For your listening pleasure, I recommend the 2016 Nobel Prize concert by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Gianandrea Noseda and featuring Janine Jansen on violin. The video is only available until March 8.
Image Source: wikipedia - Janine Jansen met Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen in het Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Author: Ellywa, License: CC4, Share Alike
Image Source: wikipedia - Janine Jansen met Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen in het Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Author: Ellywa, License: CC4, Share AlikeIntroduction
The Konserthuset Stockholm web site is offering an embedded video with a 2016 performance by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. The performance was conducted by Gianandrea Noseda and features violinist, Janine Jansen. The performed works include: Wagner's Der fliegende Hollander (The Flying Dutchman); Brahms' Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77; Beethoven's Symphony no. 6 in F major "Pastoral", Op. 68; and Brahms' Hungarian Dance no. 5 in F sharp minor. In total, the performance is about one hour and 45 minutes long.
I enjoyed listening to this today at my desk and heartily recommend it for anyone who gets the opportunity. According to the web site, the video is only available until March 8th, so I guess that you have just under a day to watch it! Here's the link, go ahead and open it another tab so you can listen while you read.
In the following sections, I'll tell a little bit about what I found tonight on the conductor, the featured violinist, and each of the pieces.
Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda
Image Source: wikipedia - English: Gianandrea Noseda. Concert with Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Tel Aviv, July 08, 2013; Author: Levg; License: CC3, Share Alike Unported
Image Source: wikipedia - English: Gianandrea Noseda. Concert with Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Tel Aviv, July 08, 2013; Author: Levg; License: CC3, Share Alike UnportedGianandrea Noseda started his musical endeavors with piano and composition, and began studying conducting at 27 years of age under Donato Renzetti, Myung-Whun Chung and Valery Gergiev. In 1994, at age 29 or 30, he made his conducting debut with the "Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi." In the years since then, he has conducted orchestras in locations from St. Petersburg, Russia to locations in North America including Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Among other recognition, he was named Principal conductor for the Marinsky Theater and the BBC Philharmonic, Principal Guest Conductor for the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, and Music Director for the Teatro Regio di Torino. He also received the 2015 "Musical America" award for 'Conductor of the Year'
Featured Violinist: Janine Jansen
Image Source: wikipedia - Nederlands: Live uitvoering Concertgebouw; Author - C. Conradie; License - CC-BY-SA 4.0
Image Source: wikipedia - Nederlands: Live uitvoering Concertgebouw; Author - C. Conradie; License - CC-BY-SA 4.0There are many musicians in Jansen's family, including her father who plays piano, harpsichord, and organ; her brother who plays harpsichord and organ; another brother who plays cello; and a mother and uncle who perform vocally. She began studying violin at the age of 6 and has played publicly with the National Youth Orchestra of Scottland, the BBC Proms, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, in the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. As a Decca Classics recording artist, she has also released many recordings, preferring to play with a 5 piece string ensemble, rather than the traditional orchestral recording. Her recordings have included Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Bach's Inventions, and a 2013 album completely dedicated to Bach.
Wagner: The Flying Dutchman Overture
Image Source: wikipedia, License: Public Domain
Image Source: wikipedia, License: Public DomainThe Flying Dutchman was a @Wagner opera based upon the legend of the Flying Dutchman, a ship of lore which can never make port, and is therefore doomed to sail the oceans through eternity. According to the legend, the ship is a harbinger of doom, and if hailed, it will attempt to send messages to the dead. Wagner stated in his autobiography that the opera was inspired by a particularly fierce storm that he experienced. Unsuprprisingly, the overture was the last part of the opera to be completed, in November of 1841.
Brahms: Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77
Image Source: wikipedia, License: Public Domain
Image Source: wikipedia, License: Public DomainThis work was completed in 1878 and premiered in Leipzig on New Years' Day, 1879. It follows a standard concerto form: Allegro (in D major); Adagio (in F major); and Allegro (back to D major). @Brahms dedicated the work to his friend, violinist Joseph Joachim, and it was Joachim who premiered the work - after opening with the Beethoven Violin Concerto, which was also in D major. The piece is reported to be technically demanding, perhaps in part due to Brahms' background as a pianist.
Beethoven's 6th Symphony in F major, Op. 68
Image Source: wikipedia, License: Public Domain
Image Source: wikipedia, License: Public DomainThis symphony, also known as the Pastoral Symphony, was composed during the years of 1802 through 1808 and premiered on December 22, 1808 along with the more famous Fifth Symphony as part of a four hour (yes! 4!) concert. As a nature lover, @beethoven said that "the Sixth Symphony is 'more the expression of feeling than painting'" The piece has five movements, and it was used in the 1940 Disney film, Fantasia.
Brahms: Hungarian Dance no. 5 in F sharp minor
Image Source: pixabay.com, License: CC0, Public Domain
Image Source: pixabay.com, License: CC0, Public DomainThe 21 Hungarian Dances are among Brahms' most populary works. In this performance, Hungarian Dance No. 5 was an encore piece. The dances were mostly based on Hungarian folk music, and were originally composed for four hands piano. Brahms later arranged Dance #5 (and others) for two hands piano, and it was later arranged for orchestra.
Conclusion
If you haven't started listening yet, here is the link again. Listening to these musical selections as delivered by these performers is truly a worthwhile experience. According to the web site, the video is only available until March 8, so maybe just under 24 hours until the opportunity is lost.
As a general rule, I up-vote comments that demonstrate "proof of reading".
Thank you for your time and attention.
Steve Palmer is an IT professional with three decades of professional experience in data communications and information systems. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics, a master's degree in computer science, and a master's degree in information systems and technology management. He has been awarded 3 US patents.
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