Mozart – Violin Sonata No. 27 in G, K. 379

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791).
Composed April 1781, in Vienna.
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FREE .mp3 and .wav files of all Mozart’s music at: http://www.mozart-archiv.de/
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Artist
Arthur Grumiaux

 

Galina Vishnevskaya Sings Mikhail Glinka’s “The Lark”

The great Russian soprano in one of Glinka’s lovely compositions from the 1840’s.

 

Make Music Part of Your Life: P. I. Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29 (Fedoseyev)

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 3 [“Polish”] in D major, Op. 29 (1875)
1. Introduzione e Allegro
2. Alla tedesca. Allegro moderato e semplice
3. Andante elegiaco
4. Scherzo. Allegro vivo
5. Finale. Allegro con fuoco

Moskow Radio Symphony Orchestra
Conductor – Vladimir Fedoseyev
Recorded live at the Alte Oper Frankfurt, 1991

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Romanian Spring Traditions – Martisor – MARCH 1(PRON. MARTZISHOR)

Romanian Spring Traditions – Martisor.

 

TODAY’S HOLIDAY: MARZAS

Marzas

On the last night of February and the first of March in Spain, young marceros, or March serenaders, wander through the streets singing songs to their girlfriends and asking for donations of food and sweets to celebrate the arrival of spring. The term marzas refers both to the traditional songs they sing and to the gifts they receive. Although the songs themselves vary, they always mention the month of March and the coming of spring, leading many to believe that the tradition has its roots in paganrituals celebrating the passing of winter. More… Discuss

 

QUOTATION: Miguel de Cervantes

Everyone is as God has made him, and oftentimes a great deal worse.

Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) Discuss

 

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY: SVETLANA ALLILUYEVA (1926)

Svetlana Alliluyeva (1926)

The youngest child of Joseph Stalin, and his only daughter, Svetlana Alliluyeva caused a furor when she defected to the West in the 1960s, leaving behind her two grown children in the process. After becoming a naturalized US citizen, she published two successful memoirs, married, took the name Lana Peters, had a daughter, and divorced. In 1984, she returned to the USSR and renounced her defection, but her resolve soon wavered. How long was it before she left again for the West? More… Discuss

 

THIS DAY IN THE YESTERYEAR: THE 228 MASSACRE (1947)

The 228 Massacre (1947)

Following Japan‘s defeat in World War II, Taiwan was placed under the administrative control of the Republic of China. The transition did not go smoothly. The Taiwanese had been content under Japanese rule and quickly grew to resent the heavy-handed tactics of the Kuomintang. On February 27, 1947, a dispute between a cigarette vendor and authorities escalated the next day into an anti-government uprising that was violently suppressed. How many Taiwanese are thought to have been massacred? More… Discuss

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NEWS: SUPERSONIC JET’S DESIGNERS ELIMINATE WINDOWS

Supersonic Jet’s Designers Eliminate Windows

When is a window seat not a window seat? When the plane’s cabin has no windows. An aerospace company is in the process of designing a new supersonic jet, and it is planning to eliminate cabin windows entirely. Such windows, while offering passengers breathtaking views, create drag and require additional structural support that adds weight to an aircraft. This poses a challenge when building a jet meant to fly from New York to London in under four hours. Thus, in place of windows, the craft will have display screens embedded in the cabin walls that are linked to cameras mounted on the aircraft’s exterior. More… Discuss

 

ARTICLE: THE LINGAM

The Lingam

The lingam is a Hindu symbol of the god Shiva and of generative power. Fashioned from wood, gems, metal, or stone, lingams are common in family shrines throughout India. Historically, the lingam was a representation of the phallus, and a sexual dimension is apparent today as the yoni—symbol of the female sex organ—often forms the base of the lingam to emphasize the male and female aspects of existence. What did British missionary William Ward say about lingams in his 1815 book? More…

 

The early days of 25 websites – Telegraph

 

The early days of 25 websites – Telegraph.

Spacewalk Mishap Tied to Clogged Helmet Filter – News Watch

 

Spacewalk Mishap Tied to Clogged Helmet Filter – News Watch.

Democracy Now!

 

Democracy Now!.

Supreme Court caught on video! (hidden camera footage)

 

First Known Video Captures High Court Chamber Protest Footage – Washington Wire – WSJ

 

First Known Video Captures High Court Chamber Protest Footage – Washington Wire – WSJ.

FABULOUS COMPOSITIONS/PERFORMANCES: Marian Anderson “Ave Maria” by Schubert

Marian Anderson “Ave Maria” by Schubert
With Leopold Stokowski, 1944
Latin Text
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.

English Translation
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and in the hour of our death. Amen.

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Marian Anderson – “Deep River” (Spiritual)

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TODAY’S HOLIDAY: ECUADORAN CIVICISM & NATIONAL UNITY DAY

Ecuadoran Civicism & National Unity Day

Public displays of patriotism are commonplace for Ecuadorans on this national holiday, observed on the anniversary of the Battle of Tarqui in 1822. The flag of Ecuador is prominently featured during the day’s celebrations. Along with receiving a public display at government and private buildings, the flag also appears in the traditional ceremonies at schools throughout the country. Students with exemplary academic records will have the honor of being flag bearers in official parades, and all students are expected to deliver an oath and kiss the flag as a symbol of their allegiance.More… Discuss

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QUOTATION: Aristotle

All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, and desire.

Aristotle (384 BC-322 BC) Discuss

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TODAY’S BIRTHDAY: MARIAN ANDERSON (1897): HAPPY BIRTHDAY MS. ANDERSON!

Marian Anderson (1897)
Help us caption and translate this video on Amara.org:http://www.amara.org/en/v/B1Im/

Help us caption & translate this video!
http://amara.org/v/B1Im/

Though Anderson was recognized as one of the finest contraltos of her time, racism in the US limited her performing career. Her most electrifying moment came in 1939, when she was refused permission to sing in Washington’s Constitution Hall. Outraged, then-first lady Eleanor Roosevelt arranged for Anderson to sing at the Lincoln Memorial instead. The concert was broadcast to great acclaim. Anderson continued to break down racial barriers, becoming the first black singer to perform where in 1955? More… Discuss

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THIS DAY IN THE YESTERYEAR: THE GODHRA TRAIN BURNING (2002)

The Godhra Train Burning (2002)

More than a decade after a blaze on a train packed with Hindu pilgrims claimed 59 lives—many of the victims women and children—the debate rages on as to whether it was a tragic accident or deliberately set as part of a larger conspiracy. The train was passing through the Indian state of Gujarat when it was set upon by a Muslim mob near the Godhra train station and the fire broke out. Several investigations have yielded conflicting results as to the source of the blaze, yet what was done in 2011? More… Discuss

 

NEWS: HONEYBEE PATHOGENS KILLING BUMBLEBEES TOO

Honeybee Pathogens Killing Bumblebees Too

The plight of honeybees, which have been dying out en masse for reasons that have yet to be fully understood, has dominated bee news of late; however, bumblebeepopulations around the globe have also been in steep decline. For decades, experts have attributed this largely to habitat loss, but researchers have now identified two previously unknown threats to bumblebee survival—deformed wing virus and a fungal parasite called Nosema ceranae. These two pathogens had been known to affect honeybees, but they have now been observed in wild bumblebees as well. More… Discuss

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ARTICLE: MESSIER OBJECTS

Messier Objects

In 1784, French astronomer Charles Messier compiled a list of non-stellar celestial objects. He had no understanding of what these items—now known to be galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters—actually were; he just wanted to further the search for comets by listing the indistinct objects that might be mistaken for them. Designations from his catalog are still used to refer to some nebulae and star clusters—for instance, M1 is the Crab Nebula and M45 is the Pleiades. What is a “Messier Marathon“? More… Discuss

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Make Music Part of Your Life Series: Antonin Dvorak – Symphonic Variations, Op. 78

In this 2004 studio recording, Theodore Kuchar conducts the Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra.

If you’re interested in buying the 3-CD set, it is available at Arkivmusic:
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/D…

And at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Dvor%C3%A1k-Sym…

The CD set also includes Dvorak‘s Czech Suite, Carnival Overture, Golden Spinning Wheel, and Otello.
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Here is the link to the image (which isn’t mine) featured in this video:
http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/v…

This recording of Dvorak’s Symphonic Variations is owned by Brilliant Classics.

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Make Music Part of Your Life Series: Andrés Segovia: Guitar Concerto N°1, Op.99 – Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco

Andrés Segovia: Guitar Concerto N°1, Op.99 – Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco

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Fritz Kreisler, Make Music Part of Your Life Series: Caprice viennois, Op. 2 (arr. for piano), Caprice Viennois, Op. 2

Fritz Kreisler
Balazs Szokolay, Szokolay, Balazs
Caprice viennois, Op. 2 (arr. for piano)
Romantic Piano Favourites, Vol. 3
8.550107
http://www.classicsonline.com/catalog…
http://www.naxoslicensing.com/

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Make Music Part of Your Life Series: Handel Concerto Grosso No.5 Op.6 in D major HWV 323, SCO

Handel Concerto Grosso No.5 Op.6 in D major HWV 323, Complete
http://www.facebook.com/groups/133188…

1. Maestoso
2. Allegro
3. Presto
4. Largo
5. Allegro
6. Menuet. Un poco larghetto

Bohdan Warchal 1st violin
Peter Hamar 2nd violin
Juraj Alexander Violoncello

Slovak Chamber Orchestra
Bohdan Warchal Conductor

Slovak Chamber Orchestra
Established in 1960 by Professor Bohdan Warchal, the Slovak Chamber Orchestra has since developed into one of the most popular ensembles in the field of Slovak classical music, and one of the principal interpreters of Slovak art music abroad. Over the years the Slovak Chamber Orchestra has introduced itself on the most important concert stages and music festivals in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia. It has co-operated with many prominent world-renowned soloists, and inspired the work of several Slovak composers, resulting in premiere performances of their new compositions. The ensemble has recorded more than 100 music titles originating in different periods, for domestic as well as foreign record companies.

Bohdan Warchal
(27 January 1930, Orlová, Czechoslovakia 30 December 2000, Bratislava, Slovakia) was a Slovak violinist, a member of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra and founder, chief conductor and soloist of the Slovak Chamber Orchestra.

* 19571964 – concertmaster of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
* 1964 – artistic leader of the Slovak Chamber Orchestra
* 19591963 – external pedagogue at the State Conservatory Bratislava
* 1980 – pedagogue at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava
* 1995 – moved from the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra to the Prague Chamber Orchestra
* 1997 – became the leader of the Slovak Chamber Orchestra again
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Using the crisis to build a United States of Europe – Nigel Farage

http://www.ukipmeps.org | http://twitter.com/Nigel_Farage
Join UKIP: http://ukip.datawareonline.co.uk/Join…
• European Parliament, Strasbourg, 25 February 2014

• Speaker: Nigel Farage MEP, Leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), Co-President of the ‘Europe of Freedom and Democracy‘ (EFD) Group in the European Parliament -http://www.nigelfaragemep.co.uk

- Blue-card Question: Phillipe Lamberts MEP (Belgium), Greens group

• Joint Debate: European Semester

1. European Semester for economic policy coordination: annual growth survey 2014
Report: Philippe De Backer (A7-0084/2014)
- Report on the European Semester for economic policy coordination: Annual Growth Survey 2014
[2013/2157(INI)]
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

2. European Semester for economic policy coordination: employment and social aspects
Report: Sergio Gutiérrez Prieto (A7-0091/2014)
- Report on the European Semester for economic policy coordination: Employment and Social Aspects in the Annual Growth Survey 2014
[2013/2158(INI)]
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

3. Single market governance
Report: Sergio Gaetano Cofferati (A7-0066/2014)
- Report on Single Market governance within the European Semester 2014
[2013/2194(INI)]
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

Transcript:

“Well, I’ve sat here this morning feeling like the odd man out. I mean, to me it’s beyond parody for the Greek finance minister, Mr Kourkoulas, to come along here and tell us our fortune.

“‘The policies are bearing fruit!’ 

“‘We’re going to tackle unemployment!’ 

“And no one says anything. No, because of course everybody here is tied up with the same obsession: the obsession that the euro must and will work; the obsession that you’ll use the crisis to build a United States of Europe.

“What you could have told them, Mr Koukoulas, is that according to the respected medical journal The Lancet, there are now 800,000 people in Greece without access to welfare or medical care.

“You could have told them that. But even if had they would not have listened, so obsessed are they with building the euro.

“Okay, simple listen in economics. When you have two countries that are completely at different stages of the economic cycle, one currency needs to devalue, but if those countries are pegged or tied inside the same currency and they cannot devalue you have to devalue the country. And that is what is happening to the Mediterranean. We are devaluing the Mediterranean and it’s leading towards Third World status.

“No amount of socialist state spending can mend this imbalance, and it’s about time – if people here cared for the citizens of Europe, particularly in the south – that we admitted the euro does not work for Southern Europe and it’s time that we broke it up and gave countries currencies that reflected their current economic status.”

This was followed by a ‘blue-card question’ from Belgian Greens MEP Phillipe Lamberts.
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Video source: EbS (European Parliament)
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• EU Member States:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, United Kingdom

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Noam Chomsky “Poverty and Propaganda”

1995

Full Interview – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-tEuI…

QUOTATION: William Shakespeare

Friendship is constant in all other things Save in the office and affairs of love.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Discuss

 

TODAY’S HOLIDAY: AYYAM-I-HA

Ayyam-i-Ha

Also known as Days of Ha, the Ayyam-i-Ha are intercalary days (extra days inserted in a calendar) in the Baha’icalendar. The calendar is made up of 19 months of 19 days, plus the period of four days added between the 18th and 19th months, which allows for the year to be adjusted to the solar cycle. The days are set aside for rejoicing, hospitality, gift-giving, special acts of charity, and spiritually preparing for the Baha’i fast from March 2–20. The new calendar was inaugurated by Mirza Ali Mohammad, known as the Bab, founder of the Babi religion from which the Baha’i faith emerged. More…Discuss

 

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY: WILLIAM FREDERICK “BUFFALO BILL” CODY (1846)

William Frederick “Buffalo Bill” Cody (1846)

Cody’s father passed away when he was just a boy, leaving him to support the family. He worked as a wagoner, trapper, and prospector before joining the Pony Express at 14. After serving in the American Civil War, he became a buffalo hunter—hence the nickname “Buffalo Bill.” Writers chronicled his frontier exploits, making him a folk hero. He capitalized on his fame with “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show,” which toured the US and Europe for decades. How many buffalo did Bill claim to have killed? More… Discuss

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THIS DAY IN THE YESTERYEAR: BARINGS BANK COLLAPSE (1995)

Barings Bank Collapse (1995)

A cautionary tale for financial institutions the world over, the collapse of Barings Bank, a centuries-old British bank, resulted from the activities of a single, unscrupulous employee. The man in question, derivatives broker Nick Leeson, made unauthorized, unhedged futures transactions on Nikkei, racking up £827 million ($1.3 billion) in losses in no time. He hid these losses by reporting them as gains and got away with it due to a lack of oversight. What brought the whole scheme crashing down?More… Discuss

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GLOBAL BIOMASS

Biomass is the total amount of living organisms in a given area, expressed in terms of living weight per unit area. It can include microorganisms, plants, and animals. An amazing amount of biomass is created by the approximately 10 quintillion insects living at any one time. In fact, the almost one million known insect species comprise 300 times the total weight of Earth’s human population. What other single class of organisms makes up a staggering 25% of the global biomass? More… Discuss

 

WORD: CONCORDANT

concordant 

Definition:	(adjective) Being in agreement: harmonious.
Synonyms:	accordant, agreeable, consonant, conformable
Usage:	No one was surprised that the candidate’s views were concordant with those of the outgoing mayor, as the mayor had long been his mentor. Discuss.

 

NEWS: POOR SLEEP LINKED TO ACHES AND PAINS

Poor Sleep Linked to Aches and Pains

A good night’s sleep could help keep you pain free. Then again, being in pain could prevent you from sleeping well. A recent study found that people over age 50 who suffer from sleep problems are almost twice as likely as those who sleep well to develop widespread pain. Poor sleep quality was the strongest predictor of pain studied, surpassing anxiety, osteoarthritis, cognitive impairment, and physical health, among other factors. Further investigation is needed to determine whether non-restorative sleep is a cause of widespread pain or vice versa. More… Discuss

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Make Music Part of Your Life Series: V.A.Mozart – 12 Variations on a French folk song ”Ah, Vous dirai-je, Maman” .

V.A.Mozart – 12 Variations on a French folk song ”Ah, Vous dirai-je, Maman” .
Composed during 1781-1782 K.265, in C-Dur
This theme is widely known as a children’s song ( such as ”Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, ”Alphabet Song” and others).
Performed by Anastasia Kaminskagia during a piano recital in Athens on 26th of January 2013.
The lyrics ( French and English) are the following:

Ah! Vous dirai-je, Maman
Ce qui cause mon tourment?
Papa veut que je raisonne
Comme une grande personne
Moi je dis que les bonbons
Valent mieux que la raison.

Ah! Shall I tell you, Mommy
What is tormenitg me?
Daddy wants me to reason
Like a grown-up person
Me, I say that sweets
Are worth more than reasoning.

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Make Music Part of Your Life Series: Brahms, Symphony Nr 3 F Dur op 90 Leonard Bernstein, Wiener Philharmoniker

Brahms, Symphony Nr 3 F Dur op 90 Leonard Bernstein, Wiener Philharmoniker

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90, is a symphony by Johannes Brahms. The work was written in the summer of 1883 at Wiesbaden, nearly six years after he completed his Second Symphony. In the interim Brahms had written some of his greatest works, including the Violin Concerto, two overtures (Tragic Overture and Academic Festival Overture), and the Second Piano Concerto.

The premiere performance was given on 2 December 1883 by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of Hans Richter. The shortest of Brahms’ four symphonies, a typical performance lasts between 30 and 40 minutes.

Form

The symphony consists of four movements, marked as follows:

1. Allegro con brio (F major), in sonata form.
2. Andante (C major), in a modified sonata form.
3. Poco allegretto (C minor), in ternary form (A B A’).
4. Allegro (F minor/F major), in a modified sonata form.

History

Hans Richter, who conducted the premiere of the symphony, proclaimed it to be Brahms’ Eroica. The symphony was well received, more so than his Second Symphony. Although Richard Wagner had died earlier that year, the public feud between Brahms and Wagner had not yet subsided. Wagner enthusiasts tried to interfere with the symphony’s premiere, and the conflict between the two factions nearly brought about a duel.^[1]

After each performance, Brahms polished his score further, until it was published in May 1884. His friend and influential music critic Eduard Hanslick said, “Many music lovers will prefer the titanic force of the First Symphony; others, the untroubled charm of the Second, but the Third strikes me as being artistically the most nearly perfect.”^[1]

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Make Music Part of Your Life: Horowitz plays Wagner-Liszt Isolde’s Liebestod

Last but not least. It took the legendary pianist three separate days to record this piece to his satisfaction, and he died a mere four days after its completion on November 5, 1989. 

Horowitz did not record the other Liszt transcriptions of Wagner such as the Tanhauser Overture, though the biography by authored Harold Schonberg noted that he played an enormous amount of his own transcriptions of operatic music, including the Ride of the Valkyrie. However, Horowitz did not programme most of them once he arrived in the United States.

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Wagner -Make Music Part of Your Life Series: Prelude and Liebestod from ‘Tristan Und Isolde’ (Karajan-BPO-Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra)

From  the Author-DjangoMan1963:  “This is my personal vote for the greatest piece of music ever.
The version here is by the Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by the late, great Herbert Von Karajan.

The jewish coductor Daniel Barenboim aptly said: “The music is bigger than the man”. Anyone who dismisses Wagner’s music on the basis of his views as a man, is missing something truly wonderful.

I’ve chosen Karajan’s version because he gets the tempo and the feel just right. Not too much vibratro here, which other conductors sometimes bring to the piece, making it sound too overwrought. He gets it spot on. A touch of vibrato, but he let’s the notes speak for themselves, whilst the languid tempo evokes a mystical atmosphere to the piece.

I hope you enjoy this wonderful music.”

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Richard Wagner

Tristan und Isolde (Tristan and Isolde, or Tristan and Isolda, or Tristran and Ysolt) is an opera, or music drama, in three acts by Richard Wagner to a German libretto by the composer, based largely on the romance by Gottfried von Straßburg. It was composed between 1857 and 1859 and premiered in Munich on 10 June 1865 with Hans von Bülow conducting. Wagner referred to the work not as an opera, but called it “eine Handlung” (literally a drama. a plot or an action), which was the equivalent of the term used by the Spanish playwright Calderón for his dramas.
Wagner’s composition of Tristan und Isolde was inspired by the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer (particularly The World as Will and Representation) and his affair with Mathilde Wesendonck. Widely acknowledged as one of the peaks of the operatic repertory, Tristan was notable for Wagner’s unprecedented use of chromaticism, tonality, orchestral colour and harmonic suspension.
The opera was inexorably influential among Western classical composers and provided direct inspiration to composers such as Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Karol Szymanowski, Alban Berg, Arnold Schönberg and Benjamin Britten. Other composers like Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel and Igor Stravinsky formulated their styles in contrast to Wagner’s musical legacy. Many see Tristan as the beginning of the move away from common practice harmony and tonality and consider that it lays the groundwork for the direction of classical music in the 20th century.^[1] Both Wagner’s libretto style and music were also profoundly influential on the Symbolist poets of the late 19th Century and early 20th Century.^[2]

Composition history

Wagner was forced to abandon his position as conductor of the Dresden Opera in 1849, as there was a warrant posted for his arrest for his participation in the unsuccessfulMay Revolution. He left his wife, Minna, in Dresden, and fled to Zürich. There, in 1852, he met the wealthy silk trader Otto Wesendonck. Wesendonck became a supporter of Wagner and bankrolled the composer for several years. Wesendonck’s wife, Mathilde, became enamoured of the composer. Though Wagner was working on his epic Der Ring des Nibelungen, he found himself intrigued by the legend of Tristan and Iseult.

The re-discovery of mediæval Germanic poetry, including Gottfried von Strassburg‘s version of Tristan, the Nibelungenlied and Wolfram von Eschenbach‘s Parzival, left a large impact on the German Romantic movements during the mid-19th century. The story of Tristan and Isolde is a quintessential romance of the Middle Ages and theRenaissance. Several versions of the story exist, the earliest dating to the middle of the 12th century. Gottfried’s version, part of the “courtly” branch of the legend, had a huge influence on later German literature.^[3]

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Make Music Part of Your Life series: Schumann – Symphony No. 2 in C Op.61 – Leonard Bernstein (live recording)

Robert Schumann (1810 – 1856) – Symphony n°2 in C major opus 61

I. Sostenuto assai (00:00) – Allegro ma non troppo (03:41)
II. Scherzo. Allegro vivace (12:26)
III. Adagio espressivo (19:20)
IV. Allegro molto vivace (32:46)

Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks), dir Leonard Bernstein
(live recording 1983)
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Make Music Part of Your Life Series: The Moldau/Vltava by Bedřich Smetana – Symphonic poem from “Ma Vlast- My Country”

Vltava- Ma Vlast:  Bedřich Smetana – Symphonic poem
The London Symphony Orchestra,  Alfred Scholz conducting

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Make Music Part of Your Life Series: Shostakovich – Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10 [Kirill Kondrashin, USSR State SO, 1951]

Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10 (1923-25)

I. Allegretto – Allegro non troppo [0:00]
II. Allegro (Scherzo) [9:16]
III. Lento – [13:43]
IV. Allegro molto [23:29]

The first symphony by Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975), which he dedicated to his friend Mikhail Kvadri. Shostakovich completed the work at age 19 as his graduation assignment for the Petrograd (formerly St. Petersburg, later Leningrad) Conservatory, which was directed at the time by Alexander Glazunov. Shostakovich’s main composition teacher Maximilian Steinberg oversaw the project. The composer initially wished to use his Scherzo, Op. 7 (1923-24) as the second movement of the symphony, but Steinberg was appalled by its grotesque character and suggested that Shostakovich compose a different movement. He followed his teacher’s advice in composing a new movement, but it was ever more steeped in grotesquerie than the earlier scherzo, and the same brash, brittle character pervades much of the symphony; as Shostakovich wrote to his friend Lev Oborin, “It would be more fitting to call this work the ‘Symphony-Grotesque’.” Although the symphony is vintage Shostakovich, it also bears the influence of earlier Russian masters – from the piquant harmonies of Stravinsky’s Petrushka and the sharp wit of the young Prokofiev to the lush colours and chromaticism of Scriabin and the long-drawn lyricism of Tchaikovsky.

The symphony’s premiere on May 12, 1926 in the Great Hall of the Leningrad Philharmonic (conducted by Nikolai Malko) was a resounding success. Shostakovich’s mother recalled the performance: “All went more than brilliantly – a splendid orchestra and magnificent execution … At the end, Mitya was called to the stage over and over again. When our handsome young composer appeared, looking almost like a little boy, the enthusiasm turned into one long thunderous ovation.”

This recording dates from 1951. The conductor Kirill Kondrashin leads the USSR State Symphony Orchestra.

 

TODAY’S HOLIDAY: VIÑA DEL MAR INTERNATIONAL SONG FESTIVAL

Viña del Mar International Song Festival

The seaport of Viña del Mar in Valparaiso, Chile, is the site of one of the continent’s biggest music events, the Viña del Mar International Song Festival. Established in 1960, this annual weeklong festival takes place at an outdooramphitheater called the Quinta Vergara. From its inception, the festival has held a song competition that traditionally features performers from about 10 Spanish-speaking countries. There is also a program featuring folk musicians and an international show that includes English-speaking as well as Latinperformers. More… Discuss

 

QUOTATION: Gilbert Chesterton

“My country, right or wrong,” is a thing that no patriot would think of saying except in a desperate case. It is like saying, “My mother, drunk or sober.”

Gilbert Chesterton (1874-1936) Discuss

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY: MERWAN SHERIAR IRANI, MEHER BABA (1894)

Merwan Sheriar Irani, Meher Baba (1894)

Born into a Zoroastrian family of Persian descent, Meher Baba underwent a spiritual awakening at 19 and in time concluded that he was the avatar—the incarnation of God in human form—of his age. He formulated a belief system that identified the goal of life as realizing the oneness of God, from whom the universe emanates. In an effort to bring others to that realization through love, he worked extensively with the poor and the physically and mentally ill. For how many years did he remain silent? More…Discuss

 

THIS DAY IN THE YESTERYEAR: IMELDA MARCOS PARTS WITH HER SHOES (1986)

Imelda Marcos Parts with Her Shoes (1986)

When Philippine political leader Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda were driven into exile following the assassination of opposition leader Benigno Aquino, they left behind evidence of a lavish lifestyle that pointed to possible corruption and embezzlement. The former first lady’s shoe collection, which numbered in the thousands, became a symbol of the Marcos’s excesses. Despite her alleged misdeeds, Imelda returned to home after Ferdinand’s death and ran for president with what result? More… Discuss

 

NEWS: BULLYING’S EFFECTS ADD UP

Bullying’s Effects Add Up

Studies have consistently shown that bullying is tied to worse physical and mental health, but few have looked at the cumulative effects of bullying over time. As might be expected, a longitudinal study of bullying found that teens who had been subject to bullying throughout their schooling had a lowerquality of life than those who had either been bullied in the past or who were being bullied at the time of the study. The findings further highlight the importance of preventing bullying or, at the very least, putting a stop to it soon after it starts. More… Discuss

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ARTICLE: THE MAMLUKS

The Mamluks

The Mamluks were members of a warrior caste that ruled Egypt from about 1250 to 1517. Islamic rulers created the caste by collecting non-Muslim slave boys, grooming them as cavalry soldiers, and converting them to Islam during training. The Mamluks initially served the Ayyubid sultans but grew powerful enough to challenge them and claim the sultanate. Though the Ottomans crushed the Mamluks and took Cairo in 1517, the word “mamluk” lives on in various cultures today. What meanings does it have? More… Discuss

 

Corigliano: Suite from “The Red Violin” / Rachlevsky • Chamber Orchestra Kremlin

Corigliano: Suite from “The Red Violin” / Misha Rachlevsky • Chamber Orchestra Kremlin

Recorded at the Chamber Hall of the Moscow International House of Music, with Mr. Corigliano in the audience, March 2003. Russian premiere. With author’s permission, Misha Rachlevsky amended the Suite with other episodes from the film’s score, giving every violinist of the orchestra a chance to shine.

Our website: http://KremlinOnTour.com/

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