Our six extraordinary composers are Felix Mendelssohn, born February 3, 1809; Frederic Chopin, March 3, 1810; Robert Schumann, June 8, 1810; Franz Liszt, October 22, 1811; Richard Wagner, May 22, 1813; and Giuseppe Verdi, October 10, 1813. 1809 also brought the death of Papa Haydn and the birth of Abraham Lincoln, plus Beethoven wrote Les Adieux “Farewell,” and the Emperor Concerto for his friend and sponsor, the Archduke Rudolf. This is the time of the Battle of Wagram, after which the Austrian nobility withdrew to safer realms as Napoleon closed in on Vienna. Starting in 1809, the 19th century opens up, and we’ll follow our six composers all the way to Verdi’s death in 1901.
Class of 1809: Six composers born over a five-year period 1809 – 1813
Playlist
Episode 1
Mendelssohn, Felix: 02 Symphony #4 in A, Op. 90 Italian; Mvt. II
Marlboro Festival Orchestra, P. Casals, conductor
Marlboro Fest 40th Anniversary Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4
DG 471467
01:00 excerpt
Mendelssohn: Octet, op. 20: III. Scherzo: Allegro leggierissimo
Guarneri String Quartet & Orion Quartet:
Jaime Laredo, Alexander Schneider, Arnold Steinhardt, John Dalley,
Michael Tree, Samuel Rhodes, Leslie Parnas, David Soyer
Mendelssohn: Quartet No3, Octet
Arabesque 6714
4:29
Felix Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Overture
Claudio Abbado: London Symphony Orchestra
Mendelssohn: 5 Symphonies, 7 Overtures
DG 471467
12:01
Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Overture, in E major, Op 21
London Symphony Orchesra, Claudio Abbado, conductor
Mendelssohn: 5 Symphonies, 7 Overtures
DG 471467
:31 excerpt
Felix Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words, Book 1, Op.19 –
6. Venetianisches Gondellied: Andante Sostenuto
András Schiff
Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words
Decca 421119
2:43
Felix Mendelssohn: Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 49: III. Scherzo: Leggiero e vivace
Yo-Yo Ma; Itzhak Perlman; Emanuel Ax
Piano Trios Op. 49 & 66
Sony Classical 52192
3:55
Mendelssohn: 02 Symphony #4 in A, Op. 90 Italian; Mvt. II. IV
Marlboro Festival Orchestra, P. Casals, conductor
Marlboro Fest 40th Anniversary Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4
Sony 46251
13:56
Mendelssohn: Elijah, Op. 70
Part II: But the Lord from the North Hath Raised One
O Come Everyone That Thirsteth
Part II: And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth (Chorus)
London Symphony Chorus, Jeremy Budd, London Symphony Orchestra & Richard Hickox
Mendelssohn: Elijah
Chandos 241-48
09:42
Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words, Book 1, Op.19
András Schiff
Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words: Spring Song
Decca 421119
2:01 excerpt
Episode 2
Frédéric Chopin: Prelude in A Major, Op. 27, No. 7
Yundi Li
Yundi Chopin
DG 4811910
0:45
Frédéric Chopin: Prelude in F Sharp Minor
Prelude in D Flat Major (“Raindrop”)
Yundi Li
Yundi Chopin
DG 4811910
6:15
Frédéric Chopin: Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op. 65:
3. Largo
5. Finale: Allegro
Garrick Ohlsson & Carter Brey
Cello Sonata in G minor, Op 65
Hyperion 44351
9:46
Frédéric Chopin: Piano Concerto #2 In F Minor, Op. 21 –
II. Larghetto
III. Allegro Vivace
András Schiff; Antal Dorati: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Chopin No2/ Schumann: Piano Concerto
Decca 4119422
18:41
Robert Schumann: Dichterliebe, Op. 48
1. Im Wunderschönen Monat Mai
Dichterliebe, Op. 48 – 2. Aus Meinen Tränen Sprießen
Dichterliebe, Op. 48 – 9. Das Ist Ein Flöten Und Geigen
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Vladimir Horowitz
Concert of the Century
CBS Masterworks 79200
4:06
Robert Schumann: Kinderszenen, Op. 15 –
1. Von Fremden Ländern Und Menschen
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 – 5. Glückes Genug
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 – 6. Wichtige Begebenheit
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 – exff7. Träumerei
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 – 12. Kind Im Einschlummern
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 – 15, 13. Der Dichter Spricht
Vladimir Horowitz
Concert of the Century
CBS Masterworks 79200
9:19
Episode 3
Schumann: Piano Quintet In E Flat, Op. 44
1. Allegro Brillante
2. In Modo d’una marcia (Un Poco largamente)
Robert Schumann
Juilliard Quartet & Leonard Bernstein, Robert Mann, Isadore Cohen,
Rafael Hillyer, Claus Adam
Library of Congress Vol 5 Schumann
Doremi Records 5707
15:22
Robert Schumann: Symphony #3 In E Flat, Op. 97, “Rhenish” –
1. Lebhaft
4. Feierlich
Cleveland Orchestra/ George Szell
The Four Symphonies/ Manfred Overture, op115
Sony Classical MH2K 62319
9:14
Robert Schumann: Symphony #3 In E Flat, Op. 97, “Rhenish” –
4. Feierlich
Cleveland Orchestra/ George Szell
The Four Symphonies/ Manfred Overture, op115
Sony Classical MH2K 62319
5:46
Franz Liszt: Die Lorelei (Heinrich Heine)
Kiri Te Kanawa, Roger Vignoles
Kiri In Recital
Decca 425 820
6:22
Franz Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsodies S. 244: No. 11 in A Minor
Georges Cziffra
Liszt – Hungarian Rhapsodies
Warner Classics 5675542
4:59
Franz Liszt: Les Jeux D’eau a La Villa D’Este
Andre Watts
Liszt – Hungarian Rhapsodies
Warner Classics 5675542
7:38
Episode 4
Richard Wagner: The Flying Dutchman: Overture
Pierre Monteux & Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Concerts, 1952-1958
Wagner Festival
Concert Hall M2362
9:32
Richard Wagner: Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg – Act 1: Prelude
Fritz Reiner: Chicago Symphony Orchestra
The Complete RCA Album Collection
RCA Red Seal 3701982
9:54
Richard Wagner: Siegfried – Forest Murmurs
Georg Solti: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
The Golden Ring
Decca 6421
9:04
Richard Wagner: Götterdämmerung – Siegfried’s Rhine Journey
Fritz Reiner: Chicago Symphony
Reiner COnducts Wagner
RCA Red Seal 43003502
13:17
Richard Wagner: Götterdämmerung – Act 3:
– Trauermarsch
– “Fliegt heim, ihr Raben!” (Immolation Scene)
Birgit Nilsson, Wolfgang Windgassen, Etc.; Georg Solti: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna State Opera Chorus, Birgit Nilsson, Sir Georg Solti, Vienna Philharmonic & Gottlob Frick
Götterdämmerung
Decca 6.35253
6:24, 8:40
Episode 5
Giuseppe Verdi: La Traviata – Act 1: Libiamo Ne’ Lieti Calici
Renata Scotto, Alfredo Kraus, Etc.;
Riccardo Muti: Philharmonia Orchestra, Ambrosian Opera Chorus
La Traviata Grosser Querschnitt in Italienischer Sprache
His Master’s Voice Digital 1434911
2:50
Giuseppe Verdi: La Traviata – Act 2: Sempre Libera
Renata Scotto, Alfredo Kraus, Etc.;
Riccardo Muti: Philharmonia Orchestra, Ambrosian Opera Chorus
La Traviata Grosser Querschnitt in Italienischer Sprache
His Master’s Voice Digital 1434911
3:30
Giuseppe Verdi: String quartet in E Minor: I. Allegro
III. Prestissimo
Quartetto Italiano: (violin: Paolo Borciani & Elisa Pegreffi, viola:
Lionello Forzanti, cello: Franco Rossi)
Quartetto Italiano: Complete Decca, Philips
& Deutsche Grammophon Recordings
Decca 002410802
10:17
Giuseppe Verdi: Rigoletto – Caro Nome
Montserrat Caballé, Montserrat Martí; David Gimenez:
Gran Teatre De Liceu De Barcelona Symphony Orchestra
Two Voices, One Heart
BMG Classics 29646
5:24
Giuseppe Verdi: Rigoletto: Bella Figlia Dell’amore (Quartet)
Toscanini, Arturo – NBC Symphony Orchestra/ Ziinka Milanov(Sp),
Nan Merriman(ms), Jan Peerce, Leonard Warren
Mefistofele/ Lombardi – Rigoletto
RCA Red Seal GD 60276
3:41
Giuseppe Verdi: Don Carlo, Act II: Preludio
Claudio Abbado & Berliner Philharmoniker
Verdi: Overtures & Preludes
DG 4791675
2:40
Giuseppe Verdi: Messa da Requiem – Dies irae: Dies irae, dies illa
Dies Irae: Tuba mirum
Dies irae: Mors stupebit
Barbara Fritoli, Olga Borodina, Mario Zeffiri; Ildar Abdrazakov Riccardo Muti: Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago
Messa da Requiem
CSO Resound CSOR 901 1008
5:48
Ludwig Van Beethoven: Missa Solemnis In D,
Op. 123 – Sanctus: Sanctus Dominus
Leonard Bernstein: New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Westminster Choir
The Leonard Bernstein Collection Vol 2
DG 479 5553 5
1:04
Giuseppe Verdi: Sanctus
Mario Zeffiri, Olga Borodina, Etc.; Riccardo Muti:
Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
Messa da Requiem
CSO Resound CSOR 901 1008
2:37
Verdi: Tutto Nel Mondo E Burla
Solti, Sir Georg • Philharmonique de Berlin – Rundfunkchor Berlin • Van Dam, Lipovsek, Coni, Serra, Norberg-Schulz, Graham, Canonici, Begley, Lefebvre, Luperi
Falstaff
Decca 440 650
3:34
Verdi: Nabucco – Va, pensiero
Arturo Toscanini & NBC Symphony Orchestra
Arturo Toscanini Edition
RCA Victoria 45090
4:59