Hauschka - Ferndorf

2008; 12 tracks

"hauschka aka volker bertelmann weaves together an ethereal soundscape homage to his childhood in ferndorf, a provincial german mountain town. hauschka explores the notion of ‘prepared piano’ where he utilizes varied impedimenta, like bits of leather and metal placed in between the strings and on its dampers and hammers to achieve a tinkering, clicking, glitchy texture beneath the beautiful harmonies and arching strings. glassian, repetitive, electronic-tinged, minimalism appears to be the trend in postmodern classical. in line with this sound spectrum, haushka succeeds in streamlining his composition to its essence which affects and intrigues, both remembering fondly and looking forward."

ferndorf is one of the most serene illustrations of modern classical beauty. it's so so gorgeous, like a sunny day by the beach. think red balloons, bicycles, the inside of a clock... ou les nuages. that's one of my favorite french words, nuages... clouds. i also love aussi, monde, autre, pomme, pamplemousse, and... souvenir. i'm really attracted to the charm of some words :'3

also, prepared piano is a really interesting thing to explore. if you have a piano (preferably a grand, of any size), try it! but be careful... don't use tiny pieces, like coins or buttons, as they can fall under and then you'll never see them again. i like placing paper on the strings and sometimes even chains, and then playing random notes and bits of pieces. the piano is more dynamic than you think.


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Dmitri Shostakovich - Piano Concertos & Rodion Shchedrin - Piano Concerto No. 2

2004; 10 tracks
Andrew Litton / Glasgow BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Marc-André Hamelin, pianist

Here are some interesting notes about the composer that I agree with (for the most part):

"Dmitri Shostakovich was the last of the great composers who could be called both traditionalist and modern, and the first of the Russian composers who emerged because of, rather than despite, the Soviet regime. Unlike his compatriots Prokofiev and Stravinsky, both educated in Tsarist Russia, Shostakovich worked entirely under the influence of the communist government, and he struggled all his career with his genuine wish to create art for the state and the state's inability to accept any art it did not understand."

And on the second piano concerto:

"Shostakovich wrote his second Piano Concerto in 1957 as a birthday gift for his 19-year-old son Maxim, a pianist. The piece is full of a light-hearted energy that may owe as much to the composer's relief at the demise of Stalin as to his cheerful wishes for his son.

Both the first and third Allegro movements have a similar structure, each contrasting bright, jaunty tunes against a sort of military tattoo complete with snare drum. The first movement contains fiery lines as well, in an ominous theme of octaves marching up and down the keyboard, and at the broad, dramatic moment when the full orchestra triumphantly roars the main melody.

The second movement, Andante, could easily be mistaken for a composition by Rachmaninoff in its soulful sound. Only strings, piano, and a single horn are heard exchanging tender, lyrical lines, the right hand piano part singing a plangent tune above slow arpeggios in the left. There are no fireworks, only the sort of longing melody one associates with Russian composers of an earlier, more romantic era.

The piano immediately segues into another quick-stepping movement with the second Allegro, this one quite rollicking in tone. There are several sections of rippling scales and arpeggios which, according to Shostakovich, were actually quotes from the well-known finger exercises of Hanon; including them in the concerto, the composer said, was the only way he could force his son to practice them!"

I am a huge fan of Shostakovich's two Piano Concertos, the second of which being perhaps the most marvelous piece of music in the world of sound. The first is much less straightforward than the second, and as such I have found it a little hard to become totally engaged in... it is entirely wonderful, still. I hope I can play these some day :) Aside from the two concertos, this release also features the Piano Concerto No. 2 by none too well known Soviet composer Rodion Konstantinovich Shchedrin. It sounds much like the music of Shostakovich, if not a little less spastic.

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Frédéric Chopin - Nocturne Op. 9, No. 1 in B-flat Minor

Today is the 201st birthday of Polish/French pianist and composer Frédéric Chopin. In honor of this occasion, I present to you one of his greatest pieces - the first Nocturne.

A Nocturne is a "night-piece," a piece evocative of the musings and mystery the night so often presents to it's wanderers. The form is generally viewed as being originated by the Irish composer John Field, but Frédéric Chopin and his 21 Nocturnes are more commonly recognized for their depth and grandeur. They all evoke different emotions and produce varied effects, but there is a definite divide in the pieces between the more fully realized and the less substantial.

This is my favorite Nocturne of them all, and it is perhaps my very favorite Chopin piece as well. There is a darkness here I cannot fathom, with a glitteringly menacing middle section that never fails to take my breath away. I did learn it on the piano, but cannot play it near as well as this man, Garrick Ohlsson. I'll admit I hadn't heard of him before hearing this recording, but it seems to be the interpretation nearest to my heart, and I cannot stop listening to it. 1:29 is my favorite part :')