In Reference to Murder

Your Sunday Music Treat

January is the birth month of Russian composer Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915). His early piano works were heavily influenced by Chopin whereas his later output took a turn toward the abstract and atonal, influenced by his interest in mysticism.

Part of that "mystical" philosphy was an obsession with what was possibly a faux-synesthesia in music, not necessarily like the real synesthesia of the protagonist in my Scott Drayco series, but more of a conceptual idea of keys and the circle of fifths assigned to various colors (and possibly based on Sir Isaac Newton's Opticks). However, there is some debate on the issue of whether or not Scriabin was a true synesthete.

At any rate, here's a performance of Scriabin's Etude Op.8 No.12 by Vladimir Horowitz:

 

 

Sunday Music Treat - A Christmas Crime Carol

From now until Christmas, I'm featuring a holiday-themed selection on Sunday Music Treat from film scores of crime movies through the years. This week, it's from the the 1945 American comedic film noir crime film, Lady on a Train, directed by Charles David and starring Deanna Durbin, Ralph Bellamy, and David Bruce. After a woman witnesses a murder in a nearby building from her train window and reports it to the police, they quickly dismiss her story so she turns to a popular mystery writer to help her solve the crime. The film is set around Christmas, and at one point Durbin sings a version of "Silent Night":

 

Sunday Music Treat - A Christmas Crime Carol

From now until Christmas, I'm featuring a holiday-themed selection on Sunday Music Treat from film scores of crime movies through the years. Today's offering is from Lady in the Lake, based the 1943 detective novel by Raymond Chandler in which the editor of a crime magazine hires Philip Marlowe to find the wife of her boss, and the P.I. soon finds himself involved in murder. The movie featured quite a bit of Christmas music, including a variation of "Balulalow" by Peter Warlock. Here's the Choir of St. John's College conducted by George Guest in a performance of the piece:

Sunday Music Treat - A Christmas Crime Carol

From now until Christmas, I thought I'd feature a holiday-themed selection on Sunday Music Treat from film scores of crime movies through the years. Today's Christmas Crime Carol is "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" a song by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne from July 1945, as performed by Vaughan Monroe. It was used during the closing credits for the 1990 action-thriller film, Die Hard 2: Die Harder.

 

Sunday Music Treat

Franz Schubert, who passed away on November 19 in 1828, is best known for his symphonies and vocal music. But he also wrote some piano works, including the six short Moments Musicaux, Opus 90. Here's pianist David Fray performing the third of these "musical moments":

 

Sunday Music Treat

This coming Tuesday is the birthday of Franz Liszt, born October 22, 1811, in Austria. Liszt was probably the first real "rock star" (if you'll pardon the mixed genre refernce) in the music realm; women would literally attack him, tearing bits of his clothing, and fighting over broken piano strings and locks of his shoulder-length hair.

But Liszt walked away from his performance stardom in his 30s to compose music, instead. One such work is his "La campanella" (Italian for "The little bell"), the nickname given to the third of Liszt's six Grandes études de Paganini. Scott Drayco isn't as much of a fan of Liszt as some pianists, such as Lang Lang, who also has enjoyed a bit of a "rock star" attraction of his own and is a well-known proponent of Liszt's works.

Here's Lang Lang from a 2012 performance in Beijing performing La Campanella:

 

Sunday Music Treat

When most people think of Leonard Bernstein's compositions, they inevitably think of West Side Story. But Bernstein wrote many other works, including several for solo piano. In honor of the 29th anniversary of Bernstein's passing on October 14, 1990, here's "Non Troppo Presto" from Music for the Dance I (Scott Drayco might have a hard time playing this one due to his arm injury, but it wouldn't be for lack of trying):

 

Sunday Music Treat

It's the birthday of Franz Joseph Haydn (born on this day in 1732), who wasn't exactly known for his piano music. But Scott Drayco has played some of his works, including the Piano Concerto in D major H XVIII:11. Here's a recording of the work with Philippe Entremont conducting from the piano in a performance with the Vienna Chamber Otchestra:

 

Your Sunday Music Treat

As many of you know, the protagonist of my Scott Drayco mystery series is a former pianist who also has chromasthesia, a form of synestheia, where he experiences all sounds as colors, shapes, and texture. So I thought it might be appropriate in honor of the arrival of spring (in the northern hemisphere) to feature a piano version of the “Spring” concerto by Antonio Vivaldi. This particular performance has a touch of synesthesia to it, as you will see:

 

Sunday Music Treat

Another new year is upon us, and that means it's time for the Scottish folk classic "Auld Lang Syne" to shine in its many versions. Here's one Scott Drayco might play, only in this recording, it's Evgeny Kissin who's doing the honors at the piano: