Vienna calling

A unique mixture in Manila: old Vienna with indigenous Filipino culture. The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, led by guest Austrian conductor Ernest Hoetz, performs a traditional Vienna New Year’s Day Concert on Feb. 25th, featuring Rudolf Golez, winner of the Chopin Competition held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as soloist. “Notably, the concert also aims to promote and advance the indigenous cultures Pala’wan and Tagbanwa. GeoChris Foundations Inc., which aims to promote the dignity of and sustain indigenous cultures with a goal to make them self-reliant communities guided by values of sustainable development, will accept the proceeds of the concert in their behalf.”

Manila Standard Today – Philippines
“Rudolf is a great, great musician whose intimate knowledge of the works of Chopin, Strauss, Beethoven and Mozart, will surely excite many who will …
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The Russian Piano Tradition: Yakov Flier = CHOPIN: Piano Sonata No 2 …

Mostly positive review of a CD reissue featuring little-known (in America, at least) Soviet-era virtuoso Yakov Flier, known for his tremendous dynamic range: “…The middle section of Chopin’s eponymous Funeral March (rec. 1956) reveals an equally poignant pianissimo from Flier, given the rather tinny quality of his instrument [or perhaps those recording engineers' lack of skill...Ed.]. When the march resumes, we are only a few chords away from Moussorgsky’s Bydlo section from Pictures at an Exhibition….”

The Russian Piano Tradition: Yakov Flier = CHOPIN: Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, Op. 35 “Funeral March’; RACHMANINOV: Prelude in C-sharp Minor, Op. 3, No. 2; Prelude in G Minor, Op. 23, No. 5; KABALEVSKY: 24 Preludes, Op. …
Audiophile Audition Headlines – http://www.audaud.com

Chopin in the Vidblogosphere:

My favorite piece by Chopin

A mostly-music blogger in Florida shares a YouTube (audio only) posting of a classic Horowitz recording of the “Raindrop” (Op. 28 No. 15) Prelude….
I have posted or blasted this piece before. This is one that my mother played so beautifully. I sense her presence whenever I hear it. She loved the way Horowitz played Chopin.
RANDOM RAMBLINGS – http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-7XjHoB48fqrJbbAKSqgXLQk-?cq=1