Today’s CD is called Chamber Music Fragments and there are 11 tracks on it that span some 18 years of Mozart’s life. Listening to the music is like overhearing snatches of conversation in a busy restaurant. They’re unfinished thoughts, tantalizing, interesting, But ultimately unsatisfying because they’re not complete. Just when I get intrigued by a […]
Entries Tagged as 'Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble'
Of Morning Coffee and Music Fragments (Quintets, Quartets, Trios, Box 6)
February 8th, 2010 · No Comments · Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble, Allegro in B flat, Allegro in F, Allegro in G, Allegro Moderato in A minor, Box 6: Quintets Quartets Trios, Chamber Music Fragments, Erik Smith, K168a, K174, K288, KApp. 68, KApp. 72, KApp. 79, KApp. 80, KApp. 90, KApp. 91, Minuet in B flat, Minuet in F, Movement in A, String Quintet in B flat
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Of Flutes and More Flutes (Quintets, Quartets, Trios, Box 6)
February 7th, 2010 · No Comments · Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble, Arthur Grumiaux, Box 6: Quintets Quartets Trios, Eva Czako, Flute Quartet in A, Flute Quartet in C, Flute Quartet in D, Flute Quartet in G, Georges Janzer, Grumiaux Trio, Irish Tin Whistle, Jethro Tull, K285, K298, KApp. 171, Mannheim (1777-8), Mannheim (December 25 1777), Mozart at 21, Mozart at 22, Mozart at 25, Mozart at 26, Mozart at 30, Mozart at 31, Piers Adams, Recorder, Red Priest, Vienna (1781-2), Vienna (1786-7), William Bennett
I really love the flute. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why I liked the 1970s progressive-rock band Jethro Tull so much. Or why I recently bought an Irish tin whistle intending to learn how to play. Or why I flipped out when I saw the British baroque group Red Priest play a gig in […]
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Of Crazy Hearts and Sane Ensembles (Quintets, Quartets, Trios, Box 6)
February 6th, 2010 · No Comments · Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble, Anthony Jerkins, Antony Pay, Box 6: Quintets Quartets Trios, Clarinet Quintet in A, Colin Farrell, Crazy Heart, Denis Vigay, Horn Quintet in E flat, Iona Brown, Jeff Bridges, K292, K370, K407, K581, Klaus Thunemann, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Malcolm Latchem, Mozart at 19, Mozart at 25, Mozart at 26, Mozart at 33, Munich (Early 1775), Munich (Early 1781), Neil Black, Oboe Quartet in F, Robert Duvall, Sonata for Bassoon & Cello in B Flat, Stephen Orton, Stephen Shingles, Tender Mercies, Timothy Brown, Vienna (1782), Vienna (September 29 1789)
This afternoon, we saw the new Jeff Bridges movie Crazy Heart. I liked it better the first time I saw it, when it was called Tender Mercies. Tender Mercies, the 1983 film starring Robert Duvall (who, perhaps not coincidentally, guest stars in Crazy Heart) is a movie about an alcoholic, down-and-out Country singer who is […]
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Of Sunny Days and Wedding Celebrations (Divertimenti for Strings & Winds, Box 3)
January 10th, 2010 · No Comments · Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble, Box 3: Divertimenti for Strings & Wind, Divertimento in C, Gran Partita, Hochzeitsfestin, K188, K361, Michael Laird, Michigan (USA), Mozart at 17, Mozart at 28, Mozart's Wedding Celebration Serenade, Posthorn, Salzburg (mid 1773), Serenade in B Flat, Sir Neville Marriner, Vienna (March 23 (1784)
The sun came out today. I mention that because it’s a rare day when Michigan gets sun in January. Sadly, it’s a rare day when Michigan gets sun any day of any month. But in January El Sol is particularly welcome. And noteworthy. So I noted it. I should also note that the temperature is […]
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Of Starship Captains and Plucked Strings (Divertimenti for Strings & Winds, Box 3)
January 9th, 2010 · No Comments · Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble, Box 3: Divertimenti for Strings & Wind, Captain Kirk, Captain Picard, K334, K445, March in D, Mozart at 24, Pizzicato (definition), Salzburg (Summer 1780), Sir Neville Marriner, Spock, Will Riker
I tried really hard to get into Star Trek: The Next Generation. But I was raised on Captain Kirk, not Captain Picard. To me, Kirk is the quintessential starship captain, a real man’s man. A kind of Hemingway-like adventurer as much a womanizer as he is a brawler. And give me Spock over Will Riker […]
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Of Head Colds and Austria Visits (Divertimenti for Strings & Winds, Box 3)
January 8th, 2010 · No Comments · Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble, Austria, Box 3: Divertimenti for Strings & Wind, German-Language Course, K205, K247, K248, K290, Mozart at 20, Pimsleur Conversational German CDs, Salzburg (June 1776)
I was asked what I intend to do after I’ve worked my way through all 180 CDs in the Philips Gold Compact Complete Mozart Edition. Two things: (1) Start another year’s worth of explorations (I’ve already decided what I intend to do for 2010-2011), and (2) Visit Austria. My wife and I would love to […]
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Of Birthday Celebrations and Theme Variations (Divertimenti for Strings & Winds, Box 3)
January 7th, 2010 · No Comments · Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble, Box 3: Divertimenti for Strings & Wind, Cheap Trick, John Cage, K138, K287, Mozart at 16, Mozart at 21, Mozart's Birthday, Mozart: A Life, Peter Gay, Salzburg (early 1772), Salzburg (June 1777), Sir Neville Marriner, Variations On a Theme
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on 27 January 1756, which means he has a birthday coming up in about three weeks. What do you give someone who has everything? (Everything except life, that is.) What did Mozart do on his birthdays? What did people give him? How did he celebrate? By writing another dance or […]
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Of Day Jobs and Night Musiks (Divertimenti for Strings & Winds, Box 3)
January 6th, 2010 · No Comments · A Musical Joke, Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble, Box 3: Divertimenti for Strings & Wind, Ein musikalischer Spass (translated), Eine kleine Nachtmusik, Eine kleine Nachtmusik (translated), K136, K522, K525, Mozart at 16, Mozart at 31, Salzburg (early 1772), Sir Neville Marriner, Vienna (August 10 1787), Vienna (July 14 1787)
I didn’t think it was possible to make “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” sound any more hoidy-toidy. But the Academy of St.-Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble managed it. My all-time favorite Classical composition in this stripped-down version (chamber ensemble versus full orchestra) now sounds like I should be serving tea and crumpets while I listen to it. Or have […]
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Feelin’ Kinda Cotillion (Divertimenti for Strings & Winds, Box 3)
January 5th, 2010 · No Comments · Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble, Box 3: Divertimenti for Strings & Wind, Divertimenti, Divertimento, Divertimento (definition), K113, K137, K251, Mozart at 15, Mozart at 16, Mozart at 20, Sir Neville Marriner
This, the first CD from Box 3 (Divertimenti for String & Wind), reminds me of cotillions and masquerade balls. It’s the kind of music played as background in book stores and coffee shops – “busy” enough to keep one’s mind from wandering, yet not so energetic that it’s a distraction. In other words, this is […]
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You can call me Amadeus. But don't expect me to answer to that.