I was hooked from the first few seconds of this captivating piece of music. Some musicians, like some compositions (and some recordings), touch me immediately. Pianist Byron Janis is one of those musicians. And this is one of those compositions. And one of those recordings. The Objective Stuff For more about pianist Byron Janis (1928 … [Read more…]
After listening to yesterday’s (Day 60) compositions from Falla and Berlioz, today’s album is a breath of fresh air. And I’ve never been one of Haydn’s biggest fans. But this is filet mignon compared to yesterday’s Big Macs. Not that there’s anything wrong with Big Macs. Sometimes – especially when one is in the car, … [Read more…]
Right out of the chute, I can tell that the first composition is an opera. I didn’t know that ahead of time. But a woman is serenading me within the first two seconds of the first movement. Today’s album offers two compositions, one from Manuel de Falla (1876-1946) called El Amor Brujo and one from … [Read more…]
Ahh, Ludwig. You never let me down. Today’s album is Ludwig van Beethoven‘s Symphony No. 6, aka “Pastoral.” This gorgeous piece of music was composed between 1802 and 1808. Beethoven (1770-1827) was between the ages of 32 and 38. During the course of listening to 58 prior albums, I’ve been introduced to new composers, new … [Read more…]
This album holds the distinction of being “Fritz Reiner’s last recording with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.” According to the web site Stokowski (which includes what purports to be a complete list of Fritz Reiner and CSO concerts here), informs us that Fritz Reiner’s last performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra occured on April 20, 1963 … [Read more…]