Midday Music, Monday 2/23/09

Psalms are at the heart of the second piece we hear today. Before each movement of his Cello Concerto (1932), California-born composer Frederick Jacobi cites a verse from Psalms 90-92.

  1. Allegro Cantabile: "Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations." Psalm 90:1
  2. Allegretto: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." Psalm 91:1
  3. Allegro Ritmico: "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto Your name, O Most High." Psalm 92:2
Hope you enjoy this gentle piece in its first outing on GPB.

In the noon hour, Beethoven's superlative "Emperor" Piano Concerto is followed by a short, familiar tune that is thought to resemble a bit of it: Bernstein's "Somewhere." Keep the middle movement of the concerto in mind till the end and do the four-note comparison yourself.

11 AM
  • Rameau: Pieces de Clavecin en Concert No.1. Baroque Nouveau. Reference 118.
  • Jacobi: Cello Concerto (1932). Alban Gerhardt, Barcelona Sym, Rickenbacher. Naxos 8.559434.
  • Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78. Isabelle Faust, Alexander Melnikov. Harmonia Mundi 901981.
12 N
  • Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 9 in E major, Op. 14/1. Wilhelm Backhaus. Decca 433 882.
  • Beethoven: "Emperor" Concerto (Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat). Alfred Brendel, London Phil, Haitink. Philips 420 347.
  • Bernstein: "Somewhere," from West Side Story. Empire Brass. Telarc 80159.
1 PM
  • Delalande: Suite No. 5 from Symphonies for the King's Suppers. La Simphonie du Marais, Reyne. Harmonia Mundi 901303.
  • Milhaud: The Creation of the World (La Creation du Monde). National Orch of Lille-North Region/Pas de Calais, Casadesus. Naxos 8.557287.