Lockdown Music 26: Energy, Optimism and feeling Expansive: Nielsen Symphony No.3
This is punchy music that still swings and sings and sends an energising message of optimism and generosity of spirit… though the composer’s claims would have been more modest. Intro here: Music here – highly recommended video: And here on … Listen
Lockdown Music 25: Party like its 1800 – Beethoven Piano Concerto No.1
I love the fun and exuberance of this movement from Beethoven’s ‘first’ Piano Concerto. For Beethoven, playing the piano at the first performance would have been the least of his worries, because he had to arrange the whole concert. Here’s … Listen
Lockdown Music 24: The most beautiful piano music there is – that no one knows!
This was a great discovery for me. The slow movement of this piano sonata by Schubert is so simple, beautiful and moving, I want to share it with everyone:
Lockdown Music 23: Serious Fun! – Ligeti Romanian Concerto
This great piece is slightly schizophrenic – is it a serious piece of music over-run by people having fun, or a fun piece that’s occasionally trying to look serious? Ligeti was showing his love for Romania, but the Soviet Hungarians … Listen
Lockdown Music 22: Five Play Dangerous Music ! ( by Ligeti)
The Soviet authorities banned the last of Ligeti’s excellent and entertaining Six Bagatelles for wind quintet – too dangerous and subversive. Were they right? Intro: Music here on film – highly recommended: and here: Total listen time 17′
Lockdown Music 21: The Original Greatest Showman’s Half-time Show – Handel’s Concerto Grosso No 6
The composer Handel knew what the people wanted – and it was normally more Handel. Here’s a piece written to go in the interval of a Handel show! Emotional, passionate, invigorating. Intro: Music here: And here: Total listen time 20′
Lockdown Music 20: Raucous celebration, accidents and bad traffic: Handel’s Fireworks Music
I was going to play something quiet… and then came across this Handel’s Fireworks Music. It’s brilliant – these performances are raw, raucous and exuberant and it’s more fun than this great piece has ever been. Music here with pictures … Listen
Lockdown Music 19: A 200 year-old piece for the Dance Music generation – Beethoven’s 7th Symphony
This actually might be the best thing ever: the end of Beethoven’s 7th Symphony. And it’s the thing that got me into music in the first place. A piece so full of relentless energy it almost belongs in a nightclub. … Listen
Lockdown Music 18: The best piece ever? Rossini’s William Tell Overture
My daughter declares this the best music ever! It’s the William Tell Overture by Rossini. Do you agree? Intro here: Music here: or here on Spotify: Into & music = 15 mins Please comment, like, share, subscribe to the podcast.