Max Reger: Four Tone Poems after Arnold Böcklin's pictures, Op. 128

(See accompanying analysis at YouTube)

BBC: The Joy of Rachmaninov (Documentary)

Ildebrando Pizzetti: Preludio per Fedra

Ildebrando Pizzetti (1880-1968): Preludio per Fedra (1912)
Robert Schumann Philharmonic
Dir. Oleg Caetani

Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor, op.16 | Julia Fischer

Edvard Grieg (1843–1907)
Piano Concerto in A minor, op. 16
Piano: Julia Fischer (predominantly a violinist!)
Conductor: Matthias Pintscher

I Allegro molto moderato 0:22
II Adagio – Attacca 10:30
III Allegro moderato molto e marcato – Quasi presto – Andante maestoso 19:00

Rendezvous with a sad smile

A short story by C. J. Papachristou*

It sounded like a gift from heaven when Lina said to him that she would be out of town for a few days to visit her mother in the country. The truth was that he himself was about to tell her something of the like. Only in his case the true reason for the trip could not be told; it would sound like a fairy tale. To her, however, this would seem a threatening fairy tale of which he had never spoken before...

The purpose of his trip would be to fulfill a promise given many years earlier. He was just a kid at the time, vacationing at a little village by the sea. There, another family from the city rented the next house. They wouldn't have seemed important and memorable people to him, had there not been among them that little girl, more or less his age...

He would see her reading and writing, morning and afternoon, sitting at an old table in the yard. How strict must her parents have been to make her do this in a summer vacation while the other kids her age were playing in the streets! He remembers himself intentionally throwing the ball away, as far as her house, and always being the one to ran to fetch it. He thus had a chance to make a short stop outside the yard gate, just to take a look at her while she was busy with her books and pencils. And there was always that expression of sadness in her face, which made her look so beautifully enigmatic...

For some metaphysical reason he never learned her name. He would always stand outside the gate without saying a word, staring as if hypnotized at that sad look. Then, one day he saw the neighbors prepare to leave and return to the city. In a spontaneous move, he grabbed something from his travel bag and hurried to the next house. He saw her in the entrance waiting for him, as if she knew he would come to say goodbye. And, it was the first time he saw her smiling!

“Listen”, he said, “I never came here to play because I always saw you busy studying. But... please, take this!” It was a photo of his from a school excursion. “Wait”, she replied, and she ran into the house. When she returned she was holding a photo of her own, which she secretly put into his hand.

They stood still for a while, looking awkwardly at each other. Then, just to break the silence, he made a silly proposition for which he was going to feel embarrassed even many years after: “I don’t know if I’ll ever see you again. However, when we grow up... that is, I don’t know... say, 30 years from today, what would you say if I asked you to meet here again, at this same place, at this same date?”

“In 30 years? But, how are we going to recognize each other then? Have you thought of that?” He found an immediate solution to this: “Listen what we’ll do: We will be holding each other’s photograph. Thus we will know!” She agreed immediately: “OK, 30 years from today!”

In the years that passed since then, he often brought to his mind that ridiculous proposition he had made, being absolutely certain that the next-door girl of his summer vacation must have thought he was really crazy! He never forgot, however, that sad smile of hers the day they parted. Not even after meeting the woman of his life, Lina, with which he now lived happily and with whom he was truly in love...

But, life sometimes plays strange games, maybe to test how stable our feelings and principles are! It was the week before when he opened that box, looking for an old bank booklet. And there, inside a small envelope, he saw the photo of the girl with the sad smile. He then remembered he had once inscribed a date on the back of it. And – what a coincidence – this date was coming soon. The year was even more important, though: it was exactly 30 years before!

Perhaps to symbolically fulfill a by now invalid promise, or perhaps to rid himself of an unfulfilled childish dream, he made the decision to travel back to that village by the sea, to which he had never gone since then. The convenient absence of his wife seemed like a sign from heavens that should not be ignored! He dressed casually (whom was he to meet there, anyway?) and got into the car...

He arrived a few hours later. The village had changed almost beyond recognition after the necessary tourist modernization. But he easily found the house that had been host to the enigmatically sad smile of that last day. To be accurate, the house was now a modern hotel and the gate at the yard had given its place to an electronic door operating by remote control.

He took the photo out of his pocket. Suddenly, the whole story seemed so silly to him! He allowed himself, however, a last look at that sad child face. Then, with a move full of confidence he put his hand into his pocket again, searching for the lighter. He had to put an end to anything that reminded him of the innocent child he once was. Life is very tough; it never forgives you if you haven't grown up as much as you are expected to...

But, he wasn’t able to burn the memories. As he raised his gaze he suddenly saw Lina standing in front of him! It appeared she had been following him, apparently not having been convinced by his excuse for the trip (supposedly for attending a scientific conference at some distant town).

Interestingly, though, she looked as embarrassed as he was. So much that she didn’t manage to hide what she was holding in her hand. It was something familiar to him, something he hadn’t seen for years: a photo of his shot at a school excursion. Yes, the very photo he was carrying with him at those summer vacations, exactly 30 years before!

To overcome their mutual embarrassment they then both started laughing loudly. And they laughed and embraced for some time without even saying a word. Lina didn’t now have that familiar sad smile on her face, the one that had so charmed and enchanted him the very first moment he saw her. Now she was laughing for real. And indeed she was as beautiful as ever!

(Dedicated to those who look inside themselves, seeking an answer to the question whether the Universe expands forever or makes circles and returns to where it began...)

* Translated from Greek. Source: Aixmi.gr 

An evening at downtown Athens

Bartok: Violin Concertos No. 1 & 2

Giacomo Puccini: Tosca (movie style)

Floria Tosca : Raina Kabaivanska
Mario Cavardossi : Placido Domingo
Barone Scarpia : Sherrill Milnes
Ambrosian Singers
New Philharmonia Orchestra
Conductor : Bruno Bartoletti
Direction : Gianfranco de Bosio
1976

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: A documentary

(With reservations about the theory of Tchaikovsky's death)

Tchaikovsky: Pique Dame (The Queen of Spades) / Bolshoi / Simonov

Vladimir Atlantov
Tamara Milashkina
Elena Obraztsova
Yuri Mazurok
Yuri Simonov, conductor
Bolshoi Theater (live performance, 1983)

Comments:

Even when composing operas, Tchaikovsky was still a symphonist. A good example is "The Queen of Spades" which, in a sense, is a symphony in disguise, reminiscent of the large Mahlerian structures. This "symphony", in three parts (acts) and seven movements (scenes), is built upon three cyclically used themes which act as Leitmotiv at the operatic level. (This is in contrast to Wagner's operas which use a large number of unrelated themes, thus cannot formally be regarded as "symphonies".) Note, in particular, the endings of acts II and III of the opera. In the former scene, all three Leitmotiv are heard and, toward the end, the contrast between the "love" theme and the "card" theme symbolizes the divided heart and mind of Herman's (an ingenious musical characterization of a schizophrenic!). At the finale of the opera (end of act III), the love theme is heard again, this time in its purified form, following the final catharsis.

"Lohengrin" enchants audiences in Athens!

By Thanassis Vavlidas

1/2/2017, "Lohengrin" by Richard Wagner (Athens Concert Hall, known as Megaron Moussikis of Athens)

It is quite encouraging that during the last years the Greek National Opera reset its relation with Richard Wagner (1813 - 1883) and started performing his operas. "Lohengrin", a romantic opera in three acts, is based on a libretto by the composer himself. His inspiration came from a song of 12th century's troubadours. The story begins with a historical hint: King Heinrich arrives in Antwerp in an effort to assembly all the German tribes in order to expel the Hungarians from his dominions. He asks why the Duchy of Brabant is suffering from disorder. He learns that Elsa is accused of having murdered her brother and he asks her to defend herself or choose somebody else to defend her. Elsa then speaks of a dream where a knight appears and saves her. The dream comes true with the appearance of Lohengrin in a boat drawn by a swan. So, the romantic story injected with fantasy begins. Elsa accepts to be saved on the condition that she will never ask the name and origin of the knight, and she becomes attached to him with the threads of love. The psychological factor now enters the story. Evil forces, represented by Count Telramund and his wife Ortrud, fight against this relationship. The dramatic factor is ready to play its decisive role in the story's evolution...

The music reveals here some of Wagner's innovations: The introduction, played by the orchestra, has a continuous musical flow; the same stands for the arias, duets and ensembles. The chorus has a significant role in the opera, like in the ancient Greek drama. The technique of the Leitmotiv is sorted into groups, while the timbre becomes an important defining element of the structure of the music in order for the latter to contribute to the perception of the text by the audience. "Lohengrin" was first performed in Weimar at the Grossherzogliches Hoftheater on 28 August 1850. The musical director was Franz Liszt, Wagner’s future father in law. This is why the performance of 1894 at Bayreuth, staged by Cosima Wagner, daughter of Liszt, had the air of authenticity and contributed to the popularity of this great work.

The performance of the Greek National Opera was a new production that originated from the Welsh National Opera and the Teatr Wielki - Opera Narodowa (Warsaw). The British director Antony McDonald was responsible for the sets and the costumes. He set the story in the nineteenth century, implying facts that Wagner himself might have experienced. He managed to direct our attention to the characters of the story and the relationships among them with a discrete aesthetic effect (associate director: Helen Cooper). The chorus-master Agathangelos Georgakatos succeeded in presenting a well-balanced effect regarding the chorus musical lines. Peter Wedd (tenor), as Lohengrin, sang with clear vocalization expressing the mystery of both the heroic and the erotic element of his role. Jolana Fogasova (soprano) as Elsa of Brabant, with her voice in its acme, transfused to her role the hidden energy of Elsa, especially in the first act. Martina Dike as Ortrud and Dimitri Platanias as Friedrich of Telramund forcefully transferred to their arias the menace of their roles, shading them with red and grey colors. Myron Michailidis conducted the Orchestra, the Chorus and the singers of the Greek National Opera vividly and consistently, approaching the Wagnerian style in a way we have never heard before from them; he preserved the constant musical flow with the necessary outbreaks and he gave prominence to the special timbre of this music. We are looking forward to their next performance of an opera by Wagner!

Thanassis Vavlidas
Member of the “Union of drama and music Greek critics”

Dvořák: Symphony No 7 in D minor, Op 70 (Conner Gray Covington)

Conner Gray Covington conducts the Curtis Symphony Orchestra in Dvorak's Symphony No. 7 in D minor. Notice the influence of Brahms (esp. 2nd Symph.) and Bruckner.

The Age of Innocence: Main Theme (Elmer Bernstein)

Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet (Fantasy - Overture)

Waseda Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo
Dir. Ken Takaseki

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G major, Op. 44 | Mikhail Pletnev

* This is the restored, complete version of the concerto, without the cuts made (more or less arbitrarily) by Alexander Siloti after the composer's death.

Brahms: Double Concerto／Anne-Sophie Mutter, Maximilian Hornung

Rachmaninov / Respighi: "The Sea and Seagulls" (Lopez-Cobos)

In 1929, Serge Koussevitzky had the idea that some of Rachmaninov's 'Etudes-Tableaux' for piano solo would sound well if orchestrated and he suggested Respighi for this task. Rachmaninov himself was delighted with the idea and suggested five of the pieces, additionally supplying Respighi with various programmatic ideas and titles. The first number in the set is "The Sea and Seagulls" and it is heard here in a performance by the Cincinnati Orchestra under Jesus Lopez-Cobos.

Rachmaninov: Etudes-Tableaux op. 39 (Vladimir Ashkenazy)

Rachmaninov - Respighi: 5 Etude-tableaux for orchestra (M. Marvulli)

Sergei Rachmaninov: 5 Etude-tableaux for orchestra
Orchestrated by Ottorino Respighi

I. La Mer et les mouettes (op.39 n.2)
II. La Foire (op.33 n.4)
III. Marche funèbre (op.39 n.7)
IV. Le Chaperon rouge et le loup (op.39 n.6)
V. Marche (op.39 n.9)

Orchestra Sinfonica della Provincia di Bari
Direttore: Michele Marvulli
Bari, Villa Romanazzi Carducci, 1997

Mendelssohn: Concerto for 2 Pianos in A-flat major

Felix Mendelssohn, Concerto for 2 Pianos in A-flat major

Alexander Ghindin - Ekaterina Metchetina, Piano
Academic Symphony Orchestra of Moscow State Philharmonic
Conductor: Vladimir Ponkin

May 26, 2016

P. I. Tchaikovsky: String Sextet in D Minor, Op. 70 "Souvenir de Florence"

Mahler: Symphony No 10 (Performing Version by Deryck Cooke)

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.10 (Performing Version by Deryck Cooke)
The Japan Gustav Mahler Orchestra
Cond. by Hisayoshi Inoue

Mahler: Symphony No 9 (Barenboim)

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
Symphony No 9 in D major

Staatskapelle Berlin
Daniel Barenboim

Berlin, April 2009

Jacques Ibert: Divertissement (1928) | Escales (1922)