Mercoledi Musicale

Well Sidd listen to both Beethoven and Mendelssohn and decided that a bit of choral music wouldn’t go amiss. So Beethoven it is!

Composed with a dedication to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, it uses two of his poems as subjects for a brief cantata. It was premiered in Vienna in 1815 but wasn’t published until 7 years later. That young scamp Felix Mendelssohn was to use the poems as inspiration for his concert overture of the same name. It’s the better know of the two – which could account for Sidd’s choice! He can be a bit perverse that way.

Grosser Chor des Berliner Rundfunks, Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin                                    

Helmuth Koch, conductor 1970                                    

Though we’re praying for “calm seas” when Goethe wrote his poem that was the last thing a sailor wanted - sailing ships needed wind.  We could do with a little less.

Calm Seas (Meeres Stille)

Deep stillness rules the water
Without motion lies the sea,
And sadly the sailor observes
Smooth surfaces all around.
No air from any side!
Deathly, terrible stillness!
In the immense distances
not a single wave stirs.

Prosperous Journey (Glückliche Fahrt)

The fog is torn,
The sky is bright,
And Aeolus releases
The fearful bindings.
The winds whisper,
The sailor begins to move.
Swiftly! Swiftly!
The waves divide,
The distance nears;
Already, I see land!

November 6 - 1917: World War I: Third Battle of Ypres ends: After three months of fierce fighting, Canadian forces take Passchendaele in Belgium.

Overwhelmed

I just got back from Reggio Emilia and I'm still excited - yes I know I'm over using that word but I don't know how else to describe it - by what I experienced last night. I'll post a more extensive comment tomorrow but let's just say that it was an overwhelming experience that ended in a gigantic love fest!

The entire ensemble on stage before a cheering audience. This was taken just before Claudio Abbado made his appearance - at which point the house went wilder.

It was very much an ensemble evening and to make that point there were no solo bows. First the Extras took their bows, then the two choruses (men of the Arnold Schoenberg Chor and the entire Coro de la Comunidad de Madrid) with their chorus masters, followed by each soloist, then the entire Mahler Chamber Orchestra came on stage followed by Maestro Abbado. Flowers peppered the stage and in a lovely gesture many were thrown back into the audience. The ovation went on for 25 minutes and they rang down the main curtain three times and even as I was leaving a third of the audience was still there voicing their approval. My hands were red from applauding, my voice a bit hoarse from yelling Bravi and to be honest my eyes still a bit watery from the emotional impact of the evening.

More to follow.

09 aprile - San Antonio Pavnoi

Masterworks

It had been a while - a long while, in fact I missed his Christmas animation - since I visited Eggman913 (Phillip Scot Johsnon)at YouTube. His Women in Art and Women in Films animations from last year where amongst my favorites.



Music: Beethoven's Symphony No. 8 in F Major - 2nd Movement - Allegretto Scherzando performed by Philharmonia Baroque.

03 febrraio - San Biagio