Our six extraordinary composers are Felix Mendelssohn, born February 3, 1809; Frederic Chopin, March 3, 1810; Robert Schumann, June 8, 1810; Franz Liszt, October 22, 1811; Richard Wagner, May 22, 1813; and Giuseppe Verdi, October 10, 1813.
1809 also brought the death of Papa Haydn, plus Beethoven wrote Les Adieux “Farewell,” and the Emperor Concerto for his friend and sponsor, Archduke Rudolf.
This is the time of the Battle of Wagram, after which the Austrian nobility withdrew to safer realms as Napoleon closed in on Vienna.
Starting in 1809, the 19th century opens up, and we’ll follow our six composers to Verdi’s death in 1901.
Listen on demand to this week's episodes.
Monday, June 12
Mendelssohn, Felix: Symphony No.4 in A, Op. 90 "Italian"
II. Andante con moto (excerpt)
Marlboro Festival Orchestra/Casals, conductor
Marlboro Fest 40th Anniversary Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4
DG 471467
01:00
Mendelssohn, Felix: Octet, op. 20
III. Scherzo: Allegro leggierissimo
J. Laredo, A. Schneider, A. Steinhardt, J. Dalley, M. Tree, S. Rhodes, L. Parnas, D. Soyer
Mendelssohn: Quartet No. 3, Octet
Arabesque 6714
4:29
Mendelssohn, Felix: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Overture, in E major, Op 21
London Symphony Orchestra/Claudio Abbado, conductor
Mendelssohn: 5 Symphonies, 7 Overtures
DG 471467
12:01
Mendelssohn, Felix: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Overture, in E major, Op 21
London Symphony Orchestra/Claudio Abbado, conductor (excerpt)
Mendelssohn: 5 Symphonies, 7 Overtures
DG 471467
:31
Mendelssohn, Felix: Songs Without Words, Book 1, Op.19
VI. Venetianisches Gondellied: Andante Sostenuto
András Schiff, piano
Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words
Decca 421119
2:43
Mendelssohn, Felix: Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor,
Op. 49: III. Scherzo: Leggiero e vivace
Yo-Yo Ma; Itzhak Perlman; Emanuel Ax
Piano Trios Op. 49 & 66
Sony Classical 52192
3:55
Mendelssohn, Felix: Symphony No.4 in A, Op. 90 “Italian”
II. Andante con moto IV. Presto and Finale: Saltarello
Marlboro Festival Orchestra/Casals, conductor
Marlboro Fest 40th Anniversary Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4
Sony 46251
13:56
Mendelssohn, Felix: Elijah, Op. 70 Part II:
“But the Lord from the North Hath Raised One,”
“O Come Everyone That Thirsteth”
Part II: “And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth” (Chorus)
London Symphony Chorus/Jeremy Budd London Symphony Orchestra/Richard Hickox
Mendelssohn: Elijah
Chandos 241-48
09:42
Mendelssohn, Felix: Songs Without Words, Book 1,
Op.19 – No. 1 in E Major (excerpt)
András Schiff, piano
Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words: Spring Song
Decca 421119
2:01
Tuesday, June 13
Chopin, Frédéric: Prelude in A Major, Op. 27, No. 7
Yundi Li, piano
Yundi Chopin
DG 4811910
:45
Chopin, Frédéric: Prelude in F-Sharp Minor Prelude in D-Flat Major “Raindrop”
Yundi Li, piano
Yundi Chopin
DG 4811910
6:15
Chopin, Frédéric: Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op. 65
III. Largo V. Finale: Allegro
Garrick Ohlsson, piano; Carter Brey, Violoncello
Cello Sonata in G minor, Op 65
Hyperion 44351
9:46
Chopin, Frédéric: Piano Concerto No.2 In F Minor, Op. 21
II. Larghetto III. Allegro Vivace
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/Antal Dorati
András Schiff, piano
Chopin No2/ Schumann: Piano Concerto
Decca 4119422
18:41
Schumann, Robert: Dichterliebe, Op. 48
I. “Im Wunderschönen Monat Mai”
II. “Aus Meinen Tränen Sprießen”
IX. “Das Ist Ein Flöten Und Geigen”
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone
Vladimir Horowitz, paino
Concert of the Century
CBS Masterworks 79200
4:06
Schumann, Robert: Kinderszenen, Op. 15
I. "Von Fremden Ländern Und Menschen"
V. "Glückes Genug"
VI. "Wichtige Begebenheit"
VII. "Träumerei"
XII. "Kind Im Einschlummern"
XIII. "Der Dichter Spricht"
Vladimir Horowitz, piano
Concert of the Century
CBS Masterworks 79200
9:19
Schumann, Robert: Kinderszenen,
Op. 15 I. "Von Fremden Ländern Und Menschen" (excerpt)
Vladimir Horowitz, piano
Concert of the Century
CBS Masterworks 79200
1:41
Wednesday, June 14
Schumann, Robert: Piano Quintet in E-Flat,
Op. 44 I. Allegro Brillante II. In Modo d’una marcia
Robert Schumann Juilliard Quartet; Leonard Bernstein, piano
Library of Congress Vol 5 Schumann
Doremi Records 5707
15:22
Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 3 in E Flat, Op. 97, “Rhenish”
I. Lebhaft
Cleveland Orchestra/Szell
The Four Symphonies/ Manfred Overture, op115
Sony Classical MH2K 62319
9:12
Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 3 in E Flat, Op. 97, “Rhenish”
IV. Feierlich
Cleveland Orchestra/Szell
The Four Symphonies/ Manfred Overture, op115
Sony Classical MH2K 62319
5:46
Liszt, Franz: Die Lorelei
Kiri Te Kanawa, Roger Vignoles
Kiri in Recital
Decca 425 820
6:22
Liszt, Franz: Hungarian Rhapsodies S. 244: No. 11 in A minor
Georges Cziffra
Liszt – Hungarian Rhapsodies
Warner Classics 5675542
4:59
Liszt, Franz: “Les Jeux D’eau a La Villa D’Este”
Andre Watts
Liszt – Hungarian Rhapsodies
Warner Classics 5675542
7:38
Thursday, June 15
Wagner, Richard: The Flying Dutchman: Overture
Boston Symphony Orchestra/Pierre Monteux
The Concerts, 1952-1958 Wagner Festival
Concert Hall M2362
9:32
Wagner, Richard: Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg – Act 1: Prelude
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Reiner
The Complete RCA Album Collection
RCA Red Seal 3701982
9:54
Wagner, Richard: Siegfried
"Forest Murmurs"
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Georg Solti
The Golden Ring
Decca 6421
9:03
Wagner, Richard: Götterdämmerung
"Siegfried’s Rhine Journey"
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Reiner
Reiner Conducts Wagner
RCA Red Seal 43003502
5:48
"Trauermarsch
Wagner, Richard: Götterdämmerung – Act 3:
"Trauermarch,"Fliegt heim, Irh Raben" (Immolation Scene)
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna State Opera Chorus/Georg Solti, Birgit Nilsson,
Gottlob Frick, Wolfgang Windgassen
Götterdämmerung
Decca 6.35253
6:24
Wagner, Richard: Götterdämmerung – Act 3:
"Trauermarsch," “Fliegt heim, ihr Raben!” (Immolation Scene)
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna State Opera Chorus/Georg Solti, Birgit Nilsson
Götterdämmerung
Decca 6.35253
8:40
Friday, June 16
Verdi, Giuseppe: La Traviata, Act 1: “Libiamo Ne’ Lieti Calici”
Philharmonia Orchestra/Muti Ambrosian Opera Chorus Renata Scotto, Alfredo Kraus
La Traviata Grosser Querschnitt in Italienischer Sprache
His Master’s Voice Digital 1434911
2:50
Verdi, Giuseppe: La Traviata – Act 2: “Sempre Libera”
Philharmonia Orchestra/Muti Ambrosian Opera Chorus, Renata Scotto Alfredo Kraus
La Traviata Grosser Querschnitt in Italienischer Sprache
His Master’s Voice Digital 1434911
3:30
Verdi, Giuseppe: String quartet in E minor
I. Allegro III. Prestissimo
Quartetto Italiano: Borciani, Pegreffi, Forzanti, Rossi
Quartetto Italiano: Complete Decca, Philips;Deutsche Gramophone
Decca 002410802
10:17
Verdi, Giuseppe: Rigoletto: “Caro Nome”
Gran Teatre De Liceu De Barcelona Symphony Orchestra Montserrat Caballé,
Montserrat Martí, David Gimenez
Two Voices, One Heart
BMG Classics 29646
5:24
Verdi, Giuseppe: Rigoletto: “Bella Figlia Dell’amore” (Quartet)
NBC Symphony Orchestra/Toscanini Ziinka Milanov, Nan Merriman, Jan Peerce, Leonard Warren
Mefistofele/ Lombardi – Rigoletto
RCA Red Seal GD 60276
3:41
Verdi, Giuseppe: Don Carlo, Act II: Preludio
Berliner Philharmoniker/ Claudio Abbado
Verdi: Overtures & Preludes
DG 4791675
2:40
Verdi, Giuseppe: Messa da Requiem: “Dies irae,” “Tuba mirum”, Mors stupebit
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Riccardo Muti Barbara Fritoli,
Olga Borodina, Mario Zeffiri; Ildar Abdrazakov
Messa da Requiem
CSO Resound CSOR 901 1008
5:48
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Missa Solemnis in D, Op. 123 – “Sanctus: Sanctus Dominus” (excerpt)
New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Bernstein Westminster Choir
The Leonard Bernstein Collection Vol 2
DG 479 5553 5
1:04
Verdi, Giuseppe: Messa da Requiem: “Sanctus”
Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus/ Riccardo Muti
Mario Zeffiri, Olga Borodina, Etc.;
Messa da Requiem
CSO Resound CSOR 901 1008
2:37
Verdi, Giuseppe: “Tutto Nel Mondo E Burla”
Philharmonique de Berlin/ Solti, Rundfunkchor Berlin Van Dam, Lipovsek
Falstaff
Decca 440 650
3:34
Verdi, Giuseppe: Nabucco; “Va, pensiero”
NBC Symphony Orchestra/Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini Edition
RCA Victoria 45090
4:59