Classical Sunday: Peter and the Wolf

“Shall I tell you a story?”

Sergei Prokofiev / Peter Ustinov / Herbert von Karajan, 1960: Peter And The Wolf

Granted, there surely are better quality recordings out there, but only technically:  Who can surpass the combo Ustinov/Karajan?  Enjoy half an hour of story-telling on this cold January Sunday.

Classical Sunday: Scary Hodge-Podge

Believe it or not, people have put up “scary classical music compilations”, and we picked one from a channel we frequently refer to.

So this week, rather than listening to one nice tragic requiem for the occasion, you will hear a snipped from many (refer to list below).

Wishing you all a decently spooky Allhallowtide!

Halloween or Hallowe’en is a celebration observed in a number of countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day.  It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed.

SCARY DARK CLASSICAL MUSIC

• 00:00 MOZART – Requiem, K. 626: Sequentia. Dies Irae (Harmonia Cantata & Orchestra da Camera Fiorentina cond. by Giuseppe Lanzetta)
• 01:38 PROKOFIEV – Suite No. 1 from Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64bis: No. 6, Death of Tybalt
• 06:07 LITVINOVSKY – Suite for String Orchestra «Le Grand Cahier»: II. Les Alertes (Metamorphose String Orchestra cond. by Pavel Lyubomudrov)
• 08:16 BRAHMS – Tragische Ouvertüre, Op. 81 (Olsztyn Philharmonic Orchestra cond. by Marek Tracz)
• 22:20 MOZART – Requiem, K. 626: Sequentia. Confutatis & Lacrimosa (Harmonia Cantata & Orchestra da Camera Fiorentina cond. by Giuseppe Lanzetta)
• 27:54 CHERUBINI – Marcia Funebre (International Symphonic Orchestra cond. by Silvano Frontalini)
• 34:07 LITVINOVSKY – Suite for String Orchestra «Le Grand Cahier»: X. L’Incendie (Metamorphose String Orchestra cond. by Pavel Lyubomudrov)
• 36:25 MOZART – Masonic Funeral Music in C minor, K. 477 (International Symphonic Orchestra cond. by Silvano Frontalini)
• 42:35 CAGGIANO – La Tomba del Busento (Symphonic Poem) (Slupsk National Orchestra cond. by Silvano Frontalini)
• 57:58 BEETHOVEN – Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92: II. Allegretto (Orchestra da Camera Fiorentina cond. by Giuseppe Lanzetta)
• 01:06:56 TCHAIKOVSKY – Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a: No. 2d, Arabian Dance (Donetsk Symphonic Orchestra cond. by Silvano Frontalini)
• 01:10:32 CHOPIN – Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 35: III. Marche funèbre
  (Giovanni Umberto Battel)
• BOCCHERINI – Sinfonia in D Minor «La Casa del Diavolo» (The Devil’s House)
  01:19:58 I. Andante sostenuto – Allegro assai
  01:25:28 II. Andantino con moto
  01:28:10 III. Andante sostenuto
  (I Virtuosi del Teatro alla Scala)
• 01:33:47 MAHLER – Symphony No. 1 in D Major «Titan»: IV. Stürmisch bewegt
  (Volgograd Philharmonic Orchestra cond. by Silvano Frontalini)

 

 

Classical Sunday: Prokofiev’s Cinderella

This is “just” the music, not the ballet version of Prokofiev’s Cinderella.  Enjoy!

Sergei Prokofiev: Cinderella, Op 87

USSR Radio & TV Symphony Orchestra 1965
Conductor: Gennadi Rozhdestvensky

Act I
[00:00:00] — 01. Introduction
[00:02:23] — 02. Shawl Dance
[00:05:43] — 03. Cinderella
[00:08:38] — 04. The Father
[00:11:20] — 05. The Fairy Godmother
[00:13:29] — 06. The Sisters’ New Clothes
[00:15:36] — 07. The Dancing Lesson
[00:18:19] — 08. Departure of the Stepmother and the Sisters for the Ball
[00:19:41] — 09. Cinderella Dreams of the Ball
[00:21:53] — 10. Gavotte
[00:24:06] — 11. Second Appearance of the Fairy Godmother
[00:25:32] — 12. Spring Fairy
[00:26:49] — 13. Summer Fairy
[00:28:16] — 14. Grasshoppers and Dragonflies
[00:29:04] — 15. Autumn Fairy
[00:30:31] — 16. Winter Fairy
[00:31:39] — 17. The Interrupted Departure
[00:32:30] — 18. The Clock
[00:33:49] — 19. Cinderella’s Departure for the Ball

Act II
[00:35:48] — 20. Dance of the Courtiers
[00:38:06] — 21. Passepied
[00:39:39] — 22. Bourrée
[00:41:06] — 23. Skinny’s Variation
[00:41:54] — 24. Dumpy’s Variation
[00:43:22] — 25. Dance of the Courtiers (Reprise)
[00:44:05] — 26. Mazurka and Entrance of the Prince
[00:47:13] — 27. Dance of the Prince’s Four Companions
[00:48:07] — 28. Mazurka
[00:50:41] — 29. Cinderella’s Arrival at the Ball
[00:53:14] — 30. Grand Waltz
[00:58:21] — 31. Promenade
[00:59:46] — 32. Cinderella’s Variation
[01:01:14] — 33. Dance of the Prince
[01:02:13] — 34. Refreshments for the Guests
[01:03:27] — 35. Duet of the Sisters with the Oranges
[01:04:56] — 36. Duet of the Prince and Cinderella
[01:09:47] — 37. Waltz-Coda
[01:12:21] — 38. Midnight

Act III, Scene I: The search for Cinderella
[01:14:25] — 39. The Prince and the Cobblers
[01:16:15] — 40. First Galop of the Prince
[01:17:49] — 41. Temptation
[01:21:15] — 42. Second Galop of the Prince
[01:22:10] — 43. Orientalia
[01:24:24] — 44. Third Galop of the Prince

Act III, Scene II: The Prince with Cinderella
[01:25:47] — 45. Cinderella’s Awakening
[01:30:01] — 46. The Morning After the Ball
[01:32:32] — 47. The Prince’s Visit
[01:36:21] — 48. The Prince Recognizes Cinderella
[01:38:57] — 49. Slow Waltz
[01:43:51] — 50. Amoroso