SunPod:

From a colleague's tweet, I heard about Jake Schepps.  Jake is offering an album of bluegrass-flavored Bartók compositions for free this weekend, in honor of Bela's birthday.  An Evening In The Village has eight of Bartók's violin duets, four pieces from Mikrokosmos, and other Hungarian and Romanian folk songs (literal or inspired).  Jake stays true to the gnarly spirit of Bartók, while emphasizing the folk dance elements.

An Evening in the Village (Hungarian Sketches) BB 103   
Hungarian Song (#6: 44 Violin Duos) BB 104  
Hungarian Song II (#25: 44 Violin Duos) BB 104 
Melody (Hungarian Sketches) BB 103   
Mikrokosmos #78: Five-Tone Scale BB 105   
Mikrokosmos #149 (Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm II) BB 105   
Mikrokosmos #150 (Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm III) BB 105   
Mikrokosmos #153 (Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm VI) BB 105  
Monroe's Hornpipe (Bonus Track)   
New Year's Greeting (#30: 44 Violin Duos) BB 104 (Bonus Track)   
Painful Struggling (#2: Ten Easy Pieces) BB 51 (Bonus Track)   
Pillow Dance (#14: 44 Violin Duos) BB 104  
Play Song (#9: 44 Violin Duos) BB 104   
Play Song-duet (#9: from 44 Violin Duos) BB 104   
Romance: I Know a Little Forest (#34: For Children: Slovakian Folk Tunes) BB 53   
Romanian Christmas Songs: Series I BB 67   
Romanian Whirling Dance (#38: 44 Violin Duos) BB 104   
Ruthenian Kolomeika (#35: 44 Violin Duos) BB 104   
Stars, Stars Brightly Shine (#31: For Children: Hungarian Folk Tunes) BB 53   
Stick Game (#1: Romanian Folk Dances) BB 68   
Wedding Song (#13: 44 Violin Duos) BB 104   

FriPod: Seks to Sept

Heh, he said Seks.

Seks Digte Af Henrik Ibsen, Op. 25 (No. 2 and 4), by Edvard Grieg, performed by Annie Sofie Von Otter.

Seks Digte Af Holger Drachmann Op. 49 (no. 6), by Grieg, performed by Von Otter.

Seks Sange Op. 48, by Grieg, performed by Von Otter.

"Self Portrait of the Bean by Duke Ellington, performed by the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.

"Self-Portrait In Three Colors" by Charles Mingus on Mingus Ah Um.

"Selfless, Cold and Composed" by Ben Folds, performed by The Sacramento State Jazz Singers.

"Selig sind die Toten, die in dem Herren sterben" by Johannes Brahms, performed by Ileana Cotrubas, Hermann Prey, New Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus, Lorin Maazel.

"Selig sind, die da Leid tragen" by Brahms, performed by Cotrubas et al.

"Selige Nacht" by Joseph Marx, performed by Arleen Augér.

"Selva Morale E Spirituale, Venetia 1640 : Psalmus 111: Beatus Vir (Primo) A 6, by Claudio Monteverdi, performed by Dame Emma Kirkby/Nigel Rogers/Rogers Covey-Crump/David Thomas/Taverner Consort/Taverner Choir/Taverner Players/Andrew Parrott.

"Semaine Sainte a Cuzco" by Henri Tomasi, performed by Vince DiMartino and Schuyler Robinson.

"Sending the Signal" from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial soundtrack by John Williams.

"Sensation Rag" by Nick La Roca, performed by Benny Goodman on Live At Carnegie Hall.

"A Sentimental Man" from Wicked by Stephen Schwartz, performed by Idina Menzel & Joel Grey.

"Sento, sent'un rumor ch'al ciel si estolle" by Andrea Gabrieli, performed by Paul McCreesh; Gabrieli Consort & Players.

"Separate Lives" by Stephen Bishop, performed by Phil Collins on Serious Hits ... Live!

Sept Haikai by Olivier Messiaen, performed by Netherlands Wind Ensemble/Reinbert de Leeuw.

FriPod: Festivals

I'm taking my lovely wife to the Ice Miller Indy Wine Fest this evening, so here is some festive music from my collection (see the widget on the left for clips).

Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80, by Johannes Brahms, performed by Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Andante festivo by Jean Sibelius, performed by Mariss Jansons and the Oslo Philharmonic

"Con voce festiva" by Alessandro Scarlatti, performed by Wynton Marsalis and Kathleen Battle

Festal Brass with Blues by Michael Tippett, performed by the Wallace Collection

"Festival In Bagdad" from Scheherazade, Op. 35 by Nicolai Rimksy-Korsakov, performed by Yuri Temirkanov; New York Philharmonic Orchestra

Festive Overture by Dmitri Shostakovich, performed by the Empire Brass

Fete Militaire by Alexandre Sylvain Petit, performed by Maurice André

Fête polonaise (Le Roi malgre lui)  by Emmanuel Chabrier, performed by Ernest Ansermet; L'Orchestre De La Suisse Romande

"Féte Populaire" from Petrouchka by Igor Stravinsky on Igor Stravinski Plays Igor Stravinski

"Fêtes" from Nocturnes by Claude Debussy, performed by Georg Solti and the CSO

Fiesta De Las Calderas by Turina, performed by the Empire Brass

"Fiesta Mojo" by Dizzy Gillespie on New Faces

"La Fiesta" by Chick Corea on Works - ECM

Newport Jazz Festival Suite by Duke Ellington on At Newport 

Opening Parade, Bali Arts Festival, on Bali - Gamelan & Kecak

FriPod: Hand

Capriccio for Piano (Left Hand) and Wind Ensemble, by Leoš Janáček , performed by John Wallace, trumpet, Radoslav Kvapil, piano, The Wallace Collection                              

 “Caring Hands” by Joss Whedon from the Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)     

 “Thy Hand, Belinda / When I Am Laid In Earth” from Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell, performed by    Lorraine Hunt Lieberson & Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra

“Frank Kennedy Asks For Suellen's Hand” from Gone With The Wind Soundtrack by Max Steiner

“I Gotta Hand It to You, Girlie!” from The Greater Good, by Stephen Hartke, performed by Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra, John De Haan & Stewart Robertson

“Hand In My Pocket” by Alanis Morissette from Jagged Little Pill

“He's Got the Whole World in His Hands”, Trad., arr. Margaret Bonds, performed by JennyRebecca Walker, Amanda Hopson    

“Helping Hand”  by Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile from The Goat Rodeo Sessions

“I Want To Hold Your Hand” by Lennon/McCartney, performed by The King's Singers

“Joyne Hands - Widow'S Myte” by Thomas Morley/Anthony Holborne performed by the American Brass Quintet

“Let Everyone Clap Hands Like Me” performed by Pete Seeger from Children's Concert At Town Hall

“Lying In the Hands of God” by Dave Matthews Band on Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King

Piano Concerto For The Left Hand In D Major by Maurice Ravel, performed by a) Lortie - LSO - Fruhbeck De Burgos, b) Robert Casadesus    

“Second Hand News” by Fleetwood Mac on Rumours

“Sehet, Jesus Hat Die Hand” by J.S. Bach, performed by Mark Padmore, Deborah York, Etc., Paul Mccreesh; Gabrieli Consort & Players

“Taking My Life In Your Hands” by Elvis Costello; Brodsky Quartet from The Juliet Letters

SatPod: May

Happy May Day, everyone!

1. "But Who May Abide" from the Messiah by George Friedrich Handel, performed by Samuel Ramey and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra led by Andrew Davis.

2. "First of May" by Jonathan Coulton on Best. Concert. Ever.

3. "May It Be" by Enya on the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring soundtrack.

4. "Maybellene" by Chuck Berry.

5. Mayn Yingele by Frederic Rzewski on Rzewski Plays Rzewski.

6. "Now is the Month of Maying" by Thomas Morley, performed by the King's Singers on Madrigal History Tour.

7. "Sheep May Safely Graze" by Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by Rolf Smedvig and Michael Murray.

8. "You May Be Right" by Billy Joel on Glass Houses.

FriPod: Cleveland Orchestra

Continuing the theme of orchestras for TAFTO month, this week's FriPod features the Cleveland Orchestra. As you could see from last week's posting, I've got tons of Chicago Symphony Orchestra recordings. When I was growing up and while at Lawrence University, Chicago was THE orchestra to go to. Yes, we had to travel over three hours, and Milwaukee was closer, but Bud Herseth was the man! When I went to the University of Akron for my first master's degree, we often made the trip up to Cleveland to listen to the Cleveland Orchestra. Severance Hall is beautiful, and I loved the sounds of the woodwinds, principal trumpet Michael Sachs, and principal trombone Joe DeSano. Plus I felt smug because I knew how to pronounce "Dohnanyi" from listening to the commercial classical radio station, WCLV.

1. Symphony No. 1 in C minor by Johannes Brahms, conducted by George Szell.
2. Symphony No. 5 in Bb major by Anton Bruckner, conducted by Christoph von Dohnanyi.
3. Symphony No. 6 "Tragic" in A minor by Gustav Mahler, conducted by Dohnanyi.
4. Concerto for Flute, Harp and Orchestra by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, conducted by Dohnanyi.
5. Eine Kleine Nachtmusik by Mozart, conducted by Dohnanyi.
6. Le Poème de l'extase by Alexander Scriabin, conducted by Lorin Maazel.
7. Le Sacre du Printemps (Rite of Spring) by Igor Stravinsky, conducted by Pierre Boulez.
8. Petrushka by Stravinsky, conducted by Boulez.

SunPod: Chicago Symphony Orchestra

It would've been perfect to put this up on Friday, as on the same day that my TAFTO essay was published, I took a friend to see the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. I only have one recording of the ISO, so I couldn't do that for a FriPod, but it still would've been good to feature another orchestra. As it was, after getting my new bike fitted, grading exams, and then going to the concert, I didn't have time to blog. Same thing yesterday, so we have SunPod instead. All of the pieces are performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, so I will only mention the composer, conductor and any soloists.

1) Correspondences by Milton Babbitt, conducted by James Levine.
2) Cantata No. 202 "The Wedding" by J.S. Bach, conducted by Levine with Kathleen Battle.
3) Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 by Bach, conducted by Levine with Adolph Herseth et al.
4) Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 by Bach, conducted by Levine with Donald Peck and Samuel Magad.
5) Concerto for Orchestra by Béla Bartók, conducted by a) Fritz Reiner, b) Georg Solti.
6) Music for String, Percussion and Celesta by Bartók, conducted by Reiner.
7) Hungarian Sketches by Bartók, conducted by Reiner.
8) Symphony No. 9 by Ludwig van Beethoven, conducted by Solti.
9) Symphony No. 1 by Johannes Brahms, conducted by Solti.
10) Symphony No. 2 by Brahms, conducted by Solti.
11) Symphony No. 3 by Brahms, conducted by Solti.
12) Symphony No. 4 by Brahms, conducted by Solti.
13) Academic Festival Overture by Brahms, conducted by Solti.
14) Tragic Overture by Brahms, conducted by Solti.
15) Atlas Eclipticalis by John Cage, conducted by Levine.
16) Variations for Orchestra by Elliott Carter, conducted by Levine.
17) Nocturnes by Claude Debussy, conducted by Solti (1990 and 1992).
18) La Mer by Debussy, conducted by Solti.
19) Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune by Debussy, conducted by Solti.
20) The Planets by Gustav Holst, conducted by Levine.
21) A Faust Symphony by Franz Liszt, conducted by Solti.
22) Symphony No. 3 by Gustav Mahler, conducted by Levine.
23) Symphony No. 5 by Mahler, conducted by Solti.
24) Symphony No. 7 by Mahler, conducted by Solti.
25) Symphony No. 9 in D major by Mahler, conducted by Pierre Boulez.
26) Pictures At An Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky, conducted by Solti.
27) Carmina Burana by Carl Orff, conducted by Levine with June Anderson, Bernd Weikl, and Philip Creech.
28) Piano Concerto No. 2 by Sergei Rachmaninov, conducted by Reiner with Artur Rubinstein.
29) Rhapsody On a Theme of Paganini by Rachmaninov, conducted by Reiner with Rubinstein.
30) Spectra for Orchestra by Gunther Schuller, conducted by Levine.
31) Ein Heldenleben by Richard Strauss, conducted by Daniel Berenboim.
32) Till Eulenspiegel's lustige Streiche by Strauss, conducted by Berenboim.
33) Fireworks by Igor Stravinsky, conducted by Boulez.
34) Quatre Etudes by Stravinsky, conducted by Boulez.
35) Romeo And Juliet Overture by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, conducted by Berenboim.
36) Francesca Da Rimini by Tchaikovsky, conducted by Berenboim.
37) Capriccio Italien by Tchaikovsky, conducted by Berenboim.
38) 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky, conducted by Berenboim.
39) Symphony No. 4 by Tchaikovsky, conducted by Solti.
40) Symphony No. 5 by Tchaikovsky, conducted by Claudio Abbado.
41) Symphony No. 6 by Tchaikovsky, conducted by Claudio Abbado.
42) Marche Slave by Tchaikovsky, conducted by Abbado.
43) Voyevoda by Tchaikovsky, conducted by Abbado.
44) Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg by Richard Wagner, conducted by Solti.

FriPod: New York

I thought I'd try something different today, featuring a specific group: The New York Philharmonic. I'll list the piece, composer, and conductor/soloists.

1. Symphony No. 3 by Aaron Copland, conducted by Leonard Bernstein.
2. Quiet City by Copland, conducted by Bernstein, with Philip Smith (trumpet).
3. Symphony No. 8 by Antonín Dvořák, conducted by Kurt Masur.
4. Symphony No. 9 by Dvořák, conducted by Masur.
5. Slavonic Dances, op. 46 by Dvořák, conducted by Masur.
6. Slavonic Dances, op. 72 by Dvořák, conducted by Masur.
7. Symphony in D minor by César Franck, conducted by Masur.
8. Les Eolides by Franck, conducted by Masur.
9. Symphony No. 5 in D minor by Dmitri Shostakovich, conducted by Bernstein.
10. On the Transmigration of Souls by John Adams, conducted by Lorin Maazel, with the New York Choral Artists and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus.
11. Sinfonietta by Leoš Janáček, conducted by Masur.
12. Symphony No. 1 in C major by Ludwig van Beethoven, conducted by Bernstein.
13. Symphony No. 3 in Eb major "Eroica" by Beethoven, conducted by Bernstein.
14. Symphony No. 6 in F major "Pastoral" by Beethoven, conducted by Bernstein.
15. Consecration of the House Overture by Beethoven, conducted by Bernstein.
16. Leonore Overture No. 2 by Beethoven, conducted by Bernstein.
17. Scheherazade by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, conducted by Yuri Temirkanov.
18. Capriccio Espagnol by Rimsky-Korsakov, conducted by Bernstein.
19. "Dance of the Tumblers" from The Snow Maiden by Rimsky-Korsakov, conducted by Bernstein.
20. Capriccio Italien by Piotr Tchaikovsky, conducted by Bernstein.
21. Polonaise by Tchaikovsky, conducted by Bernstein.
22. Waltz from Eugen Onegin by Tchaikovsky, conducted by Bernstein.

SatPod: House

A friend just bought a new house, so this is dedicated to her.

1. "Birdhouse In Your Soul" by They Might Be Giants on Flood.
2. "Consecration of the House" Overture by Ludwig von Beethoven, performed by Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic.
3. "Dovehouse Pavan" by Alfonso Ferrabosco, performed by the American Brass Quintet on Music of Renaissance, Baroque.
4. "Oh How I Wish That I Was In My House" from The Greater Good by Stephen Hartke, performed by Christine Abraham and the Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra with Stewart Robinson.
5. "Hawkins' Barrel House" by Coleman Hawkins on Classic Tenors.
6. "The House I Live In" by Earl Robinson, performed by Paul Robeson Jr. on Songs of Free Men.
7. "The House On the Hill" by Aaron Copland, performed by Camerata Singers and Timothy Mount.
8. "If I Leave the House" by D'arc on Woman On Fire.
9. "In the Jailhouse Now" by Jimmie Rogers, performed by the Soggy Bottom Boys on the O Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack.
10. "Invading Elliott's House" by John Williams on the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial soundtrack.
11. "Jailhouse Rock" by Lieber and Stoller, performed by Elvis Presley.
12. "Life In a Glasshouse" by Radiohead on Amnesiac.
13. "Master Of the House" from Les Miserables by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer, performed by the Broadway Cast.
14. "Pent-Up House" by Sonny Rollins, performed by the Guy Baker Ensemble on The Talented Mr. Ripley soundtrack.
15. "The Housewife's Lament" by Frederic Rzewski on Rzewski Plays Rzewski.
16. "Swing House" by Gerry Mulligan, performed by Stan Kenton on New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm.
17. "This Is No Longer Your House" by James Horner from the House of Sand and Fog soundtrack.
18. "Warehouse" by the Dave Matthews Band on Under the Table and Dreaming.

FriPod: Tower

In honor of our guest composer, Joan Tower:

1) "All Along the Watchtower" by Bob Dylan, performed by a) Jimi Hendrix, b) U2.
2) Monster on a Leash by Tower of Power.
3) The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers soundtrack by Howard Shore.
4) "Black Topaz" by Joan Tower, performed by Laura Flax, Patricia Spencer, Jonathan haas, Deborah Moore, Stephen Gosling, Mike Powell, Chris Gekker.
5) "Eiffel Tower Polka" by Francis Poulenc, performed by Wynton Marsalis.
6) "Petroushskates" by Joan Tower, performed by eighth blackbird.
7) "Snow Dreams" by Joan Tower, performed by Carol Wincenc, flute, Sharon Isbin, guitar.
8) "Stepping Stones" by Joan Tower, performed by Edmund Niemann, Nurit Tilles.
9) Concerto for Orchestra by Joan Tower, performed by Leonard Slatkin and the Nashville Symphony Orchestra.
10) "Made In America" by Joan Tower, performed by Slatkin and the NSO.
11) "Tambor" by Joan Tower, performed by Slatkin and the NSO.
12) "Tres Lent (In Memoriam Olivier Messiaen)" by Joan Tower, performed by André Emelianoff, Joan Tower.

FriPod: Love

A little early for Valentine's Day, but any day is a good day to listen to music about love.

1. "Love" performed by Chet Baker on Chet Baker With Strings.
2. "Love Came to Town" by U2 on Rattle and Hum.
3. "Love For Sale" by Cole Porter, performed by Dexter Gordon on Go.
4. "Love Is Here To Stay" by George Gershwin, performed by Stanley Irwin on Irwin Sings Gershwin. (RIP, Stan)
5. "Love Is Stronger Than Justice (The Munificent Seven)" by Sting on Ten Summoner's Tales.
6. "Love Is Teasin'" arranged by Paddy Moloney, performed by Marianne Faithful & The Chieftains on The Long Black Veil.
7. "Love Me" by Victor Young, performed by Art Tatum on Solos (1940).
8. "Love Me or Leave Me" by G. Kahn, W. Donaldson, performed by Basie's Bad Boys on The Essential Count Basie Vol. 1.
9. "Love Rescue Me" by U2 on Rattle and Hum.
10. "Love Song" from Pippin by Stephen Schwartz, performed by John Rubenstein & Jill Clayburgh on the Original Cast album.
11. "Love Walked In" by George Gershwin, performed by a) Chet Baker on Chet Baker With Strings, b) Stanley Irwin on Irwin Sings Gershwin.
12. "Love Went A-Riding" by Frank Bridge, performed by Arleen Augér on Arleen Auger, American Soprano.
13. "Love You To" by George Harrison, performed by the Beatles on Revolver.
14. "Love's Philosophy" by Roger Quilter, performed by Arleen Augér on Arleen Auger, American Soprano.
15. "Lovely Ladies" from Les Miserables by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer, from the Broadway Cast recording.
16. "Lovely Rita" by Lennon/McCartney, performed by the Beatles on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
17. "Lover Come Back To Me" by Hammerstein and Romberg, performed by a) Mildred Bailey & Her Orchestra, b) Dinah Washington on Dinah Jams.
18. "Lover Lay Down" by David J. Matthews, performed by the Dave Matthews Band on Under the Table and Dreaming.

Remember that you can listen to these tracks in the left sidebar, and purchase them there if you wish. Yes, I get a little cut if you do it from those links.

FriPod: Sacred Spaces

Yes, the first thing that may come to mind may be churches or other religious houses, cemeteries, museums, or a hidden valley, but sacred space can also be something spiritual rather than physical. A zone of conversation kept free of the troubles in life can be a sacred space, or a series of shared beautiful experiences. In all of the cases above, a sacred space helps build special relationships with ourselves, with a higher power, with other people.

1. "O magnum mysterium" by Morten Lauridsen, performed by the Robert Shaw Festival & Chamber Singers.

2. "Down to the River to Pray" performed by Alison Kraus on O Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack.

3. "God Only Knows" by Brian Wilson, performed by Petra Haden.

4. Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 8, Adagio by Arcangelo Corelli, performed by Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields.

5. "Nimrod" from the Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar, performed by Andrew Davis; BBC Symphony Orchestra.

6. "I Will" by Lennon/McCartney, performed by (a) the Beatles on the White Album, (b) Jonathan Coulton.

7. "Not the Same" by Ben Folds, performed on Ben Folds Live (the audience singing along gives me chills every time).

8. "I'm Your Moon" by Jonathan Coulton, performed on Best. Concert. Ever.

9. Danses Sacrée et Profane by Claude Debussy, performed by Yolanda Kondonassis.

10. "Gloria" from Missa Pater Peccavi by Andrea Gabrieli, performed by His Majesty's Cornetts and Sackbuts, His Majesty's Consort.

There are many more, I just picked the first ten that I saw in my lists that spoke to me about this subject.

FriPod: Frogs to Funk

1. "Frogs" from E.T. soundtrack by John Williams.
2. "From Border to Border from Quiet Flows the Don" by Ivan Dzerzhinsky, performed by Paul Robeson Jr. on Songs of Free Men.
3. From me flows what you call Time (1993) by Toru Takemitsu, performed by Andrew Davis and BBC Symphony Orchestra.
4. "From Me to You" by Lennon and McCartney, performed by (a) Arthur Wilkinson Orchestra, (b) Bobby McFerrin, (c) The Beatles.
5. "From the Steeples and the Mountains" by Charles Ives, performed by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.
6. Fugue for string quartet in Bb major ("Grosse Fugue"), Op. 133 by Beethoven, performed by the Alban Berg Quartet.
7. Fugue from Violin Sonata No. 1 by J.S. Bach, performed and arranged by Christopher Parkening.
8. "Fulgebunt Justi" by Orlando Di Lasso, performed by Barbara Butler and Charles Geyer.
9. "Funeral of Amenhotep III Edited" by Philip Glass on The Orange Mountain Music Philip Glass Sampler Vol. 1.
10. "Funk the Dumb Stuff" by F.R. Prestia/S. Kupka/Castillo, performed by Tower of Power on Monster on a Leash.

FriPod: Thanks

Some of my family have been posting what they are thankful for every day on Facebook. Since I don't want my students to know what I'm thankful for, I'll just put up some iTunes tracks that are thanksgiving-ish. I know, the first Parsifal example isn't really thankful, but it sets up the much more thankful excerpt that follows, and it gives me ten tracks.

1. "But Thanks Be to God" from Messiah by G.F. Handel, performed by Andrew Davis, The Toronto Symphony, The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.

2. "Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben" [kneeling with thanks, kneeling with praise] from Christmas Oratorio by J.S. Bach, performed by Concentus Musicus Wien, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Wiener Sängerknaben & Hans Gillesberger.

3. "Danksagung an den Bach" [Gratitude to the Brook] from Die schöne Müllerin by Franz Schubert, performed by Ian Bostridge.

4. "Ah! Mme. Follenvie, We Thank You" from The Greater Good by Stephen Hartke, performed by Andrew Wentzel, Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra & Stewart Robertson.

5. "Nun Danket Alle Gott" [Now Thank All God] by Sigfrid Karg-Elert, performed by the Empire Brass and Michael Murray.

6. "Nicht Dank! Haha! Was Wird Es Helfen?" [no thanks! haha! what will it help?] from Parsifal by Richard Wagner, performed by Dieter Selmbeck, Franz Crass, Gwyneth Jones, Heinz Zednik, Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele & Pierre Boulez.

7. "Recht So! Habt Dank! Ein Wenig Rast!" [right! thanks to you! rushing a little bit!] from Parsifal by Wagner, performed by Bengt Rundgren, Franz Crass, Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele, Pierre Boulez & Thomas Stewart.

8. "Thank Goodness" from Wicked by Stephen Schwartz, performed by Carole Shelley & Kristen Chenoweth.

9. "Thank you for the music" by Abba, from Number Ones.

10. "Thanks for the Beautiful Land on the Delta" by Duke Ellington, performed by the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.

FriPod: Last Composer Standing

Norman LeBrecht has posed a question: What 10 currently living composers will still be performed in 50 years? Rather than accepting his five "certainties," I'm starting fresh and will name ten composers in my iPod mix that I believe will stand the test of time.

1. Paul McCartney. His compositions with the Beatles and a few solo works will continue to thrive in 50 years.

2. Eric Whitacre. I actually prefer Morton Lauridsen's choir music, but I think Eric is more prolific, and thus casts a wider net. Speaking of which, his YouTube choir experiments are fascinating.

3. Osvaldo Golijov. His mix of world, popular, and classical musics are very organic, not forced or too topical that will confine them to a single time period (the problem with Michael Daugherty's work). I absolutely heart his "Last Round" and "Lullaby and Doina".

4. I was going to write down Sondheim here, but it is a harder call than Norman thinks. Most Broadway musicals reflect the popular idioms, and any revivals are done for nostalgia rather than because the music feels fresh. I can see revivals of Sondheim musicals, but I have a feeling that newer forms will dominate Broadway. Instead, I offer John Williams. Yes, he steals from other composers at times, but his music is both effective within the films, and survives on its own as well. Plus notice his being tagged for the inauguration piece this year.

5. John Adams. No question about it. He is represented in a variety of genres (piano, chamber, orchestral, opera), and has continued to evolve in his compositional style while maintaining a recognizable voice.

6. Phillip Glass. Ditto here, though his compositional style has not evolved as much as Adams'. But he has also done film music, and his Einstein on the Beach marks such a pivotal role in opera that it will continue. Steve Reich I am less certain about, and I'm sure that the only thing of Terry Riley's that will be performed in 50 years is "In C".

7. David Lang. The combination of the Bang On a Can juggernaut and winning the Pulitzer will keep David's music in the public conscious for 50 years. Particularly because there are strong feelings about his work in both directions, and hate can keep a work alive much more than indifference.

8. Thomas Adès, probably. It is wild and energetic stuff, musicians love to play it and audiences love to hear it.

9. Avo Pärt, because he best hits that balance of stasis and interest, moreso than Tavener or Gorecki.

10. Bob Dylan. Yes, I will never hear the end of it from my sister-in-law, but while Dylan himself is not an inspiring performer anymore, his music has clearly inspired countless musicians in a variety of genres. The poetry is haunting and complex, and usually coupled so tightly with the music that they cannot be easily separated.

What are your top 10 survivors? Suggest them here, and at Slipped Disc.

FriPod: Wedding

First, the answers to the last FriPod:
1. "Song of the Plains" performed by Paul Robeson Jr.
2. "Nagen A Herzen Fuhl Ich" from New Liebeslieder Waltzes, Op. 65, performed by Catherine Edwards, John Alley, Jane Glover; BBC Singers.
3. "Pretty Woman" performed by Roy Orbison.
4. "Mein Tröster" from St. Mark Passion by J.S. Bach, performed by The Choir Of Gonville And Caius College, Cambridge.
5. "No One Mourns the Wicked" from Wicked, composed by Steven Schwartz, performed by the Broadway Cast.
6. "Try To Remember" from the Fantasticks, composed by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, performed by David Cryer.
7. "In My Life" from Les Miserables, composed by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer, performed by Broadway Cast.
8. "Bar Albor de Madrid" from Ainadamar composed by Osvaldo Golijov, performed by Dawn Upshaw.
9. "Born In Blood" from Woman on fire, performed by D'arc.
10. "Ode To My Family" performed by The Cranberries.

In honor of the wedding last weekend, here are this week's tunes:

1. Cantata No. 202 "Wedding" composed by J.S. Bach, performed by Kathleen Battle, Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
2. "Wedding" from Lt. Kijé Suite composed by Sergei Prokofiev, performed by a) Dallas Symphony Orchestra, b) the Empire Brass.
3. "Wedding March" from The Golden Cockerel by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov, performed by Yan Pascal Tortelier; BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
4. "Wedding Chorale/Beggars At The Feast" from Les Miserables performed by Broadway Cast.
5. "Wedding March" from Midsummer Night's Dream by Felix Mendelssohn, performed by Rolf Smedvig.

For the Answers, turn to page 72

My last FriPod asks you to guess the songs based on obscure lyrics. Two of the eleven have been correctly identified by commenter IlJedui, #1 is "Rejoice Greatly" from Handel's Messiah (performed by Arleen Augér) and #5 is "Doom. A Sigh" by Istvan Marta, performed by the Kronos Quartet. I'll give the rest of the answers next Friday, but for those who can't wait, there are clues in the FriPod Clips to the left. They aren't in order, but you can treat them as Match the Numbers and Letters parts of a music history test. Otherwise, keep guessing in the comments. Googling the texts might help.

FriPod: Show Me the Lyrics

I decided to do a Shuffle of the iTunes (except now it's called iTunes DJ) and pick those randomized pieces that have actual lyrics. I will list only some obscure part of the lyrics and my reactions to the music, and let you guess the piece itself.

1. "He shall speak peace unto the heathen." This is probably a very easy one. I love the text painting, that still fits nicely into the standard da Capo aria form.

2. "Sed eligo quod video, collum iugo prebeo: [But I choose what I see, and submit my neck to the yoke:]" So lovely, the closing flute duet is just gorgeous.

3. "Machen tote Liebe Nicht wieder blühn. [Don't cause dead love to bloom again.]" This is a very sad song, yet it avoids being too mawkish, perhaps because it keeps modulating to major keys at the cadences. The piano accompaniment is so simple, yet perfect. It sets off the lyricism of the vocal part, and actually emphasizes the harmonic movement with its sparsity.

4. "O wie linde ruht es hier, [Dreaming, by the world forgot]". This is so gentle, almost the opposite of #3 in that the pianos have the lyricism and the vocal parts are very sparse at the beginning.

5. I'll just say that the lyrics are in Romanian, with lots of crying interspersed. This is a disturbing piece, though the strings and percussion are beautiful in commenting on crying and the singing.

6. "The heart out of the bosom/Was never given in vain;'Tis paid with sighs a plenty/And sold for endless rue" Another depressing song, though not nearly as much as #5. 'Tis very British.

7. "There are buildings as tall as Quoxwood trees!" This song is intentionally cheesy, to set up the twist that happens.

8. "Can it be that one day, off it goes on, that one day I simply stayed in," I swear this sounds like Oompa Loompas. Cool and literate Oompa Loompas.

9. "Everywhere me disappearing into him, like water into the clay of a new jar." It doesn't sound like a love song, except as one full of longing, these are people who want to disappear but aren't at the moment.

10. "Ma poi morta d'ogn'intorno, il tiranno e notte e giorno, fatta spettro agiterò. [But when I am dead, my ghost will, wherever he may be, torment the tyrant by night and by day.]" Like #1, but much more extreme in the shift of emotions. A little too self-pitying for me, but beautifully set.

11. "Her little hands were frozen with the cold." The music is very icy, yet human at the same time.

SatPod

Last night I saw Wicked at the Murat Theater in Indianapolis.  While I prefer "Popular" from the Broadway recording, the actress playing Elphaba had this gloriously warm and almost husky voice that was wonderful* in "I'm Not That Girl."  Her name is Carrie Manolakos, the standby on this tour.  In honor of the show, here are some complete musicals and operas that I have on my iPod.  (not including separate arias or numbers)

1. Les Miserables, composed by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer, Broadway Cast recording.

2. Ainadamar, composed by Osvaldo Golijov, conducted by Spano.

3. Pippin, composed by Stephen Schwartz, Broadway Cast recording.

4. Wicked, composed by Stephen Schwartz, Broadway Cast recording.

5.  The Greater Good or the Passion of Boule de Suif, composed by Stephen Hartke, Glimmerglass Opera.

6. La Bohème, composed by Giacomo Puccini, performed by Luciano Pavarotti, Mirella Freni, Etc., Herbert Von Karajan; Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

7. Tosca, composed by Puccini, performed by Price - Di Stefano - Taddei - Corena - Wiener Philharmoniker - Herbert von Karajan.

8. Bluebeard's Castle, composed by Béla Bartók.

*appropriate word for the musical.

FriPod: Good Friday

First, this Youtube video:

1. "Good Day Sunshine" by the Beatles on Revolver.
2. "The Good Earth" by N. Hefti, performed by Woody Herman on The Thundering Herds 1945-1947.
3. "Good King Wenceslas" performed by Christ Church Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys, Indianapolis.
4. "Good Lovin'" composed by Rudy Clark, Arthur Resnick; performed by Bobby McFerrin on Simple Pleasures.
5. "Good Morning Good Morning" by the Beatles on Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
6. "Good Night" by the Beatles on the White album.
7. "Good-bye" composed by Bobby McFerrin, performed by Bobby McFerrin and Yo-Yo Ma on Hush.
8. The Greater Good composed by Stephen Hartke, performed by the Glimmerglass Opera.
9. "Hey Good Lookin'" by Hank Williams.
10. "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good" performed by Duke Ellington on The Best Of Duke Ellington: Centennial Edition.
11. "I've Seen All Good People" by Yes on The Ultimate Yes - 35th Anniversary Collection.
12. "Lady, Be Good" composed by George Gershwin, performed by (a) Stanley Irwin on Irwin Sings Gershwin, (b) Count Basie on The Essential Count Basie Vol.1.
13. "Let the Good Times Roll" composed by Sam Theard, Fleecie Moore; performed by Ray Charles.
14. "Good Friday Spell" from Parsifal composed by Richard Wagner, performed by Gerard Schwarz; Seattle Symphony Orchestra.
15. "She's Too Good for Me" by Sting on Ten Summoner's Tales.
16. "Too Good to Be True" composed by C. Boland, performed by Teddy Wilson on Little Jazz.