Gluck/Sgambati: Dance of the Blessed Spirits

In a brief visit to Cambridge, UK, I managed to go to a concert at the University. One of the highlights of the concert was Rachmaninoff's second piano concerto, beautifully performed by Tom Poster who was asked to play an encore at the end of the night. He chose to play Giovanni Sgambati's piano transcription of Gluck's Dance of the Blessed Spirits from his ballet Orfeo ed Euridice.

Poster claimed that it was one of Rachmaninoff's favorite pieces. I actually did not know the piece, but I remember I loved his interpretation that night and it's been in the back of my mind since. Today I decided to do a search and was happy to find an interpretation by Rachmaninoff himself on YouTube.

Later I found another gem: Yevgeny Kissin's Fantasy album. I only include here the aforementioned melody, but I highly recommend the entire album.



Composer: Gluck. Piano transcription by Giovanni Sgambati
Performer: Yevgeny Kissin
Album: Fantasy

Camile Saint-Saëns : The Swan

After a long hiatus...

Saint-Saëns: The Swan

Performer: Yo-yo Ma
Album: Portrait of Yo-Yo Ma

Bach: Cello Suite #3, Bourree

I used to play this one in the violin.

Bach: Cello Suite #3 BWV 1009: Bourree I

Performer: Mtislav Rostropovich
Album: Rostropovich - Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6

Beethoven - Appasionata Sonata

Sorry for the delay between posts, I've been awfully busy.

More Beethoven! I like this historic performance of the last movement of the Appasionata:

Beethoven : Piano Sonata No. 23 In F Minor "Appassionata" - III. Allegro, Ma Non Troppo - Presto
Interpreter: Ernst Levy
Album: Ernst Levy, Vol. 3 - Beethoven, Schumann, And Brahms

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 25 - Adagio

Beethoven : Piano Sonata No.25 in G, Op.79 - Adagio

Interpreter: Emil Gilels
Album: Emil Gilels: Complete Beethoven Piano Sonatas

Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 - Adagio

This post is for a very special monkey :)

Brahms : Piano Concerto No. 1 - Second Movement - Adagio

Interpreter: Emil Gilels (piano), Eugen Jochum (conductor)
Album: Concertos for Piano No. 1 & 2, Fantasia Op. 116

Beethoven: Pathetique Sonata - Adagio Cantabile

I post this song for somebody very special to me :)

Beethoven : Piano Sonata No.8 in c, Op.13 Pathetique sonata - 2 Adagio Cantabile

Interpreter: Emil Gilels
Album: Emil Gilels: Complete Beethoven Piano Sonatas