William's Song a Day Blog - est. September 2007

Op.129; Year: ~1795; Genre: Classical Period/classical I always love music like this, it shows that "the greats" were not stodgy old folks bereft of humour. In actuality with those who are still widely-known to history it was quite the opposite. Anyway, this is a classical music lover's favourite; it is a show piece that gets played when musicians do expositions on Beethoven. Op.129 is a virtuoso piano piece with some hallmarks of the late Classical Period, but also with rumblings of the Romantic Period that had already begun to take hold, like his louder, more bombastic style.   Hear the piece on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Dokken - Into the Fire     My song pick 2 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - So Supernatural     My song pick 3 years ago today: The Zombies - Tell Her No   My song pick 4 years ago today: Van McCoy & the Soul City Symphony - The Hustle   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Kinks - A Lo...

Hob. VIIe/1 ; Year: 1796; Genre: Classical Had this fantastic piece of music on my mind after researching some on the great trumpet virtuoso Rafael Mendez . I absolutely love his rendition, so today I am picking the piece originally written by Maestro Joseph Haydn. This is another instance where you will instantly recognize the melody, which has been used just about everywhere for the last couple of centuries. Today, this is one of Haydn's more famous works, although "the father of the symphony" has an immense catalogue of work with many other famous compositions.   Watch a spectacular performance of the piece by the late virtuoso Rafael Mendez on YouTube.  (piece itself begins at about the 3:20 mark.)       My song pick 1 year ago today: Gloryhammer - Legendary Enchanted Jetpack     My song pick 2 years ago today: Pearl Jam - Animal   My song pick 3 years ago today: Parliament - [You're a Fish & I'm a] Water Sign   My song pick 4 years ...

K. 361/370a ; Year: 1782; Genre: Classical Period/classical Another "number rollover" pick; leaving 3600s behind and beginning with 3700s. Without a doubt I needed to choose a special song for the occasion; this rather famous piece by Mozart came to mind; mostly though because of its catalogue number of 370a. It's a rather pretty piece, which makes great "wallpaper music," which is great to put on in the background. Hear the full piece on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Pat Benatar - You Better Run My song pick two years ago today: Soundgarden - The Day I Tried to Live My song pick three years ago today: Rush - Halo Effect My song pick four years ago today: Clifford Brown and Max Roach - Stompin' at the Savoy My song pick five years ago today: Franz Liszt - S.244/2 - Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 My song pick six years ago today: Modest Petrovitch Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition My song pick seven years ago today: Unheil...

K.619; Year: 1791; Genre: classical/Classical Period For some reason I had Mozart on my mind this morning; this cantata written the year he died especially felt like an excellent choice. Absolutely perfect music to listen to whilst working. Hear a great performance of the piece on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Billy Joel - She's Got a Way My song pick two years ago today: Rick James - Cold Blooded My song pick three years ago today: Primus - Amos Moses My song pick four years ago today: Pink Floyd - Speak to Me/Breathe/On the Run My song pick five years ago today: Aerosmith - Rag Doll My song pick six years ago today: John Lennon - Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) My song pick seven years ago today: Fuel - Million Miles My song pick eight years ago today: Tom Petty - Runnin' Down A Dream

Symphony No. 45; Year: 1772; Genre: Classical Period/classical When I saw today's pick number, (1809), I happened to remember that 1809 was the year that master composer of the Classical Period, Joseph Haydn died. While I've never been a big fan of his music, I still recognize his mastery of his art; there is no doubt that he was one of the greats. It's not really that I dislike his music or anything like that, but with, of course, some exceptions I've never been a big fan of music from the Classical Period; the music is just too formulaic and sterile for my tastes. Whatever the case I figured I should pick one of his pieces today, and I thought it would be absolutely perfect to pick his Farewell Symphony for the occasion. Here is the entire piece performed by Capella Istropolitana, conducted by Barry Woodsworth: Hear the first movement on YouTube. Hear the second movement on YouTube. Hear the third movement on YouTube. Hear the fourth movement on YouTube....

Op.13 ; Year: 1799; Genre: classical/Classical Period I noticed that 1799 happened to be the year that this piece, one of my favourite sonatas from Beethoven, was first published. So, since I've yet to pick it, I thought I would go ahead and make it my pick for today; besides it's a more than perfect piece to close out the 1700's with. Hear the first movement: "Grave - Allegro di molto e con brio" performed by Dubravka Tomsic on YouTube. Hear the second movement: " Adagio cantabile " performed by Dubravka Tomsic on YouTube. Hear the third movement: " Rondo: Allegro " performed by Dubravka Tomsic on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Chet Atkins - Tears My song pick two years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Tusk My song pick three years ago today: Fairport Convention - Tam Lin My song pick four years ago today: Cream - Tales of Brave Ulysses +

K.626 ; Year: 1791; Genre: classical/Classical Period I had another song in mind today, but for some reason when I saw that today's pick number was 1791 it seemed familiar for some reason. After a little bit of wracking my brain I realized that 1791 was the year that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died. After I realized that fact there was only one song, or piece of music that I wanted to pick. Not only is this his final composition, but it is undoubtedly my favourite piece of music from the master composer; it's truly beautiful and awe inspiring. I especially love listening to it as driving music; it's quite exhilarating. This piece in particular has a great deal of mystique tied to it, which is due it being a funeral mass written by one of the most famous composers at the time of his death and the fact that much of the composition was not from his hand. In fact, if I remember right, the majority of the piece was written by others. One of the major misconceptions about th...

Op. 67; Year: 1808; Genre: Classical Period/classical My song pick number today, 1770, is the same as the year that legendary composer Ludwig van Beethoven was born. He is by far one of my favourite composers and I thought I would go ahead and pick one of his pieces for today. He was one of the main composers that broke out of the "absolutes" of the Classical Period and helped to usher in the more expressive and art driven Romantic Period . I realized that I have yet to pick any of his symphonies, so I figured I would pick one of his most famous. This symphony is best known for its four-note "fate knock" theme or "riff" that the entire piece is written around. Here is the entire symphony conducted by Grant Llewellyn: Here is the first movement on YouTube. Here is the second movement on YouTube. Here is the third movement on YouTube. Here is the fourth movement on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Al Di Meola - Bianca's Midnight...

K. 1a; Year: ~1761; Genre: classical/Classical Period The legendary composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in the year 1756, and since that's today's pick number, I thought it would be apropos to pick one of his pieces. I guess since we're talking about his birth I also thought it would be perfect to pick what is thought to be his first composition, which he supposedly wrote at the tender age of five. While it's a very short piece, (only 10 measures in length), it still is fascinating to hear the work of who would become arguably the most famous composer of all time in such an embryonic state and to hear a Mozart who was yet to developed his own style. When listening to these early pieces I can't help but envision his father, Leopold Mozart, looming over the young prodigy whilst he worked it out and wrote it down. Hear a medley of his earliest pieces, including of course this one, on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Grateful Dead - Help is...

1632 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - K.331 - Piano Sonata No. 11 K.331, Year: 1781-3 Genre: Classical Period/classical For the third day of my mystery theme week I felt like picking this one. Most will instantly recognize most of the melodies throughout this famous piece; the melody of the third movement, Rondó Alla Turca: Allegretto, in particular should ring a bell to almost everyone alive or dead. While its an excellent piece of music in so many ways, as with most music from the Classical Period , it has a tendency to fade into the background and easily becomes 'wallpaper music.' Here is the first movement: Andante Grazioso on YouTube. Here is the second movement: Menuetto on YouTube. Here is the third movement: Rondó Alla Turca: Allegretto on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Allman Brothers Band - Little Martha My song pick two years ago today: Steve Vai - #?@! Yourself My song pick three years ago today: The Who - I'm Free My song pick four years ago today:...

1619 Ludwig Van Beethoven - Op. 31 No. 2 - Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor "Tempest" Opus 31 No. 2, Year: 1802-1803 Genre: Classical Period/classical Being that it's a crazy day out there on the interweb, I decided I would pick a nice piece of Classic music instead of the stuff from the last 80 or so years like I normally would. Just like his other piano music, this one is a truly beautiful piece of music. If no one noticed a great deal of popular websites have put up a self-imposed blackout here in the U.S. in protest of two bills that are currently going through the process in congress. You can find out the particulars of the SOPA and PIPA laws for yourself on Wikipedia . I almost joined them in their protest by blacking out my blog, but really, only a few regular readers would miss it, so I figured if I did it, it would just seem overtly pretentious. That being said, I do fully support the actions of those sites in their opposition of these two poorly written and pot...

1370 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - K. 525, Serenade No. 13 for Strings in G major " Eine Kleine Nachtmusik " K.525, Year: 1787 'Tis the fifth day of my "...And about 1300 days later" theme week of picking songs from artists that I have not picked since my first 100 song picks. I really didn't expect any classical composers, especially Mozart to be part of this list. I know I keep saying it this week, but I though for sure that I had picked more than a couple of his compositions, but alas, the last song I chose from Mozart's Köchel Catalogue was the Queen of the Night Aria from The Magic Flute , K.620 on the 20th of September, 2007 ; my 20th pick overall. This is one of my favourite of Mozart's compositions and is one of his more famous ones; almost anyone should recognize this piece after the first two or three notes of the first movement. Here is the Allegro movement on YouTube. Here is the Romanze: Andante movement on YouTube. Here is the Menuetto:...

825 ( Antonio Salieri - Requiem in C-Minor (Piccolo Requiem) ) This is a piece of music that I have been meaning to add to my list for a bit now and it just seemed right today. Ever since I first heard Salieri's music I was amazed by the sheer amount of passion that he put into it; I have since become a fan of his music. Salieri is the composer that has been vilified in pop culture as the rival of Mozart. While it is historically accurate that he did get in the way of Mozart, it was not even close to the extent that it has been portrayed. This, of course, is the music for a Funeral Mass, which is an extremely beautiful piece of music. I find that often if I like music from the Classical period, (from the mid 1700's to early 1800's), it is usually the requiems. However, there are many other pieces in different types of composition from this period that I like a lot as well. The entire piece of music is on YouTube and in sections, the links to all are belo...

This is without a doubt one of my favorite pieces of music from Ludwig Van Beethoven. There is so many contrasting emotions in the song that will take the listener from the feelings of happiness, to sadness, to elation, despair and everything in between. The dynamics used in this song are simply incredible, which is a trademark of Beethoven's genius. Here is a recording on YouTube. +

I realized that I had not chosen any song written by Beethoven yet, and that needed to be taken care of. Anyway, Beethoven is one of my favourite composers/musicians of all time. One of my favorite aspects about him was how he broke the "absolutes" of the Classical Period and helped usher in the Romantic Period. This song is an excellent piece of chamber music that is still in the style of the Classical Period. Here is a recording of the song on YouTube. Here is another recording of the song performed by Ivo Pogorelich on YouTube. +

For today, song 20, I decided to pick the Magic Flute Aria (K.620) by Wolfgang A. Mozart. This is the part of the Opera The Magic Flute , basically it is the section where one of the main vocal performances is performed. The vocal control and range of the woman who sings this piece of music has to be incredible, it is just amazing to hear. Here is a recording on YouTube. Here is a live performance of the scene and Aria on YouTube. +