6 Months & 6 thoughts on a half year of classical

Hello All,

To those few of you who have paid attention for the past 6 months I am most grateful. I have a few thoughts on the state of my year of classical.

6 Month/ 6 Note Recap:

1. Classical music is MANY things. This may sound like a general statement that lacks depth and very possibly is but still I am learning this day by day. Modern Instrumental music, Opera, Chamber, Choral...subtle differences between and of these and the Classical Music we are all supposed to know a tiny bit about are lost on many. Those of you in the know, please help us. There are many organizations trying to reach out. PLEASE TRY HARDER. People (some people) want to enjoy Opera and Symphony and Phillip Glass. Give them a chance. More free concerts, More free programs. Teach the kids in school in ways they can understand and enjoy. I have never met a small child who didn't enjoy banging a drum or symbol as hard as they can. Consider this my plea to all those who are in a position to do so...give the world more music and they will listen. Otherwise its more of the same.
2. Opera isn't easy, but it is worth it. I won't say too much on this because I still don't know much. Some Opera is beautiful and lyrically and colorful and catchy and some is ugly and scary and interesting. Don't give up trying to enjoy it, it is worth the work.
3. Beethoven is everywhere. I mean everywhere. Enjoy it, listen to it, but too much Beethoven is too much.
4. Live music is unbelievably different than recorded music. Go see as much live music as you can. I used to see so much music (yes yes, I followed Phish) and it always trumps recorded music.
5. It is good to set goals. I am very happy I am doing this. That said:
6. Variety is the spice of life as they say, so be careful of trying to do too much of the same. I have spent the last few months doing less than my 2 hrs of allotted classical listening (shame on me) and trying to fill in with some InstantEncore, Last.fm and Pandora when I had the time. Still, I have a need for my favorites. Reggae, R&B, and good old Rock & Roll music that I cant live with out. I crave these tunes and these voices...so make sure to branch out but take it slow. Its not like you need to do it all in one year.

Dropping some knowledge on Tonight's NY Phil Performance

I listened to an excellent podcast this morning about the 2 pieces of music I will be hearing tonight at the New York Philharmonic. Magnus Lindberg composed A Largo just for the occasion and it refers directly to the Missa Solemnis. Here is a painting of Beethoven that supposedly shows him writing the Missa Solemnis, but I imagine he was probably just thinking about when he could put on his flip flop's and spark up the BBQ. Ok, I'm projecting...

Beethoven/Lindberg at the Phil

The NY Times has a fantastic piece from the "Into the Music" column about Beethoven's Missa Solemnis.

I was very excited to read this as I will be headed to the New York Philharmonic on Thursday for the performance of Magnus Lindberg's Al largo and Missa Solemnis.

FROM THE NY PHILHARMONIC WEBSITE:

“From the heart—may it go to the heart!” Thus did Beethoven inscribe the manuscript of his magnificent Missa solemnis. He was at the height of his creative powers when he wrote his solemn mass—a supreme achievement by any standard—rarely performed because of the superhuman demands it makes on all performers. Originally planned for the March 1820 installation of Archduke Rudolph as Archbishop of Olmütz, his important patron and student, the work was not completed in time. Perhaps it was that the mass had grown in importance from merely a work for a particular special occasion, to a statement of his deepest—if unorthodox—religious beliefs. Beethoven wrote to the Archduke, “My chief aim when I was composing this grand Mass was to awaken and permanently instill religious feelings, not only in the singers, but also in the listeners.” During his work on the mass a change seemed to take place in Beethoven, described by his friend Anton Schindler on a visit to composer’s home. “In the living room, behind a locked door, we heard the master singing parts of the fugue in the Credo—singing, howling, stamping…. the door opened and Beethoven stood before us with distorted features, calculated to excite fear. He looked as if he had been in mortal combat with the whole host of contrapuntists, his everlasting enemies. … ‘Everyone has run off and I have had nothing to eat since yesterday noon.’” Right from the beginning, Beethoven’s music derives its feeling and form from the meaning of the texts…from the pleading of the Kyrie (Lord have mercy) to the jubilant Gloria, with its the concluding shouts of “Gloria.” The dramatic Credo follows, then the Sanctus and a beatific Benedictus. Most mystifying, however, are the final pages, in which pleas for peace are underscored by the sound of martial drumbeats… as though suggesting that war is ever with us.

The Rite of Spring as summer approaches

The Rite of Spring or Consecrated Spring by Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky is not what you would call easy music to listen to. It is a complicated string of movements that blurt out dissonant sound after sweet lilting themes. In the last month I have listened to the whole piece of music 17 times according to my iTunes counter. I have found it maddening and enlightening all at once. I spend my walk on Madison listening to music and here I found a bizarrely personal connection. The Classic 1979 Woody Allen film Manhattan opens to Gershwin playing Rhapsody in Blue over Black and White images of New York. Somewhere in the middle of the 3^rd movement, I hear Gershwin. The thrum of piano keys smashing into broken waves of sound becomes peaceful…and I hear Gershwin? I realize it’s the other way around and that Gershwin’s encyclopedic musical knowledge led to the connection most likely. I am a novice and so I hear what I hear. Mash up: Stravinsky, Woody Allen and Gershwin.

The Wikipedia entry has this fantastic line about the premiere: The premiere involved one of the most famous classical music riots in history. It links to a list of “Classical Music Riots”. Man I love when art gets this rowdy. Nijinsky’s choreographed the piece that was presented that first night in 1913. The pagan rituals that Stravinsky imagined must have been slightly rowdier than the actual riot that took place. Personally, I would have been pleased to see that kind of strong reaction!

The New York Philharmonic has just completed a several weeklong festival devoted to Stravinsky that was capped off with Gergiev conducting The Rite of Spring. The NY Phil has been kind enough to create videos, offer music clips and do a great deal of Stravinsky background for all that are willing to read and listen. NPR has some great programming as well. Read through it, Watch through it, and then spend some time getting to know the music. It is worthwhile journey

Pavarotti and Singer Saints - Download Lists

I have found some interesting music at bargains and I would love to share the info with you all.

This 100 song Pavarotti set is $1.99 on Amazon. I just started listening and the quality is excellent. It is a sampler/ greatest hits, but worth every last penny and many more.

Also, Amazon has a bunch of free samplers that you may want to check out: Early Music , Baroque and Classical Gems.

Singers Saints has a wonderfully eclectic list of modern composers work. Philip Glass, Terry Riley and John Cage are all available in abundance. All of these are available to download for free!


The New York Philharmonic offers podcasts and live performances that you can listen to in several ways. I prefer Instant Encore if I am at my desk.

Please, If you have more streaming or downloading websites to share, send them my way!

Puccini on the Cheap

In a Facebook related turn of events, I won tickets to tomorrow night’s performance of Madama Butterfly at the NYC Opera. Needless to say this offers a fairly broke 30 something a wonderful opportunity to see more Opera live and for that I am grateful. At an Easter dinner, my cousins gushed over the power of the Madame Butterfly. While the NY Times had mixed feelings about the performance in March, I go into the experience with no preconceived notions of the event. I made this year of classical a goal of mine, and well here I am living it!

A few notes, the NY Philharmonic will have Alan Gilbert conducting his new Contact! series Friday and Saturday. (Full disclosure: they asked me to attend) and as seasons come to a close for the summer there will be more outdoors and possibly free events to and to this venture.

Please let me know if you have attended Bargemusic or Philharmonic in the Parks or any other outdoor NYC music performances I should keep an eye out for!

You can always email me at yearofclassical (@) gmail.com