#ClassicsaDay #ClassicalEleven Week 1
Numbers have meaning. But meaning can depend on context. The Classics a Day team made “eleven” the theme for November, the eleventh month. The challenge is to post performances of classical music that involve the number.
I chose a mix. Some pieces involve eleven players. Some are the eleventh type of piece by a composer. Some are the eleventh published work. Some had the number eleven assigned to them in some way by a cataloger.
There are many ways to arrive at #ClassicalEleven – here are my choices for the first full week.
11/01/19 Alan Hovhaness: Symphony No. 11 “All Men are Brothers” Op. 186
Hovhaness’ eleventh symphony (out of 67) was finished in 1960. It incorporates some of his early music from the 1920s-30s, most of which he destroyed.
11/04/19 Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 11 in B-flat major, Op. 22
This sonata was completed in 1800. Beethoven labeled it a “grand” sonata, indicating it had four movements instead of three.
11/05/19 Johann Sebastian Bach: Himmelfahrts-Oratorium, BWV 11
Bach wrote the “Ascension Oratorio” for the feast day service May 19, 1735. The large-scale work is a blend of new music and recycled material from earlier cantatas.
11/06/19 Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel – Piano Trio, Op. 11
Fanny wrote the trio as a birthday present for her sister in 1847. It was completed just before her death, and published posthumously.
11/07/19 Felix Mendelssohn – Symphony No. 1, Op. 11
Mendelssohn completed the symphony at age 15. It was privately premiered in 1827 to honor his sister Fanny.
11/08/19 Giovanni Punto – Horn Concerto No. 11 in E-major
Punto (1746-1803) was a Czech horn player. He developed the hand-stopping technique that allowed natural horns to play more pitches.
