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…]
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…]
I love starting new projects, especially ones that involve listening to music. The potential for fascinating discoveries is quite high. Yet, so is the chance that I’ll hear a spellbinding performance from some musician, and find myself looking for more music from that person – which means these projects sometimes become even more expensive. Be … [Read more…]