Friday, January 1st
What better way to begin?
Johann Sebastian Bach, Prelude to Cello Suite No. 6 in D major
Yo-Yo Ma (cello), 1/1/21
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
music clip of the day
jazz/blues/rock/classical/gospel/more
Category: classical
2021
2020
Thursday, December 31st
string quartet festival
day three
Mivos Quartet, Bronx Community College Online Concert Series, 11/30/20: Michaela Catranis, Luminous Animal (2020); Linda Caitlin Smith, String Quartet No. 6 (2013); George Lewis, String Quartet 2.5: “Playing with Seeds” (2017)
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
reading table
Old age is
a flight of small
cheeping birds
skimming
bare trees
above a snow glaze.—William Carlos Williams (1883-1963), from “To Waken an Old Lady”
2020
Wednesday, December 30th
string quartet festival
day two
JACK Quartet (with Conrad Tao, piano), Library of Congress Virtual Event, 12/3/2020*
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
*Program:
1. Rodericus (fl. late 14th century)/Christopher Otto, Angelorum psalat (c. 1390s).
2. Elliott Carter (1908-2012), Duo for Violin and Piano (1973-4).
3. Tyshawn Sorey, Everything Changes, Nothing Changes (2018).
4. Ruth Crawford [Seeger] (1901-1953), String Quartet 1931 (1931).
5. Tyshawn Sorey, For Conrad Tao (2020).
6. Elliott Carter (1908-2012), String Quartet no. 3 (1971).
2020
Tuesday, December 29th
string quartet festival
day one
Thomas Adès (1971-), Arcadiana (1994); Danish String Quartet, live, New York, 2015
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Ill.
2020
Saturday, December 26th
alone
Need more air?
Mitsuko Uchida (piano), live, London, 12/16/20: Franz Schubert (1797-1828), Piano Sonatas in C major (“Reliquie,” 3:40-) and G major (“Fantasy,” 42:00-)
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago (Columbus Park)
*****
reading table
Listening deeply,
sometimes—in another—you can hear
the sound of a hermit, sighing
as he climbs a mountain trail to reach
a waterfall
or a Buddhist nun reciting prayers
while moonlight falls through the window
onto an old clay floor,
and once in a while, a child
rolling a hoop through the alleyways of Tokyo,
laughing,
or a farmer pausing in a rice field to watch
geese fly,
the thoughts on his lips he doesn’t think to say.—Dick Allen (1939-2017), “Listening Deeply”
2020
Wednesday, December 16th
alone
Morton Feldman (1926-1987, MCOTD Hall of Fame), Triadic Memories (1981); Louis Goldstein (piano), 2000
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Ill.
2020
Saturday, December 12th
alone
There are a handful of pianists whose every note I’m hungry to hear—he’s one. (Caution: Do not listen to this as “background” music; if you do, your ears will wither and fall off.)
Dinu Lipatti (1917-1950, piano), playing (as detailed below) Bach, Scarlatti, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, Ravel, published 12/5/20*
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago
*****
Program (courtesy of YouTube):
0:00 Bach-Busoni: Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland
4:07 Bach-Hess: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
Scarlatti: Three Sonatas: 7:35 G Major K.9 10:25 G Minor K.450 13:47 D Minor K.14
Chopin: 17:03 Sonata No.3 in B Minor Op.58 41:52 Waltz No.2 in A-Flat Major Op.34 No.1 46:25 Etude Op.25 No.5 49:40 Etude Op.10 No.5
Liszt: 51:24 La Leggierezza 55:56 Gnomenreigen
Brahms: 58:36 Intermezzo in E-Flat Major (abbr.) Op.117 No.1 1:01:44 Intermezzo in A Minor (abbr.) Op.116 No.2 1:04:31 Intermezzo in C Major Op.119 No.3 1:06:08 Capriccio in D Minor Op.116 No.7
1:08:22 Ravel: Alborada del Gracioso
2020
Wednesday, December 2nd
alone
One-word review: Wow!
Pierre-Laurent Aimard (1957-, piano) plays Etudes by Debussy, Ligeti, Chopin, Bartok, Scriabin; live, England (Aldeburgh), 2014*
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Ill.
*****
*Program (courtesy of YouTube): 0:00-, Debussy: Étude 1 pour les cinq doigts d’après Monsieur Czerny L. 136; 03:42-, Ligeti: Etudes: Book 3: White on white (1995–2001); 07:56-, Debussy: Étude 9 pour les notes répétées L. 136; 11:16-, Ligeti: Etudes: Book 2: Der Zauberlehrling (1988–1994); 13:40-, Debussy: Étude 3 pour les quartes L. 136; 18:57-, Ligeti: Etudes: Book 2: Fém (1988–1994); 22:08-, Chopin: Trois nouvelles études: I. in F minor (1839); 24:29-, Ligeti: Etudes: Book 2: En Suspens (1988–1994); 26:35-, Chopin: Trois nouvelles études: III. in A major (1839); 28:50-, Ligeti: Etudes: Book 1: Arc-en-ciel (1985); 32:20-, Chopin: 12 etudes: II. in F minor (Op. 25); 34:03-, Ligeti: Etudes: Book 1: Touches bloquées (1985); 36:14-, Bartók: 3 etudes: I. Allegro molto Sz. 72; 38:45-, Bartók: 3 etudes: II. Andante sostenuto Sz. 72; 42:17-, Bartók: 3 etudes: III. Rubato-Molto sostenuto Sz. 72; 44:25-, Ligeti: Etudes: Book 2: Entrelacs (1988–1994); 47:20-, Ligeti: Etudes: Book 1: Fanfares (1985); 50:56-, Ligeti: Etudes: Book 1: Automne à Varsovie (1985); 55:39-, Scriabin: 3 etudes: I. Allegro fantastico Op. 65; 59:25-, Scriabin: 3 etudes: II. Allegretto Op. 65; 01:01:44-, Scriabin: 3 etudes: III. Molto vivace Op. 65; 01:03:30-, Ligeti: Etudes: Book 2: Galamb Borong (1988–1994); 01:06:30, Ligeti: Etudes: Book 1: Cordes à vide (1985); 01:10:03-, Ligeti: Etudes: Book 2: L’escalier du diable (1988–1994).
2020
Monday, November 30th
sounds of Estonia
Lepo Sumera (1950-2000), “Piano piece from the year 1981”; Kadri-Ann Sumera, piano, 2013
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lagniappe
random sights
this morning, outside Chicago (Illinois Prairie Path)
2020
Saturday, November 28th
timeless
Erik Satie (1866-1925), Ogives (4) (1886, 00:00-), Pièces froides (6) (1897, 12:29-), Gnossiennes 1-6 (1889-97, 25:02-), Sonneries de la Rose+Croix (3) (1892, 44:51-), Gymnopédies (3) (1888, 58:59-); Reinbert de Leeuw (1938-2020, piano), live, 1982
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Ill.
music clip of the day 