Day 13

So after eleven days of listening to epic Wagner opera I have decided to take a slight turn in styles and go with piano music.

Pieces: Humoresque; By the Hearth; Impromptu; Valse; Nocturne; Chanson triste; Christmas; In the Troika; Barcarolle; Dumka; Russian Danse; Scherzo; Song Without Workds; Harvest; Song of the Lark.
Composer: Tchaikovsky
Preformed by: Danielle Laval
Album: Humoresque: Piano Music of Tchaikovsky
Recorded: 1974

There is something about Tchaikovsky's piano works I have always loved; maybe it has to do with the fact that when I was young and played the piano one of my favourite to play a piece entitled In Church. Or it could be that for a man who composed some of the most playful ballets and symphonies, also spend much of his life very depressed; I believe his piano music shows this. That being said, not all of the pieces were slow and sombre, or even sad. But from the very first airy note there was a mood as though the composer told the audience to sigh deeply and settle in. I've listen to this record before, and I find it fantastic to gather one's thoughts to; I have also found it very helpful when one should let one's thoughts go.

Day 12

Piece: Gotterdammerung (Act III)
Conductor: Wilhelm Furtwangler
Recorded: Live 1950 at La SCALA in Milan

So this is it, this is the end, the end of one of the most famed opera cycles in history. I admit, I haven't digested it all. I can say that the final 40 minutes are amazing, just flat out beautiful. I can say is that there is this Soprano (most likely Brunhilde) who for about 20 minutes just captures any attention with what must be her sorrow and pain (according to the synopsis her lover just was murdered). I still get shivers just thinking of the vocal mastery, and the amazing composition of her soliloquy.

Besides the music, the one extremely impressive thing about the Ring Cycle is its length. Clocking in just over 17 hours (give or take an hour) there is very little to compare it to. Consider this, the Beatles released just 10 and half hours of music over their 22 singles and 14 albums, which is barely the first 2 and half operas Wagner used for this one cycle. Now we can all argue about quantity versus quality and so on and so on, but when was the last time you watched a movie that was over 4 hours long? Sat for two straight hours as a cast of characters belted words that you might not understand (remember writing an opera in anything other than Italian was taboo up until Mozart and I don't speak German as well I as used to)? But I'm straying from my point. I guess my question lies in with our video-on-demand, Internet wherever you go lifestyles, who's writing 17 hours worth of not just music, but also an accompanying story?

I'm impressed by the Ring Cycle, and one day wish to see it live, without interruption (OK one opera at a time) and to experience what it is supposed to be, a long, epic tale which took years to craft and needs almost a day to discover and possibly a year to digest.

Tomorrow brings something new, and (hopefully) something shorter; because seriously, when I'm trying to cram in an hour and half of music a day, it's hard to also catch all your favorite TV shows, blogs, twitter updates, live feeds and bathe. Luckily I've only had to cut out the bathing.

Day 11

Sorry for missing yesterday; I had timed out my evening in order to pick up my beautiful fiance at the airport and get back to the apartment with plenty of time to listen, only to have her flight come in 2 hours late.

Anyway, here I am, a day late and always a dollar short with the conclusion of the first act and the second act of Gotterdammerung.

Don't have much to say besides that it is good, and really I need to take the time one day to see this opera on it's own. So far, if I only had the chance to see one of the four operas in the cycle, it would be this one.

Piece: Gotterdammerung (Act 1 conclusion, Act 2)
Conductor: Wilhelm Furtwangler
Recorded: Live August 17th, 1950 at La SCALA

Tomorrow brings the final act of the opera and the finale of Wagner's famed Ring cycle.

Day 10

Today we return to Wagner.

Piece: Gotterdammerung (Act 1, first part)
Conductor: Wilhelm Furtwangler
Recorded: Live August 17th, 1950 at La SCALA

Going to be a short one tonight kiddies, not to say that the piece itself wasn't long (over 85 minutes) and good, but I must admit hunger forced me to make and eat dinner so I could not give my full attention to the music.

First off Wagner has finally composed an overture which sent a shiver down my spine. The themes are drawn out, Wagner takes the time to give a Soprano a 40 minute solo. Why can he do this, because the first act doesn't fit on the record, it is over 2 hours long! I have to admit though, one day I must give it the aural concentration this act deserves. The parts that I did listen closer to, seemed beautiful; I just didn't have the stamina to wait for the ideas conclusion 20 minutes later.

Day 9

Well I'm back and instead of continuing with Wagner I've decided to take a short break and listen to Beethoven's 7th symphony in honor of the late Senator Kennedy.

I'm also going to introduce a quick format that I haven't used until now mainly since I've been listening to the same orchestra, conductor and composer since the beginning. Also this is beta, so it may change

Pieces: Symphony Number 7 in A Major, op. 92; Egmont Overture, op 84
Performers: Berlin Philharmonic
Conductor: Joseph Keilberth
Recorded: 1967 (date of pressing, no recording date given)

I choose to listen to this piece after hearing about Senator Kennedy's death, due to having always loved the second movement, which when played slowly, feels like a funeral dirge.

I have two copies of this piece right now (no doubt when I get the big load of records from my parents in a couple of weeks I will have more) and I remember preferring one over the other; this is due to one playing the second movement about 5 beats per minute slower. But I couldn't remember which one was which...I picked the one that was played faster, go figure. At least I got the bonus of having the Egmont-Overture.

I always feel a little funny when anyone asks me who is my favorite composer, kind of like I always feel funny answering that my favorite pop band is the Beatles. It feels like too easy of an answer. Beethoven is where it is at, he was the best; as were the Beetles; yet I somehow feel that it is a cop out, of course they should be your favorite, their the best, but really couldn't you have tried harder?

Anyway, the first movement brought me face to face with the reason why I enjoy Beethoven so much, from the very second the needle began to dance across the vinyl I was filled with emotion. This was to such an extreme that I lifted the needle off the record to take a quick breather before the second movement. Those strings, and the interplay of the horns; and the timpani, the exact use of timpani right as it was needed...Fantastic!

As I stated earlier the second movement (Allegretto) is my favorite and often brings me to tears. But as I said this is not my favorite recording of this movement, it's too fast; or at least that is what I thought. After two minutes of being angry over the speed of the piece I started to seen the possible other intention of the movement; being slightly faster and more staccato I saw how the quick additions of sound created a different picture. If the slower more somber piece was a Rothko, with thick colors building on top of each other, than this faster variation is a Pollock, where individual droplets of sound create a whole. Both are beautiful, different from one another, but beautiful...Alright now hold hands and sing kumbaya

Since this is getting long quick I'll wrap it up. The third and forth movements are fast, and frantic and even show ideas that may have morphed into what would become the beginning of Beethoven's 9th. Overall I agree with Wagner (see I wasn't going to let him go away completely) who once stated that Beethoven's 7th symphony was the "Apotheosis of Dance." I think it suites the symphony nicely.

The Egmont Overture is one of those pieces that you hear all the time, but probably don't know by name. It's grand, it's frantic at times, it plays with dynamics so very well. I found myself consistently thinking about how modern pop (in all of its derivations) lacks dynamics and how disappointing this can be when you listen to a piece with great dynamic control. Perhaps it's the fact that we call just turn our ipods up to eleven in order to ignore our over-crowded bus/subway in the morning, or due to the electrification of all things sonic, but nothing can create tonal imagery quite like the fantastic use of dynamics. Beethoven was a master of this, all the more impressive for a man who was deaf. And if you doubt that dynamics are important, listen to "A Day in the Life" by the Beatles, even though for the most part the piece the volume steady, there are two major crescendos that wash over the listener.


Tomorrow brings the return of Wagner, and the beginning of the final opera of the Ring cycle.

Interlude

So ok, we all knew that this 10,000 days wasn't going to happen all in a row. In fact tomorrow I'm heading down south for a weeks vacation. Meaning I will be away from my collection and stereo, and won't be updating this post.

Until then, here are some of the great non-classical works I have been listening to lately

Once you get through the first few minutes of commentary this is a great song


And this one will always make me laugh

Since those two are both genius, I guess I'll post this one

See you in a week

Day 8

Today brings the third act of Siegfried by Wagner, conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler in 1950 at La SCALA in Milan.

The first side opens up to possibly the most epic overture for an act since the Ride at the opening of the third act of Die Walkure; but quickly descends into what feels like deep emotional thought. Wager finally begins to break through epic tonal prison he has built around him throughout the last 2 and 2/3 operas. He brings dual violins, who wander up and down their register, culminating in a long luxurious notes at the high end of symphonic sound that grab ones ears and turn until tears of emotion leak from the listener's eyes. Not that I cried or anything...Because I'm a manly man, yes I am *grabs tissue* *sniffle*.

I wish I could say more about the second side, but I did lose interest quickly, I had not committed my full attention to the piece and quickly found my mind wandering, or being force at claw point to feed my cats treats until content. I will say that the entrance of a soprano with about 20 minutes to go, did give a feel of depth to the tonal complexity that had been missing. The acts wanders around, rearranging tempos and themes, but ends in true Wagner fashion with an epic duet between a tenor and the soprano. There is even a moment where the famed ride is revisited, cementing it further as the cornerstone of this cycle.

Day 7

Today was the second act of Siegfried by Wagner, directed by Wilhelm Furtwangler, in 1950 at La SCALA in Milan.

The first part of the act was much more subdued that I would have expected; since reading the synopsis states that the main charter (Siegfried) kills a dragon. But hey, maybe killing a dragon to him isn't all that big of a deal for him? The strings play a vital tonal role here, and are often set in the background, leaving the bellowing tenor free range to tell his tale.

The second side starts with a hollowing brass solo (baritone, trombone, french horn not certain which), which leads to a discussion between vocals, which quickly lost my attention. I will say by the end of the record I needed to jump in the shower to rid my self of the large amounts of perspiration that had collected on my skin. But this was do more in part to the 90 degree weather and the airlessness of the room where my stereo is located than the emotional intensity of the music.

Lessons learned in the first week of my 10,000 days: opera is not as bad as I once thought, though still not as good music written without the intention of telling a tale. Wagner does dramatic well, and subtle not so well. My cats now jump on the dining room table as soon as the needle hits the vinyl, knowing that it is time for a brushing and attention. No matter how hot the weather, the neighbors will still point and dial the cops when you lay about the room naked listening to German opera on full blast. And finally, it still feels weird picking up removing a copy Bowie's Diamond Dogs and replacing it with Die Walkure.

Day6

First Act of Siegfried by Wagner, conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler in 1950 at La SCALA in Milan.

Not quite sure how much of an interlude there was between the composition of Die Walkure and Siegfried, but the first act has a completely different feel from the prior opera. Perhaps a more modern feel; but I could also be hallucinating from the heat and lack of AC.

Tomorrow calls for more Siegfriend and more hot weather.

Day 5

Today's going to be a short one; the reason, it's damn hot. Is that a good reason? No, but it's the reason I'm using.

Today I finished Die Walkure; conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler in 1950 at La SCALA in Milan. This record held the third act in its entirety, and was for the most part unmoving. Well, until the finale, which was full of emotion and strife.

The third act starts off with the famed Ride of the Valkyrie; to which I say, eh. It's a nice bit, I'll give you that'; but goes for epic instead of continuing the complexities that Wagner had been developing up until that point. The second side of the record redeems the first, though I find myself not being able to remember quite why.

One thing that I did think of when choosing the Ring cycle as my starting piece, was history's memory of Wagner. Or rather the separation of his music and his thoughts, and whether or not these two things can be separated. Not surprisingly I'm not the only one thinking about this, and in last weeks NYT there was even an article on it (found here). It's a good quick article on the controversies of Wagner and his music and attempts to go into the idea of art being separated from its maker, and even how art (and in my opinion especially temporal art like music) can change and evolve in different era, with different political thinkers. So I ask you internets, is art something static, a representation of its maker's intent? Or does a piece mean something different to those who experience it (or in the case of music, those who play it), is is separate from its maker and in the eye of the beholder?

Day 4

Today is the completion of the 2nd Act of Die Walkure, once again directed by Wilhelm Furtwangler at La SCALA in Milan in 1950 (August 14th to be exact).

This is by far the most intimate of sections I have listened to yet; and for what it's worth, my favorite. According to the synopsis this is a conversations between a husband and wife over whether or not their son should die because he married their daughter. First off, what is it with ancient mythical gods and incest? Is it like the conversation about Superman and Louis Lane in Malrats? You know the one, kyptonite condom. Anyway, social taboos aside, the first side is soft, and conversationsal, you would beleive that it is a husband and wife who have been togeather of ages (literally). Whenever the discussion becomes more lively a bar or two of the famed ride is played, showing that the ride is far from just a short clip of a long opera pulled for mass apeal; it seems to be the cornerstone on which Wagner produced his epic. Throughout the first and second side the vocals become more relaxed, more legatto, which if not careful wraps the listener into the full depth of emotion the speaker experinces. I'm not saying that my mind didn't wander from time to time, it just happend less often.

Tomorrow completes Die Walkure with the third act, and is sure to bring the famed ride.

Day 5...Three Sir...Yes Three

Judging by my post title today, listening to Wagner has not decreased my high brow humour standards, but it has lead me to the second opera in the Ring series; Die Walkure by Richard Wagner, once again preformed in 1950 at La SCALA in Milan, conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler. So feel free to sit back and make all fat women with horns jokes you'd like.

This record held the first act and the beginnings of the second, and from the drop of the needle you knew this was different from the prior opera. The strings, which played largely a supporting role to vocals and brass in Das Rheingold, received a larger role tonally, with brass being used for accent. The first side also introduced a solo violin, something that was completely (from what I can recall) absent from Das Rheingold; which for me, at least, is always a good sign. From reading the plot synopsis on the record insert, this is the love act, and it does show; not with tweeting birds and soft breezes (these are norse gods after all) but more through the playful interaction of accompaniment and voice.

The second side produced a teaser to the famed Ride of Valkyrie, which to me felt sadly out of place. The sounds of duh-da-da-duh-da just clashed with the musical ideas that surrounded its entrance. But perhaps it is because it interupted my new musical experince (I have never listened to the Ring cycle before) with 30 seconds of music I knew too well already. Or maybe it'll just play out better tomorrow as I continue and complete Die Walkure.

Day 2

So if one step begins the journey of 10,000 steps, step number two means you either didn't get lost after step one, or you don't care if you did.

Before getting to the piece, I would like to apologize to one Miss Wasmund, who, pointed out my improper use of the American English Language. I will, of course, go on Fox News and receive 20 lashes with the cat of nine tails from Sean Hannity for this offense. This brings up another apology, to all who may read this blog and have a love of the English language; I'm sorry, my grammar is awful, I do music, not words. Anyway...

My listening piece for today is again Wagner's Das Rheingold, the third and fourth parts; also directed by Wilhelm Furtwangler, also performed in 1950 at La SCALA in Milan. Really, I shouldn't need to write this, since it was recorded literally the same night as parts one and two that I listened to yesterday. But I figured since it's obvious I don't like reading (notice a listening project) maybe some of you out there on teh interwebs don't either.

If parts one and two were about the strings, parts three and four were about the brass. Wagner unapologetically uses trumpets, baritones, trombones and all other forms of metal where you can weld on a mouth piece, to create the tension and anger. And from what I can tell, there might be a lot of it? The entire third part (first side) only has male baritones and tenors, which when they're belting out German over pounding timpani...well let's just say I hid behind the couch at one point.

The second side brings about a fuller, more symphonic sound, with the strings being welcomed back into the party. This, along with an amazing entrance by an Contralto (possibly Erda, played by Margret Weth-Falke), who after 40 minutes of listening to only men, brings a more subtle (but no less powerful) feel to the piece. Being that this is the end of the opera, Wagner spends the final 20 minutes swelling the accompaniment back and forth, much like an ocean bounding against a levee. At the end, the swells just breaks over, spilling sonic water on the listners, but leaving the levee intact. Wagner plays with tonality, rhythm, often butting up against the wall that Stravinsky would burst through three decades later.

What I listen to and why

I've decided to start a blog, a blog about listening to music, classical music, on vinyl records (LPs). This all came about after a conversation with my parents, who, for as long as I can remember have owned boxes upon boxes of classical LPs, and for as long as I can remember have never listened to them. Knowing that I do enjoy listening to a good Beethoven Symphony, they had offered to bring me out a few boxes of what will be, no doubt, the beginnings of my inheritance.

I'm happy enough with just the couple of boxes of records, but the whole conversation got me thinking (mistake one), and I started to wonder (mistake two), about the condition of the records, would they be warped? Would they be new? Would they have duplicates? How many different recordings of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony (my personal favourite) would there be? I added another piece to the puzzle. I had been reading about a young conductor from Montreal who was taking the classical world by storm and was to make his New York debut at the Mostly Mozart Festival. The article spoke of the way this conductor could bring about emotions with the sweeping of his arms, and how he could make these centuries old pieces, that have been played millions of times, by thousands of amazing musicians jump with new life. And I wondered, when it comes down to it, can a conductor/symphony/soloist really make that much difference? And don't those 10,000 records that my parents are heaving my way (with one or two hernias no doubt) help me become even the slightest bit more cultured, or refine my taste?

The easy answer is yes, who is playing/conducting the piece does make a huge difference. The other answer is no, I will not be a better person, or have better taste, be more cultured if I listed to one classical record ever day for the next 10,000 days, compared conductors and symphonies, time frames and soloists. But that doesn't mean I won't enjoy the challenge.

So here is my project, for the next 10,000 days (approximately 27 years) I will listen to one record (both sides), and at minimum post what piece it was, who performed it, when it was performed, and who conducted; on a good day I will try to add a review/observations. And ya, I doubt there are 10,000 records, and I won't be able to do it every day; but I might as well see how far this pony will take me.

Day 1

To start this long journey, I choose a long epic of a piece, well actually four pieces. I started with Wagner's Epic, The Ring of Nibelung. This 1950 live recording from La SCALA in Milan was conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler. The entire cycle is played out on 11 different records, the first being, from what I gathered, the first and second act of Rheingold.

I'm not a big opera fan, but I choose this as my starting piece since like this project, it's large, complex and rarely completed.

Since my German language skills have more or less vanished in the 4 years since I was last in Germany, I couldn't tell you what the story line is. Wagner's accompaniment, though, is everything that would be expected from Wagner; gripping, loud, brash and almost never subtle. The overture starts with a layer of strings and horns, building with string runs and arpeggios, up and down, over and over again. From this very beginning you know the epic is coming. It took me a while to tune into the vocals, mainly due to lo-fi recording and due to it being recorded live (I made some adjustments to my turntable which made a world of difference on side two). The one thing that stood out was how often I felt like was was watching a Loony Tunes show, which makes sense, Wagner and other classical pieces are all over those episodes. By the end of the second side, I was hooked, the tempo was building, the strings became rhythmic as the horns modulated through chords; baritones and tenors took the lead as the sopranos took a back seat. And then, it was done; the end of the second side. I jumped up with a start, craving more, craving a resolution of some kind, only to need to wait for tomorrow.