Richter: Beethoven Appassionata, op 57

Synesthesia come true...to the 5th

Beethoven's impact 200 years after the fact...

Victor Borge - "A Mozart Opera"

Just for fun...

Cecilia Bartoli - Exsultate Jubilate - Alleluja

Don't watch too close - the audio doesn't make the video....
The GREAT Cecillia Bartoli - one of the greatest mezzo sopranos of all time.

Cleo Laine sings 'Turkish Delight' (Mozart arr. Dankworth)

Priceless - I had the joy of meeting Sir Dankworth and Dame Laine in Toronto ten years ago. She could still sing this well well into her 70s then. This was their party-piece for most of their career...their calling card if you will.
John died this year - a jazz giant gone.

Gieseking - MOZART Piano Sonata K.331 (3)

Walter Gieseking's recordings of the Mozart Sonatas are considered among the finest ever captured in recording. Ironic, as Gieseking, although German, was known for his playing of French music.

"Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" K525 - Mov. 3-4/4

Movements 3 and 4

Mozart - String Serenade No.13 "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" in G Major, KV52...

Alison Balsom: Haydn Trumpet Concerto, 3rd mvt

One of the greatest trumpeters alive - Haydn flexing his idiomatic writing skills.
Keep in mind, years before this, trumpets had no valves....

Haydn - Symphony no. 94 "Surprise": 2nd movement

The greatest musical joke, ever!

Haydn-"Fifths"Quartet in D Minor -Mov.4/4

Haydn - String Quartet in D Minor "Fifths" - Mov. 1/4

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (Sonata Form)

Spells it out...

Robert Spano Demonstrates the Sonata Form

Sonata form explained.
This is REALLY good.

Beethoven: Classical Sonata Form

Katherine is a brilliant pianist, originally from Calgary - this is a video explaining what Beethoven did to Sonata Form.

G.F. Händel - Suite 5 in E - air 'Harmonious Blacksmith'

The harpsicord...I couldn't avoid it......I tried though.
Note how it sounds more like a guitar than the keyboard instruments of today.

Kathleen Battle - Handel Let The Bright Seraphim

I think this aria was written for Kathleen Battle's voice - flawless.
Take note of her exceptional diction.  You can hear every sound.
The man on trumpet is jazz legend Wynton Marsallis

Renee Fleming, C F Händel: Let the bright Seraphim

While I think Renee sings this a bit "big", I have to admit I love the tempo - such bounce!
This is a true artist - her ornamnets are stunning.

Rejoice - Diana Damrau

Damrau masters the runs and ornaments of this work with such ease.
Note the conductor - that's Zubin Mehta! A giant of conductors.
I much prefer the tempo this is taken - it floats. Thoughts?

Renee Fleming sings "Rejoice graetly" Messiah by Handel

Great video of this soprano classic.
Renee Fleming is one of the greatest sopranos of all time - my personal favourite recording of this piece is Kathleen Battle's...but there is no live video of her performing it.

Messiah-There were shepherds...Glory to God

Talk about word painting.

Handel - Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Overture

Clearly Double dotted.
And on period instruments

Handel's Messiah - 'Overture'

Not double dotted.

Ave Maria - Bobby Mc Ferrin

On July 28th, 2000, the Leipzig festival hosted 24 hours of Bach - which included Swinging Bach.
Bobby McFerrin's performance of the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria is one of my favourite moments of musical history.
Please take note of the audience - mostly young people...standing....in the rain....and they all know the words.
Centuries later Bach still has impact.

Yo-Yo Ma plays the prelude from Bach´s Cello Suite No. 1

The Music Garden is lakeside in Toronto - inspired by the Baroque music of Bach

Leżajsk - XVII ct pipe organ - J S Bach, Toccata and Fugue in d minor, B...

This organ is a true example of the instruments of Bach's day.

J.S. Bach: Wachet auf ruft uns die Stimme BWV 140

Cantata 140, "Wachet auf, ruft"
Bach is best performed in buildings where the architecture has as much impact as the music.

Bach J S Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 - Prelude #21 In B Flat, BWV 866

Tureck is the reason we play Bach the way we do. It was her study and technique that brought us to an understanding that Bach could be played on the piano the way you would play it on a harpsicord.
Her recording of the Well-Tempered Clavier is the definitive recording.

Glenn Gould plays Bach~Prelude & Fugue No.21 (The Well-Tempered Clavier ...

Lightning fast!
Gould was known for his impressive, albeit unorthodox, tempi in his Bach playing.

Sumi Jo - Agitata Da Due Venti (Vivaldi)

Sumi Jo - in the last few years, Vivaldi's operas have been experiencing a renaissance.
The vocal pyro-technics keep both the auidence and the singer on their toes.
Sumi Jo is a Korean born soprano, known for her sparkling range.

The four seasons by vivaldi (nigel kennedy - violin) part 1

Nigel Kennedy - British violinist.
Was a child prodigy, who gained fame for his showmanship as much as his playing.

Vivaldi Four Seasons Autumn Sand Animation Ferenc Cakó

Autumn!
Its all about the fox hunt - hear the horns and the horses take off after the fox.

ANTONIO VIVALDI ~SUMMER~ (full)

Summer -
Great summer visuals - the 1st mov't truly captures the heat of a stiffling summer's day.

Vivaldi - Four Seasons (Winter)

Winter!
This video captures the granduer and playfullness of the Baroque world of Venice.
The Venice Carnival takes place every February, the town is filled with masqued balls.

Diana Damrau as Queen of the Night II

This is an absolutely brilliant production of The Magic Flute - and although I'm not the biggest Diana Damrau fan in the world...this is a brilliant performance

The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Part2

The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Part1

Launching the blog

Today I spent the day at the lake, and while I was there I put together the multimedia aspects of my music history class.
HOLY there is a lot of music in Music History 1 - I was shocked to find that there was indeed music on the course I hadn't yet loaded to my iTunes.  But now its all on there.

The purpose of the blog is give the music history students the most effective interactive experience - there'll be videos to watch and lots of sites to get extra info from.

Enjoy!