Saturday, February 14th
alone
George Crumb (1929-2022), Sonata for Solo Cello; Santiago Cañón-Valencia (1995-, cello), 2020
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Illinois
music clip of the day
jazz/blues/rock/classical/gospel/more
Category: classical
2026
Monday, February 9th
Close your eyes: listen.
Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992), Le Merle noire (The Blackbird), for flute and piano (1952); Kenneth Smith (flute), Matthew Schellhorn (piano), 2008
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Illinois
2026
Thursday, January 1st
What better way to begin a new year?
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), Suite No. 5 in C minor for Unaccompanied Cello; Steven Isserlis (1958-, cello), live, New York, 2018
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lagniappe
random sights
last night, Oak Park, Illinois
2025
Tuesday, November 25th
timeless
Frederic Chopin (1810-1849), Prelude No. 13
Victor Schiøler (1899-1967), piano (1956)
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Illinois
2025
Thursday, July 31st
There are a handful of pianists whose performances I jump on immediately, no matter the piece. He’s one.
Daniil Trifonov (1991-), piano: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), “The Sleeping Beauty,” Op. 66 (Transcr. Pletnev), IV. Andante, published 7/26/25
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Illinois
2025
Wednesday, July 9th
what’s new (timeless, too)
In a hurry? Don’t miss the excerpt from Ravel’s lone string quartet (9:15-).
Takács Quartet (Edward Dusinberre, violin; Harumi Rhodes, violin; Richard O’Neill, viola; András Fejér, cello), live (Joseph Haydn: String Quartet in D minor, Op. 42: IV. Finale; Nokuthula Ngwenyama: Flow: III. Quark Scherzo; Maurice Ravel: String Quartet in F major: II. Assez vif – très rythmé), Washington, D.C., published 7/7/25
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago (Columbus Park)
2025
Wednesday, March 19th
timeless
Ignaz Friedman (1882-1948), piano, 1936: Frederic Chopin (1810-1849), Nocturne No. 16 (E-flat major, Op. 55, No. 2)
2025
Monday, January 27th
Need a break from the unceasing cacophony?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), Adagio in B Minor (K. 540); Grigory Sokolov (1950-, piano), live, Spain (San Sebastián), 2023
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago
2024
Thursday, November 28th
sounds of London
Leonkoro Quartet (Jonathan Schwarz, violin; Amelie Wallner, violin; Mayu Konoe, viola; Lukas Schwarz, cello), live, London, 11/21/24: Joseph Haydn (String Quartet in F major, Op. 50, No. 5 [“The Dream”]), 2:00-; Felix Mendelssohn (String Quartet No. 4 in E minor, Op. 44, No. 2), 22:30-; Giacomo Puccini (Chrisantemi), 53:00-
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, outside Chicago
2024
Monday, November 18th
serendipity
Bumped into this last night. Couldn’t take my ears off it. One of the finest performances of Bach’s keyboard music I’ve heard.
Johann Sebastian Bach, The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, No. 1-12
Sara Daneshpour (piano), 2024
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago
music clip of the day 