The Best Paganini Cadenza - Philippe Hirschhorn [Live, 1967]

By Daniel Kurganov, Violinist

Niccolò Paganini. Hirschhorn had an amazing combination of intensity, sensitivity, taste, obsession and elegance. Things to notice: - Look at how low his right arm is, especially when acquiring the G string. Made even more extreme by the fact that his instrument is very flat on his shoulder. I think he's the most extreme of anyone I've seen in that regard. Notice how his hand/fingers "sink" into the string as a result of this right arm anticipation. - Is he tense or is he loose? Of course, he's loose, otherwise, you wouldn't hear what you hear. But, look at how immovable his violin appears. On first glance you might think he's tense and gripping the violin for dear life. After all, there isn't much in the way of 'organic swaying' up/down/sideways with the instrument. The violin is sitting on an immovable cloud, and then hands are dancing around it in perfect harmony. You can see the result of an absolute obsession with the fundamentals of technique. Putting everything in its place without force. Live recording with enhanced audio. Brussels 1967, after he won the gold medal at the Queen Elisabeth Competition.

Happy Birthday but 13 classical composers are fighting over the last slice

This is my take on "Happy Birthday" Variations! I had the idea to have composers (represented by their pieces) fight against each other in a parody-quotation format, while also integrating the Happy Birthday motif in as many places as possible. I've listed all the quotations and instances of Happy Birthday in the timestamps below, but see if you can guess them all! I'll talk a bit about the background of these variations (if you can even call it a loose variation format and not an intertextual fantasy/rhapsody). I've seen quite a lot of versions of Happy Birthday (most memorable for me were Cateen's "Happy Birthday To Everyone 12 Variations", "How to sound like x composer series" by Nahre Sol, and Twoset Violin's "If Classical Composers Wrote Happy Birthday"). I also particularly liked Cyprien Katsaris' 3 Variations which featured pieces by 3 composers in counterpoint with Happy Birthday, so decided to do a mixture of both blending a pastiche format of Nahre Sol/Twoset and a quotation format of Katsaris, but instead of doing only a few composers, I decided to go all out and include 13 composers (though technically it's 15 composers if you include that little John Cage "quotation" at the end, as well as my little self quotation in the middle). 0:00 - Happy Birthday Motif, though I added a little bit of left-hand embellishment. 0:08 - Nocturne Op. 48 No. 1 by Chopin in the soprano/bass line, blended with HBD in the alto line. 0:15 - Symphony No. 5 - Beethoven that "interrupts/foreshadows" something - sort of similar to what I did in my previous Fur Elise quotation video 0:22 - Sonata 16 in C Major K545 - Mozart - but HBD is the head motif, and a little twinkle of an answer is heard at 0:24. 0:29 - HBD in the top voice in counterpoint with Mozart K545 0:36 - HBD in the bass, which then migrates to the middle line in the following bar - all while in the middle of the Mozart Sonata 0:39 - Fate Motif again from Beethoven 5 0:43 - Unusual direction of Fate Motif leads to a C# modulation into Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu 0:47 - HBD against Fantasie Impromptu 0:55 - I went for a sequential direction with the latter half of HBD+ fantasie impromptu in order to smoothly transition into the A# Diminished chord, signifying the beginning of Appassionata 3rd mov 1:02 - Appassionata 3rd mov, Beethoven. 1:10 - HBD in the bass 1:13 - Another instance of bass HBD 1:17 - The lick, before going back to appassionata 1:23 - HBD in the left hand - alternates with hand crossings similar to appassionata 1:31 - Note the accents in LH and RH which signify the 2nd part of HBD (C C C A(b) F E D), and once sequenced they are able to transition into the next piece. 1:38 - Transition into Moonlight Sonata 3rd Movement 1:50 - The Lick (again) 1:53 - The Lick, (again, again) 1:56 - Dürnitz Sonata No. 6 in D Major K 284 / 205b, Mozart 2:03 - Dürnitz Sonata combined with HBD 2:13 - I tried writing the beginning of a fugue using HBD as the subject, so not really a Bach quotation haha 2:27 - Prelude in G Minor Op. 23 No. 5 Rachmaninoff - The annotation is just a reference to that time where Rachmaninoff greeted Stravinsky with a jar of honey 2:32 - HBD in the middle register 2:37 - HBD (faster diminution form) echoed the middle then lower register 2:44 - Goldberg Variations Theme - Bach 2:50 - Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 - Liszt 3:03 - Moonlight Sonata 1st Movement - Beethoven, superimposed against HBD 3:29 - Claire de Lune - Debussy 3:36 - HBD in thirds (reminiscent of Claire de Lune) 3:45 - Second half of HBD in thirds, transformed with Debussy-esque rhythms 3:55 - Back to Claire de Lune (middle section) 4:01 - Fur Elise - Beethoven (Although this is also a self-quotation from my previous Fur Elise quotation piece, which quotes Claire de Lune) 4:08 - Modulation into Sonata No. 2 in G minor Mov. 1, Schumann. HBD starts on the syncopated eighth note at m. 150, then echoed at m. 153 4:20 - HBD shifted to the second measure of the phrase 4:25 - HBD head motif (G G A G) on the syncopated quarter notes and transposed (see accents) 4:36 - Full HBD is heard, but off-beat 4:39 - Another syncopated version of HBD 4:53 - Wedding March from A Midsummer Night's Dream - Mendelssohn 4:59 - Slavonic Dances Op 46 No 1 - Dvorak 5:02 - Two to Tango - Nicholas Ma (Self quotation from one of my compositions!) 5:06 - Gymnopédie No. 1 - Satie 5:13 - HBD with Gymnopédie-style accompaniment 5:31 - HBD against Alkan Op. 39 No. 8 5:37 - HBD reiterated in LH twice, then swapped back to RH 5:57 - Erlkonig - Schubert 6:01 - Sonata No. 2 4th movement - Schumann 6:10 - HBD in LH against Schumann, ending on a syncopated note leading into the next piece 6:14 - HBD against Prokofiev Piano Concerto 2 Cadenza 6:35 - Still Prok 2 Cadenza, but Middle Staff voices HBD 6:59 - HBD repeated in sixths 7:13 - Final Statement of HBD!

CUTEST video that BROKE instagram (130M views in 3 days)

71,555 views Premiered Dec 23, 2023 Thanks to this amazing violinist (9 years old !) for playing with me ! you can follow her on @lamourardfamily ! Let's give her a lot of love in the comments so she can be proud and maybe we do another video together !

Broadway stars dazzle in 'Disney Princesses: The Concert'

By Mark Bonifacio "Disney Princesses: The Concert" gathered international Broadway stars to perform the world's favorite Disney tracks in the last week of November across Manila, Cebu and Davao. The beautiful production held a press conference ahead of their shows, introducing the cast members and teasing concertgoers about the breathtaking performances lined up. In no particular order, Anneliese van der Pol is famous for her role as the final Belle in Broadway's "Beauty and The Beast." Aisha Jackson was the first black woman to play the character of Anna in Broadway's "Frozen." Krysta Rodriguez starred as Cinderella in "Into The Woods." Steffanie Leigh debuted as Disney's "Mary Poppins." Meanwhile, Adam J. Levy is in "Moulin Rouge" and "Waitress." Furthermore, Benjamin Rauhala is one of the most esteemed music directors on Broadway and, at the same time, the supervisor, co-creator, and host of the concert. The first stop was at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater. The Disney Princesses concert was an idyllic experience for Disney princess enthusiasts of all ages. As soon as the clock struck eight, excitement filled the theater, and the Broadway stars entered the stage wearing their respective iridescent dresses. A powerful number of "Starting Now" showcased the quartet's charisma and proficiency on stage with excellent harmony under the supervision of Rauhala. Leigh raised the excitement with her rendition of "Tangled's" "When Will My Life Begin," flawlessly portraying the vibrant character of Rapunzel. On the other hand, Rodriguez delivered an emotionally powerful number of "Mulan's" "Reflection." Van der Pol then performed "Brave's" "Touch The Sky" with glamour and conviction, later joined by the three songstresses. The chemistry between the princesses and Rauhala was impressive, naturally exchanging skits and witty banters while rendering phenomenal vocal prowess and stage command. For the next segment, they introduced the iconic first three Disney princesses: Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. Timeless tracks such as "So This Is Love" and "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" captivated the audience with their reminiscent sound and romantic lyrics. Another character worth presenting, Jackson delivered Nala's "Shadowland" from Lion King, showcasing the breathtaking range and control of the performer. Along with this, Leigh and the three singers presented Frozen's "All Is Found," promptly followed up with "Into The Unknown," powerfully concluding the first half. Furthermore, Rodriguez thrillingly performed "Moana's" "How Far I'll Go," whereas van der Pol cleverly honored the parents with "Tangled's" "Mother Knows Best." Right after, she alluringly delivered "Healing Incantation" and "I See The Light" with Levy. Every time Levy joins the stage to have a duet with a princess, the faces of the audience instantly light up as their dazzling chemistry draws viewers closer. The princesses then performed "Pocahontas'" "Just Around the Riverbend," followed by Rodriguez's "Journey to the Past" and Jackson's "Almost There." Incredibly, Leigh shared how she portrayed Mary Poppins for three years. She added, "It never felt like a job," charmingly delivering tracks namely "Chim Chim Cher-ee," "Feed The Birds," and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." Ultimately, van der Pol, who played the final Belle, revealed how representing the role felt like a dream come true, then elegantly rendered "Belle" and "Tale As Old As Time." To conclude the spectacular evening, the Broadway stars performed a powerful hit track from Frozen, "Let It Go," filling the room with wonder and cheer. After the show in Manila, they performed two more concerts at the SMX Convention Center Davao and the Waterfront Hotel Cebu City, and you can guess the audiences' joy and thrill were just the same. Bravo, Disney Princesses!

Ivana Raymonda - Song For The World (Original Song & Official Music Video

149K views 11 days ago #Hippie #Woodstock #SingerSongwriter Official Music Video by Ivana performing "Song For The World" Music & lyrics by Bluestarman.

Bryan Adams - Christmas Time (Classic Version)

4.8M views 1 year ago #christmassongs #christmas #christmastime This 'classic' version is available in both stereo and spatial (ATMOS) audio.

Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas (Music Video)

4,227,861 views Premiered Nov 14, 2021 #BandAid #Christmas Music video to Do They Know It's Christmas by Band Aid. (C) 1984 Phonogram

Jingle Bells but 18 classical composers are decorating a christmas tree

Top Christmas Songs 1942-2023

CHRISTMAS WITH ANDRÉ RIEU 2023 - Silent Night/Stille Nacht

Hey everyone, Welcome to this brand new Christmas With André Rieu 2023 video. After a long year of waiting, it's finally time to enjoy this wonderful Christmas show again. Please enjoy 'Silent Night' by André Rieu, Emma Kok and The Johann Strauss Orchestra. Don't forget to subscribe to my channel. There are many more videos of Christmas With André Rieu to come. If you want to see videos from a different perspective, make sure to subscribe to @AmeliasStorybook69 Merry Christmas and all the best for 2024!

CHRISTMAS CAROLS CONCERT ROYAL ALBERT HALL 2023 .

The tale of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

 Composers Hugh Martin and Ralph Blaine were assigned to write songs for Meet Me in St. Louis, starring Judy Garland. Among those that they came up with were The Boy Next Door, The Trolley Song and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. The movie was about a family who must relocate to New York after the Holidays and an important part of the story was how they did not want to leave their happy life in St. Louis. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas was written for Garland to sing to child actress Margaret O’Brien. And in keeping with the plot, it was a sad song. When Frank Sinatra decided to record a cover in 1957, he requested Martin and Blaine for a happy version. This is what we now listen to from Sinatra and other artists who thought of it as a beautiful Christmas song that they just had to record their own version.

SOUNDS FAMILIAR - Baby A. Gil - The Philippine Star 

December 24, 2023 | 12:00am

I was only able to watch the musical Meet Me in St. Louis on Betamax many years after it was released in 1944. But I was already familiar with one of its soundtrack songs, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas because of the movie The Victors.

That film was a war drama from 1963 and the song was used in a scene where a deserter soldier was executed. It was a poignant moment which I never forgot. It was rendered more powerful with the sound of Frank Sinatra singing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas as background music.

To this day, despite many other versions I still think of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas as the saddest Christmas song ever written. Now, I recently found out that how it was originally written was even sadder.

How can anybody write a sad song about Christmas? Well, composers Hugh Martin and Ralph Blaine did. The songwriting duo was assigned to write songs for Meet Me in St. Louis, starring Judy Garland. Among those that they came up with were The Boy Next Door, The Trolley Song and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

The movie was about a family who must relocate to New York after the Holidays and an important part of the story was how they did not want to leave their happy life in St. Louis. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas was written for Garland to sing to child actress Margaret O’Brien. And in keeping with the plot, it was a sad song.

Very sad indeed. Check out the original lyrics which I found in an article by Ellen Gutosky in the online mag Mental Floss.

“Have yourself a merry little Christmas/ It may be your last/ Next year we may all be living in the past/ Have yourself a merry little Christmas/ Pop that champagne cork/ Next year we may all be living in New York.

“No good times like the olden days/ Happy golden days of yore/ Faithful friends who were dear to us/ will be near to us no more.

“But at least we all will be together if the Lord allows/ From now on we’ll have to muddle through somehow/ so have yourself a Merry Little Christmas now.”

The message was, have yourself a merry little Christmas while you can because next year will be different for us.

Garland’s reaction was instantaneous. “If I sing that to little Margaret O’Brien, the audience will think I’m a monster.”

The tale says that it took Martin and Blaine some convincing but they later agreed to work on the song. After some editing or I should say a little tweaking, Garland had the song she wanted and a true Christmas classic was born.

However, it was still sad. So, when Sinatra decided to record a cover in 1957, he requested Martin and Blaine for a happy version.

And this is what we now listen to from Sinatra, Michael Bublé, Ella Fitzgerald, Kelly Clarkson, The Carpenters, John Legend, Sam Smith and so many others who thought of it as a beautiful Christmas song that they just had to record their own version.

“Have yourself a merry little Christmas/ let your heart be light/ from now on our troubles will be out of sight/ Have yourself a merry little Christmas/ Make the Yuletide gay/ From now on our troubles will be miles away.

“Here we are as in olden days happy golden days of yore/ Faithful friends who are dear to us will be near to us once more.

“Through the years we all will be together/ if the fates allow/ Hang a shining star upon the highest bough/ and have yourself a merry little Christmas now.”

And that is how that shining star made it to the highest bough. Isn’t it just amazing what a little tweaking can do to the lyrics of a song.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Michael Buble - white christmas

Transcending Tunes of Light and Shade Handel: Messiah

by Frances Wilson, Interlude

During the opening measures of the famous chorus, members of the audience glanced around anxiously, checking to see who would be first to rise to their feet. Then someone in the balcony stood, and someone else, and suddenly the whole audience rose to its feet, as is traditional for the ‘Hallelujah’ Chorus.

George Frideric Handel © portlandhandelsociety.org

The reasons for this tradition are somewhat apocryphal: one version is that at the first London performance in 1743, the audience “together with the King”, were so moved by the ‘Hallelujah’ Chorus that they spontaneously rose to their feet. An alternative explanation is that King George II was so tone-deaf that he thought the performance had finished, and the orchestra was playing the National Anthem: once the King stood, everyone present was obliged to stand too. Whatever the reason, there is something really special about standing for such an uplifting and triumphant piece of music.

For me ‘Messiah’ will forever be associated with the beginning of the Christmas season. When I was at school, it formed an integral part of the concert which ended the Autumn term, along with the service of nine lessons and carols at the church next door to my school. I must have sung Handel’s ‘Messiah’ at least 10 times, for the tradition of performing it at Christmas continued when I joined my university choir.

Background

‘Messiah’ was composed in 1741, with a text compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible and the version of the Psalms included with the Book of Common Prayer. It was first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742 and received its London premiere nearly a year later. Initially it received a modest public reception, despite Handel’s established reputation in England, where he had lived since 1712, but gradually the oratorio gained in popularity and it is now one of the best-known, much-loved and most frequently performed choral works in Western music.  

The Story

The work is organised in three sections: Part 1 tells the story of the birth of Christ and includes all the familiar elements of the Christmas story. Part 2 is concerned with Christ’s passion and death, his resurrection and ascension, and ends with the joyous ‘Hallelujah’ chorus. It is this aspect of the work which makes it just as applicable for performance at Easter as well as at Christmas (in fact, its premiere in Dublin took place 19 days after Easter 1742). Part 3 returns to the theme of resurrection and represents the real core of the work as Christ’s resurrection is connected to our own redemption and sense of hope, beautifully affirmed in one of the work’s most famous arias, ‘I Know that My Redeemer Liveth’. And I suppose the best thing about ‘Messiah’ really is all the memorable ‘tunes’ – from ‘Ev’ry Valley Shall be Exalted’ to ‘The Trumpet Shall Sound’, ‘I Know My Redeemer Liveth’ to the charming duet between tenor and alto ‘O Death Where is Thy Sting’. Then there are the choruses: ‘And the Glory of the Lord’, ‘All We Like Sheep’, ‘For Unto Us a Child is Born, ‘Hallelujah’, and the wonderful fugue of the final chorus. In between all this are some beautiful solos, recitatives, which serve to move the narrative forward, and delightful orchestral interludes.

Handel brings the text to life with light and shade, storms and sunshine, fugue and counterpoint, and a huge variety of textures and “word painting”, the technique of having the melody mimic the literal meaning of the libretto. Because of the skilful way in which Handel organises the material, and the universal, redemptive message of the text, Messiah remains a work which is uplifting and life-affirming, regardless of how it is performed.

Simbanggabi | Philippine Madrigal Singers, UP Singing Ambassadors & Aten...

Tutti during the Sudi Awards at the Metropolitan Theater on 21 December 2022. Simbanggabi was composed by national artist for music, Mr. Lucio San Pedro. Prof. Raul M. Sunico, PhD, accompanied the choirs on the piano. Mr. Jonathan M. Velasco conducted the choirs.