On the Beautiful Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II

In a recent post I was writing about good lyrics and lack thereof. As far as is known, many classical composers were getting themselves out of the situation by cooperating with great contemporary poets. However, there is another way: if no text is good enough, go all instrumental – unless you are composing operas, this usually works. What is curious, though, is that some works we are used to hear without any words whatsoever were originally featuring voice parts.

One such is The Blue Danube, a waltz written by Johann Strauss II. Chances are, if you would find this piece in a program of a concert you're going to attend, it would be performed in all its symphonic glory yet you wouldn't find any singers (at least on stage, in audience a few occasional ones may make an appearance). At that, lyrics for The Blue Danube were written shortly after the work was completed, and there is even an alternate text available. Find an arrangement for choir and piano here: On the Beautiful Blue Danube, and those of you who are used to what you are used to – watch a classic instrumental version below:

Christmas Sheet Music

There are certain moments in our lives when we get amused by how fast time passes by. For me, it happened today – I understood that it's been only a day after this year's thanksgiving celebration (and hey, I still remember the previous year's one!). Thinking about that, I realized that soon are coming Christmas and New Year's Eve too. In relation to classical music Christmas is perhaps a holiday like no other – a number of carols and hymns never fails to impress, and even nowadays this wonderful holiday still inspires songwriters and composers from all over the world.

What is so special and hard to define yet easy to feel about Christmas is well, its "spirit." Spirit of the Christmas is what makes us look at the things differently – more positive, if you like, – and also what literally clears away any despair and boredom. From my experience, music does almost exactly the same, and when it Christmas music, it truly is an antidote to melancholy. Considering the transience of time, it's never too early to replenish your collection of Christmas classics – enjoy this amazing archive of christmas sheet music.

Les nuits d’été – Hector Berlioz

There is an obvious problem with lyrics in the modern music – not only anyone searching for deep observations and irony in context of philosophical topics won't likely find those in it, but overall it isn't particularly diverse, mostly dealing with cobwebs of romantic love or other random empty gibberish. A common workaround to avoid that was setting someone's poem to music - poets deal with words on a regular basis and quite obviously their texts are of higher quality.

These days we don't have a whole lot of poets hence the problem. However, in times when classical music was composed it was simpler: take for example Berlioz's Les nuits d'été – it is a setting of poems by Théophile Gautier. Written in French, they indeed sound very beautiful and are anything but meaningless. I sincerely recommend L'île inconnue included in this song cycle – download it here: Les nuits d’été, Op.7 H 81 No.6.

Into a New Life – Josef Suk

I thought the time has come to write about another piece, and why don't we talk about really strange things today? I mean, yes, it says the man who periodically comes up with facts like J.S. Bach sentenced to prison or Anton Bruckner opening the door naked (wait, or I didn't mention this on the pages of the blog? If so, it was an inexcusable omission! Well, at least now you all know more about an Austrian composer's habits).

So, what I'm going to talk about today is Art Competitions at the 1932 Summer Olympics. Yes, you got it right: at that date not only freerunners and biathlonists could participate in Olympics, composers, painters, sculptors, and architects were eligible too. As if it isn't strange enough already on its own, there is a documentary evidence that Czech composer Josef Suk took second place silver medal in music – and no one was awarded gold and bronze, at that! Why didn't they give him gold then, you may ask. The answer is...I don't know. (I already mentioned this post is all about strangeness, didn't I?..)

If you are interested to hear a piece that brought him fame – and who isn't? – it is available by the link below:

V nový život (Toward a New Life) Sokol March, Op.35c.

Enjoy!

Wagner – Die Frist Ist Um

One of the most original composers ever living, Richard Wagner found his unique style perhaps while working on Flying Dutchman, his opera inspired by natural phenomenon of storm (and not of looming, as one may think; looming is an atmospheric refraction effect which, strictly talking, initiated the legend of a ghost ship, to which the piece owes its title). Sea related scenes inspired not only Wagner – think of Aivazovsky's paintings or Moby-Dick, – and all these works are brilliant. To every rule there is an exception, but not this time: Flying Dutchman is a genuine masterwork. Find sheet music for Die Frist ist um here: The Flying Dutchman. Die Frist ist um, for Voice and Piano.

Ebben? Ne andrò lontana (Aria from La Wally)

As far as I know, there are not many people named after works of classical – or, well, modern or film, – composers. Well, someone may have a different experience, but among my acquaintances certainly one can't find Carmen or say, Attila or Ariadne. Besides that, it is usually inanimate objects bear real person's names, with Apple Lisa, the first computer of the company named after Steve Jobs' daughter being the obvious example. Still, to every rule there is an exception, and having been impressed with Alfredo Catalani's opera, Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini decided to give his daughter a name of Wally – a very good-sounding one, if you ask for my opinion. I can't help but join Toscanini in his appreciation of this work – it is nothing less than amazing. Download the score of the first act's aria here: La Wally. Air Wally 'Ebben? Ne andrò lontana' Act I.

The Rage Over the Lost Penny – Beethoven

The Rage Over the Lost Penny might as well be a title to win in the "Attention span" nomination among classical pieces, however, composed by one of the music's masterminds and most important figures whatsoever, it also makes one wonder: why did Beethoven need to excel with naming? Upon listening things become even more unclear: if this work had been substantially imperfect, there would be neccessity to cover it up via distracting title; no matter what, the Rage Over the Lost Penny is among the most refined pieces written by Beethoven. But the truth is, it wasn't him who was overly creative in this situation, actually who are responsible for the title are third parties and its origin runs back to the great composer's haibt of accusing his households in stealing... Download it here: The Rage Over the Lost Penny. Rondo a Capriccio in G Major, Op.129.

Edward German – Rolling Down to Rio

Rolling Down to Rio is quite a life-asserting song which, from my experience, succeeds in lifting the mood much. Featuring lyrics by Rudyard Kipling, it was written by Edward German, a composer of English nationality. (It would be fun if he had been born in Germany – "Edward German, German composer" sounds very nice, – but what didn't happen didn't happen.) German himself at the certain period of life needed something to lift his mood. It seems like he had a plenty reasons not to be cast down – he was the first composer to score a British movie and was among those first to conduct their own works for recording, – but what truly dismayed him is that his orchestral works didn't get much recognition. These are indeed very nice and I sincerely recommend checking them and other works of German out. For now, here is his Rolling Down to Rio, enjoy.