10 top-of-the-mind Western Classical Music Pieces

 In advertising there is a term-"top-of-the-mind" or product recall. That means what comes up in your mind when you think about a particular subject; say you think of Impressionism van Gogh comes to your mind. You think of cold drinks Coke or Pepsi comes to your mind. 

Similarly what comes to my mind when I think Western Classical Music?

1. Beethoven's Violin Concerto 

The Rondo movement is hummable and so memorable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD6UT-y2HPo

2.  Eine Kleine nacht Musik by Mozart

The first movement is sprightly and forever favorite.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy2zDJPIgwc

3. On the Beautiful Blue Danube

This waltz by Johann Strauss needs no introduction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKkDMiGUbUw&t=165s

4. Four Seasons - Spring

This one by Vivaldi may be written in mediaeval age but how popular is it still now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfKxEH699Nw

5. Fur Elise

Beethoven's iconic piano piece is everywhere from ringtone to elevator.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGLpHxdsLtM

6. Turkish Rondo

What a pretty piece Mozart wrote.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6ryaQ6Gtpg

7. Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring

Bach's eternally moving piece which makes Christmas or Easter incomplete

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7PNFDrcqmY

8. Chopin's Nocturn no.20

Reportedly this piece saved life of Spillman from Nazi torture

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9oQEa-d5rU

9. Tchaikovsky's Song Without Words

A short and sweet passage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=907KXouF3Mw

10. Mozart Elvira Madigan Piano Concerto no 21,2nd movement

Soothes your soul, just flow with the music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRCEwy5XQSs

This is not the end....I add 10 close contenders

1. Beethoven's Emperor Concerto, 3rd movement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Xsjrbpo0qQ

2. Moonlight Sonata

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu7hscHkfPw

3. Tempest by Beethoven

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KMGcOYHSs0

4. Hungarian Dance no 5

This chirpy Brahms piece is musical

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzo3atXtm54

5. Paganini caprice no 24

Was Paganini a rockstar?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ307sM0t-0

6. Schumann Traumerei

Remember the Raymond ad?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z82w0l6kwE

7. Schubert's Serenade

evokes cinematic emotions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=widDAQKdlUA

8. Mozart Symphony no 25, 1st movement

Titan ad anyone??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNeirjA65Dk

9. Pachelbel canon

Can you imagine a marriage in the western world without this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlprozGcs80

10. Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyM2AnA96yE

** Can't stop sharing this Anthem of the EU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqs9a2Cxv5c

Music Education: Chamber Music

 

Chamber Music    

Chamber music is music written for small combinations of instruments, expressing intimate and personal emotions. Originally it was meant to be performed inside a room with friends and not in the concert hall. From the room or chamber this music gets its name Chamber Music. Almost all the composers have written beautiful music in this form. But the best chamber music has come from Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms. Chamber music starts with the combination of two instruments, a "duo" as it is called and goes right up to nine instruments or "Nonet". More than nine instruments become music for small orchestra or chamber orchestra. For these small orchestras the composers have also written works and these are known as sinfonias, or sinfonettas, or concertinas, in other words small symphonies and concertos.

Given below are the different categories of chamber music.

 

The    Duo   : This can be in various combinations, two violins, violin and piano, piano and

oboe, piano and clarinet, piano and flute, piano and horn. The most common is the violin and piano combination and in this, the works of Mozart and Beethoven are the momentous.

The Trio Sonata: This is virtually a duo because the third instrument merely holds on to the note like the Indian Tanpura. Bach and Handel wrote a lot of Trio Sonatas. The form really existed in the Baroque Age (1600-1740).

The Trio: Very popular chamber music form. The most Popular combination is violin, piano and cello. There are other combinations, violin, viola and cello (known as string trio). Beethoven wrote some wonderful string trios. Then there is clarinet trio or clarinet, cello and violin in which combination Mozart wrote and so did Brahms. but the most famous trios are the piano trios of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms. Dvorak's "Dumky" trio is also a lovely work;

The Quartet:         most important is the string quartet in which some of the greatest music of the composers have been written. This consists of two violins, viola and cello. The string quartets of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert arc the most important. The string quartet like the symphony can be called the backbone of western classical music. By dropping one instrument of the string quartet usually the second violin and adding either piano, horn or clarinet, the composers have obtained unique patterns of sound. The two piano quartets of Mozart, written for piano, violin, viola and cello, are very great works. Brahms wrote three piano quartets and so did Beethoven and Dvorak. Mozart also wrote flute quartets and oboe quartets and also a horn quartet where a fourth instrument outside the string family is added onto a string trio.

Quintet: The addition of a fifth instrument either a viola in case of Mozart and cello in case of Schubert     creates the form of the string quintet. Mozart's string quintets are great works and so is the string quintet of Schubert. If the fifth instrument is a piano it is known as a piano quintet as in the case of Schubert's popular Trout Quintet. Schumann, Brahms and Dvorak wrote piano quintets. Mozart and Beethoven also wrote a quintet for a combination of a wind quartet, that is clarinet, oboe, bassoon and horn and the piano as the fifth instrument. The piano and wind quintets of Mozart and Beethoven are utterly ravishing works. Mozart, Brahms and Weber also wrote clarinet quintets, where the clarinet takes the place of the piano.

Sextet: The addition of two more instruments to the string quartet makes it a sextet. Brahms wrote two beautiful string sextets. He also wrote string quintets like Mozart. Mendelssohn and Dvorak also wrote string sextets.

Septet: A combination of seven instruments makes it a Septet. The most famous work in this category is the Septet by Beethoven. It is a product of Beethoven’s youth full of passion and feeling.

Octet: A combination of eight instruments, strings and winds makes it an Octet. Schubert wrote a famous Octet for winds and strings while Mendelssohn wrote an Octet only for strings Both are captivating works.

Nonet: Nine instruments is a rare combination and only some contemporaries of Beethoven like Spohr used it. Chamber music ends with the Nonet. After that it becomes orchestra.

Practical reasons made composers write for small groups for it was not always possible to get a large orchestra. Sinfonias and Sinfonettas could be also performed easily. One can mention Mozart's serenade for thirteen wind instruments, a masterwork that remains unsurpassed in charm and beauty. Most of Mozart's divertimentos and serenades, which contain some of his most vivacious music is written for a small orchestra of ten to fifteen players.

Chamber music is the key to feeling the pulse of the composers. The greater the composer the better his chamber music output.

 

List of Chamber Music

1.    Haydn String Quartet ‘Lark’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNN_Kbuf7_U

2.    Mozart Quintet for Piano and Winds in E flat K452

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC9Qp6wKWsg

3.    Mozart Clarinet quintet K581 in A major

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTNbclgU3h4&t=380s

4.    Mozart: Oboe Quartet KV 370

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwTmzmi4AkQ

5.    Ludwig van Beethoven - String Quartet No. 14, Op. 131

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlFYC1U5viw

6.    Ludwig van Beethoven - String Quartet No. 15, Op. 132

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiVbMB6iLPc

7.    Beethoven - Piano Trio, Op. 97 (Archduke Trio)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mrfy_D9JVE

8.    Franz Schubert String Quintet in C Major, D. 956

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc3iX7x73JY

9.    Franz Schubert - Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667, "Trout"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMr4pDGo0KE

10. Johannes Brahms - Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-DqO_D1g1g

 

 

Music Education: Sonata

 

Sonata

Sonata refers to a particular structure or form of music in which composers have written works ever since the 16th century. A sonata can be for solo instruments like the piano or a combination of two instruments like the piano and violin, piano and clarinet, piano and cello, piano and horn etc. There is another type of sonata for three instruments known as Trio Sonata which used to be popular in the 16^th and 17^th centuries in which two of the instruments really played the major role and the third held the tune rather like the Indian tanpura or drone instrument. Sonatas are usually in three movements but there is no fixed rule. The first movement is constructed with two melodies rather like the first movement of the symphony. A simple formula will help to understand this construction. Suppose we call the two melodies A and B, A being strong and masculine, B being soft and feminine. How are they presented? The first part of the movement belongs to A then B is introduced and combined with A almost like a marriage and then out of the blending or the marriage of these two melodies a third melody or C emerges as the conclusion of the movement. Therefore we can map the flow of this movement with the following equation,

                              A       B        ABBA         C

Where A refers to  the  first  melody B  to the second melody ABBA to the blending of the two and C to the conclusion. In some sonatas there is an introduction before A, which appears rather like the opening of a door and we can call this section D. The first movement of the symphony and the concerto is based on this formula. So if you are good in catching tunes you should be able to follow these forms of music and have fun and enjoy yourself. Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann and Brahms all wrote beautiful Sonatas.

List

1.    Beethoven Moonlight Sonata    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5OaSju0qNc

 

2.    Mozart Sonata for Violin and Piano K378 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKeVF_Dluao&t=68s

 

3.    Beethoven Sonata Pathetique

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrcOcKYQX3c&t=615s

 

4.    Brahms Sonata for Cello and Piano no 1 Opus 38

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XiYrzsgWto

 

5.    Joseph Haydn Piano Sonata nº 59 in E flat, Hob. XVI:49

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWF-48jIrSU&t=754s

 

6.    MOZART Sonata in C minor, K. 457

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfptgKV1qI4

 

7.    Beethoven.Violin.Sonata.No.9.Op.47.kreutzer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COGcCBJAC6I&t=573s

 

8.    Beethoven.Violin.Sonata.No.5.Op24.Spring

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGFs7n6n3-8

 

9.    Beethoven Sonata N° 23 'Appassionata'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ak_7tTxZrk&t=58s

 

10. Beethoven Sonata N° 29 'Hammerklavier'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwZsDzGY1XA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Music Education : Symphony

 

The Symphony

 

The most famous of all musical forms. It means an orchestral composition in four sections with distinct pauses in between sections. The four sections are called movements. But there are symphonies with more or less than the standard four movements. The first movement is usually the most important movement of a symphony and it sets the mood of the whole symphony. It usually deals with two melodies or themes as they are called, which are displayed, developed and brought to a conclusion. The first movement is usually fast paced, magnificent and noble. The second movement is in contrast, lyrical, personal, meditative and slow moving. It is intimate in mood. The third movement is a dance and full of vivid motion. This dance movement has two melodies, one stated by the full orchestra and the other by a few instruments grouped together. The constant contrast that these two melodies produce is the charm of this movement. The last movement or finale is a blazing, triumphant fast paced piece of music of epical grandeur. The symphonic message is the triumph of the human will over tragedy and the infinite possibilities of human endeavor. Though there are symphonies that end tragically in a slow piece of music, most symphonies conclude with a blazing panorama of sound.

The great symphonies are the symphonies of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Bruckner, Mahler, Sibelius, Dvorak and Tchaikovsky. If you can listen to some symphonies of these composers you will get a good idea of the sound of the symphony. Symphony has become part of the English language and it means a richly blended outpouring of different strands of sound. The word symphonic suggests grand scale and size. Musically it means just that, a large scale work of tremendous passion and grandeur.

I have provided a list of 10 important symphonies below. Click on the link, you will be followed to Youtube. Track the movements and their pace each time you listen one. Sometimes the movements and their lengths are written below the Youtube title in the description section. For example, if you pick up Beethoven 3^rd Symphony you will find 4 movements;

                                          0:20 I. Allegro con brio

                                         16:13 II. Marcia funebre: Adagio assai

                                         32:02 III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace

                                         37:57 IV. Finale: Allegro molto

Here, time of each movement is mentioned in HH:MM ( hour:minute) format. The term Allegro means Fast pace and Adagio means slow pace. Vivace means lively.

Likewise you can read a description of movements of each symphony from Youtube or Internet to learn the separate pace and mood of movements. About naming some symphonies as Eroica or Farewell or Unfinished, I shall share anecdotes in a separate post.

 

Ten Great Symphonies

1.      Beethoven : 3^rd Symphony ‘Eroica’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InxT4S6wQf4)

                               5^th Symphony (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv2WJMVPQi8)

                               9^th Symphony  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOjHhS5MtvA)

2.      Mozart :    Symphony no.40 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sGqkMU-mGQ)

                  Symphony no.25 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApvqOhbsriA&t=130s)

3.      Dvorak  : New World Symphony   (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoeDafIQvNM)

4.      Haydn : Symphony no.45 ‘Farewell’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpD9ofCm6Ak&t=265s)

5.      Schubert : Symphony no.8 ‘Unfinished’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW0-75f8ov4)

6.      Mendelssohn : Symphony no.4 ‘Italian’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HX_jF1_Tgc)

7.      Tchaikovsky : Symphony no.5 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2JBT0HC98I)

 

Music Education: Concerto

Concerto

A concerto is music of contrasting colours created through the orchestra. There are two types of contrast which represent the two types of concertos. One is the contrast of a small group of instruments and the full orchestra. This is the Concerto Grosso. It used to be very popular at the time of Bach and Handel, two composers who lived in the 17^th century. The second type of concerto is the solo concerto or the contrast of one single instrument, piano or violin, with the whole orchestra. The solo concerto became popular at the time of Beethoven, Mozart and the romantic composers like Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Liszt, Schumann and Brahms.

The concerto grosso had no fixed number of movements or sections but the solo concerto is usually in three movements. The first movement is very much in structure like the first movement of symphony dealing with the two melodies and their development. Basically it is a dialogue between the soloist and the orchestra. The second movement is lyrical and personal, intimate and very romantic. The third is fast paced and brings the concerto to a triumphant conclusion. If you can listen to the concertos of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms you will get a good idea of the sound world of the concerto. All romantic solo concertos have passages where only the soloist plays. This is called cadenza.

If you are aware of Indian classical music then you will observe concerto is more of like Jugalbandi where two different instruments (Sitar and Tabla, Sarod and Tabla, Flute and Harmonium etc.) develop two melodies together like a session of question and answer.

I am attaching examples of concerto grosso and solo concerto with brief description of some. Violin and Piano are quite common in concertos as the solo instrument. However I am giving some examples of unusual instruments like Harp, Oboe, Lute, Mandolin, Organ and Recorder. There are some examples where Bach used four pianos for a concerto and Beethoven used Piano, Violin and Cello for his Triple Concerto. Baroque composers like Bach, Teleman, Haydn, Handel, and Vivaldi had used Organ, Harp, Trumpet, Lute, Mandolin etc which are not commonly in use today.

 

 

List of Concertos

1.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnDLlajMxyo&t=259s

Four Seasons by Vivaldi

This is the most popular concerto of all time. There are four distinct concertos named Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Violin is the solo instrument contrasting with the orchestra. The opening movement of the Spring is the most lively music you will ever hear. There is beautiful pizzicato (plucking of the string of violin) sound in the Winter mimicking gentle sound of snowfall.

1.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cokCgWPRZPg

Violin Concerto, Beethoven

In his entire lifetime Beethoven wrote only one violin concerto but this is the most complete violin concerto ever written. This is an example of concerto solo. Among the three movement my favorite is the last one which is Rondo. Rondo means cyclical arrangement of a leading theme. You will hum this Rondo theme once you hear it. Also note the cadenza or the only violin playing during Rondo.

2.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbQORqkStpk

Brandenburg Concerto, Bach

This is an example of concerto grosso where group of instruments like violin,oboe,trumpet,bassoon etc play in contrast to the orchestra. The rich polyphonic sound makes a pleasant hearing.

3.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4pJxad_aI8&t=2000s

Piano Concerto no.5, Beethoven

The third movement of this magnificent piano concerto has a melodious tune you will hum. This is popularly known as Emperor concerto.

4.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv5LeIkwPmg

Piano Concerto 1, Tchaikovsky

The rapid first movement is a treat to your ears. You will feel as if the sound is flowing like a river.

5.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay1hyj8Lo00

Concerto for Harp and Orchestra, Handel

The sound of this Harp concerto is angelic.

6.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2uYb6bMKyI

Piano Concerto no 21, Mozart

This is also known as Elvira Madigan because of a Swedish film who used this lyrical music. The 2^nd movement is the most peaceful work ever written in musical world.

7.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htDf0bpFIys

Concerto Grosso op 6, Handel

Hear the groups of instruments in contrast with the orchestra.

8.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyY5pB2a0cU

Lute Concerto, Vivaldi

This is a guitar like instrument not much in use today but what a jolly piece of music you will hear from the first note.

9.     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT_63UntRJE

Clarinet Concerto, Mozart

Such a beautiful example of a wind instrument contrasting with a full orchestra.

10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hggISFswKcw

Recorder Concerto,RV443, Vivaldi

Listen to another beautiful flute like wind instrument used by Vivaldi, a baroque master.

11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHjgSiTBddM

Trumpet Concerto, Haydn

Another beautiful wind instrument from baroque era. You will not stop humming the first movement.

12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDrVtXPpuRI&t=126s

Oboe Concerto, Mozart

13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ49G2-Chhs

Concerto for 4 Pianos, BWV 1065, Bach

This concerto is an example of concerto grosso with 4 pianos playing together.

14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSs6HKwhbAA

Concerto for 4 violins, Vivaldi

This is another fine example of concerto grosso.

15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEGNuBO4EsA

Cello Concerto no 6 in D Major, Boccherini

16. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmpjXrS6ekk&t=576s

Triple Concerto, Beethoven

This is a masterpiece played by Richter (Piano), David Oistrach(Violin) and Rostropovich(Cello) conducted by Herbert von Karajan of Berlin Philharmonic.

17. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8mJnX8up6g

Concerto for two mandolins, Vivaldi

18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK2m0To3BCk

Piano Concerto no.17, Mozart

Mozart was pleasantly surprised to hear the 3^rd movement from a starling bird in a pet shop who had picked this up and whistled. The 3^rd movement is simply worth remembering.

19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_yxtaeFuEQ

Cello Concerto, Dvorak

20. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo6ekt2kTVg

Organ Concerto B-flat major op. 4 No. 6, Handel

21. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC6cPairOTA

Violin Concerto, Mendelssohn