This Week in Classical Music: March 30, 2020.Haydn and Busoni.Franz Joseph Haydn was born on March 31st of 1732.We love him and think he’s been somewhat under-appreciated lately.In the time of the coronavirus, what can be better than some of the most optimistic, humorous and at the same time sophisticated music ever written?Here, for example, is Haydn’s Symphony no. 70.It was premiered on December 18th, 1779.Haydn was then employed by Prince Nikolaus Esterházy and worked most of the time at his immense Esterháza palace in what is now Hungary, not far from the Austrian border.The prince decided to build an opera house on his estate and Haydn composed a symphony to commemorate the event.In this recording Christopher Hogwood is leading The Academy of Ancient Music.
Last week we wrote about the pianist Egon Petri, who was a close friend of the pianist and composer Ferruccio Busoni.April 1st is Busoni’s birthday; he was born in 1866.An Italian by birth (he was from Empoli, Tuscany), Busoni spent most of his life outside of Italy.He lived twenty formative years, from 1893 to 1913, in Berlin and returned to the city after the Great War years that he spent in Switzerland.Busoni was probably the most famous and influential pianist of the late-19th to early-20th century, though he thought of himself as a composer first.The pianist John Ogdon was a big proponent of Busoni’s music, though we tend to agree with Alfred Brendel who called his piano concerto “overwritten” – and we think much of Busoni’s music is.On the other hand, his transcriptions of Bach’s works are standard in the piano repertory, and for good reason.
Another pianist/composer, probably as famous a pianist and a much better composer -- SergeiRachmaninov – was also born this week, and, like Busoni, on April 1st, but seven years later, in 1973.Like Busoni, Rachmaninov spent much of his life away from his motherland, except that Busoni left Italy on his own volition whereas Rachmaninov was practically forced to emigrate from Russia after the October Revolution of 1917.Here’s an early Edison recording from April 23, 1919.Rachmaninov plays his own Prelude in C-sharp minor, Op. 3, No. 2.
April 1st is rich on birthdays: a wonderful pianist, Dinu Lipatti, was born on that day in 1917.We wrote about him here.
Let’s not forget the conductors: Christian Thielemann, the Chief Conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden and the Music Director of the Bayreuth Festival (who is also known for a number of controversial remarks) was born on that same day, April 1st, in 1959. Herbert von Karajan, born on April 5th of 1908, was one of Thielemann mentors.Also, the great conductor and music figure, Pierre Monteux, was born on April 4th of 1875.
We have to end on sad news: we’ve learned that the great Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki died yesterday, April 29th of 2020 in his home in Kraków, Poland after a long illness.He was 86.
Haydn and Busoni, 2020
This Week in Classical Music: March 30, 2020. Haydn and Busoni. Franz Joseph Haydn was born on March 31st of 1732. We love him and think he’s been somewhat under-appreciated
lately. In the time of the coronavirus, what can be better than some of the most optimistic, humorous and at the same time sophisticated music ever written? Here, for example, is Haydn’s Symphony no. 70. It was premiered on December 18th, 1779. Haydn was then employed by Prince Nikolaus Esterházy and worked most of the time at his immense Esterháza palace in what is now Hungary, not far from the Austrian border. The prince decided to build an opera house on his estate and Haydn composed a symphony to commemorate the event. In this recording Christopher Hogwood is leading The Academy of Ancient Music.
Last week we wrote about the pianist Egon Petri, who was a close friend of the pianist and composer Ferruccio Busoni. April 1st is Busoni’s birthday; he was born in 1866. An Italian by birth (he was
from Empoli, Tuscany), Busoni spent most of his life outside of Italy. He lived twenty formative years, from 1893 to 1913, in Berlin and returned to the city after the Great War years that he spent in Switzerland. Busoni was probably the most famous and influential pianist of the late-19th to early-20th century, though he thought of himself as a composer first. The pianist John Ogdon was a big proponent of Busoni’s music, though we tend to agree with Alfred Brendel who called his piano concerto “overwritten” – and we think much of Busoni’s music is. On the other hand, his transcriptions of Bach’s works are standard in the piano repertory, and for good reason.
Another pianist/composer, probably as famous a pianist and a much better composer -- Sergei Rachmaninov – was also born this week, and, like Busoni, on April 1st, but seven years later, in 1973. Like Busoni, Rachmaninov spent much of his life away from his motherland, except that Busoni left Italy on his own volition whereas Rachmaninov was practically forced to emigrate from Russia after the October Revolution of 1917. Here’s an early Edison recording from April 23, 1919. Rachmaninov plays his own Prelude in C-sharp minor, Op. 3, No. 2.
April 1st is rich on birthdays: a wonderful pianist, Dinu Lipatti, was born on that day in 1917. We wrote about him here.
Let’s not forget the conductors: Christian Thielemann, the Chief Conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden and the Music Director of the Bayreuth Festival (who is also known for a number of controversial remarks) was born on that same day, April 1st, in 1959. Herbert von Karajan, born on April 5th of 1908, was one of Thielemann mentors. Also, the great conductor and music figure, Pierre Monteux, was born on April 4th of 1875.
We have to end on sad news: we’ve learned that the great Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki died yesterday, April 29th of 2020 in his home in Kraków, Poland after a long illness. He was 86.