For Your Listening Pleasure

"Wagner: Tristan Und Isolde Act 2" The re-discovery of mediaeval Germanic poetry, including Gottfried von Strassburg's version of Tristan, the Nibelungenlied and Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival, left a large impact on the German Romantic movements during the mid-19th century. Again, we note here subject matter that Wagner has mined to form the core of his epic operas. Tristan took five years to compose with the bulk of the work between 1857 and 1859. Sections of the opera and libretto were composed in Switzerland and Italy. Details at our archive page @ https://archive.org/details/wagner_tristan_je_41_mir_di_etc [First time on our podcasting channel]

"Wagner: Tristan Und Isolde Act 1" The re-discovery of mediaeval Germanic poetry, including Gottfried von Strassburg's version of Tristan, the Nibelungenlied and Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival, left a large impact on the German Romantic movements during the mid-19th century. Again, we note here subject matter that Wagner has mined to form the core of his epic operas. Tristan took five years to compose with the bulk of the work between 1857 and 1859. Sections of the opera and libretto were composed in Switzerland and Italy. Details at our archive page @ https://archive.org/details/wagner_tristan_je_01_einlei_etc [First time on our podcasting channel]

"Abdrew Davis Conducts Richard Strauss" Today’s podcast features a pair of albums from my vinyl collection of works by Richard Strauss conducted by Sir Andrew Davis. The two principal works showcased today are Strauss’ Four Last Songs, and Ein heldenleben (A Hero’s Life), which as a tone poem provides sections where the solo violin plays a key role. Details at our archive page @ https://archive.org/details/pcast274

"Bruckner Symphony no. 9" Though there are 11 Bruckner symphonies in total, this "Ninth" was the last symphony upon which he worked, leaving the last movement incomplete at the time of his death in 1896. Bruckner dedicated this symphony "to the beloved God" (in German, "dem lieben Gott"). As Bruckner knew he might not live to complete this symphony he suggested his Te Deum be played at the end of the concert. Details at our archive page https://archive.org/details/pcast165

"Ein Deutsches Requiem" By age 33, Brahms experienced the loss of his close friend and mentor, Robert Schumann: And there can be little doubt that the death of Brahms’ mother in February 1865, spurred him on to complete the work. A German Requiem, however, is not simply a memorial to the composer’s mother or mentor, but a message of hope for us all. Brahms took great pains putting together his text, piecing together fragments from throughout the Bible to create a tapestry of solace. Brahms was, at best, ambivalent about Christianity, and he seems to have sought to create a work that transcends specific belief systems. Details at our archive page @ https://archive.org/details/Pcast094

"Karl Bohm Conducts Richard Strauss" This old favourite recording of mine, featuring Karl Böhm conducting four works by his friend and mentor Richard Strauss, including two of his oft-heard tone Poems: Till Eulenspiegel and Don Juan. Details at our archive page @ https://archive.org/details/03StraussRDonJuanOp.20 [First Time on our Podcasting Channel]

Erich Leinsdorf (1912-1993) may not be a name many consider a big Mozart conductor today, but he made the first complete cycle of Mozart Symphonies in London for Westminster records (a New York based company) in 1955-56. Read our commentary on April 24 @ https://itywltmt.blogspot.com/, details @ https://archive.org/details/pcast337-Playlist

"En récital: Kempff & Brahms" In spite of his great output as a composer, and in spite of the fact Brahms was known as an excellent pianist (and a close friendship with one of the greatest pianists of his time in Clara Schumann), his catalog doesn't offer much for the piano. There are (early) piano sonatas, sets of virtuoso variations and – of course – his 21 Hungarian Dances for piano 4-hands, but little else. We find a number of ballads, rhapsodies, two piano concertos and a handful of piano collections – sets of four to eight piano pieces or klavierstucke. Details on our archive page @ https://archive.org/details/pcast197

"Earth Day" Although first celebrated infrequently, Earth Day is now an annual event, celebrated on April 22, when events worldwide are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is celebrated in more than 193 countries each year. Details at our archive page @ https://archive.org/details/pcast220

"Magyar rapszódiák" As Liszt toured Europe as a piano virtuoso, notably in the late 1830’s, he returned to his native Hungary where he re-encountered the folk tunes of his youth, and from there the Hungarian Rhapsodies are finally hatched. All the works bear dedications to important Hungarians of the day (Szerdahelyi, Teleki, Festetics, Kázmér Esterházy, Mme Reviczky, Apponyi, Orczy, Augusz, Egressy), or to musicians with Hungarian interests (Joachim, Ernst, von Bülow). 13 rhapsodies in their original solo piano form. Details on our archive page @ https://archive.org/details/pcast177

"Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique" Symphoinie Fantastique is a wholly programmatic work which imagines a desperate artist who is bisited by haunting images of a lost lover while under the influence of opium. The work introduces the concept of the idée fixe or leitmotiv as a recurring and ever-evolving thematic line. Details at our archive page @ https://archive.org/details/BERLIOZSymphonieFantastiqueOp. [First Time on our Podcasting Channel]

"Leoncavallo: La Boheme (Acts 3 & 4)" Puccini wasn’t the only composer to attempt a work on Henri Murger3s novel Scènes de la vie de bohème. In February 1893, two Milan newspapers announced that two operas were to be composed on the subject of La bohème, one by Leoncavallo and one by Puccini. Ruggero Leoncavallo, best known as the composer of Pagliacci, first considered composing the opera, and offered a libretto that he had written to Puccini, who refused because he supposedly was considering another subject. Puccini then employed Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa to provide him with their version, which reached the stage in 1896, while Leoncavallo’s version debuted in the following year. Although Leoncavallo’s version was well received at its premiere, it shortly was totally eclipsed by Puccini’s work. Details at our archive page @ https://archive.org/details/leoncavallo_la_boheme_mp_25_etc [First Time on our Podcasting Channel]

"Leoncavallo: La Boheme (Acts 1 & 2)" Puccini wasn’t the only composer to attempt a work on Henri Murger's novel Scènes de la vie de bohème. In February 1893, two Milan newspapers announced that two operas were to be composed on the subject of La bohème, one by Leoncavallo and one by Puccini. Ruggero Leoncavallo, best known as the composer of Pagliacci, first considered composing the opera, and offered a libretto that he had written to Puccini, who refused because he supposedly was considering another subject. Puccini then employed Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa to provide him with their version, which reached the stage in 1896, while Leoncavallo’s version debuted in the following year. Although Leoncavallo’s version was well received at its premiere, it shortly was totally eclipsed by Puccini’s work. Details at our archive page @ https://archive.org/details/leoncavallo_la_boheme_mp_06_etc [First Time on our Podcasting Channel]

[Project 366 Listener Guide #195] The United Kingdom and the city of London in particular is the home of several world-class ensembles, from chamber orchestras to large-scale Symphonies. Two of these are featured in two of Felix Mendelssohn’s most popular symphonic works. Read our fresh take on April 17 @ https://itywltmt.blogspot.com. Details @ https://archive.org/details/pcast273-Playlist (ITYWLTMT Montage #273 - 09 Mar, 2018)

"Mignon (Act 3)" Ambroise Thomas left about twenty operas, most notably Raymond (1851),Hamlet (1868) and today’s feature, Mignon (1866) . Mignon is an opéra comique in three acts with an original French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, based on Goethe's novel Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre. Thomas' goddaughter, English operatic soprano Mignon Nevada, was named after the main character. Details at our archive page @ https://archive.org/details/Fnao-Mignonpelletier145 [First Time on our Podcasting Channel]