Wednesday, December 05, 2007

CLASSICAL MUSIC ANYONE?




I'm too busy to do a thoughtful post, but here's (above) something easy to put up that I think some people here will like a lot: Jascha Heifetz playing Wieniawski. Heifetz took a lot of flack for preferring minor composers like Wieniawski and Paganini to Bach, Beethoven and the like, but I have no problem with it. Wieniawski was a full-time violinist and he knew what other violinists liked to play. Listen to the incredible virtuosity on display here. I don't know of any living violinist who can come close.

It takes a minute or two for the documentary to get around to the playing of the piece.







Here's a couple of minutes of Glenn Gould playing Bach with Bernstein. Holy Cow! What I wouldn't give to have heard this live!



I hate to leave anybody out. For those who aren't partial to classical music here's (above) something to help you get through the day! Click to enlarge!

22 comments:

John A said...

I'd swear that tree is smiling...

Vincent Waller said...

She's not getting larger when I click on her Eddie! What am I dong wrong? Why does she hate me?

Anonymous said...

Larger picture of the something, to make it through the day.

Charles said...

Why would she be the one getting larger?

Jack said...

Awesome save!

(The image doesn't get larger for me either)

Anonymous said...

The image didn't emlarge but I did.

Rich Tomlinson said...

I agree Eddie Heifetz and gould are amazing.......
er.. I mean that tree has some serious wood!

Anonymous said...

Notice how no one has mentioned the music yet?

Lester Hunt said...

My favorite violinist ever was Fritz Kreisler -- he had soul! There don't seem to be any Youtube movies of him playing, but here is an audio with a still.

Anonymous said...

That Glenn Gould piece is outstanding. This is the kind of stuff that just makes life rich. Thanks for sharing it, and turning me on to so many other artists, authors, and musicians.

Kali Fontecchio said...

NO MORE PORN

Ken Mitchroney said...

I was hoping for Jack Benny, But Heifetz will do. And asfor the pin-up? As Jack would say,... "WELL"!

Dave_the_Turnip said...

well done Eddie. You've jumped from classical music to classical form.

*boom tsh*

Pete Emslie said...

Apparently too much "Air on a G-String" - blew the thing clean off...

Kelly Toon said...

glad to see you are enjoying domai ;)

Aggie said...

I think Heifetz's performance exposed more than that woman's body ever will... in any case, thank you SO much for posting that clip. It was lovely! Glenn Gould's work speaks for himself, of course... he plays Bach like no other.

F. Fredrick Skitty said...

Thank you for posting the Heifetz; I'm learning to play violin, and the slow motion bit where his fingers dropped onto the fingerboard has given me some fantastic ideas. Also thanks for posting the jugs.

Eddie Fitzgerald said...

Lester: A terrific link! Kreisler was a massive talent. His sentimental short subjects contain some of his best playing but it's hard to sell this to modern listeners.

Kali: Gee, I didn't think of it as porn. Cheesecake, maybe. Kelly liked it.

Anonymous said...

Huh? Kali was joking right? I hope so.
If Kali thinks that is porn, then maybe she should take some (or a lot more)life drawing classes and learn more about the human body and what differentiates nude vs. porn.
I will give her the benefit of the doubt and assume she was kidding, cuz if she wasnt then shes quite a prude that has no business being involved in art at all as does anyone who can get uptight over boobs, especially in that very tame picture.

Ian Merch! said...

I think it just goes to show: There's nothing quite like watching someone who's mastered something practice their craft. Who knew people could even think that fast!?

Anonymous said...

Eddie, You might enjoy this performance of Ravel's two-hand piano concerto (as opposed to his one-hand piano concerto)by Bernstein conducting from the keyboard. I always thought this music would make a decent soundtrack to a Fantasia-like cartoon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjdAyy1xatA&NR=1

As for the girl, I just have the feeling she was about to hoist that tree onto her back and carry it away.

I really enjoy yor blog, Eddie, keep up the good work.

Eddie Fitzgerald said...

Anon: The Ravel piece was fun! Thanks!