Music is powerful. It is special. And music is always something that I want to share. The beauty of music, as I was reminded from listening recently to an interview I had done with a composer (Eric Ewazen) in live performance, is that the music changes each time. Despite that there are specific written (in concrete? not to be confused with music concrete) notes, musicians interpret them in many ways.
I also have a strong belief and feeling that the moments and memories we cherish can be found in music. From the cheesiness from "Star Trek: Insurrection" (where the lovely alien stops time with Jean-Luc) to an anecdote told to me by a teacher where an old composer/conductor held a particular chord in a performance of a symphony because "he thought it was so beautiful" that he would "never hear it or experience it again", I too, sincerely believe that you can "live" in a moment of music.
So from time to time, I'm going to share with you my ideas of perfect musical moments - and hope you'll embrace them and live with them as I do.
I have three examples today that touch my heart.
The first is from Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony, second movement.
MP4 file
These chords (and the 2 phrases before this) are the essence of romance and sexiness to me.
The other two selections are of chamber music, two string quartets that I hold in very high regard. We'll start (and we will return to other passages in the future!) with Witold Lutoslawski's String Quartet from 1965.
MP4 file
This is a silly section for a serious piece of music.
(we WILL return to it in the future!)
And finally, for today, Harbor Music by Austin-based NY composer Dan Welcher. It is the second string quartet that Dan wrote.
MP4 file
This melodic section speaks well of Dan, and of his gentle soul.
(another 4tet that we will return to, wait til you hear the harbor bells and seagulls!)
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