Meditation, Mendelssohn, Miscellany

Go classical radio show go!

Gabriel Faure: Nocturne no. 13 in B minor (1921) for piano
Lukas Foss: ". . . and then the rocks on the mountains begin to shout" (1977–78) for a cappella choir
Andrzej Panufnik: Homage to Chopin (1949, arr. 1966) for flute and string orchestra
Frederic Chopin: Four Mazurkas, op. 24 (1834–35) for piano
Rebecca Clarke: Lullaby (1909) for viola and piano
Felix Mendelssohn: Piano Trio no. 2 in C minor, op. 66 (1845)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony no. 1 (1800)

Lukas Foss in memoriam; that choral piece has the right meditative attitude, and is quite lovely, rather like a warmer, more spiritually grounded version of deconstructive vocal pieces by Berio and Stockhausen. Also, Felix Mendelssohn is two hundred years old! Classical people love anniversaries for some reason.

I haven't listened closely to the other discs in the Vänskä/Minnesota Beethoven symphony cycle, but this recent release with the 1st and 6th is excellent.