Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Debussy Arabesque No.1 - Inga Fiolia


The famous #Debussy Arabesque no.1 - played by Inga Fiolia at the Trinitatis Church Cologne A multiple prizewinner of international competitions and described in the international press as a “poet on the piano with remarkable maturity”, German-Georgian pianist Inga Fiolia has a bright future. Since giving her first performance with an orchestra at the age of seven, she has shown a phenomenal ability as a soloist, accompanist and interpreter of a wide variety of styles, from the Baroque to the 21st century compositions. Inga Fiolia studied at the Central Music School of Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow and the Cologne Musikhochschule with Alexey Nasedkin, Rudolf Kehrer and Vassily Lobanov. She is the youngest follower of the Neuhaus piano tradition, which included Sviatoslav Richter and Emil Gilels. As a soloist she has collaborated with orchestras including the Brandenburg State Opera Philharmonic (Mendelssohn Concerto No. 1), the Brussels Philharmonic (Rachmaninov Concerto No.2), the Georgian State Chamber Orchestra (Bach No. 5) and National Philharmonic (Haydn D major, Beethoven No. 1), the Bergische Symphoniker and the South Westphalia Philharmonic (Liszt No.2). She received the Solti Award and German Piano Magazine´s “Piano News prize” and has also performed for major TV and radio stations including ZDF, ARTE, Classica TV, SWR, Deutschlandradio, WDR, as well as on Georgian TV. Her performance of Scriabin’s Preludes and Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto was released on the DVD “Stars of tomorrow, presented by Rolando Villazon” (Unitel Classica, 2015). She released two recordings of Mikhail Glinka´s piano works: “Piano Variations” (2017), “Dances” (2018) and Sulkhan Tsintsadze´s “24 Preludes” (2019) on Naxos´ Lable Grand Piano. In 2019 she made her U.S Debut at Lincoln Center in New York, a Debut at the Klavierfestival Ruhr with works by Ravel, Debussy (CD Edition Klavierfestival Ruhr), Schubert and Glinka and has performed Chopin´s 1. Piano Concerto with the Cologne Chamber Orchestra. In 2020 she made her reloaded arrangements of Beethoven‘s best Piano pieces, that were premiered and recorded live at Ruhr Piano Festival with the Sting‘s percussionist Rhani Krija (Album Release in 2022).

FRED ASTAIRE and CYD CHARISSE - Dancing in the dark, at the Central Park



Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Bread - If (lyrics)



Top 65 Classical Music Masterpieces Everyone Knows, But Not Everybody Knows the title


Manila Symphony Orchestra | Medley of Philippine Folk Songs


On March 13, 2019, the Manila Symphony Orchestra performed in the FEU Auditorium in cooperation with the Silaw Foundation. The Manila Symphony Orchestra was based in the FEU Auditorium for 8 years in the 1950s. This concert was part of the celebration of FEU's 91st anniversary and the 70th birthday of the Auditorium. Watch as they perform a medley of Philippine Folk Songs by American Composer Bernard Greene under the baton of Professor Marlon Chen. © Video courtesy of the FEU Media Center

Shirley Bassey -And I Love You So-



André Rieu - O Fortuna (Carmina Burana - Carl Orff)





La Paloma " Le Belle Epoque " Gruppo Claudio Bonelli ....



Sunday, April 14, 2024

someone like you, Rolling in the deep - Adele Live at the Royal Albert...



【60’s】[歌詞付] リズム オブ ザ レイン (悲しき雨音)【Cover】Rhythm of the Rain - The Cascades



Marschner - Overture: Der Vampyr (The Vampire)


Overture to the 1828 opera "Der Vampyr" (The Vampire) by German composer Heinrich August Marschner (1795-1861), an pivotal figure in German Romantic opera. The opera is based on John Polidori's short story "The Vampyre." Helmuth Froschauer conducts the WDR Rundfunkorchester Köln.

Madonnina dai riccioli d'oro (A. Costanzo - S. Gallizio - B. Garino)



12,765,425 views  Apr 20, 2010
Madonnina dai riccioli d'oro (A. Costanzo - S. Gallizio - B. Garino) ISCRIVITI AL CANALE - ATTIVA LA 🔔

Orchestra Silvestro Folk
Voce e Fisarmonica - S. Messina

ORCHESTRA ITALIANA BAGUTTI POLKA


ORCHESTRA ITALIANA BAGUTTI - POLKA FEDERICA COCCO CANTA L'UVA FOGARINA, M'HA DETTO MAMMA, LA BELLA GIGOGIN MATTEO BENSI E LA SUA FISARMONICA FULL HD LIVE SHOW UNA PRODUZIONE ITALIANISSIMA TV ITALIAN MUSIC ITALIAN SONGS 00:00 Inizio L'uva fogarina 01:26 M'ha detto mamma 02:28 La bella Gigogin 03:57 Polka live show duetto fisarmonica clarinetto

Friday, April 12, 2024

Ein Morgen, ein Mittag und ein Abend in Wien - Franz von Suppé


Franz von Suppé Neujahrskonzert 1990 Wiener Philharmoniker Zubin Mehta

WOMEN AND THE PIANO: A History in 50 Lives - Susan Tomes

by Frances Wilson, Interlude

Susan Tomes

Susan Tomes

Focusing on 50 women pianists – some well-known (Louise Farrenc, Fanny Mendelssohn, Nadia Boulanger, Tatiana Nikolayeva, for example), others less so, or only recently discovered – Tomes traces the lives and music-making of these women across the piano’s history, from the development of the piano in the 18th century to the present day.

As Tomes points out in her introduction, the piano is “an instrument that anyone can play, irrespective of gender”, yet until fairly recently, women pianists and composer-pianists were overlooked, under-represented in concert programmes and recordings, and generally consigned to the background in classical music history.

In some ways, the reasons for this are simple: women pianists lacked access to formal music training, were excluded from performance opportunities, and were even at a disadvantage to men due to the size of the instrument, the piano’s keys being designed for men’s typically larger hands. Additionally, women often had significant obligations to the home and family. And yet, despite these limitations, women continued to play, perform, and compose their own music. 

Pioneers, in a number of ways, women pianists carved their own paths within a male-dominated profession. They travelled independently and helped to shape the modern piano concert as we know it today, including playing from memory (Clara Schumann), performing cycles of complete works (Wanda Landoswka/Bach’s Goldberg Variations), premiering new works and reviving historical works, bringing lesser-known and rare repertoire into concert programmes and recordings, and commissioning new music. They were involved in recording, broadcasting, presenting TV programmes about music, creating educational initiatives, devising concert series….and much more – all against a background of, at best half-hearted support, at worst, antagonism, resentment, and open sexism. 

WOMEN AND THE PIANO: A History in 50 Lives by Susan Tomes book cover

These enterprising women, 50 of whom are presented in this book, helped to expand and diversify the profession, gradually debunking the notion that the male approach to a career as a concert pianist was not the only way. These women were not imitators of male pianists but artists in their own right, with their own musical integrity, authority, and identity.

This highly readable, meticulously researched, and elegantly crafted book takes a chronological approach, beginning with French keyboard player Anne-Louise Boyvin d’Hardancourt Brillon de Jouy and ending with Nina Simone, jazz pianist, singer and civil rights activist. For each woman pianist featured, the author gives biographical details, notes their significant performances, recordings or compositions, and demonstrates how they have each contributed to the world of the piano.

The introductory chapters explore some of the reasons why women were sidelined, including social mores and prejudices, and how men became ascendent in the profession. The closing chapters examine where we are today with regard to female musicians, including the effect of equal rights legislation, the rise of piano competitions, shifting attitudes within the profession and audience perceptions, and the influence of teachers. For this section of the book, Susan Tomes spoke to a number of female pianists working today to reveal some surprising insights, and the barriers and limitations which women still face today in a highly competitive global profession. 

At a time when the current discourse in classical music – and indeed in society in general – is focused on equality and inclusion, this book is an important, valuable contribution to the debate and a rich celebration of the essential role of women in the history of classical music and the piano in particular.