Renaissance Research "Conservatory Project" Listening Assignment On Aging And Musical Creativity

" ... As such, no other single work of [Sibelius's] shines with the unique radiance of this final symphony [Symphony #7, in a single movement], which indeed identifies itself unmistakably ... as "the climax of the spiritual experience of a lifetime.""

Washington-area musicologist Richard Freed on Jean Sibelius's Symphony #7 in C Major Opus 105.


National Symphony Orchestra: Vladimir Ashkenazy, conductor
May 29 - 31, 2008
Concert Hall, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Running Time: 1 Hr. 29 Min.

Vladimir Ashkenazy, conductor

Program:

SIBELIUS - Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39
SIBELIUS - The Oceanides, Op. 73
SIBELIUS - Symphony No. 7 in C Major, Op. 105

Musicologist Richard Freed NSO program notes to all three works.

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CARTER, ELLIOTT: Quintet for piano and string quartet (1997) 16'

World Premiere
11/18/1998
Library of Congress, Washington, DC
Ursula Oppens, piano / Arditti Quartet

Composer's Notes

"Quintet for Piano and String Quartet was composed during the summer of 1997 for the pianist, Ursula Oppens and the Arditti Quartet, commissioned for them by the Library of Congress ...

The work is in one movement of many changing characters and contrasts. The moods and materials of the piano are contrasted with those of the string quartet, which, itself, is a combination of four different strands that maintain somewhat independent existences, played by the four strings."

Elliott Carter

Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 8:00 pm

PACIFICA QUARTET

The Library of Congress begins its year-long salute to Elliott Carter’s Centenary with a performance of his Quintet for Piano and String Quartet, commissioned by the Library of Congress. Also on the program are string quartet masterpieces by Mendelssohn and Beethoven.


















Jean Sibelius and Elliott Carter

Photo credits: Wikipedia and (c) Elliott Carter Centenary Website. All rights reserved.