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Jessica Duchen on Mahler’s Symphony No. 2
Jessica Duchen writes an interesting review of Simone Young conducting the LPO at the Royal Festival Hall in a performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 ‘Resurrection’: Jessica Duchen’s classical music blog: Maaaghler “What is life and what is death?” wrote Mahler, explaining the first movement. “Have we any continuing existence? Is it all an empty […]
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Simon Rattle Conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 9
Charles Noble is one of my favourite classical music bloggers, and his review of the new recording of Mahler’s 9th Symphony performed by Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic is, to put it mildly, glowing: I have to say that it just might be the best modern recording of any work by any orchestra. You […]
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The Top Ten Violin Concertos of All Time
My list of the ten greatest violin concertos is a highly personal choice, and subject to amendment depending on: my mood, glorious new recordings, or a particularly brilliant live performance. However, I think I’ve listed the very best examples of the form here (although leaving out Bruch, Szymanowski and Bartok wasn’t easy). 1. Ludwig van […]
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Symphonic Form – Sibelius vs Mahler
The following is an extract from New Yorker music critic Alex Ross’s new book The Rest Is Noise, a guide to twentieth century classical music. It provides some insight into the differences between Sibelius and Mahler, and their approach to symphonic composition. In 1904, Sibelius tried to escape the embarrassments of his Helsinki life style […]
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Mahler Graffiti Artist Strikes Toronto
It seems that Mahler’s name lives on in unusual ways. Playbill Arts reports that someone has been spray-painting the name ‘Gustav Mahler’ on various walls and bridges in the Corktown area of Toronto: PlaybillArts: News: Toronto Sees Spate of Mahler Graffiti (via Alex Ross’s blog The Rest is Noise).
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Mahler Symphony No. 2 ‘Resurrection’ – Best Recorded Version
Mahler’s second symphony requires immense attention to detail to be successfully performed. This is brilliantly observed in one of my favourite classical recordings of all time, which remains a big hit with classical music critics: Mahler Symphony No. 2 ‘Resurrection’, Simon Rattle (conductor), City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, with Janet Baker (Mezzo Soprano) and Arleen […]
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Video: Charlie Parker’s Last Days
Here’s an interesting piece from a documentary on Charlie Parker, documenting the last days of his tragic decline. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs324qO77Og]
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Video: Charlie Parker and Coleman Hawkins Play Ballade
A vintage recording of Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax with Charlie Parker on alto sax, playing Ballade. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFsL9EwplNo]
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Video: Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie Play Hot House
Vintage recording from 1952 showing two jazz greats, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, playing Hot House. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91dolWWdetI]
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Charlie Parker Recordings – Personnel
Here’s the personnel listing for the Charlie Parker recordings we’re studying this month: Billie’s Bounce (1,3) Now’s The Time (1,3) Ko-Ko (2,3) Charlie Parker’s Reboppers: Miles Davis, trumpet (1); Dizzy Gillespie, trumpet (2) piano (3); Charlie Parker, alto sax; Curley Russell, bass; Max Roach, drums. New York, November 26th, 1945 Moose The Mooche Yardbird Suite […]