#third movement of the beethoven violin concerto

[ofbakerst]

[myargalargan]

A Classical Polinalysis: Ep. 2

Hello friends, Polin stans, and classical music nerds!

Picking up from my episode 1 analysis, I am back with the second installment in the series of episode-by-episode analyses I mentioned when I shared the playlist I made of all the Classical pieces used in Bridgerton season 3.

The tracks on the playlist are all in order of when they appear in the show, and here are all the pieces that were used in episode 2: 

Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 13 in B-Flat Major, Op. 130: VI. Finale. Allegro

Bach’s Violin Concerto No. 2 in E Major, BWV 1042: III. Allegro assai

Mozart’s String Quartet No. 8 in F Major, "Viennese", No. 1, K. 168: IV. Allegro

Mozart’s String Quartet No. 3 in G Major, "Milanese", No. 2, K. 156/134b: I. Presto

Mozart’s String Quartet No. 23 in F Major, "Prussian", No. 3, K. 590: IV. Allegro

Joseph Schuster’s String Quartet No. 2 in B-flat Major: I. Allegro di molto (formerly attributed to Mozart as the "Milanese" (or Paduan) String Quartet No. 2, K. 210)

Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 57, “Appassionata”: II. Andante con moto 

All of this music is used over the course of the Full Moon ball, and the choice of music and the scenes each piece of music is paired with turns the ball something of a microcosm for the entire episode. What the hell do I mean by that? 

This episode is all about flirtation, fertility, and passion, and the action in this episode sets into motion some of the major conflicts of the season. We have the Mondriches settling into their new home and attending society events for the first time, the Featherington sisters getting a healthy dose of Sex Ed, Francesca being granted the Queen’s favor, and—of course—Colin and Penelope beginning their lessons and all the tension and drama that brings. So let’s get into how the Classical soundtrack compliments this very meaty episode…

Looking at the track list in order, we’ve got a bit of a composer sandwich (get it? meaty episode? ha-ha-ha?) with Beethoven bread, Mozart filling, and Bach and Schuster toppings. The allegro finale of Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 13, which starts as Colin and Eloise’s conversation about Penelope in the carriage ends, welcomes us to the ball. The second movement of Beethoven’s “Appassionata,” which Francesca is playing when Lady Danbury sneakily invites the Queen to observe, concludes the whole event. But I have a lot to say about both Beethoven pieces, so I’m going to save that for later! To start, I want to talk about the flirtatiousness of the other pieces used during this episode. 😏

The next piece after the Beethoven string quartet is the third movement from Bach’s Violin Concerto No. 2, which plays when Benedict asks Miss Stowell to dance. We only hear the very beginning of the concerto in this episode, but the distinguishing characteristic of a concerto—which is also what I find so flirtatious about this piece—is the back-and-forth between a solo instrument (in this case, a solo violin) and an ensemble (in this case, a chamber orchestra). In particular with shorter pieces like this Bach concerto, which is an energetic two minutes long with concise musical verses, you get the feeling of a lively conversation, where the ensemble has their say, the soloist replies, the ensemble adds another musing, then the soloist replies, and so on. 

I also think this concerto is fun for this scene for a couple other reasons. One, the soloist-ensemble dynamic calls to mind Benedict getting cornered by a pack of ladies. But also, this concerto is in what’s called “ritornello” form, which means that the ensemble repeats the same musical theme every time they come back in, and I love this as a funny little musical illustration of Miss Stowell’s persistence with Benedict—she keeps coming back, over and over, just like that repetitive musical theme! 

The next piece is the fourth movement from Mozart’s String Quartet No. 8, which starts playing right as Portia tells Mr. Finch that his wife is a pastry and continues as Penelope talks with Colin about his writing. This piece actually elides seamlessly into the track from the season 3 OST called “Attempts to Flirt” the moment Colin says he’ll consider letting Pen read more of his writing if she talks to at least one lord that night, which is a fun little tie-in to our theme. And the string quartet is great for this moment between Colin and Pen because of its fugal quality. A fugue—such as Bach’s famous Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, which is used in a ton of films including the original Fantasia—refers to a structure where the musical theme is introduced in different voices or instruments one after another. (Kind of similar to a musical round, like “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” but not as simplistic.) Like the concerto, there’s a repetition of musical ideas, and those ideas bounce around from instrument to instrument, again creating a sense of lively conversation. Almost as if one person starts to tell a story to a group of friends, and then another person jumps in to say, “Oh, yes, I know what that’s like!” and tells their own anecdote, and so on around the group as the conversation feeds on everyone’s enthusiasm. 

I love this for Pen and Colin’s interaction because it has a similarly flirtatious energy as the concerto, but at the same time it’s more complex than a simple back-and-forth. There’s a layering aspect to a fugue—when a subsequent instrument picks up the theme, that doesn’t mean the first instrument stops playing. I think this has a similar energy to the way good friends who are comfortable and excited together might end up talking over one another or picking up the ends of each other’s sentences. I think it’s also illustrative of the complexity of Colin and Penelope’s relationship, especially at this phase. They’re friends, yes, but other feelings are starting to get all mixed in. They flirt quite easily with each other, but that makes things more complicated. A playful but multi-layered fugue illustrates this pretty well, I think.

Then we have our second Mozart string quartet of the episode, the first movement of Mozart’s String Quartet No. 3, when Eloise inadvertently lets it slip to Cressida that Colin is helping Penelope find a husband. This piece isn’t a concerto or a fugue, but it does still have an interplay between the instruments that, to me, creates a similar effect. There are several moments within this movement where the violin will start the musical line and one of the other instruments will finish it, like passing a baton. Or, again, like lively and comfortable conversation! To me, it feels a little bit like two people winking at one another as they catch each other’s meaning. 

There’s also a fun little bit about two-thirds of the way through the piece where, for not even 30 seconds, the tone of the music changes entirely, to something darker and more dramatic. Musically this part is known as the “development,” which is where the music meanders and does a bunch of interesting things before it returns to the main theme that was introduced in the beginning. This is a very common musical technique, but it doesn’t appear quite so starkly in any of the other pieces used in ep. 2. Since this piece plays during an Eloise and Cressida scene, we could take this darker interlude to be a reflection of Eloise’s relationship with Penelope—how it has taken a dramatic turn but will be righted again before long. We can also look at it through a Polin lens, since Penelope and Colin’s relationship takes a similar trajectory. Either way, I like the idea that there’s a bit of dark foreshadowing in this otherwise playful, flirtatious piece of music.

From there, we have the fourth movement of Mozart’s String Quartet No. 23, which plays as the Mondriches enter the scene. Other than the Beethoven pieces, this is the longest piece used during this episode, and it gets the most airtime. It plays for the entire duration of Benedict’s spiel about how married couples are free from the rules of society because they have already fulfilled their duty. And I love this piece for this moment because it really goes places. This movement has some fugal passages, giving it that same flirtatious quality as the other pieces used this episode, but there’s also moments where the tone gets much more dramatic, moments when the tempo seems to slow or get interrupted, syncopated sections that almost feel cartoonish… The character of the piece is surprising, and it evolves over time, and—I think—it reflects the journey the Mondriches have been on since season 1 and the surprising evolution their life has taken in season 3. And will continue to take! As they figure out how to navigate this new world and learn that it’s not as simple as Benedict made it seem.

Okay, now onto the last bit of sandwich filling, the first movement of Joseph Schuster’s String Quartet No. 2 in B-flat Major, which plays while Lady Danbury leads the Queen away from the main ball and while Eloise’s group of debutantes lament their chance to show off. Is this piece also flirtatious? Yes, I think this piece has a similar quality to Mozart’s String Quartet No. 3, where sometimes musical lines started by one instrument get picked up and finished by another. But another thing I find really interesting about this piece is that it’s a case of mistaken identity. This piece was composed around 1780, but until the 1960s music scholars attributed the piece to Mozart. And to use this piece during this scene is particularly compelling, because it’s the moment that Cressida denies having any good gossip, but also the moment when the gossip about Penelope and Colin begins to spread throughout the ball anyway, which Eloise (and Colin) mistakenly blames Cressida for. There’s also maybe a deeper meta here about mistaken identities that could tie into Cressida’s false claims to the Lady Whistledown name, which is interesting to consider in contrast to this moment at the ball where Cressida—unlike later in the season—chooses to be the bigger person and renounces the lure of gossip in favor of protecting her new friendship with Eloise. 

Which brings us to the final piece of music featured at this ball, the second movement from Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 23, the “Appassionata.” Which is of course relevant because Francesca earlier admits to loving it so much during her abbreviated conversation with Lord Petri. Petri describes Francesca’s favorite pieces as “expressive music,” which is fitting for a musical work nicknamed “Passionate.” Francesca also says, “I mostly enjoy the chord progressions,” in response to Petri getting all ��can’t you feel it in the music?” and although Petri was talking about the Ries Piano Trios, I like thinking about Francesca’s response in relation to the second movement of the “Appassionata” because that movement is one big theme-and-variation—there’s a musical theme introduced at the beginning, and then that theme is repeated two more times with variations in the melodic structure but always with the same chord progressions.

One thing I love about this piece as the close-out to the ball is the way, with each subsequent variation on the theme, the music builds and builds. It starts out slow and in a low register, and it gets faster and higher pitched as it goes (the part we hear Francesca playing is the fast high part). There’s a really obvious analogy to sex here, which is clear in Petri’s reaction and Francesca’s discomfort with his reaction—which is appropriate because sex is such a major motif in this episode (“Inserts himself? Inserts himself where?”). But there’s also the analogy to the build-up that we’re about to experience at the end of the episode, the way everything Penelope has been through the past couple episodes (couple seasons, really) culminates in that first unbelievably passionate kiss between her and Colin. 

But, more than that! The second movement of the “Appassionata” doesn’t have a true ending—it’s through-composed with the third movement, so that the two are meant to be listened to back-to-back. If you listen to the end of the second movement by itself, you’ll hear a chord that sounds like it’s supposed to resolve to a nice clear ending, but then instead of resolving, that chord is followed by an intriguing, dissonant, kinda jazzy-sounding musical lick. If you didn’t proceed to the third movement right away, musically, you’d be left hanging. (And even once you’re into the third movement, it takes a while for the music to properly resolve.) And I love this! Why do I love this? A while back, I did an analysis of Polin’s theme (from the original score) and wrote a bunch of stuff about how their musical theme, the way we hear it in part 1 of the season, feels unresolved, suspending us in the tension of their uncertain relationship status. We only get proper musical resolution in their theme in part 2, after they’re engaged. So using the second movement from the “Appassionata,” with its false ending, at the conclusion of the Full Moon ball—a ball which encapsulates so much of what’s going on in the episode overall—is such a great way to foreshadow the end of the episode: the build-build-build to the passionate kiss and then—! Leave us hanging as Penelope runs away and Colin’s life starts falling apart around him.  

Speaking of endings…! It’s time to circle back around to the first piece of bread in our Beethoven sandwich, the sixth movement from Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 13…

If you’ve stuck with me this far, hang in there for just bit longer! Maybe take a quick break and grab a snack. ;) 

I thought a lot about the usage of the allegro finale from Beethoven’s Op. 130 in this episode. It’s such an interesting choice, not necessarily because of the music itself, but because of the history of the entire quartet. See, when Beethoven first composed String Quartet No. 13, it had a different final movement. However, at the first performance, that movement received such a negative reaction that Beethoven’s publisher convinced him to write a replacement. The replacement is what’s used in the show. And it has an entirely different character from the original. The new finale is light and cheery, while the original was dense and complicated. The original was panned by critics as being incomprehensible, inaccessible, and difficult to both listen to and play. (Give it a listen. You may find that it makes you deeply uncomfortable 😅 but it’s definitely an experience!) The new finale, on the other hand, is…a dance! It’s bouncy and positively Haydnesque, and completely uncontroversial.

The original was ultimately published as its own work under the title “Grosse Fugue,” as Beethoven’s Op. 133. However, some Beethoven enthusiasts and music scholars will argue that the correct way to play String Quartet No. 13 is with the original ending, the way Beethoven intended. Preferences vary, though, and what this means is…there are two possible, perfectly valid, endings to this piece of music. And each ending has a completely different vibe. 

Do you see where I’m going with this? 😉

This piece plays as we are welcomed into the Full Moon ball, and when I set out to do this analysis, I was originally looking at the allegro finale on its own, trying to find something meaningful in its structure or its harmonies… But I think what’s most interesting about it, in the context of this episode, is that it represents the duality of choice. And there’s a few different layers this could apply to: Eloise and Cressida’s decision whether or not to share the gossip about Colin helping Penelope, Colin’s choice to help Penelope in the first place (and to continue to help her after the journal faux pas)...his choice—at the end of the episode—to kiss her. The Queen's choice of a diamond, even! But if we’re talking about possible endings, then this piece is really setting us up for the ultimate narrative choice between Colin and Lord Debling. And it’s fitting as an introduction to the Full Moon ball because it’s at this ball that Colin gets his first taste of jealousy and competition, and then of course it’s Penelope’s humiliation at this ball that is the catalyst for the kiss that sends Colin into his downward spiral of desperate, all-consuming love. So whereas at the end of ep. 1 Colin may have been able to go about his life acting as though he was unconcerned about whatever feelings he may or may not have had for Penelope at that point, by the end of ep. 2 that’s simply not at all possible anymore. And so the show starts building the foundations of one of Penelope’s possible choices, one of her potential endings. (And I guess whether or not you consider Debling to be a perfectly valid alternative ending depends on what kind of Polin shipper you are. 😉) 

So there you have it: the drama of choice, the sexiness and frustration of building yet unresolved tension, misunderstandings (and, you might even say, the probable pains of friendship), SO much flirting—some easy and straightforward, some ceaseless and unvarying, some deliciously complex… All present at the ball, throughout the episode, and in the Classical soundtrack.

♥

And here's some of the research I did for this post:

Beethoven's String Quartet No. 13: https://www.earsense.org/chamber-music/Ludwig-van-Beethoven-String-Quartet-No-13-in-B-flat-major-Op-130/

Beethoven's String Quartet No. 13: https://www.brentanoquartet.com/notes/beethoven-quartet-opus-130/

Beethoven's String Quartet No. 13: https://www.maramarietta.com/the-arts/music/classical/beethoven/

Bach's Violin Concerto No. 2: https://www.laphil.com/musicdb/pieces/4549/violin-concerto-in-e-major-bwv-1042

Mozart's String Quartet No. 8: https://fugueforthought.de/2018/07/01/mozart-string-quartet-no-8-in-f-k-168/

Mozart's String Quartet No. 3: https://fugueforthought.de/2016/08/27/w-a-mozart-string-quartet-no-3-in-g-k-156/

Mozart's String Quartet No. 23: https://www.talkclassical.com/threads/mozart-string-quartet-23-k590-sq-review.81909/

Schuster's String Quartet No. 2: https://www.earsense.org/chamber-music/Joseph-Schuster-String-Quartet-in-B-flat-major-No-2-KAnh-C2001-K-Anh-210/

Beethoven's "Appassionata": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR706pYvNl0&

[ethanhuntfemmefatale]

who’s your fav composer

Hey!!! :)) that’s such a good question!!! and very tricky. I have a lot of composers that are close to my heart—probably the most notable ones are Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, and Shostakovich. (Tchaik, Porky, Shosty.) Brahms and Tchaik for me are personal composers because of my Queer Brahms Thesis and Tchaik being one of the first “figures” anyone ever talked to me about being gay…I remember when my mom told me that Tchaikovsky loved men, I was playing his violin concerto and it stuck with me hard. Both of them have some of the most beautiful melodies I’ve ever heard, shout-out to the one moment in Tchaik concerto first movement where the violin plays the first theme soft and delicate and arpeggiated like a dance. Holy shit. And the second theme of Brahms concerto first movement hurts my heart, it’s unspeakably beautiful. My Queer Brahms Thesis actually started before I had any real evidence for it, simply based off of his melodies—I was certain as a queer kid that nobody but a queer person could write melodies like that. Also (getting even more into the weeds) there’s such a fascinating focus on the subdominant in Brahms’ music (feminine, unexpected, beautiful), over the more classic dominant of Beethoven and such. I have other evidence for the Queer Brahms Thesis now that I know more about his life but it all started with my love of his music

Shosty and Porky are composers that I grew into loving. The Shostakovich violin concerto no1 has long been essentially my favorite piece of music of all time, particularly the third movement and the cadenza, the third movement is this dark sad hopeful song over the terrifying overwhelming repetitive bass, and the cadenza is a masterpiece of growing so gradually from this slow barely-there thing to something that is huge and angry and screaming. I played the Prokofiev second violin sonata growing up and fell deeply in love with it, it’s another one of my favorite pieces, and I was working on his second violin concerto at a really difficult time in my life, and it was one of the most important and cathartic parts of my relationship with music and with myself at the time. I love the way that Shosty and Porky’s music deals with anger and ugliness, the way that it doesn’t shy away from horror, it doesn’t prioritize aesthetic over all. And their music understands that beauty can also be horrifying and ugly, and angry, and that makes it more beautiful.

Gonna stop there cause I could rant about this stuff for a long long long time. Thank you so much for the ask fellow musician <3 :)))))

[violinconcertobracket]

Propaganda:

Beethoven:

everyone needs to watch the episode of Sherlock Holmes (1984) where Holmes gets obsessed with this concerto... Watson: you have been sitting there grinding your teeth and tapping your fingers on the table because you are annoyed at Mrs Hudson's spring cleaning. Holmes: Watson, I was trying to remember Joachim's fingering in his cadenza in the 3rd mvt of the Beethoven violin concerto. (if this sounds more like propaganda for Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes than Beethoven don't worry about it)

Locatelli:

I don’t know a ton about music (especially anything for strings) but I love this piece, especially the movement and energy of the third movement.

[percocet]

Omg would u be willing to give like piano classical music recs? I just love how pianos sound but I don't know much classical music :(

HI. YES. i feel like i've been waiting for this moment all my life.

so first thing to note is that "classical music" as a genre, as the general public thinks about it, covers like. the 1600s to early 1900s. it's like saying mcr and golden era broadway music are the same genre, which drives me up the wall some days but i've also accepted it as like. general public insistence that all music composed before 1910 is somehow stuffy and elitist to listen to. ANYWAY rant aside this is all to say that the sound and style is going to differ a lot!

without further ado, here's my Certified Fresh™ piano recs for beginners <3

the famous composers you should probably listen to

rachmaninoff - piano concerto no. 2 in c minor. evgeny kissin (<333) has like thee recording ever of this (linked). it's the most famous piano concerto in the world. i've been playing this baby since i was 15 and literally every day i learn something new about it. gift that keeps giving!! and if you like this, then i'd also take a gander at the rhapsody on a theme of paganini, which is a whole piano concerto that's like theme and variations on the melody from the most famous paganini violin caprice (no. 24).

chopin - ballade no. 1 in g minor. krystian zimerman (linked) has probably the most solid recording, but i'm rlly partial to yundi li's interpretation! seong-jin cho is also incredibly impressive, i've seen him twice and his work blows me away... all of chopin's music is quintessential piano listening imo; his collection of waltzes, nocturnes, and études especially are foundational learning material! he's my fav composer of all time <3 (side note: arthur rubinstein is known as The chopin performer, but any of the people i listed will do a great job if you're looking on youtube on spotify for a version to listen to)

liszt - transcendental étude no. 12 "chasse-neige". and if you have time then wough ALL of the transcendental études and listen in order. i don't really like liszt but i worship at the feet of daniil trifonov's album i'm so serious. also gotta plug that i saw him perform live too and he is like the second coming of christ to me. my absolute favourite pianist atm.

beethoven - sonata no. 14 "moonlight". while we're in that fob mood! everybody knows the first movement but rarely do people play it well tbh 💀 the second and third movements are also very famous but they seem to fit on the second tier of the classical music iceberg, so i'll rec it anyway. harder to say who my fav beethoven performers are.. he has the most difficult repertoire for a reason! maybe claudio arrau or alfred brendel (linked), daniel barenboim for more modern recordings (and a complete set of sonatas) but he's not The best..

mozart - fantasia in d minor. sigh. so i'm not the biggest mozart fan, admittedly. but he's got an incomparable place in history, so here we are! this is probably one of the more underrated famous pieces (in comparison to like the turkish march or whatever). linked is trifonov again, but i would rec seong-jin cho's mozart album too, it's solid all around.

bach - partita no. 2 in c minor. probably the most dramatic and accessible of his partitas. you have probably heard of the well-tempered clavier at some point in your life, which is his collection of preludes and fugues! those are worth listening to if you're ever in the baroque mood. i'm so serious when i say bach's music is god to me. not the easiest listening, but worth it tbh... anyway. martha argerich (linked) is goated and one of my main inspirations in music. (and if you find yourself liking her, i'd rec her astor piazzolla interpretations like tres minutos con la realidad, great argentinian music by great argentinian musicians!)

stuff that goes so fucking ham i can only describe it as the closest humanity will ever touch divinity

godowsky - passacaglia. based off schubert's unfinished symphony but that's not super important all you need to know is that it's 20 minutes of insanity

liszt - erlkönig. this is like a veritable nightmare, musically. it's based on schubert's erlkönig and it's absolute hell. holy shit. it's so good. yuja wang (linked) is superhuman

bach (transcribed by ferruccio busoni) - partita no 2. in d minor. this partita was composed for the violin but naturally someone had to put it on the piano and make it go harder than it already does. literally a religious experience, ofc evgeny kissin had to do it to 'em

ravel (transcribed by beatrice rana) - la valse. beatrice rana is so goated, holy shit. this waltz is also musically difficult, but she just knocks it out of the park. every time i listen to this i get chills, esp towards the end. definitely worth watching as well as listening to, she's electric with it

liszt - mephisto waltz. did i say i didn't like liszt already? i feel like liszt is overrepresented here. liszt enjoyers come get your food ig. khatia buniatishvili is just crazy impressive, she's just so effortlessly virtuosic and i live in awe of her work.

this got kinda long but i think it's more bc i can't shut up.. anyway! hope you enjoy!! let me know what you think if you listen to any of this!

[sarahtheflutist]

Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN

About this Piece

Composed: 1806

Length: c. 35 minutes

Orchestration: flute, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, and strings

First Los Angeles Philharmonic performance: April 26, 1928, Georg Schnéevoigt conducting

If Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 has been neglected by music historians and commentators, there are probably several reasons for this, the most obvious being when it was composed. Specifically, in Beethoven’s chronology it had the misfortune to be placed between that great “watershed work” Symphony No. 3 (“Eroica”) and the Symphony No. 5. But it was also surrounded by such great works as the “Appassionata” Sonata, Op. 57, the three Razumovsky Quartets, Op. 59, the opera Fidelio, Op. 72, Piano Concerto No. 4, Op. 58, and the Violin Concerto, Op. 61. These works all fall very close to each other in time; they all succeed the historic innovation of Symphony No. 3, and they all embody what has come to be called Beethoven’s “symphonic ideal.”

The symphonic ideal is of a two-fold nature: technical and extra-musical. Beginning with the “Eroica,” Beethoven expanded virtually every dimension of sonata style to a degree that was unfathomable at the time – and in many ways, still is. Technically, this means that all structural elements, including harmony, rhythm, melody, key relationships, chord spacing, and instrumentation were integrated so that each element is reflective of the others. By isolating an element such as a melodic fragment or a harmony in one movement, and then transplanting it to another in order to develop it further, Beethoven expanded the process of “thematic recurrence,” thereby demonstrating the organic unity of all elements. This revolutionary unity of form raised the classical relationship of part-to-whole to a higher level. It is almost as though Beethoven was writing music about music.

Equal in importance to the technical aspect of the symphonic ideal is that of the extra-musical and, by way of implication, the psychological. In fact, the technical and extra-musical/psychological aspects cannot be separated. For it is Beethoven’s intellectual penetration and manipulation of his materials, and the resulting organic growth of “evolving” themes and their dramatic interplay with all the forces of the symphony that suggests a kind of heroic psychological journey toward individuation. A programmatic title such as “Eroica” (heroic) consciously given to a work that its author knew to mark a turning point in modern symphonic writing boldly states the case. It is this aspect of his work that is identified as “romantic,” in spite of the absolute “classicism” of the musical structures.

Though the Symphony No. 4 shares many aspects of the symphonic ideal with its immediate siblings, it does not necessarily wear its psychological meaning on its sleeve. It could be that this lack of psychological catharsis is the reason for the neglect by the commentators, as it is often tossed off as being a pint of relaxation between the titanic intellectual demands of the “Eroica” and the Symphony No. 5. What it lacks in “seriousness” is balanced by its directness and its classically contained power.

The Adagio introduction of the first movement establishes an ambience of suspense by avoiding the key of the Symphony, for 42 measures. Beethoven presents a theme in the strings that hovers harmonically between G-flat major and B-flat minor and is made up of interlocking melodic thirds. The music then moves through a series of keys until it reaches the tone A, at which point both the tempo and volume increase into the Allegro vivace and the “real” key of B-flat major. The movement ends with a codetta based on the first theme.

In the Adagio second movement, the opening accompanimental figure threads its way through the movement as a series of rhythmical metamorphoses with each statement of thematic or transitional material, but always appears in its original form with each repetition of the first theme. The movement ends with a brief coda followed by the accompaniment figure played as timpani solo.

By any other name, the Menuetto would be a Scherzo, a scherzo and trio that is. The trio section contrasts with the scherzo by way of a slightly slower tempo and more prominence given to the woodwinds.

The infectious joviality of the fourth movement is attributable to the 16th-note subject stated in the strings. The second subject, played by the oboe, offers the only textural change to the perpetual motor rhythm of the 16th-note motion. Beethoven finally brings this riotous moto perpetuo to an end by increasing the note values of a fragmented first subject to eighth notes separated by rests, thereby creating the effect of a gradual winding down. This brief caesura is dispelled as the 16th-note motion sarcastically returns to punctuate the symphony.

-Composer Steve Lacoste is Archivist for the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association.

[werewolvesandaccordions]

Beethoven – Piano Sonata no.12 in Ab Major, “Funeral March”, op.26 The next couple of sonatas after the “pathetique” are great in their own right, but since I’m focusing on my personal favorites, we have to jump ahead a bit to the “official” first sonata of early period. This is a problematic distinction. In art history, Eras and Periods can only describe trends, but they can’t be taken as specific beginning and end points. Basically, while his piano sonatas start to show qualities that we will consider as examples of his Middle Period, he still hasn’t written/published his third piano concerto, or his Eroica symphony, or the Kreutzer violin sonata…even so, we see through his piano writing that the Revolution has always been in motion. I haven’t brought up specific years yet, I’ve only been referencing the era in vague terms like “at the time” or “in Beethoven’s day” or whatever, but for reference compared to the earlier sonatas, this piece was published in 1801. I think it’s fitting that the first piano sonata of the new century be one that will reflect Romantic era tropes. In a shocking experimental gesture, none of the movements in this sonata is in “sonata form”, which was one of the basic check points on the list of “what to include in a sonata”. And as we know, trailing away from formal structure was a Romantic era hallmark. The opening movement is instead a set of variations on a simple and lovely theme, that to me sounds like in media res. Starting out in Vienna, Beethoven was more famed for being great at piano improv, more than he was known as a composer, and part of his piano performances included improvised variations. Many of Beethoven’s early sonatas were influential to Schubert, whose Impromptu in Ab Major shares a very similar melody to the theme of this movement. The next movement is a cheery Scherzo, a stroll in the park on a sunny day. It is then contrasted by the funeral march that gives this sonata its almost unnecessary nickname. This is a groundbreaking gesture, showing another break in tradition by using a Funeral March as the slow movement, a type of piece that you wouldn’t ever expect to be in a formalized structure of absolute music [and no surprise this was a favorite, as well as an inspiration, for Chopin]. I mean…why write a funeral march if it isn’t meant to be played at any funerals? This is much in tune with the Erioca symphony, which is only a couple years away, so much so that this funeral march is subtitled “after the death of a great hero”. Like how the Eroica is a symphony for an unnamed hero, this march is for another unnamed hero, and including a nameless “main character” in your piece for the audience to feel connected to is VERY Romantic. The music here imitates band instruments, creating the feeling of listening to more formal and expected funeral music to be played outdoors. You can hear drum rolls and soft brass ensembles that flourish into slightly more uplifting and hopeful themes at times. The final movement is a “grand finale” for pianistic flair, an allegro that rushes in faster than you can keep track of, and the music seems like unbridled and free form joy. The joy of a child playing games. Like the seventh sonata, this piece kind of just stops, without an expected banal “da-dum!” chord to let the audience know when to clap. Music that is pulled from the aether before being released back into it. Movements: 1. Andante con variazioni 2. Scherzo, allegro molto 3. Maestoso andante, marche funebre sula morte d’un eroe 4. Allegro, rondo

mikrokosmos: Beethoven – Piano Sonata no.12 in Ab Major, “Funeral March”, op.26 The next couple of sonatas after the “pathetique” are great in their own right, but since I’m focusing on my personal favorites, we have to jump ahead a bit to the “official” first sonata of early period. This is a problematic distinction. In art…

[tinas-art]

Beethoven – Piano Sonata no.12 in Ab Major, “Funeral March”, op.26 The next couple of sonatas after the “pathetique” are great in their own right, but since I’m focusing on my personal favorites, we have to jump ahead a bit to the “official” first sonata of early period. This is a problematic distinction. In art history, Eras and Periods can only describe trends, but they can’t be taken as specific beginning and end points. Basically, while his piano sonatas start to show qualities that we will consider as examples of his Middle Period, he still hasn’t written/published his third piano concerto, or his Eroica symphony, or the Kreutzer violin sonata…even so, we see through his piano writing that the Revolution has always been in motion. I haven’t brought up specific years yet, I’ve only been referencing the era in vague terms like “at the time” or “in Beethoven’s day” or whatever, but for reference compared to the earlier sonatas, this piece was published in 1801. I think it’s fitting that the first piano sonata of the new century be one that will reflect Romantic era tropes. In a shocking experimental gesture, none of the movements in this sonata is in “sonata form”, which was one of the basic check points on the list of “what to include in a sonata”. And as we know, trailing away from formal structure was a Romantic era hallmark. The opening movement is instead a set of variations on a simple and lovely theme, that to me sounds like in media res. Starting out in Vienna, Beethoven was more famed for being great at piano improv, more than he was known as a composer, and part of his piano performances included improvised variations. Many of Beethoven’s early sonatas were influential to Schubert, whose Impromptu in Ab Major shares a very similar melody to the theme of this movement. The next movement is a cheery Scherzo, a stroll in the park on a sunny day. It is then contrasted by the funeral march that gives this sonata its almost unnecessary nickname. This is a groundbreaking gesture, showing another break in tradition by using a Funeral March as the slow movement, a type of piece that you wouldn’t ever expect to be in a formalized structure of absolute music [and no surprise this was a favorite, as well as an inspiration, for Chopin]. I mean…why write a funeral march if it isn’t meant to be played at any funerals? This is much in tune with the Erioca symphony, which is only a couple years away, so much so that this funeral march is subtitled “after the death of a great hero”. Like how the Eroica is a symphony for an unnamed hero, this march is for another unnamed hero, and including a nameless “main character” in your piece for the audience to feel connected to is VERY Romantic. The music here imitates band instruments, creating the feeling of listening to more formal and expected funeral music to be played outdoors. You can hear drum rolls and soft brass ensembles that flourish into slightly more uplifting and hopeful themes at times. The final movement is a “grand finale” for pianistic flair, an allegro that rushes in faster than you can keep track of, and the music seems like unbridled and free form joy. The joy of a child playing games. Like the seventh sonata, this piece kind of just stops, without an expected banal “da-dum!” chord to let the audience know when to clap. Music that is pulled from the aether before being released back into it. Movements: 1. Andante con variazioni 2. Scherzo, allegro molto 3. Maestoso andante, marche funebre sula morte d’un eroe 4. Allegro, rondo

mikrokosmos: Beethoven – Piano Sonata no.12 in Ab Major, “Funeral March”, op.26 The next couple of sonatas after the “pathetique” are great in their own right, but since I’m focusing on my personal favorites, we have to jump ahead a bit to the “official” first sonata of early period. This is a problematic distinction. In art…

[dariaandjanelanefanboy]

Beethoven – Piano Sonata no.12 in Ab Major, “Funeral March”, op.26 The next couple of sonatas after the “pathetique” are great in their own right, but since I’m focusing on my personal favorites, we have to jump ahead a bit to the “official” first sonata of early period. This is a problematic distinction. In art history, Eras and Periods can only describe trends, but they can’t be taken as specific beginning and end points. Basically, while his piano sonatas start to show qualities that we will consider as examples of his Middle Period, he still hasn’t written/published his third piano concerto, or his Eroica symphony, or the Kreutzer violin sonata…even so, we see through his piano writing that the Revolution has always been in motion. I haven’t brought up specific years yet, I’ve only been referencing the era in vague terms like “at the time” or “in Beethoven’s day” or whatever, but for reference compared to the earlier sonatas, this piece was published in 1801. I think it’s fitting that the first piano sonata of the new century be one that will reflect Romantic era tropes. In a shocking experimental gesture, none of the movements in this sonata is in “sonata form”, which was one of the basic check points on the list of “what to include in a sonata”. And as we know, trailing away from formal structure was a Romantic era hallmark. The opening movement is instead a set of variations on a simple and lovely theme, that to me sounds like in media res. Starting out in Vienna, Beethoven was more famed for being great at piano improv, more than he was known as a composer, and part of his piano performances included improvised variations. Many of Beethoven’s early sonatas were influential to Schubert, whose Impromptu in Ab Major shares a very similar melody to the theme of this movement. The next movement is a cheery Scherzo, a stroll in the park on a sunny day. It is then contrasted by the funeral march that gives this sonata its almost unnecessary nickname. This is a groundbreaking gesture, showing another break in tradition by using a Funeral March as the slow movement, a type of piece that you wouldn’t ever expect to be in a formalized structure of absolute music [and no surprise this was a favorite, as well as an inspiration, for Chopin]. I mean…why write a funeral march if it isn’t meant to be played at any funerals? This is much in tune with the Erioca symphony, which is only a couple years away, so much so that this funeral march is subtitled “after the death of a great hero”. Like how the Eroica is a symphony for an unnamed hero, this march is for another unnamed hero, and including a nameless “main character” in your piece for the audience to feel connected to is VERY Romantic. The music here imitates band instruments, creating the feeling of listening to more formal and expected funeral music to be played outdoors. You can hear drum rolls and soft brass ensembles that flourish into slightly more uplifting and hopeful themes at times. The final movement is a “grand finale” for pianistic flair, an allegro that rushes in faster than you can keep track of, and the music seems like unbridled and free form joy. The joy of a child playing games. Like the seventh sonata, this piece kind of just stops, without an expected banal “da-dum!” chord to let the audience know when to clap. Music that is pulled from the aether before being released back into it. Movements: 1. Andante con variazioni 2. Scherzo, allegro molto 3. Maestoso andante, marche funebre sula morte d’un eroe 4. Allegro, rondo

mikrokosmos: Beethoven – Piano Sonata no.12 in Ab Major, “Funeral March”, op.26 The next couple of sonatas after the “pathetique” are great in their own right, but since I’m focusing on my personal favorites, we have to jump ahead a bit to the “official” first sonata of early period. This is a problematic distinction. In art…

[hushilda]

Beethoven – Piano Sonata no.12 in Ab Major, “Funeral March”, op.26 The next couple of sonatas after the “pathetique” are great in their own right, but since I’m focusing on my personal favorites, we have to jump ahead a bit to the “official” first sonata of early period. This is a problematic distinction. In art history, Eras and Periods can only describe trends, but they can’t be taken as specific beginning and end points. Basically, while his piano sonatas start to show qualities that we will consider as examples of his Middle Period, he still hasn’t written/published his third piano concerto, or his Eroica symphony, or the Kreutzer violin sonata…even so, we see through his piano writing that the Revolution has always been in motion. I haven’t brought up specific years yet, I’ve only been referencing the era in vague terms like “at the time” or “in Beethoven’s day” or whatever, but for reference compared to the earlier sonatas, this piece was published in 1801. I think it’s fitting that the first piano sonata of the new century be one that will reflect Romantic era tropes. In a shocking experimental gesture, none of the movements in this sonata is in “sonata form”, which was one of the basic check points on the list of “what to include in a sonata”. And as we know, trailing away from formal structure was a Romantic era hallmark. The opening movement is instead a set of variations on a simple and lovely theme, that to me sounds like in media res. Starting out in Vienna, Beethoven was more famed for being great at piano improv, more than he was known as a composer, and part of his piano performances included improvised variations. Many of Beethoven’s early sonatas were influential to Schubert, whose Impromptu in Ab Major shares a very similar melody to the theme of this movement. The next movement is a cheery Scherzo, a stroll in the park on a sunny day. It is then contrasted by the funeral march that gives this sonata its almost unnecessary nickname. This is a groundbreaking gesture, showing another break in tradition by using a Funeral March as the slow movement, a type of piece that you wouldn’t ever expect to be in a formalized structure of absolute music [and no surprise this was a favorite, as well as an inspiration, for Chopin]. I mean…why write a funeral march if it isn’t meant to be played at any funerals? This is much in tune with the Erioca symphony, which is only a couple years away, so much so that this funeral march is subtitled “after the death of a great hero”. Like how the Eroica is a symphony for an unnamed hero, this march is for another unnamed hero, and including a nameless “main character” in your piece for the audience to feel connected to is VERY Romantic. The music here imitates band instruments, creating the feeling of listening to more formal and expected funeral music to be played outdoors. You can hear drum rolls and soft brass ensembles that flourish into slightly more uplifting and hopeful themes at times. The final movement is a “grand finale” for pianistic flair, an allegro that rushes in faster than you can keep track of, and the music seems like unbridled and free form joy. The joy of a child playing games. Like the seventh sonata, this piece kind of just stops, without an expected banal “da-dum!” chord to let the audience know when to clap. Music that is pulled from the aether before being released back into it. Movements: 1. Andante con variazioni 2. Scherzo, allegro molto 3. Maestoso andante, marche funebre sula morte d’un eroe 4. Allegro, rondo

mikrokosmos: Beethoven – Piano Sonata no.12 in Ab Major, “Funeral March”, op.26 The next couple of sonatas after the “pathetique” are great in their own right, but since I’m focusing on my personal favorites, we have to jump ahead a bit to the “official” first sonata of early period. This is a problematic distinction. In art…

[ofbakerst]

Beethoven Violin Concerto in D major III. Rondo: Allegro

Jascha Heifetz with the Boston Symphony Orchestra

this concerto was popularized in england in the nineteenth century by Joseph Joachim, the hungarian violinist & conductor, whose concert holmes & watson have attended the evening before resident patient begins

this is the piece that holmes is thinking of in the barbershop, which is played on the soundtrack and which holmes plays on violin at the end of the episode

[pompompurin1028]

Hi hi! It’s once again me 👀💕 Ah you blessed me so much today Kat, I feel way too happy that we’re talking about this stuff😭

So ahem, as for the recommendations, I wouldn’t recommend starting with Requiem, it’d be like watching the season finale before getting to know the characters, it wouldn’t make any sense. I’d prefer that you at first get to know the usual cheerful and comforting Mozart before discovering his darker side, since the reason it gives such a big joy to me is because it’s rare and unusual for him. Think of it as a side of your personality that you only show to your closest ones. So for now, in order to not overwhelm you, I’ll tell you two of my favourite pieces of him!

First of all, Piano Concerto no.23. I definitely recommend this recording, you can’t even guess how much the quality of recordings change the vibe of the piece. I’m listening to the first movement as I write this in order to get in the mood, and I’m already about to have tears in my eyes haha- This work gives me such an immense comfort with its beauty. If I had to choose one adjective to describe Mozart’s music, it would be beautiful. You’ll definitely see what I mean with this one. Mozart is known for his beautiful melodies, and the first movement’s main melody is still in my top 5. Just rest and let your soul flow with the soft touch of the wonderful pianist. 💕

I’ll also have to say that the second movement is even purer🥺 Pay attention to the softness of the emotions there, it starts with a soft piano section and then the moment where the orchestra comes in for the first time (12.08) always gives me tears. And pay attention to the ending of that movement! (17.25) You’ll hear a short passage where the strings start making a tic-tac sound, just like a ticking clock. It always gives me such a strange feeling… it makes me question everything, the notion of time, of life, I don’t even know what I’m feeling at this point it’s just too beautiful😭

The first two movements definitely surpass the 3rd, but it’s still very joyful, the usual cheerful Mozart stuff~

And as for the second piece, it’s his Concerto for Flute and Harp. For this one, I recommend this recording.

This piece… I probably won’t be able to find the right words to express its beauty, pureness, innocence. I simply can’t.

The first movement: you’ll hear how soft the flute and harp can sound together. That melody… Mozart, that melody came from the heaven to your hands. This has always been my biggest comfort piece, comfort melody even. It’s usually always the first part where the melody is purely introduced to the listener without any addition, so pay attention to the beginning if you want to recognize the melody throughout the piece which makes the experience more enjoyable~ It’s not so hard to recognize it with Mozart since he creates such beautiful melodies though, contrary to some composers of the Romantic Era, so you don’t have to worry about it for now.

The second movements are always divine with Mozart… You’ll sense the same pure emotions as the Piano Concerto’s 2nd movement from before.

And the 3rd movement is as always a joyful Rondeau!

I always have more commentary for the first two movements since they are the parts where the composer fully shows their musical abilities (especially in the Classical Era). I hope this “guide” helps you a little bit to grasp what’s going on during the pieces 💕 I’m aware that suddenly trying to listen to 35-40-minute pieces is hard especially if you’re a beginner, so if you feel like you won’t be able to concentrate, feel free to only listen to their first movements (since those are the most juicy, beautiful parts!). Then, after some time, if you’d like, the second movements etc. Since we’re discovering the Classical Era, we can treat every movement as a different piece in itself, they have no connections that would require you to listen to them together. I wouldn’t be able to say the same thing with late Beethoven, for example. But with Mozart, it’s totally OK!

Enjoy! ❤️

And if you listen to them and want more, just drop by my ask box and give me a sign, I have a lot more up my sleeve😌❤️ Or we can discuss these first as well!! I’ll be OK with anything, as long as you’re enjoying yourself~

Thank you so much for the recommendations and tips on what to look for Req omg🥺😭❤

I found some time to listen to it today just fully with my full attention to I could pay attention to the details. And I used headphones so I could possibly enjoy it better hehe💕 

I also wrote down my thoughts as I listened to it so let’s go!! (also please excuse my limited knowledge on music terminology and prepare for a lot of words below haha😖)

Piano Concerto no.23

The first movement was beautiful, when the pianist started playing I audibly gasped I tell you. The softness of the piano in contrast to the harder(? is that how you describe it haha) sounds of the violins in the beginning just accentuates the tune of the piano, and it just grabs your attention immediately even though it’s not loud at all, and frankly quite the opposite. And the pianist’s solos have me, I am literally in awe of how soft and beautiful they are, and I keep looking forward while listening to this to hear them again. I loved the parts at (7:23, 8:26) ahh, the contrast is immaculate and beautiful, from forte to piano in such a short time haha it took my breath away for a second. 

Okay the second movement. So beautiful🥺 From the beginning just listening to the soft piano section here alone I could feel the different vibe and emotions here, it feels almost melancholic and lonely. The notes that are played here clearly showcases a sadder emotion than the first, though it is just as soft. The flats (I think?) on the piano here help bring it out so much better. As for the orchestra part, I really liked it when they joined in for the second time as well, I don’t know how to describe it, it’s just so in harmony, and soft, blending so well together😌. Oh and I definitely heard that change in 17:25, that part was very striking. And I love the gradual change of the tone of the piano there and the emotions it seems to convey. And coupling this with your explanation, it almost feels like it’s conveying how sadness and those feelings of melancholy will fade will passing time (maybe that’s just me). 

And yeah I could tell how the third movement is less impressive than the first two. It seems a bit different that the first two, and the emotions this part conveys doesn’t feel as strong it feels. But I definitely agree it’s joyful! But I actually loved how the whole piece flowed! The flow of different emotions throughout it (I’m not really sure of the background of the piece) but to me it feels like it’s highlighting how our emotions go up and down in life, but it will get better, like how joyful it becomes in the third movement in contrast to the second. [do tell me your thoughts Req I want to know👀]

Concerto for Flute and Harp

Oo great tip about the melody part!! It’s the same for the piece earlier as well in the first movement in particular, I can definitely hear the same leitmotif (I believe that’s what it is called?) Okay but the way the flute and the harp blends together? Ahh so beautiful and sounds almost ethereal🥰🥺 And oo that’s nice to know! I have some knowledge of the Romantic era and their styles, they emphasize a lot on emotions, nature, beauty and the individual I believe? Since it’s seen as an opposition to the industrial movement’s hard and mechanical facts. I have studied the history about that period for a bit as well as some of the literature during that time so I do have a bit of background information haha, so I assume that other composers emphasize more on other perhaps more negative side of emotions? 

And the second movement is so breathtaking😭 The whole piece in general is so soft and pure as you said. It just feels out of this world almost, it’s just heavenly how pure and innocent everything sounds. And I can see what you mean when you say his second movements are “divine”. And yes! The emotions here are very pure like the other piece! But at the same time very different in what they are conveying, they are both very beautiful and yet this feels much more hopeful🥺 And that part at (16:41) with the harp really has me ahh, then the flute going in afterwards, it is just beautiful so so beautiful.

And the third movement, it’s so joyful omg🥺though it is much faster and a bit different in terms of the tone and vibe from the first two movements, it still feels connected, especially with the flute and the harp movements in some parts they sound familiar(? I don’t know how to describe it haha)

And I just read your part about concentration, it was a bit haha, but typing out my thoughts as I listened to it helped, though it is probably not the best way to enjoy the piece😅 And that guide definitely helped thank you so much Req!! I really appreciate it! And you taking your thoughts to type all this out for me as well as choosing the videos that you believe had the best audio💕 I don’t know if you’re able to tell but I really enjoyed Piano Concerto no.23 haha, maybe it’s because I used to play the piano for a bit so I’m a bit biased😖

And of course!! I’ll be sure to drop by if I had any questions! And please tell me your thoughts after reading this too haha, I’d love to hear! Have a lovely day💕

[clavierissimo]

Afterthoughts on Edwin Fischer – by Alfred Brendel

I What is piano-playing of genius? Playing which is at once correct and bold. Its correctness tells us: that is how it was to be. Its boldness presents us with a surprising and overwhelming realization: what we had thought impossible becomes true. Correctness can be attained by the expert. But boldness presupposes the gift of projection, which draws the audience into the orbit of one's personality. The personal, 'impossible' element in Edwin Fischer was twofold: his playing sprang from a childlike nature, yet, if the signs were favourable, it also possessed all the wisdom of the experienced master. The childlike characteristics were his sincerity and spontaneity, his ready sense of wonder, constantly rediscovered, his joy in playing, clowning, daring -- with what breathless gusto he sometimes romped through a Mozart Allegro! The master in Fischer was proclaimed by his gift for emotional differentiation, by the beauty of his tone and its extreme refinements, by his vision as well as by his grasp of the grand design. Child and master formed a perfect union in Fischer's happiest achievements; there was nothing to pull them apart. II Piano-playing is a strict discipline. Practice -- the task of clarifying, purifying, fortifying and restoring musical continuity -- can turn against the player. Control can 'sit' on one's playing like a coat of mail, like a corset, or like a well-tailored suit. On lucky occasions, it is just there, as if in league with chance. I have never come across a control of line and nuance more exciting than that achieved by Fischer in his performances of the slow movement of Bach's F minor Concerto, in the long paragraphs of the A minor Fantasia, or in some pieces from The Well-Tempered Clavier. (These examples should suffice to call to order the detractors of Fischer's technique!) Yet this excitement does not obstruct the listener -- it liberates him. There is something untamed even about Fischer's most decorous playing. 'In the work of art,' says Novalis, the German Romanticist, 'chaos must shine through the adornment of order.' (Im Kunstwerk muss das Chaos durch den Flor der Ordnung schimmern.) Fischer's order does not betray the pressure of reason; it represents creation in a state of innocence. So, does control appear in the guise of improvisation, as with the great Cortot? I would rather say that Fischer completes a circle: setting out from improvisation, he takes the route of a finely regulated awareness which eventually leads him back to improvisation. There are pianists whose playing is so predictable that if they fell into a faint it would create a welcome diversion. Fischer could spring a surprise at every note; he could also alarm you with his nerves, or make your hair stand on end with his childish fancies (as in his dreadful cadenzas!). There are pianists who hang on the music like parasites, and there are the platform hyenas who devour masterpieces like carrion. Fischer was a giver; he let out his breath and recommended his pupils to practise exhaling every morning. (Inhaling, he said, was easy.) This 'musical exhalation' was made possible by a singularly relaxed technique. Though it also gave rise to some inaccuracies, these in the end mattered little; the gain was overwhelming. 'You're trying too hard!' he would say to highly-strung and self-aware students. But Fischer's influence was not necessarily a relaxing one. He was apt to make the phlegmatic deliberately nervous in order to coax from them a spark of temperament. And he liked to put the pressure on when it was a question of establishing the grand design: he encouraged us not to take things apart and show their components but to put them together, place them in perspective, and see the detail in the context of the whole. III How can I convey the impact of Fischer's playing to someone who never heard him 'live'? During the nineteen-fifties, an orchestral player once came up to me after a rehearsal. He said he used to play in Edwin Fischer's chamber orchestra, and in his imagination was still doing so. He recalled particularly how fresh the Bach concertos used to sound in each performance. Even now, twenty-five years later, he still had goose-pimples whenever he thought of a certain passage. 'Look at this,' he said, rolling up his sleeve. Fischer, particularly after the last war, was afraid of the microphone. The recording he made of Brahms's F minor Sonata, for example, gives only one glimpse -- at the entry of the D flat major 'patriotic' theme in the last movement -- of his real conception of that work. Fortunately, there are among his records some which come fairly close to the reality of his playing. A few even set a standard of unmannered perfection which transcends the bounds of fashion. Best among his earlier records, in my opinion, are a number of wonderful Bach interpretations, as well as the Schubert Impromptus and the Mozart Concertos K. 466 (D minor) and K. 491 (C minor); among his later ones Bach's C major concerto for Three Pianos (with Ronald Smith and Denis Matthews) and Beethoven's Emperor Concerto under Furtwängler. The recording of Bach's C major Concerto was not done with his usual partners (who were former pupils); all the more admirable, then, is the complete unanimity of style, impressive proof of Fischer's power of communication. His conducting of the tuttis in Beethoven's Third and Fourth Concertos on his post-war records is, to my ears, still unsurpassed. A disc of Schubert Lieder with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, and the recording of Brahms's G major Violin Sonata with Gioconda de Vito bear eloquent testimony to his mellow late style. The performances of the Fischer Trio unfortunately only live on in the memory of those who were present at their concerts; how could the recording industry possibly have let this happen?

[violinconcertobracket]

Propaganda:

Beethoven:

everyone needs to watch the episode of Sherlock Holmes (1984) where Holmes gets obsessed with this concerto... Watson: you have been sitting there grinding your teeth and tapping your fingers on the table because you are annoyed at Mrs Hudson's spring cleaning. Holmes: Watson, I was trying to remember Joachim's fingering in his cadenza in the 3rd mvt of the Beethoven violin concerto. (if this sounds more like propaganda for Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes than Beethoven don't worry about it)

Shostakovich:

The third movement is the most awe inspiring horrifyingly gorgeous masterpiece of music that exists in the violin repertoire. Followed by a slow build cadenza where the rage creeps up on you until the violin is screaming. And then a brutally fun final movement. First and second mvts are sickeningly spectacular too, but the 3-cadenza-4 is just simply the crown jewel of violin rep. It doesn’t get better than this.

It’s got a passacaglia AND a burlesque what more could you want

It is everything.

[ashintheairlikesnow]

Lalochezia and anyone please!

Lalochezia - The use of abusive language to relieve stress or ease pain.

Savvie’s language has never been words, not really.

Oh, she’s adept with them... she thinks. She always got high marks on English papers, could write an essay in two hours flat on just about any subject, whether she cared about it or not. But it’s not really her language, it’s not where her feelings are expressed. It’s not how she tells anyone anything at all.

Savvie speaks through her violin and always has. 

Her first album, released as a child, was sweetness and light, a series of pieces that her parents favored. Chose for her. Placed just so in the track listing and Savvie hadn’t even known which songs were there until she listened to it for the first time herself.

That album expressed nothing.

The second one, she was a teenager - a prodigy, somewhat famous in certain circles in the UK in specific, in the European Union in general, famous in American classical music social scenes that fawned over the small girl with the big hair. The second album was darker. Angrier, disjointed. She loves it best, but she was the only one.

Her third album, released just before her parents’ death, was far more well-received. Content. More pieces she hadn’t picked, track listings she knew nothing about. She’s never listened to it.

Savvie is writing new music, these days. She’s not relying on the music of the classics, dead composers with rotting notes made by bones and earth. No, Savvie writes her own songs these days.

After years in prison spent composing in her every waking hour she didn’t spend thinking of him, she is ready to create her newest album. She is ready to pick the track listing on her own, to pepper her originals in with the more traditional classical pieces that suit her moods.

She plays viciously, Savvie, draws her bow across the strings with a temper that belies the anger bubbling under the surface. Her songs are discordant, they speed up and slow down seemingly on a whim. They come together only as a whole, when played all at once.

You have to skip the numbers to hear the whole picture. You have to learn to read between the lines to read the message she has written.

It’s fine.

She is forgiving. She won’t stay angry.

But still she makes track listings, writes music in her sleep. The pencil breaks in her hands as she writes down the notes. She breaks the pencils again and again and again. 

She never produces the album. She never even tries. But the track listings are scattered around the great big house she is trapped in while she waits for him to come home.

1. I Will 2.  Violin Concerto Op.35: 2nd Movement by Tchaikovsky 3. Find You 4.  Aase’s Death - Edvard Grieg 5. I Know 6.  Violin Concerto No. 2  - Bartok 7. Where You Are 8.  Violin Concerto - Sibelius 9. You Will 10.  String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor, 2nd Movement - Shostakovich 11. Never Leave 12.  Romance No. 2 in F Major - Beethoven 13. I Love You 14.  Zigeunerweisen - Sarasate 15. Forever

[sarahtheflutist]

Although his catalog lists just four symphonies, Brahms wrote several other works that come close to that genre: his First Piano Concerto was indeed planned as a symphony, and the Second (which is in four movements) has been called a symphony with piano obbligato. Although the Second and Third Symphonies were introduced in Vienna, Brahms decided to give his Fourth Symphony an out-of-town tryout. He himself conducted the premiere (in October 1885) with the Meiningen Court Orchestra, where the audience was enthusiastic. Vienna was not so receptive when the work was introduced there a few months later. As it turned out, a mere ten years after his First Symphony had been given its premiere, Brahms had written his last symphony. Two years later came the Double Concerto, whose two solo parts (violin and cello) remind us of the old sinfonia concertante form, but there were to be no more symphonies.

For his final essay in symphonic form, Brahms produced a monumental work whose first movement grows from the simplest of materials, a simple rising and falling interval, out of which he develops long lines of powerfully emotional, yet unsentimental grandeur. The relentless organic development, which begins even as themes are being stated, leads to a complex interaction of motives and melodic fragments. The composer’s friend Elisabeth von Herzogenberg wrote to him of her fears that he was dwelling too much on creating intricate thematic connections that would obscure his musical communication for the untrained listener: “…one rejoices with all the excitement of an explorer or scientist on discovering the secrets of your creation! But there comes a point where a certain doubt creeps in…that its beauties are not accessible to every normal music-lover.”

What makes the music so compelling, in fact, may be the way the longer lines ebb and flow with great urgency and lyrical beauty, while at the same time the contrapuntal complexities lend substance and richness to the texture. As an example of how the opposing camps of Wagnerites and Brahmsians always seemed to have something nasty to say about each other, note the comment of composer Hugo Wolf – one of the Symphony’s detractors – that Brahms was “composing without ideas.” Schoenberg, although he followed in the wake of Wagner’s progressive chromatic proclivities, was a strong supporter of what he described as Brahms’ technique of “developing variation.” Certainly Beethoven had proved that minimal materials could be the source of substantial music.

After the powerful conclusion of the first movement, Brahms introduces the second movement with a forceful statement by two horns, followed by a ravishing passage in which all of the strings play delicate pizzicato chords supporting a sustained melody in the winds. As in the famous finale (in which Brahms looks to earlier musical models for his structure), there is an archaic quality to this music, which is the result, in part, of the composer’s use of the medieval Phrygian mode. This rather mournful meditation is interrupted by more animated passages, but there is an overriding tone of “the shadow of an inevitable fate.” (Karl Geiringer)

In the other Brahms symphonies, there is no movement that could be said to fulfill the role of the scherzo in the Beethoven mold; that is not true in the Fourth Symphony. Here the third movement overflows with high spirits and raw energy, with the piccolo and triangle added to the performing forces for extra sizzle. The structure, though, is not that of a traditional scherzo with a contrasting middle section; in fact, this movement is in sonata form, and it includes material that prompted Hermann Kretschmar (writing in 1887) to note “its hastening, restless rhythms…its suddenly pulsing energy, and…the predominant harshness of its character.”

Brahms, a diligent student of musical history, was always ready to draw on the styles and forms of earlier ages. The final movement of the Fourth Symphony is the best-known such instance, and it is usually characterized as a passacaglia, with reference to Bach. Although the theme which recurs throughout is drawn from Bach’s Cantata No. 150, conductor and Baroque specialist Nikolaus Harnoncourt feels strongly that the form itself is more typical of the concluding movements in French operas from the Baroque era (especially Rameau). What is undeniable is the sense of cumulative power Brahms creates with his “old-fashioned” methods. The theme is repeated some 30 times, but the musical material is organized (texturally, dynamically, and above all emotionally) into a sonata-like structure: The extended opening section is followed by more relaxed (but still troubled) passages of a lyrical, yearning character (in which a solo flute is prominently featured). A renewed energy marks the beginning of a kind of development, culminating in three variations that recall the opening ones. The concluding pages of the Symphony are relentlessly charged with defiance and bristling with slashing intensity. For once, there is no coda. No triumph, no joy, no radiant string chords. The rest… is silence.

— Dennis Bade