Daily Archives: April 28, 2015

The Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, or colloquially the Rach 3, Op. 30 composed in 1909 by Sergei Rachmaninoff has the reputation of being one of the most technically challenging piano concertos in the standard classical repertoire.

Form

Following the form of a standard concerto, the piece is in three movements:

A portion of the original cadenza (ossia)

Allegro ma non tanto (D minor)

The first movement revolves around a diatonic melody that soon develops into complex pianistic figuration. The second theme opens with quiet exchanges between the orchestra and the piano before fully diving into a slower theme in a major key. The first part of the first theme is restated before the movement is pulled into a loud development section which opens with toccata like quavers in the piano and reaches a loud chordal section. The whole development exhibits features similar to a canon, such as an eighth note passage in the piano in which the left hand and the right hand play overlapping figures. The movement reaches a number of ferocious climaxes, especially in the cadenza. Rachmaninoff wrote two versions of this cadenza: the chordal original, which is commonly notated as the ossia, and a second one with a lighter, toccata-like style. Both cadenzas lead into a quiet solo section where the flute, clarinet and horn restate the first theme of the exposition, accompanied by delicate arpeggios in the piano. The cadenza then ends quietly, but the piano alone continues to play a quiet development of the exposition’s second theme before leading to the recapitulation, where the first theme is restated by the piano, with the orchestra accompanying, soon closing with a quiet, rippling coda reminiscent of the second theme.
Intermezzo: Adagio (F sharp minor/D flat major)

The second movement is opened by the orchestra and it consists of a number of variations around a single lush, heavily romantic melody following one another without a rigid scheme. The melody soon moves to the tonic major which is the second theme. After the first theme development and recapitulation of the second theme, the main melody from the first movement reappears, before the movement is closed by the orchestra in a manner similar to the introduction. Then the piano gets the last word with a short “cadenza-esque” passage which moves into the last movement without pause. Many melodic thoughts of this movement allude to Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto, third movement, noticeably the Russian-like, E-flat major melody.
Finale: Alla breve (D minor → D major)

The third movement is quick and vigorous and contains variations on many of the themes that are used in the first movement, which unites the concerto cyclically. However, after the first and second themes it diverges from the regular sonata-allegro form. There is no conventional development; that segment is replaced by a lengthy digression using the major key of the third movement’s first theme, which leads to the two themes from the first movement. After the digression, the movement recapitulation returns to the original themes, building up to a toccata climax somewhat similar but lighter than the first movement’s ossia cadenza and accompanied by the orchestra. The movement concludes with a triumphant and passionate second theme melody in D major. The piece ends with the same four-note rhythm – claimed by some to be the composer’s musical signature – as both the composer’s second concerto and second symphony.^[1]

Rachmaninoff, under pressure, and hoping to make his work more popular, authorized several cuts in the score, to be made at the performer’s discretion. These cuts, particularly in the second and third movements, were commonly taken in performance and recordings during the initial decades following the Concerto’s publication. More recently, it has become commonplace to perform the concerto without cuts. A typical performance of the complete concerto lasts about forty minutes.

History

Proofing copies of the concerto (1910)

Rachmaninoff composed the concerto in the peaceful setting of his family’s country estate, Ivanovka,^[2] completing it on September 23, 1909. Contemporary with this work are his First Piano Sonata and his tone poem The Isle of the Dead.

The concerto is respected, even feared, by many pianists. Josef Hofmann, the pianist to whom the work is dedicated, never publicly performed it, saying that it “wasn’t for” him. Gary Graffman lamented he had not learned this concerto as a student, when he was “still too young to know fear”.^[3]

Due to time constraints, Rachmaninoff could not practice the piece while in Russia. Instead, he practiced it on a silent keyboard that he brought with him while en route to the United States.

The concerto was first performed on November 28, 1909 by Rachmaninoff himself with the now-defunct New York Symphony Society with Walter Damrosch conducting, at the New Theater (later rechristened the Century Theater). It received a second performance under Gustav Mahler several weeks later, an “experience Rachmaninoff treasured.”^[4] Rachmaninoff later described the rehearsal to Riesemann:

At that time Mahler was the only conductor whom I considered worthy to be classed with Nikisch. He devoted himself to the concerto until the accompaniment, which is rather complicated, had been practiced to perfection, although he had already gone through another long rehearsal. According to Mahler, every detail of the score was important — an attitude too rare amongst conductors. … Though the rehearsal was scheduled to end at 12:30, we played and played, far beyond this hour, and when Mahler announced that the first movement would be rehearsed again, I expected some protest or scene from the musicians, but I did not notice a single sign of annoyance. The orchestra played the first movement with a keen or perhaps even closer appreciation than the previous time.^[5]

The manuscript was first published in 1910 by Gutheil. Rachmaninoff called the Third the favorite of his own piano concertos, stating that “I much prefer the Third, because my Second is so uncomfortable to play.” Nevertheless, it was not until the 1930s and largely thanks to the advocacy of Vladimir Horowitz that the Third concerto became popular.

Orchestration

The concerto is scored for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, snare drum, cymbals, piano and strings. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> More

Leave a comment

Posted in ARTISTS AND ARTS - Music, Arts, Educational, FILM, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, MY TAKE ON THINGS, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, Special Interest, Uncategorized, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, Special Interest

Tagged Abbreviation, Alexander Scriabin, art, Beauty and the Beast (1991 film), Characters in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Emma Watson, entertainment, EUZICASA, Ewan McGregor, Great Compositions/Performances, Historic Musical bits, Ian McKellen, Make Music Part of Your Life Series, Music, Piano Concerto No. 3 (Rachmaninoff), sergei rachmaninoff, Stanley Tucci, video, Vladimir Horowitz plays Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.3 (live 1978), wikipedia, YouTube

best musical bits, Robert Schumann Symphony No 3 “Rhenish” in E flat major, Op 97 Bernstein , great compositions/performances

Posted on April 28, 2015 | Leave a comment

Robert Schumann Symphony No 3 “Rhenish” in E flat major, Op 97 Bernstein

La Casa di Davide

Published on Oct 30, 2014

Robert Schumann Symphony No. 3 “Rheinische Sinfonie” (“Rhenish”) in E flat major, Op. 97
Leonard Bernstein conducts Wiener Philarmoniker
Lebhaft 0:00
Scherzo: Sehr mäßig (in C major) 9:56
Nicht schnell (in A-flat major) 16:25
Feierlich (in E-flat minor) 22:51
Lebhaft 30:00

Music
- “Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 97 “Rhenish”: V. Lebhaft” by Wolfgang Sawallisch & Staatskapelle Dresden (iTunes)

Leave a comment

Posted in ARTISTS AND ARTS - Music, Educational, FILM, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, MY TAKE ON THINGS, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, Special Interest, Uncategorized, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, Special Interest

Tagged 2014 Robert Schumann Symphony, art, Bernstein La Casa, Best musical bits, conducted by Leonard Bernstein.), entertainment, EUZICASA, Great Compositions/Performances, Make Music Part of Your Life Series, Music, Op 97 Bernstein, Rhenish, Robert schuman, Robert Schumann Symphony, Robert Schumann Symphony No 3 “Rhenish” in E flat major, V. Lebhaft, YouTube

Gioachino Rossini – Sonata No. 3 for Strings in C major .make music part of your life series

Posted on April 28, 2015 | Leave a comment

Gioachino Rossini – Sonata No. 3 for Strings in C major

Wolfgang Amadé Mozart

Published on Nov 9, 2012

Andras Kiss, violin. Budapest Rossini Ensemble.
Gioachino Rossini – Sonata No. 3 for Strings in C major
I. Allegro 00:06:29
II. Andante 00:04:40
III. Moderato 00:02:59

Music
- “Sonata No. 3 for Strings in C major: III. Moderato” by Budapest Rossini Ensemble (Google Play • iTunes • eMusic • AmazonMP3)

Leave a comment

Posted in ARTISTS AND ARTS - Music, Arts, Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, MY TAKE ON THINGS, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, Special Interest, Uncategorized, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, Special Interest

Tagged A Far Cry - Janacek - Idyll Suite for String Orchestra, art, Budapest Rossini Ensemble, entertainment, EUZICASA, gioacchino rossini, gioachino rossini, Gioachino Rossini - Sonata No. 3 for Strings in C major .make music part of your life series, Great Compositions/Performances, Make Music Part of Your Life Series, Music, Strings in C major, Wolfgang Amadé Mozart, YouTube

YE EUN CHOI: Wieniawski Violin Concerto No.2 with Christoph Eschenbach (Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival), great compositions/performances

Posted on April 28, 2015 | 1 comment

YE EUN CHOI: Wieniawski Violin Concerto No.2 with Christoph Eschenbach

Ye-Eun Choi

Published on Apr 1, 2015

18 Jul. 2010 – Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival,
Conductor : Christoph Eschenbach
Concert with SHMF Orchestra
Violin concerto No.2 in D minor Op.22 by H.Wieniawski

Violin Concerto No. 2 (Wieniawski)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22, by the Polish violin virtuoso, Henryk Wieniawski, may have been started in 1856, but the first performance did not take place until November 27, 1862, when he played it in St. Petersburg with Anton Rubinstein conducting. It was published in 1879, inscribed to his dear friend Pablo de Sarasate. The work is in three movements:

Allegro moderato in D minor/F major
Romance: Andante non troppo in B flat major
Allegro con fuoco – Allegro moderato (à la Zingara) in D minor/D major

Both main elements of the first movement, its sombre, restless first subject, and its lyrical pendant (begun by a solo horn) are discussed freely and subject to dazzling embellishments by the solo violin. This movement includes a demanding variety of technique, including chromatic glissandi, double stops, arpeggios, sixths, octaves, thirds, chromatic scales, and artificial harmonics, not to mention a myriad of bowing techniques. The beat is based on a 4/4 or common time. The first movement uses a half-sonata form where the orchestral coda after the exposition transitions into the second movement instead of a development section.

The slow movement, a Romance, follows without a break. It is based on a lilting tune in 12/8 time and rises to an impassioned central climax.

A rhapsodic passage marked Allegro con fuoco and mainly a solo cadenza, leads to the finale, a dashing rondo in the gypsy style, which quotes the first movement’s subsidiary theme in the course of its second and third episodes. The final movement implements a 2/4 time, which allows the violinists to emphasize certain notes in the beginning of some measures.

Wieniawski’s second Violin Concerto remains one of the greatest violin concertos of the Romantic era, memorable for its lush and moving melodies and harmonies.

Instrumentation

The concerto is scored for solo violin and an orchestra consisting of 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones (alto, tenor and bass), timpani, and strings.

References

Golding, Robin (1991). Wieniawski: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen. Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Hamburg, pp. 1-2.

1 Comment

Posted in ARTISTS AND ARTS - Music, Arts, Educational, IN THE SPOTLIGHT, MEMORIES, MY TAKE ON THINGS, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, Special Interest, SPIRITUALITY, Uncategorized, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, YouTube/SoundCloud: Music, Special Interest

Tagged art, christoph eschenbach, Christoph Eschenbach Concert, entertainment, EUZICASA, Great Compositions/Performances, Henryk Wieniawski, Make Music Part of Your Life Series, Music, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Violin concerto, Wieniawski, YE EUN CHOI: Wieniawski Violin Concerto No.2 with Christoph Eschenbach (Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival), YouTube

Best musical bits, Oistrakh plays Wieniawski Legende op.17 , great compositions/performances

Posted on April 28, 2015 | Leave a comment

Oistrakh plays Wieniawski Legende op.17

corralsantosluis

Uploaded on Feb 1, 2011

Wienawski(1835-1880)-Légende op.17
David Oistrakh-Violin
Vladimir Yampolsky-Piano

Music
- “Legende in G Minor, Op. 17” by David Oistrakh, Vladimir Yampolsky (Google Play • iTunes • AmazonMP3)

Leave a comment

Tagged art, Best musical bits, entertainment, EUZICASA, Great Compositions/Performances, Make Music Part of Your Life Series, Music, Oistrakh plays Wieniawski Legende op.17, video, Violin, YouTube

Pope Francis offers prayers for victims of massive Nepal earthquake :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Posted on April 28, 2015 | Leave a comment

Kathmandu, Nepal, Apr 25, 2015 / 10:44 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis is praying for the victims of a massive earthquake that shook Nepal and surrounding areas in Kathmandu Valley on Saturday morning, according to a report from Vatican Radio.

The earthquake measured a 7.9 on the Richter Scale and wreaked havoc on the densely populated area, where officials fear the death toll could surpass 1,000, and the number of injured could be more than 1,700, according to reports from BBC.

The epicenter of the quake was 80 km northwest of the country’s capital, Kathmandu, where the quake toppled a 100-year -old temple, split roads, and destroyed houses and buildings.

Tremors could be felt as far away as New Dehli in India, and aftershocks continued to shake the area for hours after the initial quake.

Vatican Radio spoke with Fr Pius Perumana, an aid worker from Caritas Nepal in Kathmandu, who said emergency workers were still searching for survivors in the city where many of the tightly-packed houses have collapsed.

“I managed to reach Kathmandu, though the roads were blocked…they are still searching for survivors. The reports are still coming in…The picture is not very clear,” he said.

The toppled Dharahara Tower is a national monument built in the 1800’s by Nepalese royalty. At least 50 people are feared trapped inside the collapsed structure, according to officials.

The quake is also reported to have caused avalanches in the Mount Everest region of the Himalayas at the peak of climbing season. At least 8 people were killed in the resulting avalanches, and more are still missing.

There are also reports of damages to the airport in Kathmandu, which could hinder initial relief efforts.

This is the second-worst earthquake in Nepal since 1934, when an 8.0 magnitude earthquake all but destroyed the cities of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan.