Early and Classical Music

Program (Polish): https://okis.pl/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Festiwal-Bachowski-szczegolowy-program.pdf

Libretto: https://archive.org/details/luciopapirioditt237zeno/page/18/mode/2up

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/2069132

Not a classical aficionado or even one for solo violin, but I gave this a listen while on a walk and it kinda blew me away.

The compositions are rather dynamic and beautiful. But also, the playing, as a non-expert, is ridiculous. Smooth and skilful as you’d expect but also just beastly. Like I’m not convinced this is a solo violin, Hahn is all over that instrument!

Here's a little blurb from the Wikipedia article on the piece:

The Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16, composed by Edvard Grieg in 1868, was the only concerto Grieg completed. It is one of his most popular works and is among the most popular of the genre.

Grieg's concerto provides evidence of his interest in Norwegian folk music; the opening flourish is based on the motif of a falling minor second followed by a falling major third, which is typical of the folk music of Grieg's native country. This specific motif occurs in other works by Grieg, including the String Quartet No. 1. In the last movement of the concerto, similarities to the halling (a Norwegian folk dance) and imitations of the Hardanger fiddle (the Norwegian folk fiddle) have been detected.

The amount of power behind that horn section...

Here's another excellent rendition of Horse-Racing, this time accompanied by piano:

John Erhu - Horse Racing

I love the energy of the piece! It's upbeat and evermore a joy to listen to.

What a wonderful performance of the classic Christmas poem! Although familiar with it, I had never heard a musical performance till to-night on the radio.

So, go on, and give it a listen! I'm sure you'll enjoy it, if even not Christen!

Tintagel is a symphonic poem by Arnold Bax. It is his best-known work, and was for some years the only piece by which the composer was known to many concert-goers. The work was inspired by a visit Bax made to Tintagel Castle in Cornwall in 1917, and, although not explicitly programmatic, draws on the history and mythology associated with the castle.

--quoted from the Wikipedia article on Bax's Tintagel

For more of his work, check out Wikipedia's list of compositions by Arnold Bax. I myself am partial to his tone poems, though his symphonies are also excellent.