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Do you write about classical music? Are you a blogger? Want to team up with Classical Connect? Send us a message, let's talk!
December 28, 2009. From recent uploads.
The New York-based pianist and composer Jeffrey Biegel uploaded a number of performances, including three piano concertos: the Tchaikovsky First, Rachmaninov Third, and Prokofiev Third. Just as a sample, we included Franz Liszt's Sonetto del Petrarca no. 104 in E Major in the playlist. There's much more in the library, so please browse. The pianist Beth Levin uploaded a major piece: Beethoven's Diabelli Variations, Op. 120, his last large-scale piano composition. (Don't miss Ms. Levin's very interesting liner notes to the Diabelli, which are on the Details page). Lasting about 60 minutes, the Diabelli requires a separate hearing, but Ms. Levin also uploaded an encore, Mozart's Fantasy no. 3 in d minor, which we also included in the playlist. And to conclude, from a recent concert by the flutist Jessica Warren-Acosta, Henri Dutilleux's Sonatine. To listen, click here.
December 21, 2009. Season's greetings!
We wish all our listeners and all the talented musicians who contribute their music to our site a joyous holiday season! In this spirit, we present three pieces. First, The National_Collegiate_Chorale_of_Scotland sings O Magnum Mysterium by the American composer Morten Lauridsen. Then the pianist Minju Choi plays Regard de première communion de la Vierge, from Vingt Regard sur l'Enfant Jésus by Olivier Messiaen. And we'll finish with the wonderful kids of Brighton School Chamber Choir singing Benjamin Britten's Wolcum Yule. Happy Holidays – and click here to listen!
December 14, 2009
This week the whole music world commemorates Ludwig van Beethoven's birthday. Beethoven was baptized in Bonn, Germany, on December 17, 1770, so traditionally his birthday is celebrated on December 16. It is our pleasure to join these celebrations. We'll begin with the Piano Sonata No. 21 ("Waldstein"), played by Michael Mizrahi. Then Christina Castelli and Grant Moffett perform Sonata No. 9 ("Kreutzer") for piano and violin. Following that, Atlantic Piano Trio plays Trio Op. 11 for piano, violin and cello. We conclude with the finale (Allegro) of Symphony No. 5, with Pascal Verrot leading The Texas Festival Orchestra. These are just a few of our selections; we have much more Beethoven music in our library. To listen, click here.
December 7, 2009. From recent uploads
This week we feature three performances that were recently added to our library. First we'll hear Maurice Ravel's Tzigane. It is performed by the violinist Dmitri Berlinsky, who is accompanied by the pianist Elena Baksht. Then the flutist Kristin Paxinos plays Sonatine by the French composer Pierre Sancan. Sancan died just a year ago but the style of this piece, written in 1946, harkens back to Ravel's time. And lastly, Irina Kotlyar - Gregory Shifrin Piano Duo plays Schubert's masterpiece, his Fantasia in F Minor, D. 940. To listen, click here.
November 30, 2009. Four Ballades
In the music world, the word Ballade usually brings either Chopin or Brahms to mind. Both of them wrote magnificent pieces for piano under that title (we'll hear two of them), but of course many other composers wrote ballades as well. We'll hear one of Eugène Ysaÿe's Sonatas for solo violin, which he called "Ballade," and also a piece by the Swiss composer Frank Martin by the same name, this one written for flute. So, first we'll hear Hayk Arsenyan playing Choipin's Ballade No. 2 in F Major, then the young French violinist Fanny Clamagirand in the Ysaÿe. The fultist Katherine DeJongh will follow with the Frank (she's accompanied by Yoko Yamada-Selvaggio). We'll finish with Sevgi Giles playing Brahms' Ballade No. 2 in D Major, Op.10. To listen, click here.
November 23, 2009. Thanksgiving
This week, we celebrate this most American of holidays with a selection of American compositions. We'll begin with the Fugue from Samuel Barber's Sonata Op. 26 (1949). It's played by Tania Stavreva. We'll then go back in time about 50 years to listen to Amy Beach's Romance for Violin and Piano. It's performed by Rachel Barton Pine, with Matthew Hagle on the piano. Next comes Aaron Copland and his wistful Duo for Flute and Piano, played by the flutist Martha Councell and Richard Steinbach. William Bolcom's Graceful Ghost Rag (Christina Castelli violin, Grant Moffett piano) will follow. We conclude with Elliott Carter, whose career spanned almost 80 years and coincided with some of the most creative periods of American classical music. His Caténaires is superbly played by Ursula Oppens. To listen, click here.