What classical music did you listen to today?

[rojo]

I think I`ve got a new favourite! Heard it on the radio today, and just now found a free mp3 of the work.

Respighi - Birth of Venus, from Three Botticelli Pictures. It`s like a miniature tone poem, about 5 mins. long, and consists of one long build-up, presumably portraying Venus rising out of the ocean on her half-shell. Another work that I like that involves the ocean/water. (I bet one reason why this work is not played too often is that close to the end, the music comes to a complete halt, only to calmly resume for the closing of the piece. I can just picture the audience starting to clap because they think the work is finished... )

Here are the details about the recording; the mp3 of Birth of Venus is Painting 3-

Three Botticelli Pictures
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Neville Marrinev, conductor
Out of Print

And here is where I found it-

http://www.music.iastate.edu/courses/471/birds.htm

Other names for this piece are-

Trittico Botticelliano
Botticelli Triptych

I`ve listened to it 3 times now, going for a fourth now...

[rojo]

It`s fantastic; Love it.

[Art Rock]

Stay tuned for Respighi in my blog under 20th century composers one of these weeks....

Listening to Crusell's clarinet concertos. Good stuff.

[rojo]

Great, Art Rock!

Today I was listening to the radio in the car. It was the end of 'Saturday Afternoon at the Opera' on CBC 2, and they played a song sung by Kitty Carlisle. The tune was very familiar; I realized it was from a piece that I had taught to one of my students- Grieg - Lyrical Pieces Op.12 No.2, Waltz. The song was newly entitled here as 'Now.'

Apparently there was once a Broadway show - Song of Norway - based on a play about Grieg that was a big hit; it used many of Grieg`s works, fitted with english lyrics. One can read about it here-

http://www.answers.com/topic/song-of...-broadway-cast

[toejamfootball]

I am just getting in to Classical Music, I got a CD with Liszt, Chopin and Mozart sorry I dont know all the names of the songs.

I know i listened to "Hungarian Rhapsody No.2" by Liszt ... Some music by Chopin and the Turkish March...

[rojo]

Hey toejfb, got a funny bone? Here`s one of my fav renditions of Liszt`s Hungarian Rhapsody No2-

+ YouTube Video

[toejamfootball]

I do have a funny bone.. but my PC dosnt have Speakers the sound card is messed up.

[Krummhorn]

That duet sequence of Borge's still makes me howl with laughter everytime I see it. The other one is with his son trying to turn pages (Borge yanks on his tie, etc) . Pure classic(al) comedy for sure.

[rojo]

Well, I hope you get your sound card fixed soon, toe, because I`ve got another one. This time it`s Dudley Moore-

+ YouTube Video

I find this hilarious.

[rojo]

Anton Kuerti playing Beethoven`s Hammerklavier and then a Chopin Scherzo. Wow.

[ses]

Mahler's 4 conducted by Bertini.
Bertini's Mahler is one most interesting and lovely Mahler I ever heard. The playing is fantastic and the recording is clear and natural. A MUST HEAR.

[Caddis]

Today I listened to Symphonies 3&6,Louis Vierne.Christine Kamp does an excelent job on the C.C. organ at St. Ouen.Next up are 1&2 symphonies,Vierne by Ben van Oosten.

[JohnM]

Today it was "Les Adieux" only, sadly - performed by Yukio Yokoyama very nicely!

[Kromme]

Rachmaninov complete symphonies and piano concertos and Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini by Mariss Jansons and St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra.Mikhail Rudy on piano.Best Rachmaninov i have ever heard.

[ses]

JOHANNES BRAHMS

Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major Op. 83 [46'09]
1 Allegro non troppo [17'04]
2 Allegro appassionato [8'44]
3 Andante (Christopher Adkins - cello) [11'27]
4 Allegretto grazioso [8'47]

Four Piano Pieces Op. 119 [15'25]
5 Intermezzo: Adagio [4'22]
6 Intermezzo: Andantino un poco agitato [4'35]
7 Intermezzo: Grazioso e giocoso [1'23]
8 Rhapsodie: Allegro risoluto [5'00]

Marc-André Hamelin piano
Dallas Symphony Orchestra / Andrew Litton

A wonderfull record!