Classical music thread

[ChrisD]

Holy crap this guy is amazing. That was better than any orchestra I've heard.

[LONDONER]

In the short time I have belonged to GS I haven't seen a thread dedicated to classical music so I thought I'd start one.

I was typing in my study yesterday and had the radio on and they were playing the Mozart 20th piano concderto and all the time I was thinking what a marvellous performance it was a trying to guess the pianist. At then end the announcer gave the name but his pronunciation left a lot to be desired. Immediately after the concerto they played a piece by Chopin. Chopin is far from being my favourite composer but I was utterly transfixed. It seemed to me to be played with such delicacy and artistry, such authority and maturity. All I got from the announcer at the end was that it was from a live concert recorded in Warsaw in 2011. I sent a message through to RNE (Radio Nacional de España) but they haven't replied. In the end, after a great deal of searching on the Internet I managed to find what I was looking for. Quite incredible! This was an eighteen year old Canadian of Polish origen called Jan Lisiecki. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Lisiecki) Just look at his career. And when you've done that, listen to this: Don't you think that is extraordinary?

If anyone is interested, the young Canadian/Polish pianist that I mentioned above, will be interviewed and will be playing on BBC Radio3 this afternoon on BBC Radio3's "In Tune" programme on at 17.30 Central European Time. It can be heard here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/bbc_radio_three

[KawaiiKitty]

if their music is baroque, why dont they repair it?

LOL oh man I kill me!

Sorry I felt left out and this was the only thing I could contribute =\

[cardiganwearer]

That Widor piece is completely new to me, so thanks for that.

In trying to find out more about it I discover that Widor's predecessor at Saint Sulpice was Louis Lefébure-Wély who composed what I've always considered quite the campest piece of music I've ever heard, viz




Don't know who the performer is here but it's a nice crisp rendering of a very jolly piece.

I'm afraid I can't really share your taste for massive instruments and 32' stops. There comes a point where the sound gets muddy and 32' pipes really just loosen the fixtures and fittings in a building.

It's probably a European thing, I grew up hearing Bach recordings on small and ancient German and Dutch organs (care to venture a guess at the name of the organist?). Even the English sound seems dull to my ears.

[LONDONER]

It's probably a European thing, I grew up hearing Bach recordings on small and ancient German and Dutch organs (care to venture a guess at the name of the organist?). Even the English sound seems dull to my ears.

Helmut Walcha? Just a wild guess.

[cardiganwearer]

Londoner, Spot on. It's a shame I wasn't offering prizes.

[LONDONER]

Londoner, Spot on. It's a shame I wasn't offering prizes.

LOL. Yeah, next time offer a prize!

[ChrisD]

In trying to find out more about it I discover that Widor's predecessor at Saint Sulpice was Louis Lefébure-Wély who composed what I've always considered quite the campest piece of music I've ever heard, viz




Don't know who the performer is here but it's a nice crisp rendering of a very jolly piece.

I'm afraid I can't really share your taste for massive instruments and 32' stops. There comes a point where the sound gets muddy and 32' pipes really just loosen the fixtures and fittings in a building.

It's probably a European thing, I grew up hearing Bach recordings on small and ancient German and Dutch organs (care to venture a guess at the name of the organist?). Even the English sound seems dull to my ears.

Ah Louis Lefebure-Wely. His music is endlessly entertaining. And yes, that was a great performance...I shall have to find out more about that organ, the console looks like some kind of German.....sounds like it too, the upperwork, the pedal reeds don't sound French, or even romantic.

Widor's successor, Dupre, isn't quite as....digestible.....although his Preludes and Fugues and Versets are quite nice.




As far as your taste in organs, to each his own. I like bigger instruments because of the diversity they give you, and even though on paper it might look like a slush bucket you can make anything sound good if you get the right registration. Well, you would not play Vierne on a Flentrop, any more than you would play Buxtehude on a Cavaille-Coll or Hope-Jones.


While I would never have a baroque-style organ installed in my church, I appreciate them for what they are and what they can do.

And maybe it's an American tendency to like the more romantic sounds and big pedal ranks. Then again, I'm a "laughable card-carrying member of the grossly unwashed" (as Carlo Curley put it.) That is, a follower of Virgil Fox's ideology, although I'm not quite as crazy as he was. So maybe it's just my minority population over on the other side of the Atlantic.

[ChrisD]

Hey y'all......ain't nobody posted in this thread for a while, which makes me sad because I like classical music. Then again, there's probably like 5 other people on here that share that same opinion, maybe that's why.

So whether you like it or not, it's back :biggrin:

Although I have to say, Londoner I love the Proms thread I haven't got a chance to listen much but it's great to see everything that's going on.

Ok, so here goes, the Dialogue from Louis Marchand's 3re Livre d'Orgue:


Very nice example of French Baroque Literature, shows off the grand jeu of this wonderful organ, as well as the individual trumpets (Gd. Orgue, Recit, and Echo I think) and the Cromorne.

Grand Sonata in Eb by Dudley Buck, a native of Hartford CT, 1st movement:



Sicilienne- Maurice Durufle, from his Suite for Organ:



And finally, the wonderful Humoresque ("L'Organo Primitivo") which uses the Flute sounds of the organ:


I saw Diane Bish play this one at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in San Diego last summer, it was great!

[LONDONER]

Although I have to say, Londoner I love the Proms thread I haven't got a chance to listen much but it's great to see everything that's going on.

Yes, the largest musical festival in the world so, thanks. I'm glad my little effort is appreciated.