Klaus Döring's Classical Music/Klaus Döring's Klassische Musik

By Georg Predota , Interlude A good many people decide to plan proceedings for their own funerals. Among the various options and choices there is always the question if music should be part of the service, and if so, what that music might be. With his health steadily deteriorating, Frédéric Chopin had some time to mull this specific question. With support from his student and patroness Jane Stirling, Chopin and his family members took an apartment at 12 Place Vendôme, in June 1849. Only his closest friends were admitted, although Pauline Viardot sarcastically remarked “all the grand Parisian ladies considered it de rigueur to faint in his room.” Chopin put his affairs in order, and on 17 October 1849, around 2 in the morning he died aged 39. Last moments of Frédéric Chopin (1849-1850) by Teofil Antoni Jaksa Kwiatkowski Chopin was horrified to be buried alive, so he requested that his body be opened after death, and his heart returned to the Church of the Holy Cross in Warsaw. And he re...

Filipino music in general was introduced to me by my wife Rossana. What does music really mean to Filipinos? It simply tells them where they've been and where they could go. It tells a story that everyone can appreciate and relate to, which is why it's a big part of every Filipino culture. During the 1980s, Rossana was the lead dancer of the Manisan Cultural Dance Troupe. I got to know about  gong music which can be divided into two types: the flat gong commonly known as gangsà and played by the groups in the Cordillera region and the bossed gongs played among the Islam and animist groups in the southern Philippines. The kulintang ensemble is the most advanced form of ensemble music with origins in the pre-colonial epoch of Philippine history and is a living tradition in southern parts of the country. Very quickly, it pleased me another popular medium for light classical muse -  the rondalla . Its repertoire consists mainly of native folk tunes, ballroom music as w...

By   Georg Predota , Interlude © medium.com The English rock band The Beatles, formed in Liverpool in 1960, is widely considered the most influential band of all time. Led by songwriters Lennon and McCartney, the band was part of 1960s counterculture and inspired an international fan frenzy called “Beatlemania.” They stormed the United States pop market in what was dubbed the “British Invasion” and enjoyed huge commercial success. The Beatles essentially wrote simple songs emerging from folklore roots. Although primarily rooted in contemporary rock ’n roll, they absorbed different influences and styles, “having been inspired by everything, from Negro blues to Magyar dances.” And as a scholar writes, “they borrowed here and there with unabashed enthusiasm and made it all their own.” And while they considered “ Beethoven  a con, just like we are now,” Paul McCartney once said “ Bach  was always one of our favorite composers.”  George Martin, 1965 Paul and John sang in ...

  Puccini is one of the most beloved of all opera composers La Bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly and Turandot still play to packed opera houses the world over. Generally snubbed by the critics, Puccini was a serial adulterer whose greatest passions (apart from women) were massacring the local duck population and hurtling around in high-speed cars and boats. Yet behind the macho image, he was a creative artist of profound sensitivity and dramatic flair. This essential music companion provides a compelling overview of the constant tension between Puccini's indulgent personal life, his status as an international celebrity and his excruciatingly high standards as a composer. Italian composer Giacomo Puccini started the operatic trend toward realism with popular works such as 'La Bohème' and 'Madama Butterfly.' Who Was Giacomo Puccini? Italian composer Giacomo Puccini started the operatic trend toward realism with his popular works, which are among the most often performed...

Taylor Swift, Hans Zimmer, Aretha Franklin.  Picture: Getty By Sophia Alexandra Hall, ClassicFM London @sophiassocials   You don’t need to be able to read music in order to be a great musician. From Hendrix to Zimmer, these famous faces will make you question just how much musical education is needed to achieve greatness. You’d think to be a famous musician... you’d need to be able to read music? Well, you’d be wrong to think so, as these following musicians have been proving for decades. More and more musicians are learning to play via the Internet and by ear, which can be evidenced by the rise of apps and  online lessons  for children, which don’t necessarily involved learning to read sheet music. Read on to find out which of your favourite musicians have created successful careers, without this once thought to be mandatory skill. Jimi Hendrix (1942 - 1970) The singer-songwriter Jimi Hendrix reportedly taught himself to play by ear on the electric guitar, and ...

Music occupies an important place in my life. Definitely also in yours. This morning, I was sitting on my porch and realized that it's kind of lonely around me. I really can’t live without music. I turned on my radio. Well, people have different musical tastes depending on their age, education and even mood. Some people like classical music, others prefer rock, pop or jazz, but nobody is indifferent to it. As for me, I used to sing in front of the mirror in my childhood. A pencil box served me as a microphone and I imitated a show on the stage. It was great fun! At the age of 9, I wanted to become a radio host. Not knowing then, that one day it will become true. At present I can’t spend a day without music. In the morning I prefer fast rhythmic music. It’s like a cup of coffee or a cool shower that encourages you and freshens you up. So, since the early morning you are in a cheerful spirit and the forthcoming day seems to give many pleasant surprises. Isn’t it a great start to the ...

by  Georg Predota , Interlude Julie von Breuning Beethoven’s friendship with Stephan von Breuning (1774-1827) lasted a lifetime. We will meet him in more detail in another episode. For now it suffices to say that Beethoven’s Violin Concerto was dedicated to him. Concurrently, Beethoven fashioned a piano transcription, which is dedicated to Julie von Breuning. Born Julie Vering, she was the daughter of Beethoven’s physician Gerhard von Vering, and an excellent pianist with whom Beethoven enjoyed playing duets. It has been suggested that this double dedication was a wedding present to the von Breunings, who had been married in April 1808. Incidentally, the arrangement for piano and orchestra was published at least half a year before the original version for violin and orchestra. Some commentators have questioned the idiomatic merits of arranging a violin concerto for the piano, but “it could be argued that the importance of the work lies not in the violin virtuosity of the ...