Monthly Archives: April 2013

My favorite Prokofiev Piano Concerto — though they are all wonderful: Concerto #1 performed by Sviatoslav Richter. Db major Op 10.

The Lieutenant Kije Suite by Prokoviev. All hail the famous but non existent Lieut. Kije. Courageous beyond description! A hero beyond other heroes. Used in many films and often used as a stub in film trailers,

J. S. Bach. Goldberg Variations. Played by Gustav Leonhardt. Wow! I always hear something new when I listen to the Goldberg Variations, but especially when I listen to Gustav Leonhardt. Variation 4. Wow.

Leonard Bernstein conducting the Prelude to Richard Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde. Controversially slow. But is it Fm7b5? Or some sort of slightly weird sus II or V (in A minor) or something else entirely?

Vera Lynn. We’ll meet again. A famous WWII song, also made famous by its use by Stanley Kubrick

Jean-Baptiste Luly: Premiere Suite Le Bougeois Gentilhomme, The play The Bougeois Gentleman by Moleire originally had music, by Lully. Lully was a conductor in addition to being a composer, and in fact, he died of conducting (look it up!).

Harmonielehre by John Adams. E major, E major, E major, E major, E major! I suppose you should listen to this while reading Schoenberg’s tome, but since I don’t own it, I’ll have to settle with listening while reading Walter … Continue reading →

its about time, the weather is wonderful! Le Sacre du Printemps, The Rite of Spring: Stravinsky. Dance Dance Dance!

Wow! Grant Green, Larry Young and Elvin Jones — Playing one of Larry Young’s modal masterpieces. Within the last year of two, Grant Green’s organ trio work from the 60s has come back into print. This has got to be … Continue reading →