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Music: Composers, artists, and major works
Marin Marais’ pièces de viole reflect an interplay between a Baroque viola da gamba, a harpsichord or other instruments, and the composer’s sensibilities. A forerunner of the modern cello, the viola da gamba also imparts sounds evoking solitude and even loneliness. The 4th livre grew out of the composer’s unending mourning for his deceased wife but even before that, the pairing of instruments and nature of the compositions convey a somber and sometimes mournful feeling. The music sounds more like compassion, for himself perhaps, than mourning. (See also the album by Silvia de Rosso, “Monsieur Sainte-Colombe: Recueil de pièces pour basse de viole seule” (2023) (64’), which is of a similar character.)
- 1st livre (Premier livre des pièces de viole) (1686) (approx. 256’)
- 2nd livre (Deuxième livre des pièces de viole) (1701) (approx. 362’)
- 3rd livre (Troisième livre des pièces de viole) (1711) (approx. 260’)
- 4th livre (Quatrième livre des pièces de viole) (1717) (approx. 230’)
- 5th livre (Cinquième livre des pièces de viole) (1725) (approx. 224-264’)
Orlando de Lassus (Orlando de Lasso), Lagrime di San Pietro (The Tears of St. Peter), LV 1005-1025 (1594) (approx. 51-58’) (the text is taken from a writing by Luigi Tansillo): Lassus was referring to the suffering of others, and his own. “Penitential and pessimistic in tone, the Lagrime are both an emblem of the religious severity of the Counter-Reformation and possibly a reflection ofthe composer’s realisation of his own impending death.” “The infrequently encountered works in seven parts often have a symbolic connotation. The number seven in fact symbolizes the suffering and affliction of the Virgin Mary, ‘Mother of the seven sorrows’. The number seven then became the symbol of suffering in general, and most of the compositions in seven parts, or consisting of seven sections, allude to suffering and mourning. It may be noted, too, that Lassus’ work comprises twenty-one sections, a multiple of seven . . .” Top recorded performances are conducted by Rooley in 1982, Herreweghe in 1983, van Nevel in 1993, and Crouch in 2013.
Centuries after Marais and Lassus, Mieczysław Weinberg composed an extensive body of works from the perspective of his Jewish-Polish heritage. Violinist Linus Roth, who displays sensibilities that are well-suited to Weinberg’s compositions for violin, has recorded Weinberg’s works for solo violin, and for violin and piano. By album title, they are:
- “Complete Sonatas and Works” (2013) (164’) for violin and piano
- “Solo Sonatas for Violin, Nos. 1-3” (2016) (74’) (hear Gidon Kremer’s performances of the same works)
- “Light in the Darkness” (2022) (63’), including Piano Trio, Op. 24; and Sonata for Two Violins, Op. 69
- “Wartime Consolations” (2015) (55’) (works by Hartmann, Weinberg and Shostakovich)
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma uses music to promote compassion and empathy. “Compassion can be fostered across the world through music according to the UN Messenger of Peace, and internationally-renowned cellist, Yo-Yo Ma.” “” “. . . Ma has . . . used his gifts in the service of spreading humanistic values — via cross-cultural musical collaboration, civic engagement and huge amounts of heart . . .” He has said: “To be able to put oneself in another's shoes without prejudgment is an essential skill. Empathy comes when you understand something deeply through arts and literature and can thus make unexpected connections. These parallels bring you closer to things that would otherwise seem far away. Empathy is the ultimate quality that acknowledges our identity as members of one human family.” Here are links to his releases, his playlists, and to live performances.
Dmitri Shostakovich, Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Major, Op. 102 (1957) (approx. 17-22’), is uncharacteristically gentle and straightforward for Shostakovich, in the first two movements. “It . . . takes us on a brief, jubilant romp filled with youthful vitality, cheerful and quirky voices, and unabashed humor. It sparkles with a witty Haydnesque classicism. The lushly beautiful second movement moves into a space of dreamy intimacy and warmth.” “The work is cast in a typical three-movement concerto form and orchestrated for a relatively small orchestra. The orchestra’s composition lends clarity and lightness of touch to the work, which is by turns playful, light-hearted, graceful, and undeniably charming.” Shostakovich composed it for his son Maxim, for his graduation from conservatory. Excellent recordings are by Shostakovich & Cluytens, Bronfman & Salonen in 1999, Volkov & Tchistiakov in 1999, Igoshina & Larsen in 2012, Rubackytė & Pitrėnas in 2012, Masleev & Sladkovsky in 2020, Trpčeski & Măcelaru in 2021.
Richard Wagner, Parsifal, WWW 111 (1882) (approx. 220-250’) (libretto): the leader’s wound can be healed only by an innocent youth made whole through compassion. That youth is Parsifal, who heals Amfortas’ wound in typical melodramatic-operatic fashion just before he dies. “The philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer and the teachings and legends of the Buddha loomed large in Wagner’s thinking during the creation of Parsifal . . . Schopenhauer’s great work, The World as Will and Representation came to Wagner’s attention in 1854 while he was composing Die Walküre. It seemed to him that this book articulated his deepest and, hitherto, barely expressed feelings. Schopenhauer wrote of compassion as the source of morality, of the nothingness of the world of phenomena with its inevitable frustration, suffering and death, and of the act of renunciation as the only authentic act of free will.” The work has been called “Wagner's 'Buddhist piece'”. “The virtues of chastity, compassion (agape), and overcoming the lust to dominate truly govern the movement of the opera.” Performances with video are conducted by Sinopoli, and Stein. Top audio-recorded performances are by Windgassen & Mödl (Knappertsbusch) in 1951; Kónya & Neidlinger (Cluytens) in 1960; Thomas & London (Knappertsbusch) in 1962; Vickers & Hotter (Knappertsbusch) in 1964; Vickers & Bailey (Goodall) in 1971; Kollo & Fischer-Dieskau (Solti) in 1972; King & Weikl (Kubelik) in 1980 ***; Hofmann & van Dam (Karajan) in 1980; and Lehman & Nitkin (Gergiev) in 2009.
Other works:
- John Foulds, Vocal Concerto, "Lyra Celtica", Op. 50 (1920s) (approx. 16’)
- Boris Tchaikovsky, Cello Concerto (1964) (approx. 34-37’) – the sound of concern
- Arthur Bliss, Music for Strings, Op. 54, F123 (1935) (approx. 22-25’)
- Mieczysław Weinberg, Chamber Symphony No. 3 for string orchestra, Op. 151 (1990) (approx. 31-33’)
- Robert Fuchs, 6 Phantasiestücke (Fantasy Pieces) for viola and piano, Op. 117 (approx. 22’)
- Robert Fuchs, Sonata in D minor for viola and piano, Op. 86 (1899) (approx. 19’)
- Pavel Vranický, Symphony in D Major, Op. 36 (approx. 22’)
- George Enescu, Piano Trio in A Minor (1916) (approx. 21’)
- Carl Reinecke, Piano Trio No. 1 in D Major, Op. 38 (1853) (approx. 30’)
- Ferdinand Hiller, Piano Quintet in G Major, Op. 156 (1873) (approx. 39’)
- José F. Vásquez, Complete Impresiones for Piano (1922-1927) (approx. 64’) are “fifteen predominantly slow, introspective miniatures – reveal a debt to French Impressionism, Debussy in particular, with occasional nods to Schumann, Liszt and Brahms, and some harmonies that suggest Wagner.”
- Michele Esposito, Violin Sonatas: No. 1 in G Major, Op. 32; (1904) (approx. 20’); No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 46 (1907) (approx. 18’); in A Major, Op. 67 (1913) (approx. 22’).
- Kalevi Aho, Symphony No. 2 (1970, rev. 1995) (approx. 22’)
- Malcolm Arnold, Symphony No. 9, Op. 128 (1986) (approx. 51’): Malcolm explained that the work reflected the “five years of hell” he spent before composing it.
- Mieczysław Weinberg, String Quartet No. 14, Op. 122 (1978) (approx. 22’) “leaves an overwhelming impression of sadness, despite some liveliness in patches, and is consciously a lament for Shostakovich, whose famous motif appears more than once in the final movement.”
- Weinberg, Symphony No. 21, Op. 152, "Kaddish" (1991) (approx. 54’55’) “expresses the composer’s thoughts and feelings about the horrors of his life, from the Holocaust through the Stalinist era. It draws on his Polish roots with quotations from Chopin and his Jewish heritage with passages featuring a solo clarinet playing in klezmer style. It also includes numerous quotations from Weinberg’s own works and from Mahler.”
- Hayden Wayne, String Quartet No. 8 (approx. 26’)
- Elliott Carter, Pocahontas (1939) (approx. 31’) “captures the adventuresome spirit of the settlers arriving in unknown lands and the compassion of the original Americans”.
Albums:
- Ludovico Einaudi, “Music of Care” (2023) (49’)
- Julie Campiche Quartet, “You Matter” (2022) (57’). Campiche observes: “Things related to community and how we live our lives inform my vision of the world. . . . your dreams matter. Because our dreams are the key to tomorrow.”
- Jon Balke, “Siwan – Hafla” (2022) (45’) is a haunting album about an urban oasis in Egypt, called Siwa.
- Wadada Leo Smith & Adam Rudolph, “Compassion” (2006) (47’): “Compassion is again a spiritual journey, starting with lonely and voiceless stuttering by the trumpet, soon joined by slight percussion, like the sounds of the night. The second piece brings us dawn, and as the sun breaks through we get the long notes of Smith's trumpet, supported by Tibetan bells and gongs of Rudolph.” The music evokes the suffering part of compassion.
Music: songs and other short pieces
- Peter Kater & Nawang Khechog, “Call of Compassion”
- Nawang Khechog, “A Call of Compassion to Humanity”
- Yungchen Lhamo, “Perfect Compassion”
- This Adagio movement is generally attributed to Tomasso Albinoni but probably was composed in the 20th century, perhaps based on an Albinoni fragment. No matter; in the linked performance by the cellist Hauser, it evokes loving compassion and the pain of separation.
- Steve Lacy and the Riccardo Fassi Trio, “Compassion”
- Imee Ooi, “Great Compassion Mantra”
- Adele, “Make You Feel My Love” (lyrics)
- Bob Dylan, “Make You Feel My Love” (lyrics)
- Phil Collins, “You’ll Be in My Heart” (lyrics)
- Franz Joseph Haydn (composer), “Pleasing Pain”, Hob. XXVIa:29 (lyrics)