What Are You Listening To Right Now? #25

The way they morph and animate everything is impressive also, and it includes modified video footage.

 

I appreciate and enjoy Mendelssohn's string quartets, as well. I'll have to give the others, you mention, a listen-- any particular favorites, you'd recommend?

I am guessing that you weren't all that fond of the Respighi or Stravinsky, I posted, but I think this post may be more to your taste. These are two movements from Borodin's string quartet #2, in D Major. A funny thing I've noticed about Borodin, is that I tend to love his middle movements, much more than his beginnings or endings. Hence, these are the second and third movement, from that quartet. The third, is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written, IMO; and the second movement is a nice setup for it.

Just a note on that third movement, from my own experience: this ensemble does it, a hint on the slower side, and the introductory playing of the theme, by the cello, doesn't really grab me; so one needs to have just a little bit of patience. As soon as it is taken up by the violinist, though-- who I find to be a very expressive player-- it starts to gel.

If our tastes converge on the Bizet, perhaps you will also enjoy this Borodin piece, which I think is an absolute piece of heaven. See my notes, in the section above, to Trevor, about these being the two middle movements, and about the need to not judge the third too hastily, from its opening.

Borodin String Quartet #2, in D Major. 2nd Movement: Scherzo, F Major.




Third Movement: Nocturne, in A Major (Dominant key).

 

Happy 86th birthday to "Professor" Garth Hudson

 

Up on Cripple Creek!
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down! <---- personal favorite

 

many people consider Hudson the greatest organist in rock and Chest Fever is one of his more notable works-though IIRC Robbie Robertson wrote the music

 

One of my favorites-Jerry Garcia-born 8/1/42, died 8/9/95 Here is some of his stuff that isn't with the Grateful Dead

Jerry-lead vocal and acoustic guitar



Garcia on pedal steel guitar-Paul Kantner lead vocals



on banjo (Peter Rowan singing)

 

Mike Rowe and Tony Ortega talk about dianetics Hubbard and scientology

 

@pitbull

Here is a version of the nocturne you'd posted-- #20, in c# minor-- done as a duet, of violin & piano.




At the end of the post, I'm also including a link to a video performance of the original piano piece.

I have a passion for Chopin's music, myself. The nocturne you chose, though, doesn't especially distinguish itself, IMO, among the entire collection. While it has a high (late) number, it was in fact an early piece of Chopin's, which he'd never published. His last nocturne written, was #18, in E Major (which, it turns out, uses the same key signature as c#minor-- as its relative Major). The one other early nocturne Chopin had written, before this one in c# minor, posthumously marked #19, was in e minor-- though it follows Chopin's usual custom of ending pieces in minor keys, using (raised) Picardy thirds, making the ending chord to that first nocturne, the same as in his last one: E Major.

I actually prefer that e minor, first attempt at a nocturne (#19, posth.), to #20, as it has a much more defined path, or story, and offers much starker contrasts, which is something I especially like, in music, generally. One might almost call parts of it "melodramatic," but its sincerity of emotion, and sensitivity of expression, remove any feeling of artificial exaggeration.





This next nocturne, #7, is also in c# minor, but I think is much better known, than #20:




The pianist, here, Tamás Vasary, though not a premier name, is my personal favorite-- specifically for Chopin's nocturnes. But, everyone being unique, our musical preferences will, of course, differ.

That nocturne went along, in the same opus, with Nocturne #8, in the tonic Major of c# minor; that is, in the Major key, whose root pitch, is the same: C#, which is the same tone, as D-flat (so, D-flat Major).





I will finish off with a c# minor waltz by Chopin, Op. 64, #2. The first piece in that opus is the famous "minute waltz," in D-flat Major. This one, though, I find much more interesting, and evocative of an almost diabolically beauty, which may be something you find appealing, as well.





Here is some additional information about the nocturnes of Chopin, including mention of the Irish composer, John Field, who'd invented the form, and whose nocturnes were Chopin's inspiration.

https://galaxymusicnotes.com/pages/learn-about-a-collection-of-nocturnes-by-frederic-chopin


And, lastly, here is that link, I promised, at the beginning:

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=n9oQEa-d5rU&feature=share

 

@trevorw2539

If you didn't care for the opening of Stravinsky's Petrushka, I still have to believe you'll enjoy the end of his Firebird ballet. The coda of this piece is one of the most recognizable, and loved pieces of world symphonic music. The end of that ballet really excels, way beyond all that had come earlier on (though I'll have to give the whole thing, another listening). From the first time I'd heard it-- those last 8 to 10 minutes, I immediately noticed, were taking what had come before, and transforming it to gold.

The recording I've picked to post, is the best of a number I've listened to this evening, on You Tube-- including one conducted by Stravinsky, himself! What is really notable, is the youthfulness of this orchestra; I think they are all university students! But regardless, it is nicely done. Kudos, to the conductor!

 

@DEFinning ,
I'm looking for a nice Techno or Metal remake of Chopin's Nocturnes. Do you know anything along these lines?

It's IMHO difficult to do because Techno and Metal are usually played very fast.

 

Just an astonishingly, melancholic, memorable performance, gives you chills. Levon's vocals carried it all the way.

 

Sir James Ure-one of the co-writers of "Do they know it's Christmas" with Bob Geldof

 

Not the kind of tune I would have expected you to like (not really, though I cast a wide net, even mine). But it's not bad-- hard to not feel the song's positive energy.

 

I didn't know anything, offhand, but it was easy to look up, on You Tube. I didn't see much, however, in the way of nocturnes, other than two versions of the one you'd posted (#20, in c# minor), and a couple of versions the most popular nocturne, #2 in E-flat Major. This nocturne, I'm not crazy about. It's one of the few without a contrasting middle section. I'm not sure if they're what you'd had in mind, but here they are.







And here are two different takes on the c# minor, #20.










But this link looks like just the ticket, for you. The guy turns "classical" songs into metal-- and he takes requests!





Another post, to follow.

 

Thanks man. I especially like the guy with the bass guitar.

 

in that vein-a song that recently is being revived as being used in at least a couple tv advertisements-one of the great one hit wonders from years ago.

 

Btw,



And the other way around: Cellists play AC/DC ...

 

Bavarian wind orchestra "Heimatdamisch" plays "Guns n' Roses" ...

 

Love this guy's technique...