# It's My Birthday. Make Me a Playlist!



## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

Thoughts for my playlist:

Make it as short as you want but no more than about three hours.

Random thoughts for my playlist:

Give me some variety: instrumentation, nationalities, moods
I especially love music of the last hundred years
Please no Mahler
I think a Beethoven piano sonata could be nice
Slow and lyrical Handel arias or melodies are something that I'd like to explore
Music before Bach is very welcome. Something ancient but really enjoyable
I don't know a lot of Bach's music. Surprise me with something short or an excerpt of a longer work
Give me something to convince me that Wagner is "all that"
I love Prokofiev. If there is a Prokofiev recording you are passionate about, I'd love to hear it!
Weird stuff is welcome
French stuff is welcome
Electronic music is welcome
New music is very welcome
Elliott Carter? György Ligeti?
Lesser heard mid-century American stuff: William Schumann, obscure Copland, obscure Samuel Barber, Howard Hanson
Some bitchin' minimalism itchin' inimalism alism sm sm sm sm itch itch itch
Somebody with a golden voice or tone that would make angels weep and attention-deficit-toddlers stand in a trance
Over the top crazy ****, too

Thanks in advance!


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

Rameau: Le rappel des oiseaux (Gilels) 



Rameau: Laboravi clamans (Herreweghe) 



Bach: 2 Ricercars from the Musical Offering (Rosen) 



Beethoven: Piano Sonata 25 andante (Barenboim) 



Carter: Triple Duo (NY New Music Ensemble) 



Prokofiev: Quintet (Rozhdestvensky) 



Birtwistle: Moth Requiem (Nash Ensemble) 



Handel: "Air" from suite #3 (Gould, harpsichord) 




Happy birthday, 20centrfuge


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## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

Thanks Blancrocher! I can't wait to hear it. 

I only seem to get presents nowadays if I get them for myself. I view this as a birthday present. I really appreciate it. Lots of stuff I don't know on there.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

Václav Dobiáš - Symphony no.2 for large orchestra





Josef Rheinberger - Organ Concerto No. 2 (1894)





Charles Koechlin: The Seven Stars' Symphony (1933)


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

In no particular order (other than, perhaps, to generate a headache :cheers

Tylman Susato - Susato Suite -- 




Hans Abrahamsen - let me tell you -- 




William Alwyn - Lyra Angelica -- http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TooYPQtVUik&list=PLYAT_hEhVbG8b3cPPChfB8-nSU7wtKd-E

Knudage Riisager - Qarrtsiluni -- http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii3D7GoG-qg

Peter Maxwell Davies - Farewell to Stromness -- 




György Ligeti - Concert Românesc -- 




Traditional - Paul's Steeple -- http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0iJOUX2_Ng&list=PL1TbHSiWzBiNRrqIoJWzf6TFRFbR2k_1v

Bohuslav Martinu - Sinfonietta "La Jolla" -- http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFoXPQWcpD0

Graham Waterhouse - Chieftain's Salute -- http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCqBd-b9Y14


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Since Arcangelo Corelli was also born on Feb. 17 (albeit in 1653, Fusignano, near Imola, Papal States [Italy]) I suggest we start off with a nod towards one of his delightful Trio Sonatas or Concerti Grossi. Since my own collection includes the Corelli box set _Opera Omnia • Complete Works • L'Oeuvre Intégrale_ (Brilliant Classics ‎92403) I have a wide choice among the dozens of works provided.















In my experience you can't go wrong selecting something from this set at random. But you might proceed a bit more scientifically by matching to your birthday years number. If, for example, you are 33, you might choose an Opus 33 or the 3rd work on Disc 3 in the set or the third Trio Sonata! Each new birthday year you can celebrate with a new combination of Corelli works.

Henri François Joseph Vieuxtemps, the Belgian composer and violinist shares with you and Corelli a February 17th birthday. His was in 1820. Vieuxtemps composed a wonderful body of work, and I could always recommend one of the Violin Concerti. If you happen to be 37 years old, the Violin Concerto No. 5 in A minor "Le Grétry" possesses opus number 37. But heck! the 5th Concerto is delightful at any age. It's the one the great violinist Heifetz recorded.









But if you're not in the mood for the delightful 5th Concerto, there are six or seven others to choose from. And a couple of Cello Concerti, and various other works, too. Any one of which is guaranteed to brighten up a birthday celebration.

Sir Edward German the English musician and composer of Welsh descent famous for his "light music" is also a holder of a February 17th birthday (1862). So, why not explore something of his oeuvre? If you're a romantic sort, you might go with the _Romeo and Juliet_ suite of incidental music to the Shakespeare play. German composed a lot of incidental music. For a more serious mood try his _Richard III_ suite or the orchestral tone poem _Hamlet_. He also wrote a couple of symphonies, dozens of songs and choral works, and much chamber music. He shares your birthday! Give him a listen!









Friedrich Cerha, the Austrian composer and conductor, was born 17 February 1926. For a more modernistic turn on your birthday celebration (than can be offered by Corelli, Vieuxtemps, or German) turn to Cerha. He may be new to you, but you can explore him copiously for many birthdays to come if you pick up the ORF box set titled "Cerha Dokumente". Twelve CDs of Cerha music will keep you plenty busy and out of trouble on your birthday.









American composer Lee Hoiby was born the same day as Cerha. You can certainly find some delightful music from him. His opera _Summer and Smoke_ is a favorite of mine, but then I'm a theatre guy with a penchant for Tennessee Williams. But some summer smoke in mid February might help liven up the winter day. What the hey!

You'll find other composers and music makers, all born on February 17, here: https://www.onthisday.com/music/birthdays/february/17

Happy birthday. And enjoy your concert!


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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

Happy (belated ) birthday! Here's a little something:

Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Schubert: Piano Sonata #21 in B-flat, D. 960
Lutosławski: Concerto for Orchestra
Schnittke: Gogol Suite (couldn't resist!)


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

For your next birthday

Prokofiev Sonata 6 by Richter as in the other thread
Stockhausen Gensang der Junglinge to make you feel young again
David Diamond Symphony 3 just because he lived across the lake from me.
Pierre Henry Veil of Orpheus 
Varese Hyperprism
Wagner Tristan and Isolde prelude
J Adams Dr Atomic Symphony


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

> Make it as short as you want but no more than about three hours.


No idea of runtimes; delete what you need



> Random thoughts for my playlist:
> 
> Please no Mahler


Okay, but Symphony No. 1 by either Bernstein or Haitink is worth checking out some other day



> I think a Beethoven piano sonata could be nice


No. 21 "Waldstein" (Hungerford, Kikuchi, or Bavouzet)



> I don't know a lot of Bach's music. Surprise me with something short or an excerpt of a longer work


Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude and Fugue #2 (Sviatoslav Richter, either Book)



> Give me something to convince me that Wagner is "all that"


A sample from Die Walkure: "Schlafst du, Gast?" (Solti, Vienna Philharmonic)



> I love Prokofiev. If there is a Prokofiev recording you are passionate about, I'd love to hear it!


Romeo and Juliet (Riccardo Muti, Philadelphia Orchestra, mostly for Dance of the Knights)



> French stuff is welcome


Saint-Saens: Morceau de concert, Op. 94 (Peter Damm, Siegfried Kurz, Dresden Staatskapelle)



> Lesser heard mid-century American stuff: William Schumann, obscure Copland, obscure Samuel Barber, Howard Hanson


Hanson Symphony No. 1 (Schwarz, Seattle Symphony)



> Somebody with a golden voice or tone that would make angels weep and attention-deficit-toddlers stand in a trance


Bizet's Carmen: Habanera (Teresa Berganza, Claudio Abbado, London Symphony Orchestra)


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