Beethoven's Fifth

Most everybody knows about Beethoven's 5th Symphony.  I've heard a dozen recordings of it, including ones by Toscanini, von Karajan, and Furtwangler, Gardiner.  These names might not mean anything to you now, but classical music lovers eventually develop sort of a crush on this symphony, and particular recordings have particular significance to them. 

Admittedly, most of us (yes, obviously I'm one of these people) are a little in awe of this work.  This is not a very good thing, because that makes us not get the piece as music, but rather as a sacred relic.  It is just a fantastic piece of music in its own right; just sit and listen to the thing. 

If this is the first symphony you've listened to, it's rather overpowering, and not in a good way for everyone.  The ending alone goes on for quite a while. 

This next bit is for those who are new to symphonies.  Symphonies are usually in four movements. 

The first movement is in rather special form, which I will detail later. The second movement is usually slower, and mostly quieter. The third movement is in triple time, and often has a sort of 'dancy' swing to it. The fourth and final movement is often a rondo, with a recurring tune.  Well, I'm pooped; I'll fill in the rest soon.

Tchaikovsky

I had always regarded Tchaikovsky as a good composer in his own way, but not to be compared with Mozart, and Schubert, and the composers I considered 'The Greats'.

Now, you all know about the band I play in.  I had to learn an instrument from scratch, and attend rehearsals and all that sort of thing, and presently I was learning all about about music from the inside. 

One piece we're playing is a number from The Nutcracker ballet suite, and I'm learning what an amazing composer Tchaik was.  Now, because ours is a very humble band,  in many ways, the music we play is far removed from the Nutcracker music played by a concert Orchestra.  The arrangement itself is ingenious; it contains all the melodic lines that would catch the ear, and leave out as much as possible, so that we can play it with the few players we have—around 14 of us.  Even with that stripped-down version, the music is brilliant!

It was quite some time until I began to pay attention; I was preoccupied with fingering, and just getting the notes.  But one day,  I noticed: wow,  this is amazing writing!

The man was not universally admired in his lifetime, which was tragic.  I'm not familiar with his life story, but I'm going to read up on it when I can.  If you didn't know, Tchaikovsky wrote several symphonies as well, at least some of which are considered masterpieces. 

Archie