Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

Our second offering for the "fifth wheel" guest occasional series from Joni. The Poiesis Quartet were the eventual winners of the Banff competition, and their final concert was sublime (I cannot recommend it highly enough!) On the way up, though, like all other contestants, they had to go through the curated pieces by which they could all be measured. Here is one such piece...

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

Completing the little foray into the works of Leoš Janáček, we have a short but very sweet piece, again with violin and piano. 

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

Continuing our mini-season of the works of Janáček, today's item is a duet that shows his inclination to experimentation with pre-existing forms, yet retaining a strong classical connection...

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

This week's offering is a little more challenging to the ear, but still very lyrical. Listen for the instruments talking to each other, asking and responding...

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

Okay, I've decided that I will still use birthday months as a prompt, but pick one composer, then provide several different pieces to enjoy. The composer will be one that I probably don't listen to a lot myself, so it will be a good exercise for my ears and brain to sort out what to include! 

For July, the pick is Leoš Janáček. Although quite a well-known name, I rather think I may have been exposed to some of his more avant-garde items earlier in life, which coloured my view and I have, perhaps, avoided him since. It was, therefore, rather a joy to curate this month's offerings for your delectation. Let us begin with an item that falls well into the general listening category and is not at all difficult...

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

The last of our birthday composers (for now, at least) is Alois Haba, born on the 21st of June, 1893, in Vizovice, Czech Republic. His is of the early Modern classification of musical styles; still lyrical, but displaying that more explorative (eccentric?) tendency of the Modern era. I enjoy things that demand my full attention in listening... how about you?

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

Next off the line of June composers is Joseph Martin Kraus, born on the 20th of June, 1756, in Miltenberg, Germany. His style falls, then, into the true Classical category... think the likes of Mozart, Beethoven, and Haydn. Personally, I feel a little towards the Classical period a bit like I do about contemporary "pop" music. It absolutely has its place, but I very much pick and choose and need to be in the mood! This short item gives you a taste of the rather florid style of this composer. How about you? Does it inspire you to go find more?

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

Another name that had previously escaped my notice (though I wonder how, because I've loved everything I've listened to in searching for a share here!) is that of José António Carlos de Seixas (commonly referred to simply as Carlos Seixas), born on the 11th of June, 1704, in Coimbra, Portugal. I'm definitely adding this fellow to my playlists! So delicious were some of the very short pieces discovered, I am giving you two... first a regular harpsichord item, followed by a keyboard item transcribed for guitar, and a rollicking piece it is... what say you - are you a lover of the Baroque?

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

June! Crikey... this year has rocket boosters on. Anyway, this is the last of the birthday boys of lesser-known names in the world of music composition. We began last July. I am considering continuing the birthday theme for searching out listenable pieces, but this time with a focus on the much better known names... you'll know in July whether I opt for that or go off on another tangent! 

Let's begin this month of musical birthdays with a name I was totally unfamiliar with: Sir John Stainer, born on the 6th of June, 1840, in the London borough of Southwark. He fits squarely into that category of Romantic music ... blogpal and commenter, Tomichan, asked about the naming of the style, so for others who may be interested, check out this article. I had a little difficulty finding a short piece to share with you, but did find this excerpt from his much-loved choral work, The Crucifixion. I was all the more delighted when I realised it's sung by the choir at St Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh. For those of you who may become entranced, you might like to listen to the entire work (a little over an hour) on this link, which is again from Edinburgh, in the mighty St. Giles' Cathedral.

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

The final birthday for this month belongs to Gyorgy Ligeti, born on the 28th of May, 1923, in Transylvania, Romania. This composer covered everything, from neo-classical to truly avant-garde (as in guard your ears!) This short sonata leans more towards the first of those, and I think you will appreciate it, as I did. 

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

Next off the musical ramp, we have Joachim Raff, born on the 27th of May, 1822, in Lachen, Switzerland. Very much of the Romantic style of composer (which I confess, I usually avoid), I found myself watching the manuscript as it played in this video, and my fingers were 'finding the keys'! A brief listen to a couple of other items was pleasing to the ear, so I may go on to listen more to this chap's works.

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

Now I bring you a composer who started out as a violinist, then went on to operatic singing, and is in that sphere that he is most known for the music he wrote. Michael William Balfe was born on the 15th of May, 1808, in Dublin, Ireland. I was not familiar with the name, although I did recognise some of the music. This piece is particularly imaginatively performed, I think you will agree.

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

May birthday boys... and yes, it's all male again. Sigh. We begin with one William Lawes, born on the 1st of May, 1602, in Salisbury, England. Very much of the early Baroque style of composer, the few works I worked through all tended to the sonorous, one might even say, ponderous. This is the shortest item I found... entertaining for the instruments and earnestness of the players, giving some life to some otherwise rather lifeless music... or is that just me? There may be a reason Lawes is not widely known!

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

The first of our "fifth wheel" choices, as provided by penfriend Joni. A quirky piece combining three unusual partner instruments: marimba, oboe and foot cymbals... fun!

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

To complete the birthday set for the month, a composer whose works are certainly way off piste! 

Luigi Russolo was born on the 30th of April, 1885, in Portogruaro, Italy. He was fascinated with concepts of what might be, embracing all that was modern and the potential within... Futurism, as developed by another Italian, F T Marinetti. He painted, created 'music', and designed and built strange new 'instruments'. His focus was on methods of creating sound to echo the mechanical world. (Read more.)

This item is less than four minutes long... One could be tempted to dismiss it, but think of the industry that had developed by the start of the 20th century. Here we are made to reflect on the sounds of factories, machines of many kinds, vehicles, and growing urban spaces. I found it surprisingly compelling... (That's Luigi, on the left, with help playing his intonarumori).

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

Week three of the month brings us to Giacomo Carissimi, born on the 18th of April, 1605, in Marino, Italy. Composing in the early Baroque movement, his works pertain specifically to the Roman School, which is to say, almost entirely sacred in nature. He is credited with formulating the 'rules' for Latin oratorio and produced many masses, motets, and cantatas himself. Here's a short item to give you a taste...

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

Our second birthday boy for this month is one Johann Friedrich Fasch, born on the 15th of April, 1688, in Buttelstedt, Germany. The musical style is of the mid-to-late Baroque period, and I had a little difficulty choosing which item to share with you today. Rather excellent music to background work and puzzling, this, so I've bookmarked this playlist... I rather suspect a few of you may wish to do so, also! Here's a shortish introduction to the work of Herr Fasch...

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

Well, I never, another birthday month. Mine as well as each of the composers chosen for the first four Wednesdays... remember that the months with a fifth will have a surprise!

Rachmaninov was a first-of-April baby, and a big favourite of mine, but I held back and stuck to the lesser-known choice of Ferruccio Busoni, born on this day in 1866 in Empoli, Italy. A pianist himself, he composed quite a lot of pieces, acknowledging the influence and thematic use of other composers such as Bach and Chopin. 

However, I was caught by the Indianisches items... having travelled in the United States, he connected with a lady who had been studying the songs and sounds of the Native Americans, producing a book which she passed on to him. Busoni did not like how the Indians were being treated... You can read a bit more about that if you wish, over on this linked page. Here, though, is one of the piano pieces inspired by the Indian Harvest Songs...

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

As stated at the start of the month, there were only three composers who fitted the 'lesser-known' intention of this series. Of the famous names to pick for the closing music for March, it was just impossible to go past J S Bach! Born on the 21st March, 1685, in Eisenach, Germany, he left an undisputed legacy in music. Mathematical precision, geometrical and mesmerising rhythms, lyrical and philosophical passages that reach into the very core of the listener... I do not believe there is any work of this composer that fails to delight (and I have listened to a great, great deal of JSB over the years).

Here, today, a short and peaceful item from the Goldberg variations. I had the Glenn Gould version on vinyl and still consider it one of the definitive performances. However, the more recent Canadian pianist, Angela Hewitt, certainly equals it...

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

Birthday boy no. 3 for the month is one Friedrich Julius Reubke, 23rd March, 1834, in Hausneindorf, Germany. Here is one of those composers who was tragically lost at the age of 24 due to tuberculosis, but left some worthy works. It is considered that his Sonata on the 94th Psalm is among the very best of the Romantic movement... I did give it a listen, but I admit that I struggled to stay the course. This very short wee piece gives you a taste of his style, with not too much of the bombast in the larger piece.