Biswa Prasun's Blog
Wednesday 24 January 2024
An Indian Surgeon did world’s first pig heart transplant to humans in 1997
Payment for Journal Reviewers
I have also observed the reviewers are slow to act; they send their opinions across after prodding and pleading. Every editor knows how difficult it is to make the reviewers submit their comments in time. Sometimes it takes months. Their reluctance to review for a journal is not caused by professional ineptitude but by lack of payment. If the journals are taking money for publication then the editors can pay, whatever small the amount may be, to the reviewers. Silver tonic always works in getting things done. Money can be an incentive for the reviewers and the reluctance and lethargy to review can go. This can also be a pathway to generate more income by the reviewers (2,3). The process of review actually takes a long time now and mars the spirit of the scientists who submitted their articles for review. I suggest the journal editors think of paying their reviewers for speedy publication (3). Many scientists prefer a journal for faster publication process. As you increase the speed of publication, the journal profits by attracting more authors and revenue generation in the end.
Friday 7 April 2023
10 top-of-the-mind Western Classical Music Pieces
In advertising there is a term-"top-of-the-mind" or product recall. That means what comes up in your mind when you think about a particular subject; say you think of Impressionism van Gogh comes to your mind. You think of cold drinks Coke or Pepsi comes to your mind.
Similarly what comes to my mind when I think Western Classical Music?
1. Beethoven's Violin Concerto
The Rondo movement is hummable and so memorable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD6UT-y2HPo
2. Eine Kleine nacht Musik by Mozart
The first movement is sprightly and forever favorite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy2zDJPIgwc
3. On the Beautiful Blue Danube
This waltz by Johann Strauss needs no introduction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKkDMiGUbUw&t=165s
4. Four Seasons - Spring
This one by Vivaldi may be written in mediaeval age but how popular is it still now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfKxEH699Nw
5. Fur Elise
Beethoven's iconic piano piece is everywhere from ringtone to elevator.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGLpHxdsLtM
6. Turkish Rondo
What a pretty piece Mozart wrote.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6ryaQ6Gtpg
7. Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Bach's eternally moving piece which makes Christmas or Easter incomplete
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7PNFDrcqmY
8. Chopin's Nocturn no.20
Reportedly this piece saved life of Spillman from Nazi torture
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9oQEa-d5rU
9. Tchaikovsky's Song Without Words
A short and sweet passage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=907KXouF3Mw
10. Mozart Elvira Madigan Piano Concerto no 21,2nd movement
Soothes your soul, just flow with the music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRCEwy5XQSs
This is not the end....I add 10 close contenders
1. Beethoven's Emperor Concerto, 3rd movement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Xsjrbpo0qQ
2. Moonlight Sonata
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu7hscHkfPw
3. Tempest by Beethoven
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KMGcOYHSs0
4. Hungarian Dance no 5
This chirpy Brahms piece is musical
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzo3atXtm54
5. Paganini caprice no 24
Was Paganini a rockstar?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ307sM0t-0
6. Schumann Traumerei
Remember the Raymond ad?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z82w0l6kwE
7. Schubert's Serenade
evokes cinematic emotions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=widDAQKdlUA
8. Mozart Symphony no 25, 1st movement
Titan ad anyone??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNeirjA65Dk
9. Pachelbel canon
Can you imagine a marriage in the western world without this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlprozGcs80
10. Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyM2AnA96yE
** Can't stop sharing this Anthem of the EU
Sunday 12 February 2023
Music Education: Chamber Music
Chamber Music
Chamber music is music
written for small combinations of instruments, expressing intimate and personal
emotions. Originally it was meant to be performed inside a room with friends
and not in the concert hall. From the room or chamber this music gets its name
Chamber Music. Almost all the composers have written beautiful music in this
form. But the best chamber music has come from Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart,
Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms. Chamber music starts with the combination of
two instruments, a "duo" as it is called and goes right up to nine
instruments or "Nonet". More than nine instruments become music for
small orchestra or chamber orchestra. For these small orchestras the composers
have also written works and these are known as sinfonias, or sinfonettas, or
concertinas, in other words small symphonies and concertos.
Given below are the
different categories of chamber music.
The Duo :
This can be in various combinations, two violins, violin and piano, piano and
oboe, piano and clarinet,
piano and flute, piano and horn. The most common is the violin and piano
combination and in this, the works of Mozart and Beethoven are the momentous.
The Trio Sonata:
This is virtually a duo because the third instrument merely holds on to the
note like the Indian Tanpura. Bach and Handel wrote a lot of Trio Sonatas. The
form really existed in the Baroque Age (1600-1740).
The Trio: Very popular
chamber music form. The most Popular combination is violin, piano and cello.
There are other combinations, violin, viola and cello (known as string trio).
Beethoven wrote some wonderful string trios. Then there is clarinet trio or clarinet,
cello and violin in which combination Mozart wrote and so did Brahms. but the
most famous trios are the piano trios of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert and
Brahms. Dvorak's "Dumky" trio is also a lovely work;
The Quartet: most important is the string quartet
in which some of the greatest music of the composers have been written. This
consists of two violins, viola and cello. The string quartets of Haydn, Mozart,
Beethoven and Schubert arc the most important. The string quartet like the symphony
can be called the backbone of western classical music. By dropping one
instrument of the string quartet usually the second violin and adding either
piano, horn or clarinet, the composers have obtained unique patterns of sound.
The two piano quartets of Mozart, written for piano, violin, viola and cello,
are very great works. Brahms wrote three piano quartets and so did Beethoven
and Dvorak. Mozart also wrote flute quartets and oboe quartets and also a horn
quartet where a fourth instrument outside the string family is added onto a
string trio.
Quintet:
The addition of a fifth instrument either a viola in case of Mozart and cello
in case of Schubert creates the form of
the string quintet. Mozart's string quintets are great works and so is the
string quintet of Schubert. If the fifth instrument is a piano it is known as a
piano quintet as in the case of Schubert's popular Trout Quintet. Schumann, Brahms
and Dvorak wrote piano quintets. Mozart and Beethoven also wrote a quintet for
a combination of a wind quartet, that is clarinet, oboe, bassoon and horn and
the piano as the fifth instrument. The piano and wind quintets of Mozart and
Beethoven are utterly ravishing works. Mozart, Brahms and Weber also wrote
clarinet quintets, where the clarinet takes the place of the piano.
Sextet:
The addition of two more instruments to the string quartet makes it a sextet.
Brahms wrote two beautiful string sextets. He also wrote string quintets like
Mozart. Mendelssohn and Dvorak also wrote string sextets.
Septet:
A combination of seven instruments makes it a Septet. The most famous work in
this category is the Septet by Beethoven. It is a product of Beethoven’s youth
full of passion and feeling.
Octet:
A combination of eight instruments, strings and winds makes it an Octet.
Schubert wrote a famous Octet for winds and strings while Mendelssohn wrote an
Octet only for strings Both are captivating works.
Nonet:
Nine instruments is a rare combination and only some contemporaries of
Beethoven like Spohr used it. Chamber music ends with the Nonet. After that it
becomes orchestra.
Practical reasons made
composers write for small groups for it was not always possible to get a large
orchestra. Sinfonias and Sinfonettas could be also performed easily. One can mention
Mozart's serenade for thirteen wind instruments, a masterwork that remains
unsurpassed in charm and beauty. Most of Mozart's divertimentos and serenades,
which contain some of his most vivacious music is written for a small orchestra
of ten to fifteen players.
Chamber music is the key
to feeling the pulse of the composers. The greater the composer the better his
chamber music output.
List of Chamber Music
1.
Haydn String Quartet ‘Lark’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNN_Kbuf7_U
2.
Mozart Quintet for Piano and Winds in E
flat K452
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC9Qp6wKWsg
3.
Mozart Clarinet quintet K581 in A major
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTNbclgU3h4&t=380s
4.
Mozart: Oboe Quartet KV 370
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwTmzmi4AkQ
5.
Ludwig van Beethoven - String Quartet No.
14, Op. 131
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlFYC1U5viw
6.
Ludwig van Beethoven - String Quartet No.
15, Op. 132
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiVbMB6iLPc
7.
Beethoven - Piano Trio, Op. 97 (Archduke
Trio)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mrfy_D9JVE
8.
Franz Schubert String Quintet in C Major,
D. 956
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc3iX7x73JY
9.
Franz Schubert - Piano Quintet in A major,
D. 667, "Trout"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMr4pDGo0KE
10.
Johannes Brahms - Piano Quintet in F
minor, Op. 34
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-DqO_D1g1g
Music Education: Sonata
Sonata
Sonata refers to a particular structure or
form of music in which composers have written works ever since the 16th
century. A sonata can be for solo instruments like the piano or a combination
of two instruments like the piano and violin, piano and clarinet, piano and
cello, piano and horn etc. There is another type of sonata for three
instruments known as Trio Sonata which used to be popular in the 16th
and 17th centuries in which two of the instruments really played the
major role and the third held
the tune rather like the Indian tanpura or drone instrument. Sonatas are
usually in three movements but there is no fixed rule. The first movement is constructed with two melodies rather
like the first movement of the symphony. A simple formula will help to understand
this construction. Suppose we call the two melodies A and B, A being strong
and masculine, B being soft and
feminine. How are they presented? The first part of the movement belongs to A then B is introduced and combined
with A almost like a marriage and
then out of the blending or the marriage of these two melodies a third melody or
C emerges as the conclusion of the
movement. Therefore we can map the flow of this movement with the following
equation,
A B ABBA C
Where A refers to the
first melody B
to the second melody ABBA to the blending of the two and
C to the conclusion. In some sonatas there is an introduction before A, which
appears rather like the opening of a door and we can call this section D. The
first movement of the symphony and the concerto is based on this formula. So if
you are good in catching tunes you should be able to follow these forms of
music and have fun and enjoy yourself. Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann
and Brahms all wrote beautiful Sonatas.
List
1. Beethoven
Moonlight Sonata https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5OaSju0qNc
2. Mozart
Sonata for Violin and Piano K378 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKeVF_Dluao&t=68s
3. Beethoven
Sonata Pathetique
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrcOcKYQX3c&t=615s
4. Brahms
Sonata for Cello and Piano no 1 Opus 38
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XiYrzsgWto
5. Joseph
Haydn Piano Sonata nº 59 in E flat, Hob. XVI:49
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWF-48jIrSU&t=754s
6. MOZART
Sonata in C minor, K. 457
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfptgKV1qI4
7. Beethoven.Violin.Sonata.No.9.Op.47.kreutzer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COGcCBJAC6I&t=573s
8. Beethoven.Violin.Sonata.No.5.Op24.Spring
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGFs7n6n3-8
9. Beethoven
Sonata N° 23 'Appassionata'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ak_7tTxZrk&t=58s
10. Beethoven
Sonata N° 29 'Hammerklavier'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwZsDzGY1XA
Music Education : Symphony
The Symphony
The most famous of all musical forms. It means an
orchestral composition in four sections with distinct pauses in between
sections. The four sections are called movements. But there are symphonies with
more or less than the standard four movements. The first movement is usually
the most important movement of a symphony and it sets the mood of the whole
symphony. It usually deals with two melodies or themes as they are called,
which are displayed, developed and brought to a conclusion. The first movement
is usually fast paced, magnificent and noble. The second movement is in
contrast, lyrical, personal, meditative and slow moving. It is intimate in
mood. The third movement is a dance and full of vivid motion. This dance
movement has two melodies, one stated by the full orchestra and the other by a
few instruments grouped together. The constant contrast that these two melodies
produce is the charm of this movement. The last movement or finale is a
blazing, triumphant fast paced piece of music of epical grandeur. The symphonic
message is the triumph of the human will over tragedy and the infinite
possibilities of human endeavor. Though there are symphonies that end
tragically in a slow piece of music, most symphonies conclude with a blazing
panorama of sound.
The great symphonies are the symphonies of Haydn,
Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Bruckner, Mahler,
Sibelius, Dvorak and Tchaikovsky. If you can listen to some symphonies of these
composers you will get a good idea of the sound of the symphony. Symphony has
become part of the English language and it means a richly blended outpouring of
different strands of sound. The word symphonic suggests grand scale and size.
Musically it means just that, a large scale work of tremendous passion and
grandeur.
I have provided a list of 10 important symphonies
below. Click on the link, you will be followed to Youtube. Track the movements
and their pace each time you listen one. Sometimes the movements and their
lengths are written below the Youtube title in the description section. For
example, if you pick up Beethoven 3rd Symphony you will find 4
movements;
0:20
I. Allegro con brio
16:13
II. Marcia funebre: Adagio assai
32:02
III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace
37:57 IV. Finale: Allegro molto
Here, time of each movement is mentioned in HH:MM (
hour:minute) format. The term Allegro means Fast pace and Adagio means slow
pace. Vivace means lively.
Likewise you can read a description of movements of
each symphony from Youtube or Internet to learn the separate pace and mood of
movements. About naming some symphonies as Eroica or Farewell or Unfinished, I
shall share anecdotes in a separate post.
Ten Great Symphonies
1. Beethoven
: 3rd Symphony ‘Eroica’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InxT4S6wQf4)
5th
Symphony (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv2WJMVPQi8)
9th
Symphony (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOjHhS5MtvA)
2. Mozart
: Symphony no.40 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sGqkMU-mGQ)
Symphony no.25 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApvqOhbsriA&t=130s)
3. Dvorak : New World Symphony (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoeDafIQvNM)
4. Haydn : Symphony no.45 ‘Farewell’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpD9ofCm6Ak&t=265s)
5. Schubert : Symphony no.8 ‘Unfinished’
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW0-75f8ov4)
6. Mendelssohn : Symphony no.4 ‘Italian’
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HX_jF1_Tgc)
7. Tchaikovsky : Symphony no.5 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2JBT0HC98I)
Music Education: Concerto
Concerto
A concerto is music of contrasting colours
created through the orchestra. There are two types of contrast which represent
the two types of concertos. One is the contrast of a small group of instruments
and the full orchestra. This is the Concerto Grosso. It used to be very popular
at the time of Bach and Handel, two composers who lived in the 17th
century. The second type of concerto is the solo concerto or the contrast of
one single instrument, piano or violin, with the whole orchestra. The solo
concerto became popular at the time of Beethoven, Mozart and the romantic
composers like Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Liszt, Schumann and Brahms.
The concerto grosso had no fixed number of
movements or sections but the solo concerto is usually in three movements. The
first movement is very much in structure like the first movement of symphony dealing
with the two melodies and their development. Basically it is a dialogue between
the soloist and the orchestra. The second movement is lyrical and personal, intimate
and very romantic. The third is fast paced and brings the concerto to a
triumphant conclusion. If you can listen to the concertos of Bach, Beethoven,
Mozart and Brahms you will get a good idea of the sound world of the concerto.
All romantic solo concertos have passages where only the soloist plays. This is
called cadenza.
If you are aware of Indian classical music
then you will observe concerto is more of like Jugalbandi where two different instruments (Sitar and Tabla, Sarod
and Tabla, Flute and Harmonium etc.) develop two melodies together like a
session of question and answer.
I am attaching examples of concerto grosso
and solo concerto with brief description of some. Violin and Piano are quite
common in concertos as the solo instrument. However I am giving some examples
of unusual instruments like Harp, Oboe, Lute, Mandolin, Organ and Recorder.
There are some examples where Bach used four pianos for a concerto and
Beethoven used Piano, Violin and Cello for his Triple Concerto. Baroque
composers like Bach, Teleman, Haydn, Handel, and Vivaldi had used Organ, Harp,
Trumpet, Lute, Mandolin etc which are not commonly in use today.
List of Concertos
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnDLlajMxyo&t=259s
Four Seasons by Vivaldi
This is the most popular
concerto of all time. There are four distinct concertos named Spring, Summer,
Autumn and Winter. Violin is the solo instrument contrasting with the
orchestra. The opening movement of the Spring is the most lively music you will
ever hear. There is beautiful pizzicato
(plucking of the string of violin) sound in the Winter mimicking gentle sound
of snowfall.
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cokCgWPRZPg
Violin Concerto,
Beethoven
In his entire lifetime
Beethoven wrote only one violin concerto but this is the most complete violin
concerto ever written. This is an example of concerto solo. Among the three
movement my favorite is the last one which is Rondo. Rondo means cyclical arrangement of a leading theme. You
will hum this Rondo theme once you hear it. Also note the cadenza or the only violin playing during Rondo.
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbQORqkStpk
Brandenburg Concerto,
Bach
This is an example of concerto grosso where group of
instruments like violin,oboe,trumpet,bassoon etc play in contrast to the
orchestra. The rich polyphonic sound makes a pleasant hearing.
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4pJxad_aI8&t=2000s
Piano Concerto no.5,
Beethoven
The third movement of
this magnificent piano concerto has a melodious tune you will hum. This is
popularly known as Emperor concerto.
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv5LeIkwPmg
Piano Concerto 1,
Tchaikovsky
The rapid first movement
is a treat to your ears. You will feel as if the sound is flowing like a river.
5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay1hyj8Lo00
Concerto for Harp and
Orchestra, Handel
The sound of this Harp
concerto is angelic.
6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2uYb6bMKyI
Piano Concerto no 21,
Mozart
This is also known as Elvira Madigan because of a Swedish
film who used this lyrical music. The 2nd movement is the most
peaceful work ever written in musical world.
7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htDf0bpFIys
Concerto Grosso op 6,
Handel
Hear the groups of
instruments in contrast with the orchestra.
8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyY5pB2a0cU
Lute Concerto, Vivaldi
This is a guitar like
instrument not much in use today but what a jolly piece of music you will hear
from the first note.
9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT_63UntRJE
Clarinet Concerto, Mozart
Such a beautiful example
of a wind instrument contrasting with a full orchestra.
10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hggISFswKcw
Recorder Concerto,RV443,
Vivaldi
Listen to another
beautiful flute like wind instrument used by Vivaldi, a baroque master.
11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHjgSiTBddM
Trumpet Concerto, Haydn
Another beautiful wind
instrument from baroque era. You will not stop humming the first movement.
12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDrVtXPpuRI&t=126s
Oboe Concerto, Mozart
13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ49G2-Chhs
Concerto for 4 Pianos,
BWV 1065, Bach
This concerto is an
example of concerto grosso with 4 pianos playing together.
14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSs6HKwhbAA
Concerto for 4 violins,
Vivaldi
This is another fine
example of concerto grosso.
15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEGNuBO4EsA
Cello Concerto no 6 in D
Major, Boccherini
16. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmpjXrS6ekk&t=576s
Triple Concerto,
Beethoven
This is a masterpiece
played by Richter (Piano), David Oistrach(Violin) and Rostropovich(Cello)
conducted by Herbert von Karajan of Berlin Philharmonic.
17. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8mJnX8up6g
Concerto for two
mandolins, Vivaldi
18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK2m0To3BCk
Piano Concerto no.17,
Mozart
Mozart was pleasantly
surprised to hear the 3rd movement from a starling bird in a pet
shop who had picked this up and whistled. The 3rd movement is simply
worth remembering.
19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_yxtaeFuEQ
Cello Concerto, Dvorak
20. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo6ekt2kTVg
Organ Concerto B-flat
major op. 4 No. 6, Handel
21. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC6cPairOTA
Violin Concerto,
Mendelssohn