Last month, the Classics a Day team came up with a theme to reflect the reality of social distancing. The challenge was to share solo works for unusual instruments — the kind of instruments best played in social isolation. For June, the team is again going with the times. Social bubbles are small groups of […]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
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#ClassicsaDay #ClassicalDistancing Week 3
Normally the Classics a Day theme for May involved May Day (#SovietaDay). Having a theme centered around social distancing/self-quarantine seemed more appropriate. The challenge for May is post works for unusual solo instruments or works about solitude. Here are my selections for the third week of #ClassicalDistancing 05/18/20 Anon. 14th C. – Medieval dance The […]
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#ClassicsaDay #ClassicalQuartet Week 3
April is the fourth month of the year. And so the Classics a Day team decided to make classical quartets this month’s theme. One could easily fill up a month of postings with nothing but great string quartets. But I decided to explore further. A piano trio is made up of four musicians. So is […]
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Anne-Marie McDermott performs Mozart with exuberance and precision
Volume two of Anne-Marie McDermott’s Mozart series builds on the success of volume one. McDermott’s playing is as beautiful as ever. There’s apparent chemistry between her and the Odense Symphony Orchestra. Though each of the three concertos on this release has a different conductor, there’s a remarkable consistency in the interpretations. Piano Concerto No. 15 […]
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#ClassicsaDay #ClassicalDoubleDigits Week 3
The Classics a Day team noted that the new year is comprised of two twenties — double digits. So the theme for January 2020 is to post other examples of double digits found in classical music. Prolific composers are a good place to start. But I found a few surprises among composers with very small […]
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#ClassicsaDay #ClassicalChristmas Weeks 4 and 5
This marks the third year running that the Classics a Day team made Christmas music the December theme. I guess that makes it a tradition. When it comes to the music of the season, there’s plenty to choose from. Since the 1100s composers have written sacred music for Advent and Christmas — and plenty of […]
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Anne-Marie McDermott launches Mozart series
Anne-Marie McDermott’s new Mozart series starts off with two showcase concertos. The Piano Concerto in C major, K. 415 was one of three Mozart wrote in 1783 to spotlight his talent as a composer and performer. The Piano Concerto in B-flat major, K. 238 was featured in Mozart’s 1777 European tour with his sister Nannerl. […]
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#ClassicsaDay #ClassicalEleven Week 2
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. […]
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Charlottesville Symphony dazzles with contemporary work
The Charlottesville Symphony that opened its 2019-20 season was not the same ensemble as last year’s. About a third of the musicians were new to the orchestra, including two new principal players. Although new, the symphony seemed to retain the weaknesses and strengths of its former self. The first work of the evening, Mozart’s Symphony No. 32 […]