Carl Maria von Weber (1786 - 1826) - Concertant Duo from piano & clarinet

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Musicologie presents tonight Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber who is born in Eutin (germany) on November 18, 1786 and died in London (UK) on June 5, 1826 was a German composer, conductor, pianist, guitarist and critic, one of the first significant composers of the Romantic school.  

Carl Maria von Weber 

Module by: Catherine Schmidt-Jones 

Background and Influence 

Carl Maria von Weber's musical career, like that of Ludwig van Beethoven, came at the beginning of the Romantic era. Although it is not nearly as well-known, Weber's music, like Beethoven's, had a major influence on the course of Romantic music. The German folk opera genre that Weber established would eventually lead to the operas of Wagner; and Weber's highly ornamented, virtuoso-style piano music influenced the styles of Schumann, Liszt, and Chopin. 

Weber's operas were, of course, influenced by earlier opera, including Mozart's, but Weber also had a strong sense that he was creating a new, distinctly German, tradition. Weber's melodies often have the flavor of German folk song. And his librettos (texts) and plots were strongly influenced by Romantic-era German literature. His operas are stories of good and evil taken from local legends and fairy tales. The characters are of humble origin, and their fates are affected both by nature - a powerful element of mystery and danger - and the supernatural, both favorite subjects in Romantic literature. 

Biography 

Carl Maria von Weber was born in Eutin (near Lubeck) on November 18th, 1786. The "von" was an affectation; his family was not really aristocracy. His mother was a singer. His father, who was Kapellmeister for a prince bishop and then director of a travelling theatre company, was determined that Carl should be a musical prodigy like Mozart. So young Weber's youth was spent on tour. At age four he could not yet walk properly, because of a congenital disease of the hip, but he could already sing and play piano. He first published a composition at age eleven. 

Weber began his adult career as a concert pianist. His first opera (which has been lost) was produced in 1800 in Freiberg. Soon he was Kapellmeister at Breslau. A later job as the private secretary to Duke Ludwig at Stuttgart did not go well for Weber(it actually led to a short term in prison), but subsequent jobs included director of the Prague Opera and director of the Dresden Court Opera. He exhibited a singular drive, vision, and organized dedication when directing opera companies, but seemed to lack self-discipline in other areas of his life, living a rather Bohemian, financially insecure lifestyle in between directing jobs. 

In spite of failing health, Weber continued directing, composing and touring as a performer until his death (of consumption) on June 5th, 1826, in London, where his final opera had premiered. His body was eventually returned to Germany eighteen years later; the graveside speech was given by Richard Wagner. 

Music 

Weber's operas, with their powerful, inventive, and dramatic music, were his master works. Der Freisschuetz (1821), in particular, was tremendously popular and influential, but Euryanthe (1823), and Oberon (1826) also contained powerful music that influenced later Romantic composers. 

Weber's virtuosic piano compositions were similarly influential. He also composed songs, and two symphonies.

• Read more on cnx.org

Johann Pachelbel (1653 - 1706) - Canon in D major

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Musicologie celebrates tonight Johann Pachelbel baptised September 1, 1653 – buried March 9, 1706) was a German Baroque composer, organist and teacher, who brought the south German organ tradition to its peak. 

Popularity of the Canon in D 

Pachelbel's Canon in D major, a piece of chamber music scored for three violins and basso continuo and originally paired with a gigue in the same key, experienced a tremendous surge in popularity during the 1970s. This is believed to be due to a recording by Jean-François Paillard in 1970, which made it a universally recognized cultural item. 

Its visibility was greatly increased by its choice as the theme song for the popular film Ordinary People. Now one of the most recognized and famous baroque compositions, it has in recent years become extremely popular for use in weddings, rivalling that of Wagner's Bridal Chorus.

• Read more on pachelbel.net

Johann Pachelbel 

He composed a large body of sacred and secular music, and his contributions to the development of the chorale prelude and fugue have earned him a place among the most important composers of the middle Baroque era. Pachelbel's music enjoyed enormous popularity during his lifetime; he had many pupils and his music became a model for the composers of south and central Germany. 

Today, Pachelbel is best known for the Canon in D, as well as the Chaconne in F minor, the Toccata in E minor for organ, and the Hexachordum Apollinis, a set of keyboard variations. Pachelbel's music was influenced by southern German composers, such as Johann Jakob Froberger and Johann Kaspar Kerll, Italians such as Girolamo Frescobaldi and Alessandro Poglietti, French composers, and the composers of the Nuremberg tradition. 

He preferred a lucid, uncomplicated contrapuntal style that emphasized melodic and harmonic clarity. His music is less virtuosic and less adventurous harmonically than that of Dieterich Buxtehude, although, like Buxtehude, Pachelbel experimented with different ensembles and instrumental combinations in his chamber music and, most importantly, his vocal music, much of which features exceptionally rich instrumentation. 

Pachelbel explored many variation forms and associated techniques, which manifest themselves in various diverse pieces, from sacred concertos to harpsichord suites.

• Read more on wikipedia.org 

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750) - Air on the G string

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Musicologie presents tonight to celebrate J.S. Bach the brilliant Air on the G String which is an August Wilhelmj's arrangement of the second movement in Johann Sebastian Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068.

The original orchestral suite was written by Bach for his patron Prince Leopold of Anhalt some time between the years 1717 and 1723. The title comes from violinist August Wilhelmj's late 19th century arrangement of the piece for violin and piano. By transposing the key of the piece from its original D major to C major and transposing the melody down an octave, Wilhelm was able to play the piece on only one string of his violin, the G string. Later, a spurious story was put about that the melody was always intended to be played on the G string alone.

The Air on the G String was the very first work by Bach to be recorded. This was by the Russian cellist Aleksandr Verzhbilovich and an unknown pianist, in 1902 (as the Air from the Overture No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068).

• Read more on jsbach.org 

Johann Sebastian Bach 

Johann Sebastian Bach  (31 March 1685 – 28 July 1750) was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist of the Baroque period. He enriched established German styles through his skill in counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and the adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France. 

Bach's compositions include the Brandenburg Concertos, the Mass in B minor, the The Well-Tempered Clavier, more than 200 cantatas, two Passions, and keyboard works. His music is revered for its intellectual depth, technical command, and artistic beauty. 

Bach was born in Eisenach, Saxe-Eisenach, into a great musical family; his father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, was the director of the town musicians, and all of his uncles were professional musicians. His father probably taught him to play violin and harpsichord, and his brother, Johann Christoph Bach, taught him the clavichord and exposed him to much contemporary music. 

Apparently at his own initiative, Bach attended St Michael's School in Lüneburg for two years. After graduating, he held several musical posts across Germany: he served as Kapellmeister (director of music) to Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen, Cantor of Thomasschule in Leipzig, and Royal Court Composer to August III. 

Bach's health and vision declined in 1749, and he died on 28 July 1750. Modern historians believe that his death was caused by a combination of stroke and pneumonia. Bach's abilities as an organist were highly respected throughout Europe during his lifetime, although he was not widely recognised as a great composer until a revival of interest and performances of his music in the first half of the 19th century. He is now generally regarded as one of the main composers of the Baroque period, and as one of the greatest composers of all time...

• Read more on wikipedia.org

Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741) - Spring from 4 seasons

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Musicologie presents tonight Spring to celebrate Vivaldi's instrumental works. Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741), nicknamed il Prete Rosso ("The Red Priest") because of his red hair, was an Italian Baroque composer, Catholic priest, and virtuoso violinist, born in Venice. 

Recognized as one of the greatest Baroque composers, his influence during his lifetime was widespread over Europe. Vivaldi is known mainly for composing instrumental concertos, especially for the violin, as well as sacred choral works and over forty operas. 

His best known work is a series of violin concertos known as The Four Seasons. Many of his compositions were written for the female music ensemble of the Ospedale della Pietà, a home for abandoned children where Vivaldi had been employed from 1703 to 1715 and from 1723 to 1740. 

Vivaldi also had some success with stagings of his operas in Venice, Mantua and Vienna. After meeting the Emperor Charles VI, Vivaldi moved to Vienna, hoping for preferment. However, the Emperor died soon after Vivaldi's arrival and Vivaldi himself died less than a year later. 

Though Vivaldi's music was well received during his lifetime, it later declined in popularity until its vigorous revival in the first half of the 20th century. Today, Vivaldi ranks among the most popular and widely recorded of Baroque composers.

• Read more on wikipedia.org 

Instrumental Works Cross-Reference

Being a great admirer of Vivaldi's instrumental works, I've always wished I had a comprehensive and complete listing of all the master's works with the assigned catalog numbers by the various catalogers structured in such a way as to allow easy searching, sorting and translation between the catalog numbers. 

A fairly thorough search turned up no such resource, so I decided to create a database of Vivaldi's works that could be used to create cross-reference lists including any and all information usually included in the various works lists. These lists are generated from that database.

• Read  more on classical.net

MANUII.FREE plays Hed Kandi - The nothern sound of Europe (Berlin, Amsterdam, London, 1997 - 2007)

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Manuii.Free presents tonight this selection of 37 videos performing the sound of Hed Kandi created by various artists from U.K. and Nothern Europe reunited by producer Mark Doyle...

Let's discover the sounds made by the label in the past 10 years between 1997 and 2007 with the following numeric report made on Web 2.0

• Read, watch and listn more on hedkandi.com 

Hed Kandi - 1997/2007

Hed Kandi is a UK-based record label and a music brand established in 1999 by Mark Doyle and specialising in Nu-Disco, a romantic variety of disco-box house music. Hed Kandi's catalogue includes both artist albums and various genres of club compilations. As well as producing music albums and compilations, Hed Kandi hosts events all over the world. 

From its well-known Saturday night parties in Ibiza to pool parties in Las Vegas, its distinct brand of upbeat house music, often accompanied by a live saxophonist and percussion player, can be found in several parts of the world.

History 

Hed Kandi originated in 1997. Mark Doyle had already been running the jazzfm label and had released 2 compilations that did not really fit with the jazzfm sound (Nucool 1 & 2). Management asked if they could continue this style of music, but not directly linked to jazzfm records. Mark Doyle created the Hed Kandi name, chose and the illustration-based identity with the contributions of illustrator Jason Brooks. 

The label became its own entity and (still wholly owned by jazzfm) began growing to the current scale of operation. Within a few years Hed Kandi managed to put the whole station in profit for the first time in 10 years. Compilation releases included Beach Angel, Serve Chilled, Winter Chill, Back To Love, Disco Heaven, Disco Kandi and Twisted Disco, There were also artist albums by 45 dip, Afterlife and Anthea The brand was further promoted by radio shows on jazzfm & Galaxy. Fierce Angel began touring overseas first of all with parties in Amsterdam and Berlin and then launched its club in London. 

The first party, at Rouge, attracted over 3000 people to a 1000 capacity venue. Shortly after, Fierce Angel moved to Pacha London and still holds parties at the venue. The label had further success with hit records from Stonebridge ft Therese "Put Em High", which reached number 3 in the national charts. jazzfm was the spiritual home of hed kandi and the synergy between the two was what made the label such a success. Fierce Angel became a worldwide brand with large CD sales and events worldwide. 

Fierce Angel also launched the labels Stereo Sushi & Acid Lounge In July 2002, Guardian Media Group (GMG) purchased jazzfm as a going concern with a view to being able to format the station more commercially under the more relaxed radio licensing rules. GMG realised the potential of Hed Kandi and, while investing heavily in the infrastructure, the company also recruited a major record label exec to oversee operations. 

Unfortunately a number of creative, financial and policy issues led Mark Doyle to believe that his role would be more limited under the new owners and he left the company in June 2005. A short period followed in which Hed Kandi released CD's without input from Mark Doyle and in January 2006, Hed Kandi Records was acquired by the UK record company Ministry of Sound for an undisclosed sum. Since then, Mark Doyle and his team have created a new record label, Fierce Angel.

• Read more on wikipedia.org 

Next time, 
to feel more free while dancing, 
get a Night Cage.

Purchase on manuii.free.fr

MANUII.FREE plays Mr ADAN - Numerica ArtParty (Live) & Red Mirror

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MANUII.FREE presents tonight this video performed by Mr ADAN with a sound which have caught my attention and has motivated the following numeric report made on Web 2.0

Mr ADAN

Mr ADAN brings new life to traditional electro music mixes by offering unusual and trendy sounds, and working his sets with a maximum of remixed tracks, with constantly renewed music with something "different."

• Read watch and listen more on monsieuradan.com 

Style & Influences : 

Vitalic, The Hacker, Kiko, 2ManyDJs, Beatorrent, Daft Punk, Justice, Sebastian, Crookers, Soulwax, Tiga, Data, Monosurround, Kitsuné, Mr Oizo, MSTRKRFT, David Guetta, Teenage Bad Girl, Xinobi, Simian Mobile Disco, Boys Noize, Laurent Garnier, John Lord Fonda, Madonna, Pryda, Felix Da Housecat, Fatboy Slim, Martin Solveig, Sebastien Leger, Uffie, Spitzer, DJ Mehdi, Tepr, Alan Braxe, Chemical Brothers, JoJo de Freq, Shinichi Osawa, Digitalism, Air, Cassius, ... and so many more...

MANUII.FREE : Product of the day

RED MIRROR

How to be more sexy on the dancefloor...

Express your skills higher than ever...

• Purchase now this product on manuii.free.fr

Frank Black - ''Calistan'' - Video AUDIO VISUAL FUN WITH JIMMY BIGNUTZ 1.7

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Mailing Sound prosumes tonight the soundtrack ''Calistan'' performed by Frank Black in John Henry Rehearsal Studio, London (UK) on 2001. 

The video was uploaded on YouTube in January 21, 2007 by AUDIO VISUAL FUN WITH JIMMY BIGNUTZ.

• Watch more videos from AVFWJB on »»» YouTube Channel

Who is Frank Black ?

Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV (born April 6, 1965) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as the frontman of the influential alternative rock band Pixies, with whom he performs under the stage name Black Francis. 

Following the band's breakup in 1993, he embarked on a solo career under the name Frank Black. After releasing two albums with record label 4AD, he left the label and formed a new band, Frank Black and the Catholics. He re-adopted the name Black Francis in 2007.

...Black Francis

His vocal style has varied from a screaming, yowling delivery as lead vocalist of Pixies to a more measured and melodic style in his solo career. His cryptic lyrics mostly explore unconventional subjects, such as surrealism, incest and biblical violence, along with science fiction and surf culture. 

His use of atypical meter signatures, loud–quiet dynamics and distinct preference for live-to-two-track recording in his career as a solo artist give him a distinct style within alternative rock. 

As frontman of Pixies, his songs (such as "Where Is My Mind?" and "Debaser") received praise and citations from contemporaries, including Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Nirvana's Kurt Cobain. Cobain once said that "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was his attempt to "rip off the Pixies". 

Charles Thompson reformed Pixies in 2004 and continues to release solo records and tour as a solo artist.

• Read Watch & Listen more on website »»» http://blackfrancis.net/