We are all both the victims and the heirs of our fellow-men. - Ellis Peters
Music
2007, February 05
Very Early Signs of Spring
Today is the beginning of meteorlogical spring, halfway between the Winter solstice and the Vernal equinox.
Kate, at Ciderpress Hill has seen the Bald Eagles arrive and begin to nest. Here the signs are more subtle--the cats are beginning to shed. Both these signs are related to the increasing day length, so now we know officially that Spring will arrive.
From James Pressler, here is Georg Friedrich Kauffmann's "O Jesulein süß", a short piece to lift your spirits. It seems to bring Spring to life.
Here is the same melody, in the hands of J.S. Bach, from the Schemelli Songbook, BWV 493.
Granted, this is usually considered a piece for the Christmas season, but somehow it speaks to me of new beginnings.
2006, December 29
Louis Vierne
The Westminster Carillon in D Major for New Years.
Louis Vierne was the organist of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris from 1900 to 1937, when he died at the keyboard giving his 1750th recital. A prolific composer, he is hardly heard of today though he is considered by some to be one of the greatest composers of the last century. His music seems to me to be Modern, perhaps a little prematurely. This is a favorite piece, I find it inspirational. I hope it will inspire us all to have a peaceful and productive year.
Louis Vierne, Organist of Notre Dame
The organ (English is in the second half of the page)
2006, December 21
Christmas Eve Sarejevo
For all of us at Christmas from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, directed by Paul O'Neill.
2006, September 17
Scordatura
Alternate tunings of stringed instruments
The standard (or Italian) tunings of the violin strings are G D A E. Other tunings are common in folk music and have a long history. Their use in "classical" music has been limited, however. Bach did employ an alternate tuning for the Fifth Cello Suite, changing the highest string from A to G. Standard pitches of the cello are C G D A; the altered tuning gives C G D G.
Altering the pitches of the strings makes it possible to play chords that would be difficult or impossible with the standard tuning, and chords were written into more string music in early times.
Links: Scordatura
Wikipedia.org definition of scordatura
Discussion and examples
Definition and example
2006, September 16
Some Baroque Instruments
Baroque instruments used in the Mystery of the Rosary Sonatas.
Links: The keyboard and Lira da Gamba
Links to many early stringed instruments.
Links to many early keyboard instruments.
Wikipedia definition of the Regal, a portable organ.
Images of the Lirone (Lira da Gamba).
The theorbo is a bass lute, which has a neck that extends outward approximately four feet to accommodate the long, deep bass strings. The purpose of the theorbo is to reinforce the bass, whereas the function of the lirone is to enrich the harmonies. The composer Giulio Caccini said that the theorbo was the perfect instrument to accompany the voice.
Links: the Theorbo
A definition of the theorbo
Another definition of the theorbo
Discussion of the theorbo
More discussion of the theorbo
Illustrations of the theorbo
Idea of the size
2006, September 12
Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber
A bohemian baroque composer.
It sometimes seems that the Sonatas and Partitas for violin by J.S. Bach were born out of his head full grown, like Athena from the head of Zeus. I know little about what violin compositions might have been available to him for study.
Bach's father, Johann Ambrosius Bach lived from 1645 until 1695. Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber, a contemporary of J.S. Bach's father, was born in 1644 in Bohemia. Among his many works were two sets of violin sonatas, the more well known of which is the set of 15 sonatas for violin with continuo and one passacaglia for solo violin, known as the Rosary Sonatas or the Mystery Sonatas.
Arcangelo Corelli (1653 - 1713), another near contemporary of Bach's father, wrote many violin sonatas, all with continuo, which have been considered a major part of the baroque violin literature. And perhaps there were many more composers whose work was available to Johann Sebastian for study. How plausible is it that he may have been familiar with Biber's work?
Biber's music was a new discovery for me, and learning about it has opened doors to many facets of baroque music of which I knew nothing. Here are some descriptions of the instruments used, the practice of scordatura and a comparison of four performances of the Mystery of the Rosary Sonatas.
Works of H.I.F. Biber
- 8 violin sonatas with continuo
- 2 Operas
- Cantatas
- Requiem
- Missa Salisburgensis (attrib; for 53 independent voices)
- Missa Sancti Henrici
- Missa Bruxellensis
- Missa Scala Aretina
- Missa Christi resurgentis
- Sonata "La battalia"
- Mensa sonora (Sonatas for 2 Viol.,Viola und Baß)
- Die "Sonatae Tam Aris Quam Aulis servientes" for 6-8 Instruments
- 12 Sonatas "Fidicinium sacroprofanum"
- 7 Trio Sonatas "Harmonia artificioso-ariosa: diversi mode accordata"
- "Die liederliche Gesellschaft von allerley Humor"
- "Sonata representativa avium"
- 16 "The Rosary Sonatas" in scordatura (a.k.a. "The Mystery Sonatas")
The Mystery of the Rosary Sonatas
- Die Fünf Freudenhaften Mysterien (The Five Joyous Mysteries)
- - Sonata I: Die Verkündigung (The Annunciation)
- - Sonata II: Mariä Besuch bei Elisabeth (The Visitation)
- - Sonata III: Christi Geburt (The Nativity)
- - Sonata IV: Christi Darstellung im Tempel (The Presentation)
- - Sonata V: Der zwölfjährige Jesus im Tempel (The Finding in the Temple)
- Die Fünf Schmerzhaften Mysterien (The Five Sorrowful Mysteries)
- - Sonata VI: Christi Leiden am Ölberg (The Agony in the Garden)
- - Sonata VII: Die Geibelung (The Scourging of Jesus)
- - Sonata VIII: Die Dornenkrönung (The Crowning of Jesus with Thorns)
- - Sonata IX: Die Kreuztragung (Jesus carries His Cross)
- - Sonata X: Die Kreuzigung (The Crucifixion)
- Die Fünf Glorreichen Mysterien (The Five Glorious Mysteries)
- - Sonata XI: Die Auferstehung (The Ressurection)
- - Sonata XII: Christi Himmelfahrt (The Ascension)
- - Sonata XIII: Ausgiebung des Heiligen Geistes (Descent of the Holy Gost)
- - Sonata XIV: Mariä Himellfahrt (Assumption of our Lady)
- - Sonata XV: Die Krönung der Jungfrau Maria (Crowning of the Virgin Mary)
- Passacaglia in G minor (solo violin)
Links: von Biber
Answers.com Biography of Biber
The Mystery Sonatas, a discussion
2006, July 30
Free Sheet Music from Danish Archive
From the Werner Icking Music Archive you can download sheet music and midi files.
Here is a link to a website with free downloads of some sheet music and midi files of many composers. In many cases these are arrangements or transpositions of the original music, and there are only a few files available for each composer.
Still, there are representative pieces, enough to give an idea of the composers work.
The Werner Icking Music Archive
Be aware: this is NOT icking-music-archive dot com (a commmercial site selling sheet music and abusing the archive name).
