Category Archives: Minnesota Orchestra

Day 207: Orchestral and Organ Works

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BeethovenCD12I love Beethoven’s use of dynamics.

Most of what I’ve heard so far is bold, brash, and dramatic. Beethoven’s music is almost forceful in its expressiveness.

Today’s CD consists of Orchestral Works and Organ Works, the former performed by the Minnesota Orchestra, conducted by Stanislav Skrowaczewski, and most of the latter performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos. In between are organ works performed by Christian Schmitt.

Anyone who says only orchestras in Europe should be taken seriously haven’t heard the Minnesota Symphony. Their performances of these Beethoven works is spectacular, as is the recording itself. Rich and clear.

Here’s what’s on Beethoven CD 12:

Orchestral Works
1. Coriolan – Overture Op. 62 (composed 1807)
2. Namensfeier – Overture Op 115 (composed 1815)
3. Gratulationsmenuett Wo03
4. Triumphal March from Tarpeja Wo02

Organ Works
5. Fugue in D Wo031

5 Stucke Fur Flotenuhr Wo033
5. Allegro non piu molto
6. Allegretto
7. Adagio assai
8. Scherzo: Allegro
11. Grenadiermarsch Hess 107

Wellington’s Victory or The Battle of Vittoria Op. 91 (Composed 1813)
12. British Entrance
13. French Entrance
14. Battle: Allegro
15. March: Allegro assai
16. Victory: Allegro con brio

There’s something about organ works that immediately reminds me of three things: Continue reading →

Day 206: Beethoven’s Opera

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BeethovenCD11According to various sources, Beethoven wrote only one opera. (Which, truth be told, isn’t a bad thing, from my perspective. I’m not a huge fan of opera.)

You can read background on Beethoven’s Leonore opera here. Or here.

From its entry on Wikipedia:

Fidelio (Leonore, oder Der Triumph der ehelichen Liebe: Leonore, or The Triumph of Married Love) (Op. 72) is a German opera with spoken dialogue in two acts by Ludwig van Beethoven. It is his only opera. The German libretto was prepared by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly, which had been used for the 1798 opera Léonore, ou L’amour conjugal by Pierre Gaveaux, and the 1804 opera Leonora by Ferdinando Paer (a score of which was owned by Beethoven).

The opera tells how Leonore, disguised as a prison guard named “Fidelio”, rescues her husband Florestan from death in a political prison.

Sounds cheery enough.

Maybe that’s part of the reason why it wasn’t received well when it premiered. Another reason, according to Wiki, was this:

The success of these performances was greatly hindered by the fact that Vienna was under French military occupation, and most of the audience were French military officers. After this premiere, Beethoven was pressured by friends to revise and shorten the opera into just two acts, and he did so with the help of Stephan von Breuning. The composer also wrote a new overture (now known as “Leonore No. 3”; see below). In this form the opera was first performed on 29 March and 10 April 1806, with greater success. Further performances were prevented by a dispute between Beethoven and the theatre management.

Yeah. I can see that.

The other composition on Beethoven CD 11 is Die Weihe Des Hauses, which (in German) translates to Continue reading →