April 2012 - Classical Music

Bach, J.S.

• Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen (Weeping, Lamenting, Worrying, Fearing)
• Widerstehe doch der Sünde (Resist Sin)
• Gott ist mein König (God is my King)
• Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (God's time is the very best time)
• Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir (Out of the depths, Lord, I cry to you)
• Ach, ich sehe, itzt, da ich zur Hochzeit gehe (Ah! I see now, when I go to the wedding)
• O heiliges Geist- und Wasserbad (O bath of Holy Spirit and water)
• Himmelskönig, sei willkommen (Heaven's King, be welcome)
• Barmherziges Herze der ewigen Liebe (Merciful heart of eternal love)
• Der Herr denket an uns (The Lord has been mindful of us)
• Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut (My heart swims in blood)

Beethoven

• Piano Sonatas 9 and 10
• String quartet from Piano Sonata No. 9
• Horn Sonata
• String Quartets 1 to 3

Haydn - String Quartet in D minor, Op.76/2
Holmboe - Symphony No. 10
Schumann - Dichterliebe
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 15
Telemann - Tafelmusik Volume 3 (complete)
Vivaldi

• Cello Concertos in C, C minor, D minor and B minor, RV 400, 401, 407 and 424
• Gloria, RV 589 with Ostro picta
• Laudate pueri in C minor, RV 600
• Salve Regina in F, RV 617

That Bach box started getting worked on in earnest. The box is basically chronological, so it dealt with a few very early cantatas before getting to ones composed in Weimar around 1713-1716.  It was a bit of a worry initially that I didn't like the Weimar ones as much as the earliest ones, because there are a lot more "non-early" works!  It did settle down a bit as I went, so hopefully the box will generally be rewarding.

Apart from that... my chronological working through Beethoven continued. Okay, working through by opus number, which isn't the same thing. But it's actually quite interesting to occasionally discover that something was not published until later. I'm deliberately avoiding looking ahead.  April was opuses 14, 17 and some of 18.

There was also my random grab-bag of Vivaldi cello concertos together with a selection of the earlier sacred vocal works. There are some lovely moments in the latter, or should I say movements, because it's often just a couple of movements within these sectional pieces that really end up standing out. I feel like I should almost start taking notes about which movements are the highlights - something I wouldn't normally countenance, but these sorts of vocal works really don't seem that integrated musically. They're integrated by the text.