The Galaxy Playlist

February 4, 2008

Our annual mini-Schubertiade

As I love to celebrate composer's birthdays, we now celebrate the birthday of Franz Schubert, born on January 31, 1797. His music is some of the most pleasant and melodic that I've ever heard, and he is ranked among the top of the list of composers from the Romantic Era. As there are numerous great compositions from which to choose, I will focus tonight on his brilliant song cycle Winterreise.

Composer's name is listed where notable (i.e. Classical Performance, Jazz Performance).

For more information on any of the rock, pop and Jazz music featured on this program, I frequently utilize AllMusic , an excellent free database holding a huge plethora of information about music and the artists that make it.

Composer Performer Title Genre Label Notes
Franz Schubert
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone, Alfred Brendel, piano

Winterreise/Winter Journey (consisting of the songs Gute Nacht; Die Wetterfahne; Gefrorne Thränen; Erstarrung; Der Lindenbaum; Wasserfluth; Auf dem Flusse; Rückblick; Das Irrlicht; Rast; Frühlingstraum; Einsamkeit; Die Post; Der greise Kopf; Die Krähe; Letzte Hoffnung; Im Dorfe; Der stürmische Morgen; Täuschung; Der Wegweiser; Das Wirthshaus; Muth!; Die Nebensonnen; Der Leiermann)

Classical, Romantic Era, Lieder (art song) for solo voice with piano.
Phillips, 1985
A haunting cycle of 24 songs set to the poetry of Wilhelm Müller, taken from the same work of poetry as Schubert's earlier work Die Schöne Müllerin. The songs and their musical settings mine heretofore untapped feelings of lonliness and dread (could this be the original Goth music?). Also significant is the use of the piano as an equal voice in the songs - Schubert was as good writing for the piano as he was for the voice, sympathetic to the timbre of the piano and how the piano accentuates the voice, sets the mood of the music, and yet remains an independant entity within the songs. Schubert's lieder is as much written for great pianists as they are for great voices. (It is also interesting that Winterreise was composed in the last year of his life, and the correction of proofs of the cycle is said to be among the last things he did prior to his passing.)
Jelly Roll Morton
Benny Goodman
King Porter Stomp
Jazz, Big Band, Swing
RCA/Victor, 1935
One of Goodman's breakthrough hits, a great Fletcher Henderson arrangement (among many that they did together). Bunny Berigan (a notable name from the era) was on trumpet, and Henderson is on piano.
Kohler/Arlen
Get Happy
RCA/Victor, 1936
 
Louis Prima
Sing Sing Sing
RCA/Victor, 1937
Jimmy Mundy arranged this classic.
Christian/Hampton
Flying Home
Jazz, Swing, small groups
Columbia, 1939
Guitar great Charlie Christian is heard here, with Lionel Hampton on vibes. Interestingly enough, while Goodman tried his hand at be-bop, he disliked it and said as much.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

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