Fall playLiszt

This post is all about autumn in Paris and what I was listening to at this time last year on my ipod on the metro rides from Maisons Lafitte- the musty, antique equestrian town, to Montmartre with its gray, sloping streets. It’s about patinas of decaying leaves covering everything, and spooky silhouettes of horses being walked like dogs down the street after sundown. It’s about walking in golden glow through the rows of trees in Jardin de Tuilleries, Debussy playing in my earbuds, and laughing at the cheesiness and perfection of the moment.

The only thing that can compete with Fall in Paris is Fall in Minnesota. So click on the link below and you can listen via Youtube, one selection at a time or as a continuous “playlist”- I like to open it up in a new tab so I can listen while I do other stuff on my computer.
I’ve been listening to a lot of string quartets. Something about the warm resonance of strings evokes autumnal tones for me. A lot of these works have a melancholy feel too; wistful and a little haunting like fall, which is all about death but also very romantic.












LISTEN TO FALL PLAYLIST HERE

1. Erik Satie - Trois Gymnopédie No.1 ( lonesome, lovely piano piece)

2. Alexander Borodin - Polovtsian Dances (from the slavic opera Prince Igor)

3. Antonio Vivaldi - Concerto for Two Mandolins, Strings & Basso Continuo
(warm/golden/harvest-y :)

4. Bach - Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major (played by Yo-Yo Ma..exquisite!)

5. Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares - Zhenala e dyulber Yana
(Bulgarian peasant songs- choral music)

6. Maurice Ravel- String Quartet in F Major
(this piece will brighten your gloomy day- TRUST me! It's my absolut favorite!)

7. Antonio Vivaldi - Four Seasons: Autumn ( mandatory, I guess...)

8. Claude Debussy - String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 10
(my favorite work by my favorite composer- sweeping, romantic, heart-breaking, ecstatic...everything one is supposed to feel when one is in Paris!)

9. Puccini - Senzo Mamma, from the opera Suor Angelica
(lament for a dead child from the cloisters in Florence... sends shivers down my spine, especially when sung so purely, as in this version featuring Veronika Dzhioeva live from the Proms)

10. and last but not least...
watch this beautiful film someone made to Debussy's lush Reverie...



Now let's hear what you would add to the list!


* Sorry there wasn't any actual Liszt included ;)

OVERTURE

welcome to Trysts Philharmonique- a place for some raucous and irreverent trysts with the world of classical music and opera.

This blog is my long-overdue tribute to the music that people refer to generally as “Classical” in it’s vast span of styles, periods, and types, from ancient to contemporary. I’m by no stretch a connoisseur- just an enthusiast of quality music, and I’ve been wanting to further explore the rich histories and masterful works behind classical music. I want to have a conversation that’s fun and accessible to all, whether you’ve only gotten into classical music a bit, or know nothing about it. And if you’re somewhat of an expert and want to share what you know and love, I hope you’ll join in too!

Maurice Ravel


One day recently, I was playing a Ravel string quartet on my itunes when a friend of mine walked into the room. He made some comment like “ooo- fancy music” or something, with a mock-snobbish accent, which made me laugh but also irked me a little bit. I think classical music should be able to be enjoyed by anyone, but the truth is most people these days seem to think it’s reserved for the upper class, over-educated, elitist of our society. If you go to an orchestra performance in this town, you’d most likely be surrounded by a sea of silver and white heads. And you’d be hard-pressed to find a single pair of Chuck Taylors amidst the well-heeled patrons of our Opera.





I’d love to see a classical “scene” burgeon in the Twin Cities- cheaper tickets and younger crowds, and scenesters who dial-hop between 89.3 and 99.5, intermingling Sibelius with their Animal Collective. Let’s make it happen!
Check out this blog and check back often! Become a “Follower.”
Take a look at the features on the sidebar to the right.
You’ll find ..
- links of interest

- a Philharmonique YouTube channel where you can listen/watch videos of music and performance

- a calendar of Minneapolis events, performances, and openings which you can even import to your iCal!

- and more to come, including information about how to get AFFORDABLE TICKETS to local chamber, orchestral, and opera performances

Comment and converse on the posts here, email me suggestions for future topics, and let us all know about the music you love!



J.S. Bach Chamber Music Hall at the Manchester Art Gallery


Igor Stravinsky, painting by Denise Kupferschmidt