Music #346 - Beethoven - Symphonies

Ludwig van Beethoven  

(1770 – 1827)

  @ the Münsterplatz in Bonn,
Beethoven's birthplace

“貝多芬在將近三十歲時才完成他的第一部交響曲，至五十七歲去世時，他一共寫了九部交響曲。除了早期的第一、第二交響曲帶有唯美的古典主義純音樂色彩外，此後的七部，都極具個性與思想，是不朽的經典。”

Symphony No.3 

- aka the "Eroica" (Italian for "heroic") in E flat

- originally dedicated to Napoleon, until his coronation

* Mvt.1 Allegro con brio
* Mvt.2 Marcia funebre: Adagio assai
* Mvt.3 Scherzo: Allegro vivace
* Mvt.4 Finale: Allegro molto

(L) the monumental finale - superb craftsmanship

 

(R) 人類藝術巔峰 為何一定要認識貝多芬“英雄交響樂”

Symphony No.5  

- aka "Beethoven's Fifth"

- aka "the Fate Symphony" (re a winner)

 

* Mvt 1 - Allegro con brio 

* Mvt 2 - Andante con moto 

* Mvt 3 - Scherzo. Allegro 

* Mvt 4 - Allegro

 

Symphony No.6  

- aka "the Pastoral Symphony" 

 

* Mvt 1 - Allegro ma non troppo (awakening of cheerful feelings on arrival in the countryside)

* Mvt 2 - Andante molto mosso (by the brook)

* Mvt 3 - Allegro (merry gathering of country folk)

* Mvt 4 - Allegro (thunder, storm)

* Mvt 5 - Allegretto (shepherd's song, cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm)

有多偉大

Symphony No.7 

* Mvt 1 - Poco sostenuto – vivace (in A)

* Mvt 2 - Allegretto (in a)  - digital  - piano solo  - piano duo  - piano trio  - guitar quartet  - guitar solo

* Mvt 3 - Presto (in F) – Assai meno presto (trio in D)

* Mvt 4 - Allegro con brio (in A)

(L) a full concert

 

(R)  Mvt 2 adapted as background music in

 The King's Speech (2010 movie)

Mvt 2 - digital piano solo

 

世紀經典

Symphony No.9  

- aka "Beethoven's Ninth" / "Choral" /

* Mvt 1 - Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso 

* Mvt 2 - Scherzo: Molto vivace – Presto 

* Mvt 3 - Adagio molto e cantabile 

* Mvt 4 - Recitative etc. 

In mvt 4, a choral (“Ode to Joy”) is added, hitherto unprecedented to a symphony.

(L)  "Symphony No.9"

- excerpts from Copying Beethoven (2006 movie)

Totally deaf then, he conducts as his pretty student (from a nunnery) signals underground or understage.

 

(R)  "Ode to Joy"

- excerpts from Immortal Beloved (1994 movie)

Beethoven, then deaf, did not hear the audience applause, 

but was absorbed in recalling his hostile father, 

who used to beat the hell out of him (and box his ears).

The European Union

Ode to Joy:

* A huge choir of 10,000 singers

* On wine glasses!

* The Muppets!

* Mr. Bean
* flashmob for Bank Sabadell

* The European Union anthem  

Note:
Kosovo and Rhodesia also adopt it as their national anthems!!   

= = = = =

Most beautiful passages 

of each Beethoven symphony (1-9)

Music #345 - Beethoven - Sonata & Ctos

Ludwig van Beethoven  

(1770 – 1827)   

Violin Sonata No.5

- aka the "Spring" sonata
Mvt.1 Allegro 
Mvt.2 Adagio molto espressivo
Mvt.3 Scherzo: Allegro molto
Mvt.4 Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo

Violin Sonata No.9

- aka the "Kreutzer" sonata

Mvt.1 Adagio sostenuto – Presto

Mvt.2 Andante con variazioni

Mvt.3 Presto

- score subtitle “written in a molto concertante style,

 as though a concerto”

- an 1803 sonata for violin and piano notable for its technical difficulty, unusual length (around 40 minutes), and emotional scope

Violin Concerto

Mvt.1 Allegro ma non troppo
Mvt.2 Larghetto 
Mvt.3 Rondo. Allegro

Three "Rasumovsky" String Quartets

* No. 1: String Quartet No. 7 in F major
* No. 2: String Quartet No. 8 in E minor
* No. 3: String Quartet No. 9 in C major

Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Piano

- more commonly known as the Triple Concerto  

Piano Trio No.4

- aka "Gassenhauer"

Piano Sonatas

Piano Sonata No.3   

- Mvt.2 Adagio

Piano Sonata No.8

- aka Sonata Pathétique
* Mvt.1 Grave – Allegro di molto e con brio
* Mvt.2 - Adagio cantabile
* Mvt.3 Rondo: Allegro --- or digital

 or Leezy

Totaling about 19 minutes

Piano Sonata No.12

- "Funeral March"

Piano Sonata No.14 

- aka "Quasi una fantasia" / "the Moonlight Sonata"
* I. Adagio sostenuto
* II. Allegretto
* III. Presto agitato 
Totaling about 16 minutes

(L) I & III

 

(R) I (also Leezy)

Piano Sonata No.17

aka Tempest Sonata

III.

Piano Sonata No.21 Op.53

- aka “The Waldstein” (dedicated to Count Waldstein) 

Piano Sonata No.23 Op.57

- aka “Appassionata” (passionate) 

I. Allegro assai  Almost using the keyboard as an orchestra

II. Andante con moto  A calm theme develops into a series of 3 variations

III. Allegro ma non troppo  Continues from mvt.II and towards a relentless finale:

Piano Sonata No.26 Op.81a

- aka Les Adieux ("The Farewell")

All 32 piano sonatas

(L) with scores

 
(R) by Barenboim, starting with № 1

BBC. Barenboim's 6 Masterclass on Beethoven's Sonatas

Piano Concertos 

Standard Classical/Romantic-era concertos are in three movements: 
1) allegro con brio  2) largo  3) rondo. allegro

Piano Concerto No.1   

(L) III. Rondo, with Khatia Buniatishvili on piano

 
(R) full concerto, with Alice Sara Ott on piano

Piano Concerto No.2 

Piano Concerto No.3

 

Piano Concerto No.4   

美麗在那？

Piano Concerto No.5 

- aka the "Emperor" 

- Beethoven, too deaf to perform it himself, had it premiered by his pupil, Carl Czerny (familiar name?)

 

(R) Excerpt from "Immortal Beloved" (1994 movie), in which Beethoven premiered himself but could not hear the orchestra.

Full concerto

 

(L) Alina Bercu              (R) Friedrich Gulda

Music #344 - Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven  

/BAY-toe-ven/   (1770 – 1827)

He has a long list of compositions.

(L) “Great Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven”

 
(R) “Immortal Beloved” (1994 movie) condensed

Für Elise

* Leezy

Violin Romance No.2

 

Fantasy for Piano, Chorus & Orchestra   

Fidelio opera 

- B's only opera

- The jailer's daughter is in love with a jail worker, who is really a woman in disguise, looking for her husband illegally held in jail by the prison governor .....

Mir ist so wunderbar (A wondrous feeling fills me) quartet

Missa Solemnis  

Wellington's Victory

... over (Napoleon's elder brother) Joseph Bonaparte's forces at the Battle of Vitoria in Spain, 1813.

 

(R) video borrowed from Waterloo (1970 movie)

It uses older themes, such as

* "God Save the King," 

* "Rule Britannia," and 

* "Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre" 

 (** Marlborough Has Left for the War) 

– the tune now known as 

"The Bear Went Over the Mountain" or

"For He's a Jolly Good Fellow."

Source: Wikipedia

Extra:

** Marlborough is the name of an English general (an ancestor of Winston Churchill) who fought against the French at the Battle of Malpaquet in 1709, during the reign of Louis XIV.

Documentary - The Iron Duke of Wellington

Music #343 - Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart   
/MOAT-sart/

Sets #100 to #192 are especially put up for Mozart.
Click here to start with Sets #100.


A recommended short-list:

OPERAS
* The Marriage of Figaro
* Don Giovanni
* Abduction from Seraglio
* The Magic Flute

SYMPHONIES
* No.40   - aka the 'Great G minor symphony'
* No.41   - aka the 'Jupiter' symphony

SERENADES
* Serenade for strings in G major   - aka 'Eine kleine Nachtmusik'
* Divertimento in D   - for oboe, two horns & strings in D major

CONCERTOS
* Concerto in C for flute, harp & orchestra
* Piano Concerto No.20
* Piano Concerto No.21
* Clarinet Concerto in A

CHAMBER MUSIC
* Clarinet Quintet in A

SONATAS
* 19 piano sonatas   - starting with Piano Sonata No.4
* 42 violin sonatas   - starting with Violin Sonata No.21

Music #342 - Haydn - Symphonies

Joseph Haydn 

[ˈjoːzɛf ˈhaɪdən] (1732 - 1809, Austrian)

- the "Father of the Symphony", although he did not invent the form

- his 108 works in the genre pioneered its evolution, from a 3-movement Baroque overture for fewer than 20 players, to the 4-movement form for as many as 60

Symphony no. 45   

When the tempo is changed from presto (very fast) to adagio (slow) in the middle of the movement (by 4:18), the performers start to leave the stage! 

* Mvt 4 (finale): Presto - Adagio

  
It was by Haydn's design. Their boss made them perform in a summer palace for long, but disallowed them to bring their families along. Aware of his team's grief, Haydn wrote the score so that the performers, one after the other, put out their candles and fare-welled the stage. The boss finally got the message and in the next morning announced leaving the summer palace for home. Thus nicknamed “Farewell” Symphony.

Symphony no. 48   

- nicknamed "Maria Theresia" of Austria, the Holy Roman Empress

It was long thought to have been composed for a visit by the Holy Roman Empress, Maria Theresa of Austria
- The Holy Roman Empress, Maria Theresia of Austria, was superbly beautiful, but she destroyed all her portraits after contracted small pox. One of her beautiful daughters, Marie Antoinette, was married to the dull Prince Louis of France. They were later guillotined during the French Revolution. Their son, nominally Louis XVII, was imprisoned until his death from negligence and illness at the age of 10; he was never officially king.

Symphony no. 94  

- introduction

* Mvt 2 (of 4): Andante

Haydn did not appreciate those who fell asleep during his performance.  So he humorously designed this piece to wake up the sleepers. Thus nicknamed "Surprise" Symphony.

Symphony no. 100  

- with many breakthroughs and Turkisk military 
- hot at the time

* Mvt 2: Allegretto 

* Mvt 4: Presto 

'The nickname "Military" Symphony derives from the second and the fourth movements, which feature prominent fanfares written for C-trumpets and percussion effects.'

Symphony no. 101

* Mvt 2: Andante
It is popularly known as "The Clock" because of the "ticking" rhythm throughout the second movement.

Symphony no. 104 

"London" Symphony 

- Haydn's last symphony

I. Adagio – Allegro 

(solemn intro, then lyrical allegro)

II. Andante

(full orchestra, then gentility)

III. Menuetto and Trio: Allegro

(frequent syncopations, surprises; orchestral timber in Trio) 

IV. Finale: Spiritoso

(Croatian folk tune & London street seller's cry, joyful end)

(12 of Haydn's later symphonies are known collectively as the “London” Symphonies.)

Source: Wikipedia

Haydn on harpsichord at left bottom corner

At age of 77, Haydn died shortly after Napoleon’s French army attacked on Vienna.  Napoleon dispatched soldiers to protect Haydn's home.  Two weeks later, a memorial service was held, at which Mozart's Requiem was performed.  Mozart and Haydn appreciated each other.

Music #341 - Haydn

Joseph Haydn  

[ˈjoːzɛf ˈhaɪdən]  (1732 - 1809, Austrian)

- a key figure in the evolution of the Classical style

- influenced Mozart and taught Beethoven

- established the standard forms of the symphony, sonata, and string quartet

- the "Father of the String Quartet", a genre in which each instrument was equal and independent 

String Quartet No.32 

(Opus 33, No.3)

- aka "The Bird"

I (of 4)  Allegro moderato:

The first movement opens with a melody in the first violin featuring repeated notes. Grace notes are inserted between the repeated notes which gives the melody a "birdlike quality" and hence gives the quartet its nickname.

String Quartet No.62  

(Opus 76, No.3)

- aka "Emperor" / "Kaiser" Quartet

II (of 4)  Poco adagio; cantabile

In this movement, Haydn quotes the melody from "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" / "God Save Emperor Francis", an anthem he wrote for Emperor Francis II. 

- This same melody is also used in the German national anthem, Das Deutschlandlied.  

String Quartet No.63

(Opus 76, No.4) 

- aka “Sunrise”

Violin Concerto No. 4 

* I (of 3)  Allegro moderato

* transcribed for cello

Cello Concerto No.1 

III (of 3)  Allegro molto: 

Trumpet Concerto in Eb

(L) III (of 3)  Allegro (rondo)

 

(R) full concert

Piano Sonata in Eb

(Hob. XVI/52, L. 62)

- the last of Haydn's piano sonatas

- widely considered his greatest

* “English” Sonata - solo piano：

The Creation  

- The creation of the world as described in the biblical Book of Genesis and in Paradise Lost

- his greatest work, and with intimate lyricisn

 - 2:40

- full version (2:50:00)

Source: Wikipedia

Music #340 - CLASSICAL PERIOD

A great book on ...

THE GREAT COMPOSERS

written by Wendy Thompson

published by Hermes House

The Classical Period (c.1750-1820)

Music Sets #341 - 349

This period corresponded to a period of classicism in art and architecture
* The flamboyant, heavily ornate Baroque style of architecture gave way to a cooler, more restrained style. So were furniture and paintings.
* It was the age of the Grand Tour, when upper-class young men were dispatched to Italy to study Greek and Roman architecture. 
* In France, there was a Rococo period of transition from the Baroque to Classical styles.

Classical style in music

* The late Baroque composers: the florid, ornamental, technically intricate styles
* Classical music: clarity, restraint, and balance - in symphony, string quartet, solo sonata; instrumental music became more popular than vocal music for the first time
* Four giants in Classical music: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert  - all associated with Vienna - The First Viennese School

Opera

Notably in the works of Gluck and Mozart, plots were chosen for greater dramatic realism, and music was written to serve the drama.

Music's place in society

* The breakdown of the old social order (due to the Napoleonic Wars); the aristocrats were less able to support musicians, who were numbered among the servants.
* Music ceased to be the exclusive preserve of pampered aristocrats or prelates; the Industrial Revolution and colonization creating a large middle class to consume arts and music; musicians were able to earn money from their performances and from publishing their compositions.
* Less musicians were servants of aristocratic/royal families or the church; more as self-employed.

Source: The Great Composers