Category Archives: classical

W.A. Mozart – Ruhe sanft mein holdes Leben – Dame Emma Kirkby, soprano

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W.A. Mozart (1756-1791)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an Austrian composer, violinist, pianist, organist, and child prodigy.  His talent for music was evident at the age of three.  Mozart composed a wide variety of music ranging from little piano pieces for children to chamber music, symphonies, operas, and sacred choral music.

Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben comes from W.A. Mozart’s opera Zaide (originally called Das Serail) which was written by Mozart in 1780.  The opera was never completed.  Only the arias and ensemble numbers from the first two acts were written.  There is no overture or third act.

The opera is interesting because it contains spoken dialogue which means that it can also be classified as a singspiel, or “singing play.”  The plot of the opera is about the rescue of Zaide’s husband, Gomatz.  During Mozart’s time it was popular for operas to be written about Westerners being rescued from enslavement in Muslim courts.  Muslim pirates were going after Mediterranean shipping in order to capture slaves.

 

Dame Emma Kirkby (1949-)

Dame Emma Kirkby is an English soprano and a renowned early music specialist.  The 2008 Grove Book of Opera Singers says:

“Her uncommonly pure, crystalline voice, deployed with minimal vibrato, her natural declamation, agile coloratura and her sensitivity to words have been widely admired by interpreters of early, Renaissance and Baroque music and have served as a model for many specialists in this repertory.”

Here is a recording of Dame Emma Kirkby singing Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben from Mozart’s Zaide accompanied by the Academy of Ancient Music conducted by Christopher Hogwood.  I hope that you enjoy it.

 

Mauro Giuliani – Sonata for Violin, Cello, and Guitar in A Major

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Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829)

Mauro Giuliani was an Italian composer, guitar virtuoso, cellist, and singer. He was one of the leading guitar virtuosos of the 19th century.

Giuliani taught guitar, performed on the guitar, and composed a rich and varied repertoire for the guitar. His compositions include three guitar concertos, sonatas, studies, variations, duos for guitar with flute of violin, quartets, and songs.

Here is a recording of a Sonata for Violin, Cello, and Guitar in A Major by Mauro Giuliani. It is played by Leonid Kogan (violin), Alexander Ivanov-Kramskoy (guitar), and Fyodor Lusanov (cello). Enjoy!

John Field- Nocturne no. 5 B Flat Major Andantino

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John Field (1782-1837)

John Field was an Irish composer and piano virtuoso.  His Nocturnes inspired Chopin.

Here is a recording of John Field’s Nocturne no.5 in B Flat Major played by the Irish pianist John O’Connor.  John O’ Connor has performed in many recitals and has played with many of the world’s top orchestras.  Enjoy!

Michal Oginski – Polonaise in a minor ‘Farewell to the Fatherland’

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Michał Kleofas Ogiński (1765-1833)

Michał Kleofas Ogiński was a Polish Prince, diplomat, pianist, violinist, and composer.  His Polonaises were an important influence on Chopin.

The Polonaise in a minor ‘Farewell to the Fatherland’ is one the the most famous polonaises ever written.  It was composed after Ogiński returned to Warsaw, Poland from a diplomatic mission to the Hague and London, England.  Ogiński found out upon his return to Poland that the country was being threatened with an invasion from Russia, Prussia, and Austria.  He became depressed and composed the Polonaise in a minor.  The polonaise became very popular because there was a rumour that Ogiński had committed suicide which was not true.

Ogiński also composed a piece called the Song of the Legions which later became the Polish National Anthem.

Iwo Załuski – pianist

Iwo Załuski is the great-great grandson of Michał Kleofas Ogiński.  He is working to restore the music of the Ogiński dynasty into the repertoire of Polish piano music.

Here is a recording of Iwo Zaluski playing the Polonaise in a minor ‘Farewell to the Fatherland’.  Enjoy!

Mozart : Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, K. 581 (featuring Benny Goodman on Clarinet)

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Mozart : Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, K. 581

W.A. Mozart’s Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, K. 581 is his only completed clarinet quintet.  It was composed in 1789 for clarinettist Anton Stadler.  The Quintet is one of the earliest and best-known compositions written for one clarinet and a string quartet.  It is a very popular work because of its lyrical melodies.  The second movement is the most widely known movement of the whole work.

Benny Goodman was an American jazz clarinettist and bandleader.  He formed his first big band in 1934.  It was the top band of the swing jazz era.  Benny Goodman mostly played jazz but he also had an interest in classical music written for the clarinet.  Goodman commissioned works from Bartok, Copland, and Hindemith.

Here is a recording of Benny Goodman and the Budapest String Quartet playing W.A. Mozart’s Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, K. 581.  This recording was made in 1948 and was Benny Goodman’s first classical music recording.  Enjoy!

Dussek- piano sonata no.24 op.61 f sharp minor

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Jan Ladislav Dussek (1760-1812)

Jan Ladislav Dussek was a Bohemian pianist and composer.  He composed over 40 piano sonatas, 12 piano concertos, some lighter piano pieces, harp music, and chamber music (most chamber music works of his include the piano).  Dussek also wrote a keyboard method.  His early compositions are written in a classical style.  Dussek’s later compositions after 1790 are romantic in style and anticipate Schubert, Chopin, and other composers.  His later works are especially virtuosic.

Here is a recording of Dussek’s Piano Sonata no.24, op.61 in f sharp minor.  The piece is in three movements.  It is played on a fortepiano (an early piano).  This piece is written in a romantic style.  Notice all of the emotional turmoil (sudden loud outbursts, surprising modulations, and the use of distant keys).  The key of the piece is  f sharp minor which was not used much in Dussek’s time.  The second movement of the piece is in G Flat Major which is a key not used much back in Dussek’s time.  In the final movement the piece modulates from f sharp minor to F Sharp Major which is unusual.  Enjoy!

Dussek: Piano Sonata (first movement)

Dussek: Piano Sonata (end of first movement and 2nd movement)

Dussek: Piano Sonata (third movement)

 

 

 

Dmitry Bortniansky Arias from Alcide

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Dmitry Bortniansky (1751-1825)

Dmitry Bortniansky was a Ukrainian-Russian composer.  He studied music in Italy.  His first operas were performed in Italy.  Bortniansky worked as the Kappellmeister (Chapel master) at the court of St. Petersburg.

Bortniansky wrote operas, cantatas, instrumental works, Russian sacred music, and Russian secular music.

Here are two arias from Dmitry Bortniansky’s 3 act opera Alcide.  Each aria lasts about 4 minutes.  The remaining minutes on each recording are silent.

Bortniansky – Cherubic Hymn (Бортнянский – Херувимска песма)

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Dmitri Bortniansky (1751-1825)

Dmitri Bortniansky was a Ukrainian-Russian composer.  He studied music in Italy.  He worked as the Kapellmeister (Chapel master) at the court of St. Petersburg.

Bortniansky wrote operas, cantatas, instrumental music, Russian sacred music, and Russian secular music.  His Russian sacred music is known for its Italian style lyricism and counterpoint.

Here is a recording of Bortniansky’s Cherubic Hymn which is often sung in the Ukrainian orthodox church.  I do not know who is performing the hymn in this particular recording.  It is quite a beautiful hymn.  Have a listen.