A collaboration of: “The Classic Music Mafia”
SMC, nkit, Austrian Peter, and Steve C.
Every Sunday morning we present selections for our TBP family to enjoy.
We present symphonies, ensembles, quartets, octets, etc.
Not all of our music is strictly ‘classical’. We may stray a little, but we strive to make all of our selections ‘classy’.
We offer tips on proper ‘symphony etiquette’ and even some selections that are a bit light-hearted and fun aimed at a younger audience. Those pieces will be so designated, and might be a good way to introduce kids to a world of music that they might not have been exposed to or think of as old and ‘stuffy’.
A full symphony will run as long as it will. We don’t want to cut a symphony short. However, we also include some shorter pieces that we try to keep under fifteen minutes in length. You can sample each and hopefully find one or more that pleases you.
We hope that you enjoy our Sunday selections.
Scheherazade op.35 – Leif Segerstam – Sinfónica de Galicia
Composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1888 and based on “One Thousand and One Nights”, also known as “The Arabian Nights.”
This piece was written to produce a sensation of fantasy narratives from the Orient.
The music premiered in Saint Petersburg on October 28, 1888 conducted by Rimsky-Korsakov.
The work consists of four movements:
I – The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship (E minor-E major)
II – The Kalandar Prince (B minor)
III – The Young Prince and the Young Princess (G major)
IV – Festival at Bagdad. The Sea. The Ship Breaks against a Cliff Surmounted by a Bronze Horseman (E minor-E major)
Mozart Piano Trio in G. K. 496. Played by Clara Trio
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Performed by the Clara Trio on May 14th, 2012 at Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory.
Yundu Wang – piano
Qianqian Li – violin
Christine Lamprea – cello
The Triumphal march from Act Two, Scene One and Two, of Giuseppe Verdi’s magnificent opera titled “Aida” – “Gloria All’ Egitto” (Glory to Egypt)
It premiered in Cairo’s Khedivial Opera House on December 24, 1871.
This performance is by Coro E Tecnici Del Teatro Massimo Bellini on June 26, 2014.
Conducted by Leonardo Catalanotto
The scene: The Egyptian army has routed the Ethiopian army and is marching victoriously back into Memphis. In tow, they have their Ethiopian POWs/slaves to be. It is quite a festive occasion, with much pageantry, complete with dancing girls (woodwinds).
Among those captured is Amonasro, King of Ethiopia and father of Aida – a previously captured slave girl. Aida is secretly in love with Radames, the conquering General of the Egyptian Army.
It is an excellent story with a touch of Romeo and Juliet to it.
Below is a flash mob version (from Hungary) of the same music.
If you haven’t seen them, these ‘Flash Mobs’ are great fun.
Opera doesn’t have to be ‘stuffy.’
Sibelius: Finlandia (Prom 75)
Music by Sibelius marks the 100th anniversary of Finnish Independence.
Performed by the BBC Singers, BBC Symphony Chorus and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
Conducted by Sakari Oramo.
Samuel Barber ADAGIO op. 11 (1936)
Performed by the Federico Mondelci ‘Italian Saxophone Quartet’
Soprano Sax – Federico Mondelci
Alto Sax – Davide Bartelucci
Tenor Sax – Pasquale Cesare
Baritone Sax – Michele Paolino
The Italian Saxophone Quartet “warmup”
How serious saxophone professionals warm up prior to performing.
The Italian Saxophone Quartet clowning around/warming up while rehearsing at a house in Santa Monica. They were to play a concert the next night in L.A.
Having played saxophone for four decades I can attest to our suave sophistication at all times…
The Classic Music Mafia – Adding some class to this joint one Sunday at a time.
Heaven help us…
Barber’s Adagio has been a favorite since I first saw Platoon- absolutely spot on rendition.
Thank you HSF.
The Mozart was top notch. Piano, violin and cellist. Absolutely a lovely thing to play in the background and the idea is catching on.
Now, EC will make a snarky remarky about my consorting with the enemy/competition.
what picture of me did you put up here and take down you know i will kick your ass
do you still play
First time checking these out. Good,solid repertory! Even if you don’t speak Spanish, classical music buffs might enjoy this internet radio station: https://www.rtve.es/alacarta/audios/sicut-luna-perfecta/sicut-luna-perfecta-cuaresma-ii-08-03-20/5533004/
Thanks!
SUPERB selection Sirs!
THANKS so very much as the variety to sooth and stir the soul is most welcome. Further to, a favorite quote:
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” ― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The first 23 seconds of the sax warmup. I don’t know how many hours I spent drilling to that in boot.
I know what you mean.
Saw him play this live, absolutely blew me away:
Thanks, Captain Kangaroo and Club, once again for a lovely selection. I didn’t have time to peruse the choices last week because I was busy with the lost TBP monkey I found riding a bike on the streets of Pittsburg. I made the joke that it is as if one of us monkeys got lost in the Science building at college and actually graduated. However, I’m not here to plug Biologist on a Bike but I will.
I play piano, but of course nothing like the people in these offerings. However, as Toby Keith is famous for saying, I’m as good once as I ever was on a few songs. The Alla Turca is one of them I can manage to not mangle too badly. But, I love to hear a fine piece on piano and pretend to myself that I might be able to achieve such grace and beauty.
Thank you for reminding me again that a whole lifetime of memories can replay in my mind during a beautifully played rendition of a song well loved.
Now, I will plug my biologist on a bike protege.
Shamelessly.
Steve C.,
That is a fine selection of music and many will have their appreciation elevated because of it. Good on you!
One minor quibble: you say some of your choices “might be a good way to introduce kids to a world of music that they might not have been exposed to or think of as old and ‘stuffy’.” Later you use the world “stuffy” again (while denying its appropriateness).
It is understandable you want to disabuse children, and others, of the mistaken idea that classical music is stale and bourgeois. The trouble is that it’s possible to suggest something by denying it. No advertising copywriter would dream of employing a negative term, even to contrast it with the positive “truth” about the product. As David Ogilvy wrote, if you run an ad that says “our soup contains no arsenic” many readers will hurriedly read it as “our soup contains arsenic.”
Just my two farthings. Bravo anyway!