Symphony No. 94

“No Place Like London,” Act 1, scene 1 from Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim The orchestra enters with a full and resonant timbre, sounding the melodic theme “No place like London,” twice. The second echo ends on a peculiar chord, unresolved. The first soloist’s timbre is bright, energetic and full of hope, in contrast to the second soloist’s timbre that is dark. As the second soloist enters the music changes, the key shifting from major to minor. The second soloist sings in a lower register…

extreme softness in the beginning of the symphony. As I was listening I noticed the crescendo throughout the piece until about one minute and thirty four seconds. Then the orchestra was playing pianissimo again for just a few seconds. I then heard another crescendo. I think this lasted throughout the rest of the symphony. I did notice the end of the piece went decrescendo for just a few seconds. The symphony ended fortissimo. The Dynamics of this symphony achieved by the conductor and orchestra…

The piece opens with a long low somewhat ominous blowing in the woodwind section. The string section accompanies the woodwind, building the shadowy dark tension. Gradually this sound builds and builds into a great rumbling crescendo. The music then gallops off from there into a cheerful frenzy that rises and falls like dancers in a colorful dance. It is played predominantly by the strings along with woodwind. The feeling is light and happy. A slight rolling in the percussion builds excitement.…

in Allegro. This piece began with the violins providing a very lively tempo. It evoked feelings of happiness and excitement. It was played by a strings orchestra only, which included the cellos. The mood became more dramatic as it progressed. The symphony played in unison producing a harmony of tone colors. I also enjoyed the syncopation of this movement, in which the offbeat notes were beautifully accented. The second movement was andante. The violins began in a loud, soft tempo which played a…

The first piece I will depict is “Eyeglasses Duo”. This a duo played with a viola and a cello, which were performed by James VonValkenburg and Wei Yu. It began with the viola playing energetically, followed by the cello. Throughout this piece, it sounded like the two performers were chasing each other. The piece was played with two movements that have a playful tune. Each of the instruments played the them but the other performer would accompany. In this duo, the second movement is rarely…

The most expensive violin ever sold Have you ever pondered upon the most expensive violin in the world? More importantly, have you ever imagined how old and precious it could be? If you haven’t, then you are in for a big surprise. The most expensive violin in the world is older than The United Sates of America! Yes, it's 273 years old. The Vieuxtemps Guarneri is a more than two centuries old musical instrument with a record of never requiring a major repair. The violin was made by famous 18th…

Gustav Mahler gained the majority of his success in the later years of his life. Some of the work that made him famous where works written and performed closest the time of his death. His funeral was attended by a smaller group of people than many of the composers before him. Even his wife Alma Mahler was unable to attend due to doctor orders. Johannes Brahms died many years before Gustav Mahler. Since he didn’t have a wife and his close friend had already passed, the funeral was much smaller…

From 1770 to 1820, the Classical Period had given us great musicians that we can learn from. One of these great musicians from this time is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He created a variety of piano concertos, symphonies, and operas, during his life. His time in Vienna has impacted many cultural changes there and changed the way music was look at. His music was truly one of a kind, for his time. Before moving to Vienna in 1781, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria in 1756. He was…

in their fullness, are inescapably complex and thought-provoking. They have influenced our technological culture as well; in 1931, Beethoven’s 5th symphony was produced on the first commercial 33 1/3 r.p.m. LP, and later, the first-generation of compact disks were designed to have a duration of 75 minutes - the perfect length to record his 9th Symphony on. His works have been heard at major historical events, including a performance at the fallen Berlin Wall, and at the beginning of radio news…

As listening to one of the best music composers to live, Ludwig Van Beethoven, I realize the music he produced is more powerful than I have ever thought. Listening to Symphony Number Five has changed the passion I have for music. Beethoven is my favorite composer to live. On the first movement called Allegro con brio on symphony Five in C Minor is one of my beloved favorite track. I loved when the violins came in and built suspense towards the trumpets. Let’s be honest, where would the song be…