Day 30

Going old school today.

Side One

Piece: Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F Major, BWV 1046

Composer: J.S Bach

Performers: Hamburg Chamber Orchestra with the Hamburg Bach Soloists, Adolf Scherbaum on Trumpet

Conductor: Harold Newman

Record Date: Non-given, pressing date 1977

Side Two

Pieces: Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F Major, BWV 1047; Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major, BWV 1048

Composer: J.S Bach

Performers: Hamburg Chamber Orchestra with the Hamburg Bach Soloists, Adolf Scherbaum on Trumpet

Conductor: Harold Newman

Record Date: Non-given, pressing date 1977

It has been a while since I've listened to Bach and I always find it difficult. He really is boring, yet at the same time amazing. I found myself comparing his music to one of those fractal pictures made by computers; one half beautiful, one half mathematical, and no clear line where the one half begins and the other ends. In the end the Brandenburg Concertos (especially No. 3) will always hold a special place in my heart due to the ridiculous number of times I played them through my Jr high and high school years. Are they redundant? Yes. Are they predictable? Yes. Was Bach writing music that was already 20 years behind his own time? Yes. Was he writing music that will go down in history as some of the best ever put to bar staffs? Without a doubt.

Day 29

Today I listened to some wonderful pieces that I wouldn't had even thought to listen to, if it wasn't for my amazing bride to be.

Side One

Pieces: Pavane pour une Infante defunte; Ma Mere l'Oye (Mother Goose)

Composer: Maurice Ravel

Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Boston Symphony Orchestra

Conductor: Fritz Reiner; Charles Munch

Record Date: None given

Side Two

Pieces: Sonatine

1. Modere

2. Mouvement de Menuet

3. Anime

Gaspard de la nuit

1. Ondine

2. Le Gibet

3. Scarbo

Composer: Maurice Ravel

Pianist: John Browning

Date Recorded: Not given

In all honesty I have never given much thought to Ravel. His is a name I have heard, and I'm sure I've heard his pieces through the years; but I never put two and two together and figured out how wonderful his compositions are. The first side being two symphonies, are more whimsical than emotional (though I guess whimsical is an emotion, but I'll say it's not) but it is the ideas which amaze; the intelligence behind what seems a simple tune caught this listener off guard. Whereas Beethoven will use strings to lay the tonal foundations of his masterpieces Ravel uses harps; this creates a much softer approach while allowing for the odd passing chord to be subtly placed. The second side, with its two piano pieces are even more impressive. Now with only one instrument at his command, Ravel creates melodies within melodies, while bending the tonal structure just enough to catch the listener's ear, but not enough to make a statement. All in all, I was impressed; if not for the emotional fortitude that Ravel showed, but rather for the intellectual discussion he brought forth in the forms of songs for children.

Day 28

Sorry, I've missed the last two days mainly due to school, work and the need to travel down-state for wedding planning and for an Ikea run (I now have a bookcase to hold my "new" collection).

Speaking of my new collection, while unpacking the boxes I have run across many (and I do mean many) composers I have never heard of, not to mention plenty of albums that are written completely in French or German. So it seemed fitting to me to find an album that is a complete mystery; and I did. With the entire jacket written in Russian script, I would have been at a complete loss except for what seemed to be two names in latin script. After some googling and such, I now know who the composer was, and after a listening am glad I took the time to listen.

Side one:

Piece: ???? (Something in Russian, maybe Symphony No. 1)

Composer: Kara Karayev (as written on the jacket, name may change)

Performers: ?????

Conductor: ?????

Date Recorded: ????

Side two:

Piece: ????

Composer: Kara Karayev (as written on the jacket, name may change)

Performers: ?????

Conductor: ?????

Date Recorded: ???

This was one of the reasons I started this project. A composer, completely unknown to me, being played by an orchestra also unknown to me, and it was good. I mean, really good. I'm not going to lie and say that it wasn't automatically recognizable as 20th Century Soviet classical music, but I'm not one to label all things Soviet as evil. If you want an idea of what this guy sounds like, go watch Star Wars, since I feel that John Williams may be a fan.

Day 27

Today I finish the Rachmaninoff choral mass, which is good, since I spent my time listening to it reading a chapter on interactions within causal epidemiology theory. It was kind of like reading Joyce, you know what the individual words mean, you just don't know what they mean in that order.

Side One
Piece: The Vigil (Vesper Mass), Op. 37
1. Gloria
2. Resurrection hymn
3. Resurrection hymn
4. Hymn to the Mother of God
Composer: Serge Rachmaninoff
Performers: Bruckner-Mahler Choir of London
Conductor: Wyn Morris
Record Date: None Given, pressing date 1975

Side Two
Piece: Four Motets
1. I see Thy bridal chamber adorned
2. The Lord is God, and hath appeared unto us
3. It is very meet to bless Thee
4. Thou only art immortal
Compser: Alexander Dmitrievich Kastalsky
Performers: Bruckner-Mahler Choir of London
Conductor: Wyn Morris
Record Date: None Given, pressing date 1975

Say what you will about the Roman Catholic Church, but thier mass has inspired some amazing work. Though I wonder, since both these composers are Russian and would more likely be Orthedox. I guess it doesn't make much sense, beauty is beauty, unless it's in the eye of the beholder.

Day 26

Needed something soothing, so I went with a choral mass. Quick bit of advice, if you ever need something soothing, a choral mass is right up there with three fingers of 15 year old scotch and a dash of water.

Side One
Piece: The Virgil (Vesper Mass), Op. 37
1.Venite adoremus
2. Psalm 104
3. Psalm 1-2-3
4. Hymn
5. Nunc dimittis
6. Ave Maria
Composer: Serge Rachmaninoff
Performers: Bruckner-Mahler Choir of London
Conductor: Wyn Morris
Record Date: None Given, pressing date 1975

Side Two
Piece: The Virgil (Vesper Mass), Op. 37
1. Gloria
2. Psalm 136-137
3. Resurrection hymn
4. Praise of Resurrection
5. Magnificat
Composer: Serge Rachmaninoff
Performers: Bruckner-Mahler Choir of London
Conductor: Wyn Morris
Record Date: None Given, pressing date 1975

Amazing, simply amazing.

Day 25

So I'm back from PA, where I returned with 16 boxes of records. Seriously, this was a lot more than I was expecting, and a lot more than I have room for in my apartment; but I will make do.

Side one

Pieces: Prelude a "L'Apres-midi d'un faune"

Images pour orchestre - Nos. 1 and 3

1. Gigues,

2.Rodes de printemps

Composer: Claude Debussy

Performers: Boston Symphony Orchestra

Conductor: Charles Munch

Record Date: Non-given

Side two

Pieces: "La Mer"

1. De l'aube a midi sur la mer

2. Jeux de vagues

3. Dialogue du vent et de la mer

Composer: Claude Debussy

Performers: Philadelphia Orchestra

Conductor: Eugene Ormandy

Record Date: Non-given

In all honesty I really wasn't planning on listening to Debussy, I had Schubert's Ave Maria stuck in my head for most of the day and really wanted to listen to that; but after the first couple of Schubert records came up bust I decided on Debussy for his Prelude of a Faun. Why would I choose this piece as a substitute? because I needed something imaginative and ethereal, and if you have heard the Prelude, you know that this piece is exactly that.

While the pieces didn't quite fit what I was craving, they came close and in the end shocked me. After weeks of Mozart, Beethoven and Wagner listening to a piece by Debussy is like a slap in the face with a metaphorical glove. Which is to say that you are not slapped in the face, only feel as though you have been, but still aren't sure if you have or haven't. We're talking close to a hundred years of musical evolution (at least from Beethoven to Debussy) and a switch to something just more French. While I won't say that I was struck by every theme which always seemed to vanish, but I will say that the going from the tonal equivalent of Renoir to Monet without any buildup was...refreshing.

Day 24

Today is going to be quick and dirty, as I have to run and meet up with the parents in PA. This is a good thing, as today I listened to the final classical record in the small collection that I have right now. Come Monday I will have 12 more boxes of classical albums to listen to; which means if you're a sadist (and really who isn't?) you'll have weeks upon months upon years more of my blog to enjoy.

Side One

Piece: Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

1. Allegro con brio

2. Andante con moto

Composer: Beethoven

Orchestra: Sydney Symphony Orchestra

Conductor: Willem Van Otterloo

Record Date: Unknown, pressing date 1977 or 1978

Side Two

Piece: Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op 67

1. Scherzo (Allegro)

2. Finale (Allegro)

Egmont - Overture, Op. 84

Composer: Beethoven

Orchestra: Sydney Symphony Orchestra

Conductor: Willem Van Otterloo

Record Date: Unknown, pressing date 1977 or 1978

Quick bit of advice to all you potential audiophiles out there, clean your records! I was about to throw out this album because it sounded awful only to discover my needle was dirty, a quick clean makes all the difference.

'Till Monday.

Day 23

I actually listened to this piece yesterday and ended up not being able to break away from something to write about it. In the end I guess I lucked out since I didn't listen to anything classical today. I did, however, listen to two great Cat Stevens LPs; amazing stuff, really if everyone detained by Homeland Security is this talented we need to start sending in three new CIA inquisitors, Martin, Eno and Peel.

Side One

Piece: Quartet No 3 in D Major, Op. 18

1. Allegro

2. Andante con moto

3. Allegro

4. Presto

Composer: Beethoven

Performers: The Budapest Quartet: Roisman & A Schneider, Violins; Ipolyi, Viola; M. Schneider, Cello

Record Date: 04/30/1935

Side Two

Piece: Quartet No. 10 in E-Flat Major, Op. 74 "Harp"

1. Poco adagio: Allegro

2. Adagio ma non troppo

3. Presto

4. Allegretto con variazioni

Composer: Beethoven

Performers: The Budapest Quartet: Roisman & A Schneider, Violins; Ipolyi, Viola; M. Schneider, Cello.

Record Date: 04/27/1936

Well that's all for now; tomorrow will be my final post until Monday due to being out of records. Any guesses on what I'll be listening to? I'll give you a hint, I've mentioned having the piece before, but have yet to listen to it.

Day 22

Some very pretty pieces today, and once again the composer is Beethoven. Why you ask: is it could because I really really like his work; or perhaps because his works are recorded most often; or it could just be because it's all I have left until I get the mother load of records on Friday. Right now I plan on receiving 13 boxes of records, which conservative count would be around 750 records. Then I get the fun of opening all of them; that's right, it's going to be Christmas in September.

Anyway on to today's listening.

Side One
Piece: Quartet in A Major, Op. 18, No 5
1. Allegro
2. Menuetto
3. Andante cantabile
4. Allegro
Composer: Beethoven
Performers: The Budapest Quartet: Roisman and Gorodetzky on Violins; Kroyt on Viola; M. Schneider on Cello.
Record Date: 1951

Side Two
Piece: Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 18, No.6
1. Allegro con brio
2. Adagio, ma non troppo
3. Scherzo: Allegro
4. La Malinconia: Adagio; Allegretto quasi allegro
Performers: The Budapest Quartet: Roisman and Gorodetzky on Violins; Kroyt on Viola; M. Schneider on Cello.
Record Date: 1951

Day 21

Quick one today as I'm spending all day tomorrow doing stuff for my upcoming wedding (in May 2010) and have three internship interviews and a big grad school homework thingy to do by Tuesday.

Side One:
Piece: Quartet No. 23 in F Major, K 590
1. Allegro moderato
2. Andante; Allegretto
3. Menuetto: Allegretto; Trio
4. Allegro
Composer: Mozart
Performers: The Budepest Quartet: Roisman & A. Schneider, Violins; Ipolyi, Viola; M. Schneider, Cello.
Record Date: 04/29/1935

Side Two:
Piece: Quartet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 18
1. Allegro
2. Adagio cantabile
3. Scherzo: Allegro
4. Allegro molto, quasi presto
Composer: Beethoven
Performers: The Budepest Quartet: Roisman & A Schneider, Violins; Kroyt Viola; M Schneider, Cello.
Record Date: 06/01/1938

The one thing I will point out about these recordings is the recording date. When I thought about it, I began to raise questions about the recording of a temporal art, like music, and how this captures the the intentions of the composer as interpreted by the musician. When these guys recorded the pieces, they did it through one mic, that fed to a piece of equipment, that literally cut the record right then and there. It was one take, no multi-track, no EQ, no compression, no nothing. The reason that I bring this up is because I've been reading a lot of audiophile websites lately, which often state that the goal of a stereo is to replicate the music exactly as it was played. If that is true, and since Mozart was born and died long before recording music was even an idea, couldn't we say that these, what we would call Lo-Fi recordings, are more true to the piece that Mozart put to paper than any recording that is done today using multi-track, post-editing, compression filled, mixed-down tech masturbation? I honestly don't know, but I would say it's a good question to ask as everyone raves about the joys of the new Beatles mixes.

Day 20

So today you get two for the price of one; well actually you get me catching up on missing yesterday and listening to a piece which spans two records. And the best part is, I even have an explanation why. Yesterday I had a plan, I was going to to go do laundry, come home, listen to some music, relax, then fall asleep. Suddenly, while enjoying my mid dryer beer, I remembered that some black guy who we elected a couple of months back, was giving the speech that could make or break his political career and the health of millions of Americans now and in the future. And I really wanted to watch it.

Ok, so it wasn't a good explanation, but I never said it was going to be; it does however, lead into what I listened to today, Beethoven's 9th Symphony. It was all dependant on the speech, if our president caved in, gave up the health of millions for an easier presidency I had planned to listen to Beethoven's 5th, which as we all know starts off a little less than optimistic. Luckily for me and in my belief anyway, the United States (maybe not Joe Wilson), he threw down the gauntlet. And I ended up doing fist pumps in the air, like the teenager who first discovers alcohol and Black Sabbath during the same summer...Not that would be autobiographical or anything.

Piece: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 "Choral"
1. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso
2. Molto vivace (Scherzo)
3. Adagio molto e cantabile - Andante moderato
4. Presto - Allegro ma non troppo - Allegro assai - Prestp - Allegrp assai - Allegro assai vivace, Alla Marcia - Andante maestoso - Allegro energico, sempre ben marcato - Allegro ma non tanto - Poco Adagio - Prestissimo
Composer: Beethoven
Orchestra: Bayreuth Festival Orchestra and Chorus
Conductor: Wilhelm Furtwangler
Record Date: Live 1951

It's entertains me that the two pieces I was going to choose from today are probably (next to Fur Elise) Beethoven's most famous. Yet if you asked the average Joe to sing any part of the 5th besides the first movement, or the 9th besides the fourth movement, they would probably make some joke about bowel movements. This is saddening to me, not just on a comic level, or even on an educational level, or a cultural level, but rather just for the fact that the first, and especially the third movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony is outrageously gorgeous. The symphony is complete with full thoughts and ideas that develop throughout the movements and when compared to seconds it takes to lay down and idea during first movement of his 5th Symphony, makes my jaw wag in awe. I guess what my rambling is trying to point out is, listen to the whole symphony, not because it's a classic, not because it's great, and not because it's culture, but rather because it's simply beautiful.

I'll end today with the translation of the first three lines of the famous fourth movement chorus, the only lines normally sung these days that were actually written by the Composer himself:

O friends, no more these sounds continue--
Let us raise a song of gladness.
O Joy! Let us praise thee!

Day 19

Today I'm continuing with Beethoven's String Quartets. I have a lot to say about them, but must write a cover letter for an internship applications. I hate cover letters, but I like internships with money and tuition vouchers...Dilemmas.

Side One
Piece: Quartet in D Major, Op. 18, No 3
1. Allegro
2. Andante con moto
3. Allegro
4. Presto
Composer: Beethoven
Performers: The Budapest Quartet: Roisman and Gorodetsky on Violins; Kroyt on Viola and Schneider on Cello.
Record Date: 1951

Side Two
Piece: Quartet in C Minor, Op 18, No 4
1. Allegro ma non tanto
2. Scherzo: Andante scherzoso quasi allegretto
3. Menuetto: Allegretto
4. Allegro

And that's all folks

Day 18

Spent most of the day rearranging the apartment, or reading about how alcohol intake can be a risk factor for heart attacks (and yes, I was drinking a beer while reading, so what).

Today was the first and second of Beethoven's Op. 18, The Six Quartets
Side One
Piece: Quartet in F Major, Op. 18, No. 1
1. Allegro con brio
2. Adagio affettuoso ed appassionato
3. Scherzo: Allegro molto
4. Allegro
Composer: Beethoven
Performers: The Budapest String Quartet: Roisman and Gorodetzky, Violins; Kroyt, Viola; Schneider, Cello
Record Date: 1951

Side Two
Piece: Quartet in G Major, Op. 18, No. 2
1.Allegro
2. Adagio cantabile; Allegro
3. Scherzo: Allegro
4. Allegro molto quasi presto

Supposedly this is one of those great recordings that happens once in a lifetime. The best musicians, playing the best instruments, preforming a great piece. I just wish life would have slowed down enough for me to really sit and enjoy.

Day 17

So I've been away for a couple of days and I'll let you all in on a little secret, I really haven't been away, I've been rationing my albums. It seems as though I miscalculated how many records I have, to the difference in days between the day I started the blog and the day when I would meet up with my folks and receive the mother load of albums.

Anyway, since I had a very nice relaxing Labor Day Sunday I took a listen to the other recording of Beethoven's 7th Symphony, if you remember, it was the one I liked better.

Piece: Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92. First Movement Pocu sostenuto - Vivace. Second Movement Allegretto. Third Movement Presto - Assai meno presto. Fourth Movement Allegro con brio.
Composer: Beethoven
Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Rafael Kubelik
Record Date: 1971

Once again I can't say enough about how much I love this symphony, especially the second movement. The slightly slower tempo taken for this rendition added a depth to the piece that I felt was missing from the last one. Even with the slower tempo the third and fourth movements still had me envisioning great dance halls filled with merry guests; with Beethoven sulking in a corner in his world of silence, filled with music inside he head. Seriously, it sounds cheesy, but if you listen to the fourth movement especially there are great sweeping dance numbers, which are interrupted by moody interludes of great musical stretching.

Day 16

Not too much today, since I am still trying to figure out the Bayesian model of scientific philosophy and how it plays into epidemiological study in the terms of causality (if you can supply any help, please do; seriously, I'm going to be tested on this stuff!).

Three very nice Beethoven Piano Sonatas, not fully sure the names since this seems to be an import album and the entity of the jacket is in French.

Side one:
Pieces: Sonata No. 32 in C minor Op. 111. First Movement, Maestroso-Allegro con brio ed appassionato; Second Movement, Arietta (adagio molto semplice e cantabile). Sonata No. 30 in E Minor Op 109. First Movement, Vivace ma non troppo - Adagio espressivo; Second Movement, Prestissimo
Composer: Beethoven
Performer: Yves Nat

Side Two:
Pieces: Sonata No. 30 in E Minor Op 109. Third Movement, Andante molto cantabile ed espressivio (Theme et variations). Sonata No 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110. First Movement, Moderato cantabile; Second Movement Allegro molto; Third Movement, Arisos (adagio ma non troppo) Fuga (allegro ma non troppo) - Tempo del arioso - Tempo dell fuga - Coda
Composer: Beethoven
Performer: Yves Nat

Day 15

Today we move to chamber music, mainly because I listened to these two string quartet pieces while reading an article on the philosophy of how we teach epidemiologists to conduct data analysis. If I had been listening to something heavy, I would have wanted to kill myself for fear of misclassification.

Side One
Piece: Quartet No 17 in B-Flat Major, K. 458 "The Hunt": First Movement, Allegro vivace assai; Second Movement, Menuetto, Moderato, Trio; Third Movement, Adagio; Fourth Movement, Allegro assai.
Composer: Mozart
Musicians: The Budapest Quartet: First Violin, Joseph Roisman; Second Violin, Alexander Schneider; Viola, Boris Kroyt; Cello, Mischa Schneider.
Record Date: 02/02/1940

Side Two
Piece: Quartet No. 19 in C Major, K. 465 "Dissonant": First Movement, Adagio, Allegro; Second Movement, Andante cantabile; Third Movement, Menuetto, Allegro; Trio; Fourth Movement, Allegro molto.
Composer: Mozart
Musicians: The Budapest Quartet: First Violin, Joseph Roisman; Second Violin, Alexander Schneider; Viola, Istvan Ipolyi; Cello, Mischa Schneider.
Record Date: 11/14/1932

Anyone who has spoken to me about classical music knows that I am no big fan of Mozart. It's that I don't find his work beautiful, or technically amazing, I just have little to no emotional response to 90% of what I hear. I once heard this thought best stated by a TA I had for one of my Music course (I did minor is Musicology), "Mozart wrote pretty pieces for rich people."

I think I'll leave it at that; though I do plan on listening to plenty of Mozart throughout these 10,000 days. Sometimes you just need something pretty.

Day 14

Sorry for not getting the post up yesterday, there was much wedding planning and fiance reassuring that needed to take place. I did, however, get a chance to listen to a Beethoven Symphony while discussing photographers.

Piece: Symphony No. 3 in E Flat Major, Op. 55 "Erocia". First Movement, Allegro con brio; Second Movement, Marcia funebre, Adagio assai; Third Movement, Scherzo, Allegro vivace; Fourth Movement, Finalle, Allegro Molto.
Composer: Beethoven
Preformers: The Czech Philharmonic
Conductor: Lovro von Matacic
Record Date: 1959

The title of the Symphony says it all; Erocia. That's pronounced like heroic, not erotic...sickos.

This is far from the best rendition of this symphony that I have ever heard, but it's not terrible; more forgettable than anything. The first movement while epic and invigorating doesn't due the piece justice. While you may feel inspired, you don't quite feel like climbing mount Everest, which is really what you should be feeling. Maybe something was lost in the re-mastering of the recording in 1973 (when the record was pressed), this is after all one of the famed "Best Of" recording series, which, in my opinion, never quite capture the "best."

That's it for now, check back later today after I listen to today's piece.