Up until this point I haven’t felt deeply connected with much of the music I have been listening to as part of Year of Classical. I enjoy it, I embrace it, but I am still at a distance from its power. That is until I got my hands on the 9 Disc set of Wilhelm Kempff’s performance of Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas. They truly are a revelation. In each I find more texture and personality. Still, as a newbie to all this and someone with no music training, it is difficult for me to hear the composers voice and the pianists choices.
I have only had the opportunity to pay close attention to the first 12, which are from his early period. In each piece, I can find things to get excited about. Some are fanciful and some are sad and all seem to be written for a master.
As my Beethoven Introduction/Indoctrination continues, I will say that I longed for some soul music while watching the PBS documentary Sam Cooke: Crossing Over this past weekend. Luckily the hour show gave me enough Sam Cooke for a bit, but I am certain I will need to listen to some more soon. I would absolutely recommend the documentary and the whole Sam Cooke catalog. No song has ever affected me as much as A Change is Gonna Come.
This is an experiment. For 2010, I will average a minimum of 2 hours per day of classical music. I have a strong background in jazz and pop music, but will now listen to only classical music for one year. Good friends will pitch in with reviews and guidance. For me, the goal is education and the tactic is immersion.
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