivo)
VI. Modus V (Molto vivace)
VII. Modus VI (Vivace)
VIII. Modus VII (Cadenza)
IX. Modus VIII (Andantino mosso)
X. Modus IX (Lento non troppo)
XI. Modus X (Molto allegro)
XII. Modus XI (Molto allegro)
XIII. Modus XII (Vivo non troppo)

— painting by Mario Sironi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

 

”  Among Italian composers of the twentieth century historian, Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) is surely what he had and has less need of external pressures, festival promotions, conferences and opportunities to find the one monographic dissemination, fortune and fame to international ‘author of three symphonic poems Roman smiled almost immediately, on the basis of chopsticks which Toscanini , De Sabata and Karajan day before yesterday or yesterday, Maazel , Muti , or Sinopoli today.  “

( Alberto Cantù , Respighi composer , Turin, Eda, 1985 )

Ottorino Respighi

Mario Sironi   (click on Picture to access the art gallery at wikipaintings)

Winter Night (a poetic thought by George-B)

And then there was no sound to be heard
while the light dimmed –
behind the  darkness only few impressions survived…

An owl  attacked, and a mouse gave the last cry…

A handful of wind combed the plane of the leaves,
the plane of the air behind the branches:
The ripple in the still surface of the pond 
froze then, as if touched by a spell:

‘There will be no Spring in sight, not anytime  soon!’

Thursday Evening at the Concert: Franz Schubert – Symphony No. 3 in D major, D. 200 (BRSO, Maazel)

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Symphony No. 3 in D major, D. 200: 

I. Adagio maestoso — Allegro con brio
II. Allegretto
III. Menuetto. Vivace — Trio
IV. Presto vivace

(Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Lorin Maazel, conductor)

(Recorded at Prinzregententheater München, 2001)

From Wikipedia:  The Allegro con brio, which follows a broad introduction in a form which reminds us of the French Overture in two parts, the first slow and dramatic, the second more lyrical, is remarkable for its charm and the interplay of solo clarinet with syncopated strings, which developed pp from within the bounds of the style of chamber music to the larger sphere of the symphonic form. This is an extremely dramatic movement in sonata form. It owes much, as Michael Trapp points out in the liner notes of Günter Wand’s recording, to the influence of Rossini, whose music was quite popular at the time, particularly evident in the overture-like structure.

A delightful Allegretto in ternary form follows, full of grace and humor.

Then comes a high-spirited Minuet, which, with its accented up-beats, suggests a scherzo and a popular flavor due to this low and popular gesture, and is contrasted by a graceful Ländler-like trio.

The concluding Presto in tarantella rhythm is remarkable for its bold harmonic progressions and for its wealth of dynamic contrast. This movement is in sonata form with a looser conception.

External links

• Symphony No. 3: Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project

Related articles

• Classical Music Composers (mademan.com)
• Franz Schubert: Die Forelle & Ständchen, “Serenade” (michelinewalker.com)
• Scentual Sunday (esscentualalchemy.wordpress.com)

Endangered Hawai’i – New ABC Film Depicts Bird Extinction Crisis In Hawai’i

Endangered Hawai’i – New ABC Film Depicts Bird Extinction Crisis In Hawai’i (click to view video)

A new 30-minute film, narrated by actor Richard Chamberlain, explores the on-going bird extinction crisis in Hawaiʻi that has led to about 70 percent of all native bird species in the state becoming extinct.

The film, Endangered Hawaiʻi, was produced by American Bird Conservancy (ABC), the nation’s leading bird conservation organization, with funding by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Related articles

• Rare Hawaiian Birds Possibly Rebounding from Immunity to Deadly Diseases (ecowatch.org)
• Butterflies ‘more endangered than tigers’ (junkscience.com)
• Birds in Trouble Globally, but Cooperative Conservation Approach Getting Results (yubanet.com)
• One-Fifth Of World’s Invertebrate Species Face Extinction (sott.net)

Bizarre laws from around the world (from MSN)

Bizarre laws from around the world (click to access video @ MSN)

Quotation: Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) on retiring, for preservation

To retire is not to flee, and there is no wisdom in waiting when danger outweighs hope, and it is the part of wise men to preserve themselves to-day for to-morrow, and not risk all in one day.

Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) Discuss

Today’s Birthday: Catharine Beecher (1800)

Catharine Beecher (1800)

Beecher was an American lecturer, author, and advocate for women’s education. The sister of abolitionist author Harriet Beecher Stowe, she popularized a conservative movement to rescue women from frivolous “feminine” pursuits—by elevating and entrenching women’s role in the domestic sphere. Her ideal woman was one who presided over an intelligent, cultured, well-managed household. In 1823, she founded the Hartford Female Seminary to train women to be teachers. What social change did she oppose? More…

This Day in the Yesteryear: The Dawson’s Field Hijackings (1970)

The Dawson’s Field Hijackings (1970)

In 1970, Palestinian terrorists attempted to hijack five airplanes—most New York-bound flights that had originated in Europe or Israel—and rerouted three to Dawson’s Field, a remote desert airstrip in Jordan. The Jordanian king responded quickly, ordering strikes on Palestinian targets. All of the hostages were eventually released. Only one person died in the hijackings—a terrorist who was shot on board one of the planes that did not make it to Jordan. What happened to the rest of the hijackers? More… Discuss

Would-Be Thief Swallows $13,600 Diamond

A Chinese tourist was arrested in Sri Lanka on Wednesday after allegedly attempting to steal a diamond by swallowing it during a gem and jewelry exhibition. The owner of the exhibition stall where the incident occurred said the alleged thief, 32-year-old Chow Cheng, was examining the diamond when he attempted to swap the real gem—valued at 1.8 million rupees, or $13,600—with a synthetic one. When the ruse was spotted, the suspect reportedly swallowed the diamond, which police say can be seen in an X-ray of his throat. More… Discuss

Latinxua Sin Wenz

Latinxua Sin Wenz was the not the first system for transliterating Chinese using the Latin alphabet, but it was the first to be widely used by native speakers. It was developed in the late 1920s and early 30s in the USSR, where it was employed by Chinese immigrants. It then spread to Northwestern China, where it became an important tool for promoting literacy. More than 300 publications utilized Latinxua Sin Wenz before it fell out of use. What important feature of Chinese languages did it omit? More… Discuss