Noel!

This is the one period of the year that fills my heart with joy, sadness, nostalgia and longing all at once. I could go on and explain why, but I do not think this is necessary: one can easily discern the reasons lying behind each of these feelings, as (I suspect) everyone - to a greater or letter extent- experiences the same strange mixture of emotions before Christmas. 

I think these feelings are sweetly captured in one of my favorite carols, "Candlelight Carol", composed by the great British composer John Rutter, a man who has written (and continues to do so) inspired Christmas music. 

Here are the lyrics of the Candlelight Carol - written by the composer:

How do you capture the wind on the water?
How do you count all the stars in the sky?
How do you measure the love of a mother
Or how can you write down a baby's first cry?

Candlelight, angel light, firelight and star-glow
Shine on his cradle till breaking of dawn
Silent night, holy night, all is calm and all is bright
Angels are singing; the Christ child is born

Shepherds and wise men will kneel and adore him
Seraphim round him their vigil will keep
Nations proclaim him their Lord and their Saviour
But Mary will hold him and sing him to sleep

Candlelight, angel light, firelight and star-glow
Shine on his cradle till breaking of dawn
Silent night, holy night, all is calm and all is bright
Angels are singing; the Christ child is born

Find him at Bethlehem laid in a manger
Christ our Redeemer asleep in the hay
Godhead incarnate and hope of salvation
A child with his mother that first Christmas Day

Candlelight, angel light, firelight and star-glow
Shine on his cradle till breaking of dawn
Silent night, holy night, all is calm and all is bright
Angels are singing; the Christ child is born  

... and here is the music, sung by the Cambridge Singers (a choir founded by Rutter himself, back in 1981).

John Tavener: An account of his funeral

John Tavener, one of the leading British composers of our times, passed away on November 12. I will write more on his music in the future; today, I would like to post a moving account of his funeral which took place at Winchester, last week. John Tavener was an Orthodox Christian, so this was a Orthodox funeral service - one of the most beautiful services of the Orthodox Church. 

A good friend of mine, James Heywood, happened to be there (he actually chanted at the service), and sent me the following - for which I am deeply thankful:

On a gloomy day, just right for a funeral, in the enormous gothic building – “a liturgy in stone,” as the Dean of Winchester called it – 700 people have gathered to bid farewell to Sir John Tavener on his journey to the Kingdom.

Facing them at the head of the nave, the Cathedral Choir in red cassocks and white surplices, sing pieces by composers including Tavener, their rich, Western sound filling the vast space. In front of the choir, Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain, who will celebrate the Orthodox funeral, is seated on a throne looking over the waiting catafalque and down the nave. Around him stand Archimandrite Ephrem Lash, Fr Alexander Fostiropoulos, another priest from London and a deacon, their richly coloured vestments contrasting with the simple white of the Dean of Winchester, seated to one side. Below the Archbishop, the three cantors, led by Dr Alexander Lingas, wait in black rasa next to the catafalque.

The West Door opens, and Sir John in his coffin is borne in, followed by his wife and children. The cantors begin to chant the Thrice-Holy Hymn, “Holy God, Holy Strong, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.” The coffin is placed on the catafalque. The extended meditation on death, bereavement, salvation and resurrection that is an Orthodox funeral is under way. “Blameless on the road, Alleluia.” “Your hands made me and fashioned me.” “I have gone astray like a lost sheep.” “Blessed are you, O Lord, teach me your statutes.” The voices of the three cantors, alternating Greek and English, twine the ancient Byzantine melodies round the hearts of the mourners – melodies so familiar to the Orthodox, but thrillingly strange and new to the many others present.

After the Evlogitaria, the Choir takes over to sing the Kontakion (“With the saints giver rest, O Christ, to the soul of your servant”) and the Ikos, to Sir John’s own settings of Russian melodies. Then the cantors sing the Idiomela in the eight tones, and the Choir the Beatitudes. It is a wondrous coming together of East and West, occasioned by this great Englishman, who embraced the Orthodox faith, and whose music then so touched the hearts of many in both East and West that they have come in their hundreds to mourn his passing.

The Apostle, read in English by Alexander Lingas, exorts us not to grieve “like the rest who have no hope.” The Gospel, read in Greek by the Archbishop and then in English the Dean of Winchester, assures us that “the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who have heard will live.” The Prayer of Absolution (“O Lord of spirits and of all flesh …”) and the dismissal lead to the singing of Eternal Memory.

Then, as the cantors chant, “Come, let us give the final kiss, brethren, to the dead”, the most remarkable scene of the whole occasion unfolds. First, Lady Tavener and her three children come forward to give their final kiss to their beloved husband and father. (The coffin is closed, as so often these days.) Little Orlando has to be lifted up to reach the top of his father’s coffin. Following them comes the lady representing the Prince of Wales. After her, the Mayor of Winchester. But then every one of the 700 people present files up, a seemingly endless line of figures in black, all slowly but patiently taking their turn to give their personal valediction to the one that they have loved and honoured in his life. The Orthodox among them naturally know what to do, crossing themselves and kissing the Gospel book, the cross and the ikon on top of the coffin, bowing to the Archbishop. Of the rest, less confident, most copy them. Young and old, famous and ordinary, Orthodox, Protestant, even Muslim, do not hold back. It is clear that Sir John had many friends and admirers, who were touched not only by his music and his personality, but also by his Orthodoxy.

It takes a long time, but eventually, all have paid their respects. The Choir sing their final pieces, several by Sir John himself. There is an Anglican hymn, “Of the Father’s love begotten”, which all join in with, the coffin is lifted and turned towards the west, the procession forms up and Sir John moves off towards his burial, the cantors chanting once again with the angelic choirs, “Holy God”.

The hearse moves away, with the family and close friends and the Archbishop and clergy, to the burial in Sir John’s village of Child Okeford in Dorset. The cantors and the Choir return to everyday dress and start for home. The last mourners issue into the chilly, damp air. The waiting tourists are free to enter and wonder at the great Cathedral – perhaps to be touched by the echo of what has just taken place in it.

Mozart's Piano Sonatas through the eyes of Alfred Einstein - Part 11 (K. 533/494)

The Sonata in F major bears two Koecher numbers: 494 and 533. The reason is that the third movement (Rondo) was written as a separate piece, a couple of years before the other two movements. The latter were composed in January 1788. It seems that the reasons why Mozart was forced to add two movements and form a sonata were mainly financial. Here is what Einstein has to say:

"... He [ie Mozart] owed his friend and publisher Hoffmeister money at the time, and doubtless partly acquitted the debt with this sonata. In doing so he paid no attention to what is called unity of style. These movements composed later have a grandeur of harmonic and polyphonic conception, a depth of feeling, and a harmonic daring such as we find only in his last works; indeed they are conceived for an entirely different and more powerful instrument than the innocent rondo, which is written mostly for the middle register. Yet even this rondo, with its lovely minore in three obbligato parts, is so rich and perfect that no uninitiated listener would observe any break in style."

Here is the Sonata in F major K. 494/533, with Zoltan Kocsis.

 

A thought on Melody and Inspiration while listening to "Crepuscolo Sul Mare"

This melody, for some reason, moved me to tears. Maybe because I have been trying for the last two months to compose something which can in no way equal the beauty and simplicity of this simple melody. 

Where does a melody come from? Where "was" it before it came into existence? 

What a mysterious thing inspiration is! It does not obey any laws, it cannot be captured; it can come upon the musically untrained or even the musically illiterate, while at the same time, it mocks those who have spent a lifetime studying music. Inspiration does not depend on time, studies, knowledge, effort. It comes when you do not expect it, and hides away when you are desperately looking for it. 

 

Mozart's Piano Sonatas through the eyes of Alfred Einstein - Part 10 (K. 457)

A long period has passed before Mozart would again turn to the form of piano sonata. In October 14, 1784, a new masterpiece emerges from his hands: Piano Sonata in C minor. 

"The instructions for the performance of this Sonata [...] have been lost; they must have constituted one of the most important documents of Mozart's esthetic practice. Did they perhaps contain more personal matters as wel, which had to be hidden from posterity? [...] It is clear that it represents a moment of great agitation, agitation that could no longer be expressed in the fatalistic A minor key of the Paris sonata, but required the pathetic C minor that was to be Beethoven's favorite key for the expression of similar emotions. It has rightly been said that this work contains a 'Beethovenisme d' avant la lettre'. Indeed it must be stated that this very Sonata contributed a great deal towards 'Beethovenism' possible. Contrasting with the concentrated first and last movements, there is a broad concerto-like adagio in the tranquil key of E-flat major, which, in accordance with the true nature of its creator, who could not seek any easy way out, does not lead to a finale in major; on the contrary, the Finale is just as pathetic as the first movement, and even darker."

Here is Sonata in C Minor K. 457, as performed by the great pianist Alfred Brendel. 

First Attempt at Composition... Four Sketches for Solo Piano

This is my first attempt at composition, and I must  say I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The idea was to  compose four musical "miniatures", that is four very short (yet melodically dense) pieces. I have, of course been influenced by the composers that I love - Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff in particular. I also realised that it is of vital importance for a composer to gradually find his own voice, his own language. This is my hope - that I will be able, God willing, to find my musical "self".

In terms of recording, I was fortunate to play in a magnificent Steinway which helped me create a decent sound. 

The four pieces are:

1. Prelude
2. Valse
3. Elegy (Hommage à Rachmaninoff) 

4. Lullaby

I am looking forward to your feedback!

Mozart's Piano Sonatas through the eyes of Alfred Einstein - Part 9 (K. 332)

For Einstein, the Sonata in F, K. 332, is one of Mozart's most personal creations. He composed it in the summer of 1778 at Paris, and it is indeed one of his best known works. 

"The charm of this sonata-beginning lies in the fact that it is not like a beginning, but like a second theme, lyrical and songful, as if fallen from heaven. It is followed by an after-section that is like a lovely sound of nature, with the horn-like fifths in the left hand, and only then by what analytical editions call the 'epilogue' - a menacing section in D minor, full of the tension of the minor, out of which the second theme unfurls like a luminous phenomenon. Idea springs from idea; the development section again begins with a new, 'unthematic' theme, and in the recapitulation the whole 'energyless' succession is repeated on a new plane of enchanting loveliness. No one can fathom how one melodic  blossom is connected with another in this movement. Yet everyone will feel their naturalness and necessity, and the inevitability of their growth. Nor is anything to be gained here by searching for a model, for none will be found, either in Germany, or in Italy, or in Paris".

Here is the Sonata in F major, K. 332, performed by Maria Joao Pires - a pianist I really admire. (the sound quality is rather poor, I am afraid). 

 

Mozart's Piano Sonatas through the eyes of Alfred Einstein - Part 8 (K. 331)

The Sonata in A major, K. 331, is one of the most well known works of Mozart. I remember practicing it endlessly when I was a child - at the time, I think I was playing Mozart better than I do now... In order to play Mozart [well, that is], a certain degree of innocence, spiritual "cleanliness", and purity, is required... Here are Einstein's thoughts on this sublime work:

"Next comes the sonata in A major (K. 331), which has become a favourite - the one with the variations at the beginning, the Rondo all turca at the end, and the minuet (or rather Tempo di minuetto) in the middle - the work that has given so many people their first impression of Mozart. It is, however, not typical but exceptional; it is in a way a counterpart to the Munich Durnitz Sonana in D, but it places the variations at the beginning, and accordingly casts them in briefer and less virtuoso  forms; and it ends with a true scene de ballet. [...] Throughout the work one finds the fullness and sensuous beauty of the Durnitz Sonata, raised to a higher power, just as A major is an intensification of D major. And the minor of the Rondo all turca does not fail to produce a subsidiary effect of mystery".

 Here is the 2nd movement of this Sonata - the menuetto - played by Jeno Jandó. 

Mozart's Piano Sonatas through the eyes of Alfred Einstein - Part 7 (K. 330)

Sonata in C major, K. 330. 

Light returns in Mozart's work, after the darkness of his Sonata in A Minor. 

"The sonata appears 'lighter' than the preceding one, but it is just as much a masterpiece, in which every note 'belongs' - one of the most lovable works Mozart ever wrote. In it the shadows of the Andante cantabile give place to an unclouded purity; a particularly delighful feature is the way the second part of the Finale begins with a simple little song".

When Einstein writes that "every note 'belongs'", what he actually means is that every note is in its proper place; we simply cannot imagine a different melodic course, therefore it is impossible to "alter" the score in any way...One cannot alter what is perfect...

Here is a live performance of this Sonata, played by Daniel Barenboim. 

 

 

Spyros Souladakis performing Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto

This was yesterday in Athenaeum, a nice concert hall in Athens. The idea was to perform two well-known piano concerti in a transcription for piano and a string quartet. Spyros Souladakis chose to play Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto in C minor. (I played Schumann's Concerto). "Kochlias" String Quartet played the orchestral part. 

 

Let me first say that, for some reason, the Beethoven transcription was not, in my view, very succesful. Maybe this is due to the fact that Beethoven is an "orchestral" composer, that is, he has a full orchestra in his mind when composing and, therefore, it is not easy to transcribe a full score for just four instruments. (This is not the case with other composers, like Chopin and Schumann). 

Souladakis from his very first notes (the well known C minor scale) established a well-balanced Beethovenian sound; and he kept it till the end. Apart from his technical excellency (shown particularly in the cadenza of the 1st movement), one could easily discern that he had worked very hard on his sound, and this was mostly apparent in the Second Movement (Largo) - one of the most musical and lyrical themes ever composed by the great German composer. Souladakis's tempo in the Largo was (in my view) the slowest one can take; but he managed to bring out the melodic qualities really well, and without turning the music into romantic music - which is a great danger here! 

His Rondo was light and brillante, and was well accompanied by the String Quartet. I think, I would prefer it to be just a bit faster. 

This was Spyros's first performance of this work and the result was impressive!

 

Mozart's Piano Sonatas through the eyes of Alfred Einstein - Part 6 (K. 310)

Let's now move to the five Paris sonatas, written in the summer of 1778. First, we 'll concentrate in the famous A minor sonata K. 310, one of Mozart's sonatas that I love most, and which I have often performed. It is indeed an unusually (by M's standards) dark work, composed just after his mother's death...

"... this sonata is dramatic and full of unrelieved darkness; not even the turn towards C major at the end of the exposition section of the first movement can brighten the mood of this work. In the slow movement, con espressione, the development does begin somewhat consolingly, but the whole impression is governed by the uncanny agitation that comes just before the recapitulation. Uncanny, too, is the shadowy Presto, from beginning to end - despite the interpolation of a melody that begins in musette style. The key of A minor - and sometimes A major as well - is for Mozart the key of despair. No trace of "sociability" is left in this sonata. It is a most personal expression; one may look in vain in all the works of other composers of this period for anything similar. And it is easy to undestand the astonishment of M. de Saint-Foix over the fact that the public of Paris, the city of criticism, where the work appeared in 1782, greeted it silently and without comment".

Mozart Sonata in A minor K. 310, Dezso Ranki, piano. (I really like his playing - his Mozart in particular).

 

Orthodox Good Friday: They stripped Me of My garments

One of the most beautiful as well as moving hymns of Good Friday (The Passion Service) is the one below. This is not just a music of unparallelled anguish and beauty; it is also the lyrics that speak directly to the christian's heart. 

Christ "speaks" in the 1st person here, describing the humiliation he suffered before being crucified:

  

They stripped me of my garments, and clothed me in a scarlet cloak; they placed a crown of thorns upon my head and put a reed into my right hand, that I might smash them like a potter’s vessels.

Music-wise, I would only like to draw the attention to the apparent change in tone when the words "upon my head" (επί την κεφαλήν μου) are sung (move to 2:00): the Tone of the hymn is Plagal Second, and at this point, it reaches its most highly charged moment; the effect is immense - there is intense emotion (quite rare for Byzantine music) powerfully expressing utter desperation and hopelessness. 

Here is the hymn, as performed by the Hellenic Byzantine Choir and Lykourgos Angelopoulos. I do not know the name of the solo chanter - but I think his singing is superb. 

Mozart's Piano Sonatas through the eyes of Alfred Einstein - Part 5 (K. 311)

Let's now move on to the "sibling" of the Sonata in C major - Sonata in D, K. 311. Einstein begins his comments with the Sonata's 2nd movement, a charming Andante con espressione. He also makes some very interesting remarks on the innovations brought in music by Mozart, with his two Manneheim sonatas:

"How little Mozart was concerned with realism may be inferred from the fact that the slow movement of the other Mannheim sonata [K. 311] - an Andante con espressione, very childlike, very innocent - has also been taken to be the portait of the young Rose Cannabich. 

This whole sonata is in a way a companion-piece to the sonata in C. Just as in the first movement of that work, the repetition of the initial motive is here avoided in the recapitulation and appears only as a surprise in the coda. In both sonatas the middle register of the instrument is cultivated in a new way; in both, the left hand no longer furnishes a mere accompaniment, but becomes a real partner in the dialogue; both works are showy. Mozart counted them among his more difficult piano sonatas - and rightly so, although even the apparently simplest clavier pieces by Mozart are difficult."

I am not sure why Mozart considered the Mannheim sonatas to be more difficult than other piano works (his late sonatas, for instance). I would personally find other pieces much harder from a technical of view. Having said that, it is very often the case with Mozart that I begin practice a piece, I realise that the notes are easy, the result comes almost at once... I think that I am now ready to perform this piece... and only then the real difficulty begins. The more one practices Mozart, the more one realises how difficult his music is. 

Here is the 2nd movement (Andante con espressione) of the Sonata in D, K. 311, (Ushida on the piano).