Today is the anniversary of the birth of
Ralph Vaughan Williams (pronounced '
rayf"), a 20th century composer of some breathtakingly beautiful music. I absolutely love this piece, presented in 2 parts (a total of about 15 minutes for both) below. The video is just a series of repeating images of him, not visually interesting after the first couple or so, and I would recommend clicking and listening while you are looking at something else. Turn it up!!
Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis:I love it when people pronounce it as "Fawn-tuh-
see-uh" instead of "Fan-
tase-ya".
We've got this one in our CD collection and have heard it live with Leonard Slatkin conducting the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (Slatkin has since moved on the conduct the National Symphony in Washington DC, and is currently with the Nashville Symphony).
6 comments:
My, you're into all kinds of music it seems. I think you have to be very brave to listen to 'classical' music. So beautiful, but so sad. Then again, maybe I O.D.'d on it when I was a kid. My father was a classical snob. Didn't think there was a single note of good music written since about 1854.
Or maybe earlier. When was Brahms' Fourth? That was his 'desert island' piece. You know, if you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one record to listen to for the rest of your life? His was Brahms' Fourth. Mine I think would be Ry Cooder's "Bop Til You Drop". Or maybe some ZZ Top...
re classical snob: That's what I love about Leonard Slatkin. He has a fondness for 20th century composers, (even Americans!) plus would often put together something very eclectic and modern... something a snob would never touch. Plus he is a nice, down-to-earth guy that you can have a chat with.
...and I dearly love Ry Cooder.
ohhhhh I do luuuuuv RVW. No anglophile can resist. His stuff is beautiful.
Leonard Slatkin...he's no sweet Lyle Lovett! When he guest conducted in Nashville, my brother in law said he rushed Beethoven 5 like his head was on fire -- like, skipping rests, for pete's sake -- and stomped dramatically. Vintage Slatkin. The Detroit Symphony just picked him up as their Music Director. That's only three hours from Cleveland. I may have to move to Texas.
Always room for one more music lover down here!
Post a Comment