On Friday Feb 9 we listened to a varied selection of music picked by John Avery. In keeping with John’s policy of bringing lesser known composers to our attention we listened to several dances and some marching music by Mikhail Mikhailovich Ippolitov-Ivanov.
Mikhail studied in Moscow but then spent some time in Georgia and his music contains influences from this area of the world. He was also able to incorporate Turkish sounds into his music. He returned to Moscow in 1905 and stayed there until he died in 1935. His music has a stirring aspect to it and was very enjoyable to listen to.
From a lesser known composer, we then moved to a very well-known composer - Wolfgang Mozart - and we enjoyed listening to Quintet in A Major for Clarinet and Strings. K581. In this case the clarinettist was Benedict Goodman - better known as Jazz musician Benny Goodman. This was recorded on 25 April 1938 and caused a little controversy in its day. Can a Jazz musician play classical music? Should a Jazz musician play classical music?
We finished up by listening to the exquisite Violin Concerto in D Major Op61 by Beethoven. This is one of the great pieces of music and was the perfect way to finish the morning even though there were complaints about the noise.
It was also disappointing that we were not able to get all the equipment to work.
Neville Gibb
Mikhail studied in Moscow but then spent some time in Georgia and his music contains influences from this area of the world. He was also able to incorporate Turkish sounds into his music. He returned to Moscow in 1905 and stayed there until he died in 1935. His music has a stirring aspect to it and was very enjoyable to listen to.
From a lesser known composer, we then moved to a very well-known composer - Wolfgang Mozart - and we enjoyed listening to Quintet in A Major for Clarinet and Strings. K581. In this case the clarinettist was Benedict Goodman - better known as Jazz musician Benny Goodman. This was recorded on 25 April 1938 and caused a little controversy in its day. Can a Jazz musician play classical music? Should a Jazz musician play classical music?
We finished up by listening to the exquisite Violin Concerto in D Major Op61 by Beethoven. This is one of the great pieces of music and was the perfect way to finish the morning even though there were complaints about the noise.
It was also disappointing that we were not able to get all the equipment to work.
Neville Gibb
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Sound recordings of Benny playing Mozart's Quintet in A Major for Clarinet and Strings. K581 on You Tube but a live in concert couldn't be located, Copland's poignant Clarinet Concerto is featured above, along with a wonderful concert of Benny's virtuoso clarinet playing in the jazz genre he became so well known for. .
