Dvorak Carnival Overture Op. 92

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This piece was the 92nd published work of Antonin Dvorak and the piece was written for a full orchestra. The piece is centered around the key of A Major which features three sharps, those being F sharp, C sharp, and G sharp; however, Dvorak utilizes different key signatures in small sections throughout the piece. This pieces is mainly in cut time which means that the time is really 2/2, (cut from the standard time signature of 4/4), in which there are two beats per measure and the half note serves as one beat. This piece, being an overture, only has one movement.

Dvorak wrote this piece in 1891as the second part of a trilogy of pieces that he wrote for “Nature, Life, and Love”, which means that this piece represents life. Known as a Romantic composer, Dvorak is best known for his 9th Symphony, “From the New World”. However, along with Slavonic Dances, this piece is a major work of his with deep Bohemian influence.

This is a piece that is very close to my heart since it is the first piece I heard performed live from a professional orchestra. I will never forget being a 13 year old sitting in the eight row of Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall hearing the New York Philharmonic masterfully perform this piece. I owe it to this piece that I love classical music as much as I do today. When I listen to the piece now, I am still discovering new, interesting aspects that I haven’t noticed before, (I suggest focusing on the cello line if you have time to listen twice). With quick, flowing runs written for instruments that usually don’t perform those types of melodies, it is a challenge to play and inspiring to listen to. As always, thank you for reading and please leave any feedback in the comments section.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYMpt5Lg3cw                                                   -Bass Clef

Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings Op. 48

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This piece was the 48th published work of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and, as the name implies, it was only scored for a classical string section, (consisting of first violins, second violins, violas, cellos, and bases). The majority of the piece as well as the main theme is in the key of C Major, which possess no sharps or flats. It comprises four movements, the first and last movements being mostly in 2/4 time while the middle movements are in ¾ time. This means that in the first and last movements, most measures are two beats long and a quarter note serves as one beat which means that in the middle two movements, there are three beats per measure and the quarter note still serves as one beat.

The piece as a whole is best known for its dramatic first movement, which you can hear if you click the link at the bottom of the page. Tchaikovsky wrote this piece in 1880 and the piece is still known today as one that can be used to define the whole Romantic Period. While best known for being the first guest performer at Carnegie Hall and composing the music for the Nutcracker ballet, Tchaikovsky wrote a number of pieces that often are overlooked by first time listeners since they aren’t overly embellished like many baroque pieces. However, it is this relative simplicity that triggers such an emotional response to his work.

I had the pleasure of listening to this piece performed live and, throughout the performance, I could not hold back my emotion. While starting and finishing with the same run of notes he brings the piece full circle and somber but quick runs in the middle of each movement can’t help but lighten your heart. Thank you for reading and please comment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsGRglp6tvs                                                             -Bass Clef

WELCOME

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WELCOME
Welcome all to this new blog. Since this is the first post, I believe that I should alert my readers as to what I will actually be writing about; to avoid future confusion. In other words, this will hopefully suffice as a proper introduction for this blog.
I will be writing about various aspects and the many intricacies of classical music. You may think of each post as providing both a review of each piece and educational background. These reviews will consist of a brief theoretical breakdown, followed by some historical context, and finished with some of my own opinions and emotions from listening to each piece. I will try to post a YouTube link at the bottom of every post so that, in the case that you haven’t heard the piece that I’m reviewing, you may listen to it at your leisure, (however, I would advise that you should listen to it before or while you are reading the review for better understanding of the contents of the review).
In order to receive as much feedback from the readers as possible, I encourage you to leave your opinions on pieces, suggestions for future reviews, and any other classical music experiences that you may have enjoyed in the comment section. This is a safe online community of classical music enthusiasts and those interested in learning more, so all opinions are welcome. However, any brash or rude comments will not be tolerated and will be removed instantly. I trust that none of you will start foul mouthing in the comment section.
I would like to thank everyone who read this post for I am sure that we are going to have a great time in the future. Your support is always appreciated and your input is welcome.
-Bass Clef