I am spending Monday writing some fresh posts but in the meantime here is some, in my opinion some exceptional music to enjoy. Mozart’s Ave Maria Corpus sung by Westminster Cathedral Choir. Also in two weeks time, trivially it is my birthday on September 11th and more importantly the tenth anniversary of the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York. Sitting in a bar in the city a dark shadow emerged from the corner of the screen to collide into the second tower.
The other piece is by Samuel Barber 1910-1981 an American composer. His Adagio for Strings is a tour de force in sheer musical melody. Leonard Slatkin Conducts the BBC Orchestra on September 15 2001 in honour of those who lost their lives a few days prior. Visuals from BBC’s ‘Last Night of the Proms’ and ABC’s ‘Report from ground zero’. Apologies for the hair advert on first.
The Barber piece (not heard of him before) was very moving, and the visuals a timely reminder of how warped fanatical beliefs (in all their manifestations) can impact on our way of life.
Hi Nisakiman, Samuel Barber March 9, 1910 – January 23, 1981 wrote mainly atonal classical music and you have to be a fan! However he also wrote “Four Excursions,” four pieces based on American folk music. The best is No 2 “Slow Blues” and is Mississippi blues inspired. Combining a fusion of classical atonality and swing rhythms, it may not be to everyone’s taste, but to me music does not get better than this.
I first came across it 5 years ago when it was included as a grade 8 piece for music exams. It is one of the few pieces I play weekly to keep in practice.