Sunlight on the Marble, Or Viva Martinů!

The wonderful piano music of Martinů

The tourist brochure in Policka, Moravia (Bohuslav Martinů’s home town), is called “Sunlight on the Marble.” The marble being, the marble on Martinů’s tombstone.

This phrase is peculiarly apt for describing the markedly sunny (yet substantial) style of Martinů.

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How to Write Irrelevant Criticism, Or Another Look at Bartok's Second Piano Concerto

John GibbonsThis is what you do:

• Be angry, because a piece is too hard for you.
• Be annoyed, because a piece reminds you of Stravisnky (and you’ve decided You’re Just Not That Into Stravinsky).
• Listen to a much better piece immediately before the piece you’re going to criticize.
• Drink some fine Belgian beers, immediately before making criticisms.
• Associate the musical “isms” in the piece with political “isms” that followed in the next decade, creating the Second World War.
• Focus on irrelevant aspects of a piece’s structure.
• Be preparing equally accomplished, and more charming, Martinu piano concertos for that very week’s classes.

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Now, How About Your Favorite Mendelssohn Piece?

Updated on Wed, Feb 4, 09 at 11:47 by John Gibbons

Guess we’re on a birthday/anniversary kick lately, and today we’re honoring Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) with my favorite selection. I forgot to get John’s selection as he was jumping out of the car today, heading off to teach his class. I hope to add it later. Anyway, Bonnie Gibbons’s Official Favorite Chorus Ever just happens to be by Mendelssohn, and I’ll bet any of you choral enthusiasts will recognize it immediately. One word always pops into my head when I hear this: sublime.

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What's Your Favorite Schubert Piece?

Since today is the birthday of Franz Schubert, John and Bonnie Gibbons are sharing their favorite Schubert moments. It’s no surprise that both selections come from the musically magical last years of Schubert’s too-short life, 1827-1828.

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Musical Anniversary: A Florentine Tragedy

On this date in 1917, Alexander Zemlinsky’s Eine florentinische Tragödie (A Florentine Tragedy) was premiered in Stuttgart. It is the first of two operas that Zemlinsky (1871-1942) based upon the works of Oscar Wilde. Der Zwerk (The Dwarf) followed in 1922.

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