More Classical Music Picks

Hi, sorry I wasn’t able to post for the past month or so; uni’s been killing me lately with all those academic requirements. I wish to inform you that, yes, I’m still alive and kicking (unfortunately for some .

Anyway, I’ve been posting my favorite pieces lately on my Multiply Web site. I made it so anybody can view those videos, so don’t hesitate to visit!

Classical Music Pick: Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue

Is it classical music, or is it jazz? This week’s Classical Music Pick has become very popular over the years, with its creative and ‘jazzy’ melodies and rhythms. Presenting…

Rhapsody in Blue
George Gershwin

Featuring Isabelle David on piano. Conducted by Joseph Milo.
Oscar Peterson Hall, June 2007.

Classical Music Pick: Mozart’s Symphony No. 25 in G Minor

If you think Mozart’s music is all cheerful and bright, think again after hearing this one.

Symphony No. 25 is one of the two G-minor symphonies Mozart composed; the other being No. 40.

Performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Classical Music Pick: Tarrega’s ‘Gran Vals’

This week’s Classical Music Pick is a waltz by Spanish composer Francisco Tárrega. At around 0:15, you will hear a popular tune — can you get what it is?

Gran Vals
Waltz for Guitar
Francisco Tárrega

Performed by: blndgtarst [@YouTube]

Classical Music Pick: Schubert’s Piano Sonata in A Minor

I was going to pick Beethoven’s Pathetique sonata this week, but I want to share with you a non-Beethoven piece this time. So here it is…

Piano Sonata No. 16 in A Minor, D. 845
Franz Schubert

First Movement

Classical Music Pick: Beethoven’s "Zartliche Liebe (Ich Liebe Dich)," WoO 123

I seem to have been concentrating on Beethoven too much. Oh well, here’s another one.

My pick this week:

"Zartliche Liebe" ("Ich Liebe Dich"), WoO* 123
Ludwig van Beethoven
MIDI Sequenced by: Jayjay Montalbo

» Download MIDI File
» Download Sheet Music for Voice (PDF)

Lyrics:

Ich liebe dich, so wie du mich,
Am Abend und am Morgen
Noch war kein Tag, wo du und ich
Nicht teilten unsre Sorgen

Auch waren sie für dich und mich
Geteilt leicht zu ertragen;
Du tröstetest im Kummer mich
Ich weint’ in deine Klagen,
In deine Klagen.

Drum Gottes Segen über dir,
Du meines lebens Freude;
Gott schütze dich, erhalt dich mir,
Schütz und erhalt uns beide.

Gott schütze dich, erhalt dich mir,
Schütz und erhalt uns beide.
Schütz und erhalt uns beide.
Schütz und erhalt uns beide.

*WoO = Work without opus number; "opus" means "work"

Classical Music Pick: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1

Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21
Ludwig van Beethoven

Performed by: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Herbert von Karajan

Classical Music Pick: Chopin’s Etude, Op. 10, No. 3

I figured, maybe, I should do a classical music pick of the week starting right now. Hopefully, I could keep this going for a long time – to share my taste for classical music to all my readers.

My pick of the week: Chopin’s Etude, Op. 10, No. 3

Performed by Freddy Kempf on the piano.

What is blogging?

This video explains what a blog is and what you can do with it. (From Commoncraft)

UP Symphonic Orchestra’s Concert is for FREE

I’ve announced previously that the UP Symphonic Orchestra will be performing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 on December 7. But I never got the answer as to whether the concert is free or not, until now.

Through an email to the UP Diliman Information Office, Chi Ibay confirmed that the concert is "free and open to the public. Seating will be on a first come,first served basis."

So there you go. Anybody interested can watch (I’m assuming from the reply that even non-UP people can watch); just make sure to come in early so you could be seated properly.

UP Symphonic Orchestra to perform Beethoven’s Ninth

The latest What’s Up? newsletter announces that the University of the Philippines Symphonic Orchestra will be performing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 “Choral” at the UP Theater on December 7, 9 PM 6 PM (Philippine time). As a big Beethoven and classical music fan, I’m really looking forward to watching it. I just hope it’s for free; well, even if it’s not, I’d try to save cash just to watch this. The concert is for free.

Here is the symphony, as conducted by Herbert von Karajan and performed by the Berlin Philharmonic. It may be worth noting that in this version, the exposition is not repeated (as it should have) in the first, second and third movements, so Karajan’s version is shorter than most renditions of the Ninth.

This is part one. Here is part two.

Yahoo! Messenger status message length

There was a recent change in Yahoo! Messenger’s status message length, reducing the maximum number of characters from 250 to 40. Sarah Bacon, the Product Manager for Yahoo! Messenger, explains on their team blog that “it was an inadvertent change and [they]’re working now on rolling it back to what it was (250 character max).”

So, be patient folks!

Update: The issue had already been fixed, as mentioned by Product Manager Sarah Bacon on the comments. For those who still can’t create status messages longer than 40 characters, please restart Yahoo! Messenger for the fix to take effect.

Beethoven’s 8th Symphony

Here’s a Beethoven symphony you might never have heard before.

Sometimes called the “Little Symphony,” this is the David between the two goliaths that are the seventh and ninth symphonies. Contrary to the two the styles used in the seventh and ninth, which is obviously Romantic, this one is very Classical in approach (and the Minuet makes a comeback!)

Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 in F Major Op.93
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Name this fella

He was a mathematician and a leading book author on Mathematics. His books became the de facto standard textbook for Mathematics in most colleges and universities around the world.

He taught at Cal State L.A., Phoenix College in Arizona, the Open University of Great Britain, the University of Southern California and, most recently, Pepperdine University. In his 70s, he turned to teaching AP calculus in high schools.

He died on April 29, 2005 due to natural causes.

CLUE: He authored two books that are the standard Math textbooks in UP.

Post your answer as a comment and win PhP50! This offer is limited to UP Students only. Winner will be chosen randomly (included only are the people who will answer correctly). Please leave a valid email address so I can contact you if you win.

UPDATE: A winner has been selected. Contest over.

Your next computer might be your very own coffeetable.

 

Microsoft unveils Surface, its surface computing technology. Is it cool, or IS IT COOL?