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CD Project

December 3, 2009 at 11:18 pm | In strings | No Comments

CD Project 1

Title: Symphony No.36 C, K 425 (classical)

Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756~1791)

Performing Artist: Conductor- Colin Davis

Mozart was born in 27^th/Jan/1756 in Australia. And age of 5, he wrote his first piece of music. His father, the violinist, and a composer, noticed his talent on music, so his father brought Mozart to perform in front of people. When he grew up, he really effected by Schubert and Bach during his journey.

When his mother died in 1779, he returned to Salzburg as cathedral organist and in 1781 wrote his opera seria Idomeneo. Chafing under the archbishop’s rule, he was released from his position in 1781; he moved in with his friends the Weber family and began his independent career in Vienna. He married Constanze Weber, gave piano lessons, and wrote The Abduction from the Seraglio (1782) and many of his great piano concertos.

Mozart composed Symphony No.36 C, K 425 in 1783. Oboes, violins, violas, cellos, double bass, trumpets, bassoons, and horns are used in Symphony No.36 C, K 425. I think the music goes lightly and small at first, and it suddenly gets louder, and faster later. I feel extremely exciting, makes everyone dance around, and it makes my mind very comfortable.

CD Project 2

Title: The Nutcracker Suite  (classical)

Composer: Peter Tchaikovsky  (1840~1893)

Performing Artist: Conductor- Herbert Von Karajan, SA Chorus

Tchaikovsky, the music composer was born in 17^th/May/1840, in Russia. He began to take a piano lesson on his age of 7. After graduate, he taught music in University, and he was able to compose music. He could write symphony, opera, instrumental, song, and chamber. His Piano Concerto No. 1 (1875) was premiered in Boston and became immensely popular. He wrote his first ballet called  ‘Swan Lake’, which is already loved by lots of people all over the world. In1891, Tchaikovsky made a concert tour in the United States. When he returned to Russia, he completed ‘The Nutcracker Suit’. And it was first performed at St. Petersburg on 7^th/Mar/1892, conducted by the composer, even before the entire ballet had been completed. There are flutes, oboes, bassoon, trumpet, violas, violins, violoncellos, cymbals, bass drum, tubas, triangle, tambourines, and etc in the music. At first, it was too soft that I couldn’t really hear it, but at the middle of it, the music was loud and cheerful. Crescendos and decrescendos are repeated. I think it is a marvelous piece of music!

CD Project 3

Title: String Quartet (String Quartet No. 14 in C Sharp Minor) (classical)

Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven (1770~1827)

Performing Artist: Emerson String Quartet

Beethoven, one of the greatest musician, was born in Germany in 1770. When he was young, his grandfather played folksong for him, and Mozart could memorize them although he only listened the song for one time. So his father realized his talent and let Mozart to practice very hard, therefore, Mozart didn’t have time to play. When he was seventeen years old, he wanted to demonstrate his talent in music, and he went to Vienna. But he soon came back to his hometown because of his mother’s illness. In 1800 to 1803, the duke adopted him, and Beethoven performed for them every Friday night. So he gained popularity very fast. Although he had big problems hearing, he composed a lot of pieces like Eroica, Pastoral, The Apotheosis of Dance and etc.

The music, String Quartet No. 14 in C Sharp Minor has seven movements altogether. They are Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo, Allegro molto vivace, Allegro moderato, Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile, Presto, Adagio quasi un poco andante, and Allegro. I think this piece of music is quite energetic.

CD Project 4

Title: J. S Bach Gavotte (classical)

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach (1685~1750)

Performing Artist: violin- Hyun mi Kim

Bach was born in 1685. He was the youngest boy, 8^th child in the family. His father was a musician, so Bach could learn how to play violin and harpsichord.  When he was 10 years old, he lost both of his parents so he went to his older brother’s home who was a musician. He studied with his brother in Berlin.

In his life, he composed Brandenburg Concerto, mass in B minor, Art of Fugue, French Suite, Partitas and etc. The title of my CD, ‘J. S Bach Gavotte’ is a small piece of music, and it is not symphony music. Only one violinist has to play. There are a lot of staccato, so I feel like I am jumping in the air.

CD Project 5

Title: War Requiem (classical)

Composer: Benjamin Britten  (1913 ~1976)

Performing Artist: the soloist leads

Benjamin Britten was born in Nov /22 /1913, England. He was an English conductor, violist, pianist and prolific English composer of the 20th century.  He usually composed chamber music, vocal pieces, operas, and choral works. When he was 5 years old only, he already knew how to compose music, even though his parents were not musician. He first learned piano, and then learn viola by private instructors.  Over all, he composed “Peter Grimes,” “Rejoice in the Lamb,” “Cantata Misericordium,” “Owen Wingrave,” “Billy Budd,” “War Requiem,” and etc. War Requiem consists of six movements. They are Requiem aeternam, Dies irae, Offertorium, Sanctus, Agnus Dei and Libera me. On May 1962, World War 2 destroyed the original fourteenth structure. So Britten was inspired by the commission, which gave him complete freedom in choosing the type of music he would like to compose. And he finished in Jan 1962. He got 3 Grammies, Sonning, and BRIT Awards for composing War Requiem. The full orchestra consisted of flutes, oboes, bassoons, tubas, piano, trumpets, cymbals, strings, and so on. I like the beginning, but I don’t like the ending part, because there are many resting part.