FELICJA BLUMENTAL : Variations

Editorial Reviews
Album Description

Felicja Blumental

Variations

Carl Czerny : Variation on a Them by Haydn, Op. 73

Felicja Blumental : Piano
Helmut Froschauer : Conductor
Vienna Chamber Orchestra
Recorded : Vienna, 1968

Karl Stamitz : Piano Concerto in F major

Felicja Blumental : Piano
Jörg Faerber : Conductor
Württemberg Chamber Orchestra
Recorded : Württemberg

George Joseph Vogler
Variations on "Marlborough, s'en va-t-en guerre," (1791)

Felicja Blumental : Piano
Alberto Zedda : Conductor
Prague New Chamber Orchestra
Recorded : Teatro Angelicum, Milan, 1963

Tracks:

Czerny: Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 73 - Introduction (adagio ma non troppo)
Czerny: Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 73 - Thema
Czerny: Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 73 Variation 1
Czerny: Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 73 Variation 2
Czerny: Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 73 Variation 3
Czerny: Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 73 Variation 4
Czerny: Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 73 Variation 5
Czerny: Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 73 Adagio espressivo
Czerny: Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 73 Finale
Stamitz: Piano Concerto in F major Allegro
Stamitz: Piano Concerto in F major Andante moderato
Stamitz: Piano Concerto in F major Rondo - Allegro
Vogler: Variations on Marlborough, sen va-t-en guerre - Tema (semplice e variato): Larghetto
Vogler: Variations on Marlborough, sen va-t-en guerre - Variation 1: Allegro marziale
Vogler: Variations on Marlborough, sen va-t-en guerre - Variation 2: Allegro scherzando
Vogler: Variations on Marlborough, sen va-t-en guerre - Variation 3: Minuetto grazioso
Vogler: Variations on Marlborough, sen va-t-en guerre - Variation 4: Allegro affettivo e sensible
Vogler: Variations on Marlborough, sen va-t-en guerre - Variation 5: Allegro (La Carillon)
Vogler: Variations on Marlborough, sen va-t-en guerre - Variation 6: Larghetto mistico-ecclesiastico
Vogler: Variations on Marlborough, sen va-t-en guerre - Variation 7: Allegro burlesco
Vogler: Variations on Marlborough, sen va-t-en guerre - Variation 8: Allegro (La Carrozza)
Vogler: Variations on Marlborough, sen va-t-en guerre - Variation 9: Minore. Larghetto patetico
Vogler: Variations on Marlborough, sen va-t-en guerre - Variation 10: Allegretto gentile con eleganza
Vogler: Variations on Marlborough, sen va-t-en guerre - Variation 11: Allegro molto (La Caccia)
Vogler: Variations on Marlborough, sen va-t-en guerre - Capriccio. Fuga: Molto vivace, Larghetto, Allegro, Larghetto (Les Adieux)

Album Description

Carl Czerny wrote several pieces based on national anthems, folks songs and other well-known songs. Here, the 1797 hymn by Joseph Haydn, `Gott erhalte den Kaiser' (God Protect our Emperor) is Czerny's subject. Later, it became known as `Deutschland über Alles.'

The work is a perfect example of Czerny's art of orchestration, a technique he developed through copying the parts of Bach's fugues, Scarlatti's sonatas and works by Haydn, Mozart and of course, his teacher Beethoven. The animated finale is clearly influenced by Beethoven. This is hardly surprising, as Czerny was said to have committed all Beethoven's piano compositions to memory.

The Piano Concerto in F major is the only surviving keyboard concerto by Karl Stamitz and is often not listed in his repertoire. Stamitz favoured the 3-movement Italian pattern (fast-slow-fast) in his orchestral works and the Rondo (which was very popular in France at the time), both of which feature in this work. Unlike many of his contemporaries, who remained in and adhered to conventions of the court, Stamitz travelled widely. His compositions were subsequently influenced by his experiences and the counties he visited. This is true of the Piano Concerto in F major.

It is not surprisingly that he used exotic melodies in his compositions having visited such countries with dramatic musical tastes. Like Stamitz, Vogler travelled around Europe although his tours took him to further afield to unusual countries such as Gibraltar, Greece (under the Ottoman rule), North Africa and Greenland. Curiously, Vogler was an inventor of instrumental devices and an experimenter in acoustics. The instrumentation could be considered experimental here, where Vogler writes for piano solo, two flutes, two bassoons, two horns and strings. Vogler was also admired for his improvisation so composed 11 variations may have been an easy task for the composer. Variations on L'air de "Marlborough, s'en va-t-en guerre (1791)," is based on an 18th Century nursery song title, `Malbrouk, s'en va-t'en Guerre.' It is assumed that Marlbrouk should have been Marlbourgh (a reference to the Duke). The melody is now more familiarly known as `For He's a Jolly Good Fellow'"! and `We Won't Go Home `til Morning.'

Customer Reviews:

MUSIC LOVER.......2007-07-21

Carl Czerny is a composer who took lessons from Beethoven and in turn gave lessons to Lizst. His compositions are largely forgotten and rarely recorded or performed. I bought this CD strictly for the Czerny piece. I heard a recording of it about 13 years ago on the local classical radio station and searched the local record stores for it and was told it wasn't available. I was very pleased to purchase the CD through Amazon dot com earlier this year. The Haydn Variations was a much requested piece when the local classical radio station took requests on their listeners choice night. At the time I first heard the piece the local station had a recording on an old out of print LP. A manager of one of the local record stores told me always got calls from customers searching for the recording every time the station played it. The piece is not well known and academics would probably turn their nose up at it but I found it very enjoyable and found the late pianist, Felicja Blumental, to be a fine advocate of the piece. I don't believe any other recordings of the piece are currently on the market. The piece is a set of variations on the slow movement from Haydn's Op 76 Kaiser String Quartet. I am not a musician so I can't comment on the technical aspects of the playing and the recorded sound is only average due to the age of the recording. I give the recording 5 stars based on my fondness for the piece and the fact that it is the only recording available for the Haydn Variations.

Szymanowski: Symphony No4; Harnasie Op55

Average customer rating:

Szymanowski: Symphony No4; Harnasie Op55

Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000DOE1
Release Date: 1995-07-11

Average customer rating:

FELICJA BLUMENTAL : Variations

Manufacturer: Brana Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0007UXJ3S
Release Date: 2004-02-17

Album Description

Felicja Blumental

Variations

Carl Czerny : Variation on a Them by Haydn, Op. 73

Felicja Blumental : Piano
Helmut Froschauer : Conductor
Vienna Chamber Orchestra
Recorded : Vienna, 1968

Karl Stamitz : Piano Concerto in F major

Felicja Blumental : Piano
Jörg Faerber : Conductor
Württemberg Chamber Orchestra
Recorded : Württemberg

George Joseph Vogler
Variations on "Marlborough, s'en va-t-en guerre," (1791)

Felicja Blumental : Piano
Alberto Zedda : Conductor
Prague New Chamber Orchestra
Recorded : Teatro Angelicum, Milan, 1963

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

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West Side Story Variations

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Truth [Import]

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Boston T Party