Hope everyone is safe and sound. It’s been very challenging to find and maintain inspiration during the self-isolation. I am trying the best to keep myself inspired. I have been listening to orchestral/instrumental masterpieces and discovering repertoire unfamiliar to me. These are the albums that I have listened to for past two weeks. Unlike other playlist posts I’ve decided to add my experience to each album.
Unknown (to me) repertoire by students of J. S. Bach. Through this album I have been discovering so many hidden charms of during/post- Bach period. I found this album while specifically looking for recordings of the Müthel Sonata. I came across the sheet music of it, and looked quite similar to the writing of C. P. E. Bach, so I was quite intrigued to find out how it sounds.
My teacher from undergraduate, Michel Debost had us learn obbligato flute parts from Bach Cantatas every week. The flute parts are both musically and technically demanding yet fulfilling. During the quarantine, I’ve decided to re-visit them and practice the ones I didn’t learn years ago. My goal is not to play these like a set of etudes. You will be surprised how difficult these obbligato parts are.
My curiosity from Bach’s cantatas led me here. There are lots of important flute passages in the Passions and the Mass. I find that these masterpieces are some of the greatest achievements in human history, and they never get old.
After hearing the Berlin Philharmonic playing the St. Matthew Passion live twice, I started building obsession to the piece. To be honest with you, however, I can’t listen to the entire piece in one sitting. But that doesn’t mean this is not a masterpiece!
Berlin Philharmonic + Rattle has been my all-time favorite. Mitsuko Uchida happens to be one of my musical idols. … and here we go.
Many years ago, my Music Theory teachers from undergraduate recommended that I should listen to Helmut Lachenmann. I forgot about the suggestion for many years. Then I was organizing my CD collections the other day, and found this album. I definitely need a score to have a better understanding. I am not going to lie. I need some time to understand this better.
More specifically Stravinsky’s Petrouchka. I’ve played it in concerts, I’ve played it in auditions, I’ve heard it in concerts. But I couldn’t recall the last time I sat in front of a stereo and listened to this piece. Every time I listen to great performances of Stravinsky’s music, I am always reminded why I want to be a musician. I want to tell stories, not just playing the notes.
Can this lead me into a Stravinsky pilgrimage?
Mostly this curiosity started from the famous flute solo of the 8th symphony. I find that it is rather challenging to perform the music of Dvorak. Is it because Dvorak’s music is from a culture that is quite unknown to me? There’s more to it. As a flutist, I have very limited experience of playing Dvorak’s music. So far I’ve played the Slavonic Dances, and various arrangements of the Violin Sonatine. So this curiosity starts from the well-known symphonies by Dvorak, and it will spread out to lesser known symphonies and chamber repertoire. What makes the music of Dvorak so special / unique / original?
Stay safe and be well.
Beomjae.