Saw this on gizmodo and then found some other crazy stuff by Hamelin on youtube.
Chopin's Black Keys etude. Left and right hands REVERSED! Transcribed by Godowsky. Actually, the video quality is crappy and music sounds strange but you get the idea. They now call Hamelin, together with Kissin and Argerich supervirtuosi...
Lastly, a video related to the first one: Nokia Ringtone Fugue. It's pretty good actually but I think it sounds more like a three-part invention.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Shostakovich: Symphony #4
Shostakovich's symphony No.4 is a major milestone that he change from serving the regime to have his own individualism. His first symphony is a work in student era. His second and third are composed according to the government's propaganda purpose as you can tell from the titles ("To October" and "First of May"). But for his fourth symphony, it was really speaking for himself, which was to reflect the terror of the Stalin regime during the "Great Purge".
During that period, the composer witnessed many dissidents, including his friends, were sent to the labour camp in Siberia and never return. His opera "Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk" received severe criticism from the Pravda ("Truth Newspaper") which is the official newspaper of Stalin. Probably the next stop for the composer will be the labour camp in Siberia. Probably for the consideration of his own safety, Shostakovich withdrew his premiere for 25 years. Not until in the year 1965 that we can hear the terror of the Stalin regime through DSCH's music.
The symphony starts with the shrill of woodwind and xylophone, followed by a chaotic and powerful military march. Probably it visualizes the reign of terror crushes everything on its path. A more tender passage follows the devastating march. Is it the mourning of the victim? In the middle of the movement come a crazed gallop of string and an even louder and violent climax. Personally I consider it as a depiction of run-and-catch. The First movement ends with the recap of the opening theme with reduced force.
The second and third movements are harder to understand for me. Probably I can understand more by listening more to it. The second movement is a Landler which resemble Mahler’s symphonies. The third, also the final movement has three distinctive but apparently unrelated sections. First there is a funeral march, then a waltz, and ends with a chorale theme. Why did the composer arrange such unrelated themes in the same movement? Probably it’s less ridiculous comparing the time during the Great purge.
Apart from the recording I uploaded, there are two more recordings that worth your listening:
1. Mariss Jansons /Bavarian Radio Symphony
http://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich-Symphony-Mariss-Jansons-Bavarian/dp/B0002XDOGC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1263441281&sr=1-2
2. Bernard Haitink / Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
http://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich-Symphony-No-4-DVD/dp/B001BBSE6Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1263436871&sr=1-2
Enjoy !
During that period, the composer witnessed many dissidents, including his friends, were sent to the labour camp in Siberia and never return. His opera "Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk" received severe criticism from the Pravda ("Truth Newspaper") which is the official newspaper of Stalin. Probably the next stop for the composer will be the labour camp in Siberia. Probably for the consideration of his own safety, Shostakovich withdrew his premiere for 25 years. Not until in the year 1965 that we can hear the terror of the Stalin regime through DSCH's music.
The symphony starts with the shrill of woodwind and xylophone, followed by a chaotic and powerful military march. Probably it visualizes the reign of terror crushes everything on its path. A more tender passage follows the devastating march. Is it the mourning of the victim? In the middle of the movement come a crazed gallop of string and an even louder and violent climax. Personally I consider it as a depiction of run-and-catch. The First movement ends with the recap of the opening theme with reduced force.
The second and third movements are harder to understand for me. Probably I can understand more by listening more to it. The second movement is a Landler which resemble Mahler’s symphonies. The third, also the final movement has three distinctive but apparently unrelated sections. First there is a funeral march, then a waltz, and ends with a chorale theme. Why did the composer arrange such unrelated themes in the same movement? Probably it’s less ridiculous comparing the time during the Great purge.
Apart from the recording I uploaded, there are two more recordings that worth your listening:
1. Mariss Jansons /Bavarian Radio Symphony
http://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich-Symphony-Mariss-Jansons-Bavarian/dp/B0002XDOGC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1263441281&sr=1-2
2. Bernard Haitink / Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
http://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich-Symphony-No-4-DVD/dp/B001BBSE6Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1263436871&sr=1-2
Enjoy !
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Our first post!
I know Harry wants to use email. But I guess a blog can be more organized and also allows more interactivity among us! It's also easier to post pictures!
Maybe, in the future, we can even earn some money with Google Adsense too?? =P
Maybe, in the future, we can even earn some money with Google Adsense too?? =P
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