Strauss: The Beautiful Blue Danube André Rieu/ the Johann Strauss Orchestra, great compositions/performances

André Rieu – The Beautiful Blue Danube

André Rieu

Uploaded on Sep 16, 2011

André Rieu & his Johann Strauss Orchestra playing “The Beautiful Blue Danube” (An der schönen blauen Donau) by composer Johann Strauss II. Recorded live at Empress Sisi’s castle; Schönbrunn Palace Vienna, Austria with dancers from the famous Austrian Elmayer Dancing School.

Clip from the DVD “André Rieu At Schönbrunn, Vienna”.
One of André’s biggest and most beautiful special ever.

Tracklist:
01. Einzugsmarsch
02. Trumpet Voluntary
03. Auf der Jagd
04. Fächerpolonaise
05. Rosen aus dem Süden
06. Heia in den Bergen
07. G’schichten aus dem Wienerwald
08. Der dritte Mann
09. Freunde, das Leben ist lebenswert
10. Die Mädis vom Chantant
11. Die Czárdásfürstin Potpourri
12. Ohne Sorgen
13. Feuerfest
14. My Heart Will Go On
15. Wenn ich mit meinem Dackel
16. Heut’ kommen d’Engerln auf Urlaub nach Wien
17. Spiel mir das Lied von Glück und Treu
18. Kaiserwalzer
19. Ich gehör nur mir
20. An der schönen blauen Donau
21. Radetzky Marsch
22. Als flotter Geist
23. Wien du Stadt meiner Träume
24. Musik, Musik!
25. Anton aus Tirol
26. Donauwalzer
27. Strauss Party
28. Adieu, mein kleiner Gardeoffizier

For tour dates visit: http://www.andrerieu.com

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W. A. Mozart – Missa Solemnis C major KV 337 ,great compositions/performances

W. A. Mozart – Missa Solemnis in 

C major,  KV 337

Przemysław Zalewski

Jerzy Salwarowski – Dyrygent

Orkiestra Symfoniczna UMFC Wydziału Instrumentalno-Pedagogicznego w Białymstoku
Chór kierunku Edukacji artystycznej w zakresie sztuki muzycznej

Hanna Różankiewicz – sopran
Paulina Malinowska – mezzosopran
Paweł Cichoński – tenor
Maciej Falkiewicz – baryton

26 lutego 2013
Sala koncertowa OiFP, ul. Podlesna 2

http://www.chopin.man.bialystok.pl
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Missa solemnis in C major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, K. 337, was written in 1780 for Salzburg.^[1] It was Mozart’s last complete mass.^[2] The mass is scored for soloists, choir, 2 oboes,^[3] 2 bassoons, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones,^[4] strings (without violas^[5]) and organ, the latter supplying figured bass for most of the duration.

The Sanctus recalls features of the Kyrie, and also has a violin figure Mozart used again in Idomeneo.^[6] The Benedictus is peculiar for Mozart’s mass settings in that it is an austere fugue in an archaic style.

Fragmentary first Credo setting and its completion

The autograph of the mass features an alternative setting of the Credo. This setting has a length of 136 measures and abruptly ends after the words “cuius regni non erit finis”.^[8] It is not clear why Mozart stopped work on this setting and instead began work on the second – and complete – setting of the Credo on the next page of the autograph, but this may be due to the fact that Mozart had forgotten to set the words “sub Pontio Pilato” to music in the first draft. In the years 1989 and 2003 Dr Murl Sickbert completed the fragment; in 2006 it was performed at Hardin–Simmons University, Texas.^[9]

See also

• Missa solemnis by Ludwig van Beethoven
• Missa solemnis by Anton Bruckner

Related articles

• today’s birthday: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756)

Leonard Cohen – Take This Waltz [Official Music Video], great songs/interpretations

Leonard Cohen – Take This Waltz [Official Music Video]

a1000kissesdeep

Uploaded on Mar 19, 2009 / 839,810 views

Promotional video clip for tribute LP “Poets In New York” (1986). Leonard Cohen performs Take This Waltz, his song based on his own translation of Garcia Lorca’s Pequeño vals vienés.

The Leonard Cohen Files says: “The video was filmed in Spain, in the city of Granada, famous for the Alhambra Castle. Leonard Cohen is shown in the house of Federico Garcia Lorca. 6 min, color.”

Note: This is 1986 version of the song, produced for the Spanish tribute album “Poets In New York”. Later, Cohen released the same track on his 1988 album I’m Your Man, adding Raffi Hakopian’s violin and Jennifer Warnes’ vocals in overlayers. So don’t be alarmed if you don’t hear Warnes’ duetting on some verses and no violin at all.

According to some sources, this wasn’t real video clip, but promotional clip which originally was the part of TV programme accompanying “Poets in New York” LP. Strangely enough, there’s another version at YouTube, recorded from TV Espana, two minutes longer, re-edited and re-cut – some extra shots show Cohen playing the piano, walking through Garcia Lorca’s house museum etc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV97_R… My version is 4 minutes, while The Leonard Cohen Files says it should be six minutes. Nevertheless, my version is obviously also complete clip, and I took it from the home-made DVDR which was shown on Leonard Cohen Event organised by The LC Files, while the DVDR’s contents came from press kit tapes sent by Mr. Cohen, so…

Take This Waltz Lyrics

from Live In London

“Take This Waltz” is track #18 on the album Live In London. It was written by Cohen, Leonard / Lorca, Garcia.

Now in Vienna there’s ten pretty women
There’s a shoulder where death comes to cry
There’s a lobby with nine hundred windows
There’s a tree where the doves go to die
There’s a piece that was torn from the morning
And it hangs in theGallery of Frost

Aey, aey, aey, aey
Take this waltz, take this waltz
Take this waltz with the clamp on its jaws

Oh I want you, I want you, I want you
On a chair with a dead magazine
In the cave at the tip of the lily
In some hallway where love’s never been
On a bed where the moon has been sweating
In a cry filled with footsteps and sand

Aey, aey, aey, aey
Take this waltz, take this waltz
Take its broken waist in your hand
This waltz, this waltz, this waltz, this waltz
With its very own breath of brandy and death
Dragging its tail in the sea

There’s a concert hall in Vienna
Where your mouth had a thousand reviews
There’s a bar where the boys have stopped talking
They’ve been sentenced to death by the blues
But who is it climbs to your picture
With a garland of freshly cut tears?

Aey, aey, aey, aey
Take this waltz, take this waltz
Take this waltz it’s been dying for years

There’s an attic where children are playing
Where I’ve got to lie down with you soon
In a dream of Hungarian lanterns
In the mist of some sweet afternoon
And I’ll see what you’ve chained to your sorrow
All your sheep and your lilies of snow

Aey, aey, aey, aey
Take this waltz, take this waltz
With its, I’ll never forget you, you know
This waltz, this waltz, this waltz, this waltz
With its very own breath of brandy and death
Dragging its tail in the sea

And I’ll dance with you in Vienna
I’ll be wearing a river’s disguise
The hyacinth wild on my shoulder
My mouth on the dew of your thighs
And I’ll bury my soul in a scrapbook
With the photographs there, and the moss

And I’ll yield to the flood of your beauty
My cheap violin and my cross
And you’ll carry me down on your dancing
To the pools that you lift on your wrist
Oh my love, oh my love
Take this waltz, take this waltz
It’s yours now, it’s all that there is

Aey, aey, aey, aey

Songwriters
COHEN, LEONARD / LORCA, GARCIA

Published by
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Read more: Leonard Cohen – Take This Waltz Lyrics | MetroLyrics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

picture of the day: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, regarded by many as the greatest musical genius of all time, was born in Salzburg, Austria, on January 27, 1756, the son of violinist and composer Leopold Mozart. The young Mozart began composing minuets at age 5 and, with his older sister Marianne, gave concerts in Munich and Vienna from age 6. At 13, Mozart became director of concerts for the archbishop of Salzburg and in 1782 he married Constanze Weber against her father’s wishes. Although Mozart gave piano concerts throughout Europe and composed more than 600 works, including 40 symphonies, he and his wife were plagued by debt. When Mozart died in 1791, probably of heart disease, he was buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave. It was not until his works were published, in many cases near the end of the 19th century, that Mozart’s genius became widely recognized.

Image: Library of Congress

– See more at: http://www.historynet.com/picture-of-the-day#sthash.9MD846f9.dpuf

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY: Bruno Kreisky (1911)

Bruno Kreisky (1911)

Kreisky was an Austrian statesman who helped negotiate the treaty that restored Austrian independence and neutrality in 1955 and who became chancellor of Austria in 1970, retaining the office until 1983. As chancellor, he increased Austria’s role in world affairs and presided over a growing economy. He instituted many liberal reforms, such as the decriminalization of homosexuality and abortion. The chancellor, who had Jewish roots, stirred up controversy by appointing whom to his cabinet? More… Discuss

Valentina Lisitsa – Beethoven – Moonlight Sonata Op.27 No.2, great compositions/performances

Valentina Lisitsa – Moonlight Sonata Op.27 No.2 Mov.1,2,3 (Beethoven)

facevideobook

Published on Apr 18, 2013

The Piano Sonata No.14 “Quasi Una Fantasia” Opus 27 No.2 (Moonlight Sonata)
Movement 1: Adagio sostenuto
Movement 2: Allegretto
Movement 3: Presto agitato

***Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
***Performer: Valentina Lisitsa

today’s birthday: Joseph Bonaparte (1768)

Joseph Bonaparte (1768)

The older brother of Napoleon, Joseph Bonaparte served as French minister to Parma and Rome, and negotiated a treaty with the US in 1800. When Napoleon became emperor, Joseph bitterly protested being left out of the line of succession. In 1806, Napoleon made him king of Naples, and in 1808 he was made king of Spain instead. He reluctantly abdicated after failure in the Peninsular War. He then lived mainly in the US state of New Jersey, where he was reputed to have seen what legendary creature? More… Discuss

Franz Schubert – Rondo A-Dur, D.438 (1816): Arcos Orchcestra, great compositions/performances

Franz Schubert – Rondo A-Dur, D.438 (1816)

ArcosOrchestra

Published on Feb 8, 2014

Franz Schubert (1797-1828) – Rondo A-Dur, D.438 (1816)
(HD Recording – High-speed internet required for proper playback)

00:00 – Adagio
03:15 – Allegro giusto

Marc Uys, violin
Arcos Orchestra
John-Edward Kelly, conductor
Rebecca Jackson, concertmaster

(Recorded live at the Dr.-Ernst-Hohner-Konzerthaus, Trossingen , Germany   27 November 2013)

http://www.arcosorchestra.org

AARON COPLAND: APPALACHIAN SPRING: Great compositions/performances

AARON COPLAND: APPALACHIAN SPRING

Dmitry Dreizin

Aaron Copland. Apalachian Spring 25:07

***Ulster Orchestra, Thierry Fisher (conductor)
***Exlusive BBC Recordings
***The BBC Music Magazine Collection

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Appalachian Spring is a composition by Aaron Copland that premiered in 1944 and has achieved widespread and enduring popularity as an orchestral suite. The ballet, scored for a thirteen-member chamber orchestra, was created upon commission of choreographer and dancer Martha Graham with funds from the Coolidge Foundation; it premiered on Monday, October 30, 1944, at the Library of Congress in Washington DC, with Martha Graham (1894–1991) dancing the lead role. The set was designed by the Japanese American sculptor Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988). Copland was awarded the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for Music for his achievement.^[1][2]

Composition process

In 1945, Copland was commissioned by conductor Artur Rodzinski to rearrange the ballet work as an orchestral suite, preserving most of the music. The ballet and orchestral work were well received. The latter was credited as more important in popularizing the composer. In 1972, Boosey & Hawkes published a version of the suite fusing the structure of the orchestral suite with the scoring of the original ballet: double string quartet, bass, flute, clarinet, bassoon, and piano. All three versions continue to be performed in full. In 1991, Hugh Wolff recorded the complete ballet as first arranged with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra for Teldec. ^[3]

In 1954, Eugene Ormandy asked Copland to expand the orchestration for the full score of the ballet. This version was recorded by Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra for RCA Victor in May 1999.

Originally, Copland did not have a title for the work, referring to it simply as Ballet for Martha. Shortly before the premiere, Graham suggested Appalachian Spring, a phrase from a Hart Crane poem, “The Dance” from a collection of poems in his book “The Bridge.”

“O Appalachian Spring! I gained the ledge;
Steep, inaccessible smile that eastward bends
And northward reaches in that violet wedge
Of Adirondacks!”

Because he composed the music without the benefit of knowing what the title was going to be, Copland was often amused when people told him he captured the beauty of the Appalachians in his music, a fact he alluded to in an interview with NPR’s Fred Calland.^[4] Little known is that the word “spring” denotes a source of water in the Crane poem; however the poem is a journey to meet springtime.

Martha Graham was the lead ballet composer in Appalachian Spring.

Art with a Message: Rie Sinclair: Island of Loneliness Great Compositions/voices (Painting by Ilya Repin: Volga Boatmen)

Rie Sinclair Island of Loneliness

George Bost

Art with a Message:
Ilia_Efimovich_Repin_(1844-1930)_-_Volga_Boatmen_(1870-1873)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ilya Yefimovich Repin (Russian: Илья́ Ефи́мович Ре́пин, Ukrainian: Ілля Юхимович Рєпін, 5 August [O.S. 24 July] 1844 – 29 September 1930) was a Russian^[1] realist painter. He was the most renowned Russian artist of the 19th century, when his position in the world of art was comparable to that of Leo Tolstoy in literature. He played a major role in bringing Russian art into the mainstream of European culture. His major works include Barge Haulers on the Volga (1873), Religious Procession in Kursk Province (1883) and Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks (1880–91).

Repin was born in Chuguyev, in the Kharkov Governorate (now Ukraine) of the Russian Empire into a military family. He entered military school in 1854 and in 1856 studied under Ivan Bunakov, a local icon painter. He began to paint around 1860. He met fellow artist Ivan Kramskoi and the critic Vladimir Stasov during the 1860s, and his wife, Vera Shevtsova in 1872 (they remained married for ten years). In 1874–1876 he showed at the Salon in Paris and at the exhibitions of the Itinerants’ Society in Saint Petersburg. He was awarded the title of academician in 1876.

In 1880 Repin traveled to Zaporozhye in Ukraine to gather material for the 1891 Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks. His Religious Procession in Kursk Province was exhibited in 1883, and Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan in 1885. In 1892 he published the Letters on Art collection of essays. He taught at the Higher Art School attached to the Academy of Arts from 1894. In 1898 he purchased an estate, the Penates, in Kuokkala, Finland (now Repino).

In 1901 he was awarded the Legion of Honour. In 1911 he traveled with his common-law wife Natalia Nordman to the World Exhibition in Italy, where his painting 17 October 1905 and his portraits were displayed in their own separate room. In 1916 Repin worked on his book of reminiscences, Far and Near, with the assistance of Korney Chukovsky. He welcomed the Russian Revolution of 1917. Celebrations were held in 1924 in Kuokkala to mark Repin’s 80th birthday, followed by an exhibition of his works in Moscow. In 1925 a jubilee exhibition of his works was held in the Russian Museum in Leningrad. Repin died in 1930 and was buried at the Penates.     >>>>>>>>>>>>> More HERE<<<<<<<<<<<

 

Art with a Message:
Ilia_Efimovich_Repin_(1844-1930)_-_Volga_Boatmen_(1870-1873)

Current location	[show]State Russian Museum
	room 54
Accession number	34
Notes	Genre works
Source/Photographer	lj.rossia.org

Chopin – Variations on “Là ci darem la mano” from Mozart’s Don Giovanni: great compositions/performances

Chopin – Variations on “Là ci darem la mano” from Mozart‘s Don Giovanni

   Fledermaus1990

Frédéric Chopin’s Variations on “Là ci darem la mano” for piano and orchestra, Op. 2, was written in 1827, when he was aged only 17. “Là ci darem la mano” is a duet sung by Don Giovanni and Zerlina, from Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni. It was one of the earliest manifestations of Chopin’s incipient genius. It inspired Robert Schumann‘s famous exclamation, Hats off, gentlemen! A genius!

The work was premiered on 11 August 1829 at the Vienna Kärntnertortheater, with Chopin as the soloist. It received very positive audience and critical acclaim.

The work is in B-flat major throughout, except for the Adagio of Variation 5, which is in the minor key.

– Introduction: Largo – Poco piu mosso 0:00
– Thema: Allegretto 5:20
– Variation 1: Brillante 6:53
– Variation 2: Veloce, ma accuratamente 7:52
– Variation 3: Sempre sostenuto 8:54
– Variation 4: Con bravura 10:20
– Variation 5: Alla Polacca 11:24

12 Variations – L.V.Beethoven – ‘Le nozze di Figaro: se vuol ballare’ W.A. Mozart (Violin & Piano): great compositions/performances

12 Variations – L.V.Beethoven – ‘Le nozze di Figaro‘ W.A. Mozart (Violin & Piano)

   Odeio en organis

***W.A.Mozart: 12 Variations – L.V.Beethoven –“Se vuol ballare” -Le nozze di Figaro”
***Violine – Yehudi Menuhin
***Piano – Wilhelm Kempff
***(Recording 1970)

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Related euzicasa post:  HERE  HERE  HERE 

You can access more classical music (a lot more) here at euizcasa, by using the site’s search engine, by composer, composition and instrumentist… Good luck and have fun!

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• Röschmann’s Portrait.

Mozart – The Marriage of Figaro Overture (K.492) – Wiener Symphoniker – Fabio Luisi, : great compositions/performances

Mozart – The Marriage of Figaro Overture (K.492) – Wiener Symphoniker – Fabio Luisi (HD)

   kocaonur

*****Mozart – The Marriage of Figaro Ouverture
“Le nozze di Figaro” (K.492)
*****Wiener Symphoniker Japan Tour 2006
*****Conductor : Fabio Luisi

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More Mozart Music Here

Mitsuko Uchida – W.A. Mozart Piano Concerto No.9 in E flat Major K. 271 “Jeunehomme”: great compositions/performances

Mitsuko Uchida – W.A. Mozart Piano Concerto No.9 in E flat Major K. 271 “Jeunehomme”

fairlytaleofnewyork

Published on Jul 16, 2013

W.A. Mozart
Piano Concerto No.9 in E flat Major K. 271
“Jeunehomme”
Mitsuko Uchida – Piano
Jeffrey Tate – Conductor

Dame Mitsuko Uchida DBE (内田光子), born December 20, 1948, is a Japanese naturalized-British classical pianist generally regarded as one of the finest of her era. She has appeared with most of the world’s foremost orchestras, recorded a wide repertory with major labels, won numerous awards and honors (including Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2009), and serves as co-director of the Marlboro Music School and Festival. In recent years, she has also conducted major orchestras.

Born in Atami, a seaside town close to Tokyo, Japan, Uchida moved to Vienna, Austria, with her diplomat parents when she was 12 years old, after her father was named the Japanese ambassador to Austria. She enrolled at the Vienna Academy of Music to study with Richard Hauser, and later Wilhelm Kempff and Stefan Askenase, and remained in Vienna to study when her father was transferred back to Japan after five years. She gave her first Viennese recital at the age of 14 at the Vienna Musikverein. She also studied with Maria Curcio, the last and favourite pupil of Artur Schnabel.

In 1969 she won the first prize in the Beethoven Competition in Vienna and in 1970 the second prize in the International Chopin Piano Competition. In 1975, she won second prize in the Leeds Piano Competition.

In 1998 Uchida was the Music Director of the Ojai Music Festival in conjunction with conductor and violinist, David Zinman.

She is an acclaimed interpreter of the works of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Debussy and Schoenberg. She has recorded all of Mozart’s piano sonatas (a project that won the Gramophone Award), and concerti, the latter with the English Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Jeffrey Tate. Her recording of the Schoenberg Piano Concerto with Pierre Boulez won another Gramophone Award. She is further noted for her recordings of Beethoven’s complete piano concerti with Kurt Sanderling conducting, Beethoven’s late piano sonatas, and a Schubert piano cycle. She is distinguished as an interpreter of the works of the Second Viennese School. Her 2009 recording of the Mozart Piano Concertos nos. 23 and 24, in which she conducted the Cleveland Orchestra as well as playing the solo part, won the Grammy Award.

From 2002 to 2007 she served as artist-in-residence for the Cleveland Orchestra, where she led performances of all of Mozart’s solo piano concertos. She has also conducted the English Chamber Orchestra, among others, from the keyboard. In 2010, she was artist-in-residence for the Berlin Philharmonic. She is one two Artistic Directors of the Marlboro Music School and Festival, along with fellow pianist Richard Goode. She is also a trustee of the Borletti-Buitoni Trust, an organization established to help young artists develop and sustain international careers.[5] In May 2012, the Royal Philharmonic Society announced that she would be honored with their Gold Medal (she received the society’s annual Music Award in 2003); previous recipients have included Johannes Brahms (1877), Frederick Delius and Sir Edward Elgar (1925), Richard Strauss (1936), Igor Stravinsky (1954), Benjamin Britten and Leonard Bernstein (1987).

Uchida currently resides in London. Her long-standing partner, Sir Robert Cooper, currently works for the European Union in Brussels.

Saint of the Day for Saturday, November 15th, 2014: St. Albert the Great

Saint of the Day for Saturday, November 15th, 2014

  St. Albert the Great

Albert the Great was one of the Church’s greatest intellects. He studied at the University of Padua and later taught at Hildesheim, Freiburg-im-Breisgau, Regensburg, and Strasbourg. He then taught at … continue reading

More Saints of the Day

St. Albert the Great St. Abibus St. Arnulf St. Desiderius of Cahors St. Eugene St. Findan Bl. Gaius of Korea Bl. Hugh Faringdon Bl. Hugh Green Bl. John Eynon Bl. John Rugg

 

Bl. John Thorne St. Kanten St. Leopold St. Luperius St. Machudd St. Malo St. Paduinus Bl. Richard Whiting Bl. Roger James St. Secundus, Fidentian, & Varicus St. Zachariah

today’s birthday: Marie Antoinette (1755)

Marie Antoinette (1755)

Marie Antoinette was the wife of King Louis XVI of France. Their marriage was designed to ally France with its longtime enemy, Austria. She was initially popular, but her devotion to Austrian interests and her reputation for heedless extravagance hastened the public’s disillusionment with the monarchy and helped to provoke the French Revolution. She was executed by guillotine in 1793, as was her husband. What oft-repeated though unverified quote is attributed to the vilified queen? More… Discuss

this day in the yesteryear: Bulgaria Gains Independence (1908)

Bulgaria Gains Independence (1908)

Bulgaria was absorbed into the Ottoman Empire in 1396, but Turkish rule was often oppressive, and rebellions were frequent. In 1908, taking advantage of the Young Turk revolution in Constantinople and the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria, Prince Ferdinand proclaimed Bulgaria independent with himself as czar. Bulgaria then became involved in a series of conflicts—two Balkan Wars and World War I—that led to Ferdinand’s abdication. Why was Bulgaria regarded as the Balkan Prussia? More…

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Saint of the Day for Sunday, September 14th, 2014 St. Notburga

Saint of the Day for Sunday, September 14th, 2014

St. Notburga

Patroness of poor peasants and servants in the Tyrol. Born in Rattenberg, in the Tyrol, she was the daughter of peasants. At eighteen she became a servant in the household of Count Henry of … continue reading
More Saints of the Day
St. Notburga St. Caerealis & Sallustia St. Cormac St. Crescentian
St. Crescentius St. Gabriel Taurin Dufresse St. Maternus of Cologne

Madame de Pompadour

Madame de Pompadour became King Louis XV‘s mistress in 1745 and remained his confidante until her death. Of middle-class origin, she owed her success mainly to her intelligence and capabilities. She was a devoted patron of the arts and was a tastemaker in matters of art and culture. However, she was less astute in the political arena, as exemplified by her encouragement of the French alliance with Austria that involved her country in the disastrous Seven Years’ War. How did she die? More… Discuss

today’s birthday: Ferdinand Porsche (1875)

Ferdinand Porsche (1875)

Despite having little formal education in engineering. Porsche showed enormous natural aptitude. After working in the automotive industry for some time, the Austrian formed his own firm and began designing vehicles on commission—one of which resulted in the original Volkswagen Beetle. His success in making Hitler‘s vision for a “people’s car” a reality led to further commissions, and Porsche went on to design various military vehicles for the Germans. How did this affect him after the war? More… Discuss

this day in the yesteryear: End of the Holy Roman Empire: Francis II Abdicates (1806)

End of the Holy Roman Empire: Francis II Abdicates (1806)

 

English: Map of the Holy Roman Empire, 1789, translated (somewhat) from original German version on Wikipedia Commons (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Francis II, the last Holy Roman Emperor, came to power just before the outbreak of war with Napoleon’s France. His armies were defeated, and he ceded the left bank of the Rhine to France in exchange for Venetia and Dalmatia. In 1798, he joined the Second Coalition against France, but he was again defeated. He eventually consented to the virtual dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire and assumed the title of emperor of Austria. Though he despised Napoleon, Francis allowed him to marry whom? More… Discuss

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Divertimento in F major KV 138: make music part of your life series

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Divertimento in F major KV 138

Number: KV 138 Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Date: March 1772 Place: Salzburg, Austria Extra: Also called as ‘The Salzburg Symphony No. 3’:
I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Presto

 

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health and environment: Recession Responsible for 10,000 Suicides

Recession Responsible for 10,000 Suicides

Researchers are attributing an uptick in suicides in North America and Europe to the recent economic crisis. An analysis of data from 24 European countries, the US, and Canada attributes 10,000 suicides to the recession. It is perhaps not surprising that unemployment, losing one’s home, or being in debt drives some to take their own lives, but it is interesting to note that this is not the case everywhere. Austria, Sweden, and Finland showed no increase in suicides. All three invest in programs that help people return to work, suggesting that there are ways to mitigate the psychological burden brought on by economic troubles. More…

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make music part of your life series: Franz Schubert: Rondo in A major D.438 for violin and strings

[youtube.com/watch?v=n78PRgJB3QE]

Franz Schubert: Rondo in A major D.438 for violin and strings

European Journey – The pulse of Europe: Austria
Slovenian Philharmonic String Quartet with guests
Oliver Dizdarević Škrabar – solo violin
Žiga Faganel – violin
Irina Kevorkova – violin
Maja Rome – viola
Gordana Keller Petrej – cello
Petar Brčarević – double bass

Slovenian Philharmonic – The Slavko Osterc Hall
September 23, 2012

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY: Franz Anton Mesmer (1734)

Franz Anton Mesmer (1734)

Mesmer was a German physician who experimented with an early form of hypnosis, known as “mesmerism.” He developed a doctrine of “animal magnetism,” believing that harmony could be restored in the human body by inducing “crises”—trance states often ending in delirium or convulsions. He carried out dramatic demonstrations of his ability to “mesmerize” his patients using magnetized objects. Accused by Viennese physicians of fraud, he left Austria for France. What scandal plagued Mesmer’s career? More… Discuss

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THIS DAY IN THE YESTERYEAR: ANSCHLUSS: GERMAN TROOPS OCCUPY AUSTRIA (1938)

Anschluss: German Troops Occupy Austria (1938)

Though the union of Austria and Germany was forbidden by the Treaty of Saint-Germain in 1919, the Nazis annexed Austria in 1938. The German term Anschluss—”annexation“—is most frequently used in reference to this event. When the Nazis entered Austria to enforce the Anschluss, they encountered no military opposition and quickly took control. The US, USSR, and UK signed a declaration proclaiming the Anschluss null and void in 1943, yet Austria did not regain its sovereignty until what year? More…Discuss

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MAKE MUSIC PART OF YOUR LIFE SERIES: Fritz Kreisler – Miniature Viennese March

Vienna Brahms Trio
Boris Kuschnir (violin), Orfeo Mandozzi (violoncello), Jasminka Stancul (piano)
Tempo di marcia
Palais Ferstl, Vienna, 9th December 2009

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TODAY’S BIRTHDAY: MARY “THE RICH” OF BURGUNDY (1457)

Mary “the Rich” of Burgundy (1457)

The only surviving child of Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy, Mary inherited the vast Burgundian domains in France and the Low Countries upon her father’s death in 1477. Louis XI of France immediately annexed some of these and, hoping to gain possession of the rest, proposed that she wed his son Charles. She instead married Maximilian of Austria, establishing the Hapsburgs in the Low Countries and initiating the long rivalry between France and Austria. What Great Privilege did she grant? More… Discuss

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BIRTHDAY OF MOZART

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria, on this day in 1756. His achievements in composing operas, chamber music, symphonies, and piano concerti have earned him a reputation as one of the greatest musical geniuses of all time. Mozart’s birthday is observed by musical societies all over the world, who often give concerts of his music on this day. The city of his birth also honors him at the end of January with Mozart Week. More… Discuss

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Best Classical Music YouTube Collection: Classical Music Mix – Best Classical Pieces Part I (1/2)

Make this the best post of 2014: RATE, LIKE, COMMENT! Above all ENJOY!

Published on Feb 9, 2013: 4,590,957 views!

A mix with some of the best classical pieces in the world.

Compositions name list:

00:01 – Albinoni – Adagio in g minor
10:44 – Pachelbel – Canon in D major
16:55 – Beethoven – Moonlight Sonata
22:59 – Carlos Gardel – Por una cabeza
30:03 – Dmitri Shostakovich – Waltz no 2
33:52 – Eugen Doga – Grammofon
36:20 – Gheorghe Zamfir – The Lonely Shepherd
40:40 – Johann Strauss II – Vienna Blood Waltz
47:46 – Johann Strauss II – Voices of Spring Waltz
53:31 – Juventino Rosas – Over the Waves Waltz
59:20 – Mozart – Rondo Alla Turca
1:02:57 – Mozart – Symphony 40 No 1
1:09:16 – Mozart – Lacrimosa
1:12:36 – Nino Rota – Vito’s Waltz
1:15:28 – Nobuo Uematsu – Dance With the Balamb-Fish
1:19:08 – Tchaikovsky – Sleeping Beauty Waltz
1:23:47 – Tchaikovsky – Swan Lake Waltz
1:30:41 – Tchaikovsky – Waltz of the Flowers
1:37:05 – Mozart – Serenade No 13

 

THIS DAY IN THE YESTERYEAR: THE ROME AND VIENNA AIRPORT ATTACKS (1985)

The Rome and Vienna Airport Attacks (1985)

Nearly three months after Israel’s bombing of Palestine Liberation Organization headquarters in Tunisia, terrorists retaliated in two nearly simultaneous attacks at European airports. At Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Rome, Italy, gunmen opened fire and threw grenades at the Israeli airline’s ticket counter, while at an airport in Vienna, Austria, terrorists threw grenades into a crowd awaiting a flight to Tel Aviv. In all, 19 people were killed and more than 100 hurt. Who claimed responsibility? More… Discuss

 

Vienna New Year’s Concert 2013 – Richard Wagner: Prelude to Act III of ‘Lohengrin,’ WWV 75

Richard Wagner: Prelude to Act III of the Romantic Opera ‘Lohengrin‘ / Preludio del acto III de la ópera romántica “Lohengrin”, WWV 75

New Year’s Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Franz Welser-Möst, at the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria on January 1, 2013. 

Concierto de Año Nuevo de la Orquesta Filarmónica de Viena, dirigida por Franz Welser-Möst, en la Sala Dorada de la Musikverein de Viena (Austria) el 01/01/2013.

Playlist / Lista de reproducción:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=..

 

Bruckner’s Symphony No.8 w/Karajan conducting “live” in St. Florian (1979)

This is perhaps THE most famous video recording of a Bruckner Symphony.
Many say Bruckner’s 8th is the mount Everest of all symphonies.
Recorded June 4th 1979, and filmed on location in the monastery church in St. Florian, Austria with Herbert von Karajan and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

1st Movement starts at: 0:59
2nd Movement starts at: 17:16
3rd Movement starts at: 33:09
4th Movement starts at: 59:36

This video testament is extremely historically important because it helped solidify the international Brucknerfest in Linz after the opening of the new concert hall, the “Brucknerhaus” in 1974. Herbert von Karajan was the first famous international conductor to conduct a symphony in the Stiftskirche in St. Florian, which helped establish the reputation of the yearly festival to this day.

Karajan later in an interview related that he was given special access to Bruckner’s underground tomb located beneath the great organ, where he was alone with Bruckner’s sarcophagus for a lengthy amount of time before the performance.

On a side note:
Boulez’s video version IMO greatly pales in comparison to Karajan’s power, sensitivity and spirituality in this 1979 recording…even Karajan’s video remake in 1988 (in Vienna) does not come as close.

One musical scholar stated about this concert: 
“Massive, glowing and infused with cosmic power”.

…so thankfully we can now finally enjoy the performance COMPLETE, and not in chunks!

 

DON’T DRINK THE HOLY WATER

Holy water may be used to cleanse the soul, but the water itself is often far from clean. A vast majority of the holy springs and fonts tested at Austrian churches and chapels were found to be contaminated with fecal matter, likely the result of poor hygiene. Agricultural nitrates and diarrhea-causing bacteria were also frequently present in samples. To minimize issues of contamination, one priest has invented a holy water dispenser that releases drops of water instead of having the faithful dip their potentially dirty hands into the water.More… Discuss

 

Today’s Birthday: ANNE OF AUSTRIA, QUEEN OF FRANCE (1601)

Anne of Austria, Queen of France (1601)

Neglected by her husband, French King Louis XIII, Anne of Austria stirred up controversy with flirtatious indiscretions. After her seemingly treasonous correspondence with Spain, her husband’s principal minister, Cardinal Richelieu, attempted to limit her influence. When Louis died, Anne was declared sole regent of their son, Louis XIV—contrary to her husband’s wishes—and strove to ensure his absolute power. What did she do that was hailed at the time as “a marvel when it was least expected”?More… Discuss

 

L. Boccherini: Guitar-Quintet No. 1, I. Allegro moderato – “Boccherini Ensemble”

Luigi Boccherini (1743 – 1805)

Guitar-Quintet No. 1 in D-Minor (G. 445)
I. Allegro moderato

Boccherini Ensemble:
Gerald Smrzek (Austria) – Guitar, 
Valbona Naku (Albania) – Violin, 
Armando Toledo (Cuba) – Violin, 
Lina Jihye Kim (Korea) – Viola, 
M. d. G. (Italy) – Violoncello
[June 25, 2010 – Salvatorsaal (Vienna/Austria)]

 

Today’s Birthday: Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807)

Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807)

Garibaldi is considered an Italian national hero for his role in the Risorgimento, the movement to liberate and unify Italy. In 1848, after having spent time in South America learning guerilla warfare tactics, he returned to Italy to fight for its independence. He fought Austria in Milan and France in Rome. In 1860, he raised an army of 1,000 and attacked Sicily. By the end of his campaign, he commanded 30,000 men, with whom he seized Naples, before handing all of southern Italy over to whom? More… Discuss

Today’s Birthday: Joseph Haydn (1732)

Joseph Haydn (1732) The principal shaper of the Classical style, Haydn was an Austrian composer who exerted major influence on his contemporaries, including Mozart, and future composers. The first great symphonist, he composed 106 symphonies and virtually invented the string quartet. By his later years, he was recognized internationally as the greatest living composer. He composed important works in almost every genre. As a teacher, Haydn had a difficult relationship with what famous student? More… Discuss

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