Day 51

Something I believe I've listened to before, but yet I feel this piece fits the time of year, the end of a decade and potentially today.

Side one:

Piece: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat, Op. 55 "Eroica"

1. Allegro con brio

2. Marcia funebre (adagio assai) -First part

Composer: Beethoven

Orchestra: Warsaw National Philharmonic

Conductor: Witold Rowicki

Record Date: None-Give, printed 1981

Side two:

Piece: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat, Op. 55 "Eroica"

2. Marcia funebre (adagio assai) - Conculsion

3. Scherzo (Allegro vivace)

4. Finale (Allegro molto)

Composer: Beethoven

Orchestra: Warsaw National Philharmonic

Conductor: Witold Rowicki

Record Date: None-Give, printed 1981

If you believe what you read (and as a reader of this blog I must assume this is not true), this is Beethoven's personal favorite Symphony. Beethoven also supposedly wrote it for Napoleon, until Napoleon crowned himself emperor, and then some other stuff happened. Whatever. Let's get this straight, this symphony reeks of heroism, struggle, bravery and hope. The opening bars of the first movement cry out with a horn call which is repeated over and over again throughout the fifteen minutes the first movement occurs. The second while much less upbeat still has it's moments, and the third, while often being described as calvary charging their foes, to me it too upbeat and happy to be an appropriate description. This last observation may be due to the change in the view of war in the last hundred year.

And you care why? Well, I choose this piece to help set the stage for the New Year. Whoa Ian, you say; should you have placed it tomorrow then? Of course not, tomorrow will be clashing to new and old; of past and future; of Abbot and Costello. Any guesses?

See you tomorrow.

Day 45

Dear lord it's getting late, and I'm an old man who likes his sleep.

Side One

Piece: Rondo in B-Flat

Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, op. 37

1. Allegro con brio

Composer: Beethoven

Performer: Julius Katchen, piano

Symphony: London Sympohony Orchestra

Conductor: Pierino Gamba

Record Date: 1958

Side Two

Piece: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37

2. Largo

3. Rondo

Composer: Beethoven

Performer: Julius Katchen, piano

Symphony: London Sympohony Orchestra

Conductor: Pierino Gamba

Record Date: 1958

Not going to say much besides the fact that I learned something, and that once again realized how much I enjoy Beethoven. I learned that what I was mistaking for a pressing date symbol (a "p" in a circle) is in fact the performance copyright symbol, showing the year that the performance was copyrighted (and most likely preformed), I will have to adjust future posts to reflect this. Also, still love Beethoven's work.

Day 43

In which I recant some of what I said yesterday:

Side One

Piece: Piano Sonata Nr. 23 in F Minor, op.57 "Appassionata"

1. Allegro assai

2. Andante con moto

3. Allegro ma non troppo-Presto

Composer: Beethoven

Performer: John Buttrick

Record Date: 1983

Side Two

Piece: Piano Sonata Nr. 17 in D-Minor, op 32 Nr 2, "Der Sturm"

1. Largo-Allegro

2. Adagio

3. Allegretto

Composer: Beethoven

Performer: John Buttrick

Record Date: 1983

I stated I recant because these pieces have a little more staying power, and it is not due to my part, I was reading complex algebra and epidemiological theory at the time. Rather I think it has to do with the composer; don't get me wrong, I love Grieg's work, but there is still something about Beethoven. It's interesting though, because you can hear in the way he writes, it's as almost as if he wants you to remember, often repeating phrases over and over, with slight variations. Doubt me, think of his 5th Symphony

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 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.

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.