Is it just me, or is the opening theme reminding me of Chopin's Berceuse?

Julian Kuerti conducts the New England Conservatory Philharmonia in a performance of Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture, Op. 21. Recorded live in Jordan Hall October 23, 2013.

Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture, Op. 21

JS Bach: Wachet Auf Ruft Uns Die Stimme, BWV 140 (arr. Francesco Tristano)

F. Händel, Water Music - Suite Nº 3

2nd mov. Andantino semplice – Allegro vivace assai/Prestissimo

Live from International Festival of Santander. Main Hall in the Festivals Palace, Santander, Spain.
Pierre Delignies, piano
Jaime Martín, conductor
Youth Orquestra of Cantabria
Steinway & sons


The Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23 was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky between November 1874 and February 1875. It was revised in the summer of 1879 and again in December 1888. The first version received heavy criticism from Nikolai Rubinstein, Tchaikovsky's desired pianist. Rubinstein later repudiated his previous accusations and became a fervent champion of the work. It is one of the most popular of Tchaikovsky's compositions and among the best known of all piano concertos.

The first performance of the original version took place on October 25, 1875 in Boston, conducted by Benjamin Johnson Lang and with Bülow as soloist. Bülow had initially engaged a different conductor, but they quarrelled, and Lang was brought in at short notice. According to Alan Walker, the concerto was so popular that Bülow was obliged to repeat the Finale, a fact that Tchaikovsky found astonishing. Although the premiere was a success with the audience, the critics were not so impressed.

Tchaikovsky piano concerto No. 1, 2nd mov

Red Cliff is a concerto for piano and Western symphony orchestra, structured seamlessly within a single movement divided into four sections. Its thematic genesis draws inspiration from Luo Guanzhong’s esteemed 15th-century historical novel The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a foundational work within the canon of Chinese literature. Situating itself amidst the tumultuous backdrop of the Three Kingdoms period, a pivotal epoch marking the decline of the Han dynasty in the 3rd century CE, the concerto encapsulates the enduring resonance of Chinese cultural heritage spanning millennia. Narratively, the composition encapsulates the climactic Battle of Red Cliff. In this pivotal event, three potent warlords—Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Quan—contend for dominion over the empire, ultimately catalyzing the emergence of the titular Three Kingdoms.
Comprising four contiguous sections, the concerto unfolds a multifaceted musical narrative:
1.	"Paying 3 Visits to A Recluse’s Cottage" (mm. 1- 56): Embarking with an adagio passage reminiscent of the opening strains of the renowned pipa composition "Waves Dredging Sand" by the blind folk musician Ah Bing (1893-1950), this section evokes the pivotal moment when Liu Bei secures the allegiance of the strategic genius Zhuge Liang after three personal entreaties.
2.	"Heated Debate" (mm. 57-174): Transitioning into an Allegro tempo, the composer deftly employs motifs from "Waves Dredging Sand" as thematic material, orchestrating six dynamic variations that vividly portray Zhuge Liang's persuasive arguments to rally Sun Quan and his military advisors in support of the alliance against Cao Cao.
3.	"Sorrowful Parting" (mm. 175-261): In a poignant departure, the composition channels the emotive essence of a renowned traditional Chinese opera aria, "Sorrowful Parting," attributed to Zhou Yu, as he bids farewell to Huang Gai. This lyrical interlude encapsulates the pathos of impending sacrifice amidst strategic machinations.
4.	“Battle of Red Cliff" (mm. 262-407): Culminating in a virtuosic display, the final segment encapsulates Huang Gai's audacious stratagem, depicting the daring incendiary assault on Cao Cao's fleet. As Huang Gai's "defecting" squadron unleashes infernal chaos, the flames engulf Cao Cao's armada, precipitating a decisive victory for the allied forces.
On October 9, 2016, at the esteemed Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, the world premiere featured virtuoso Ching-Yun Hu as soloist, accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia under the baton of Dirk Brossé. Subsequently, the composer undertook a re-orchestration of the concerto for a traditional Chinese orchestra, culminating in the world premiere of the revised version on October 6, 2018, at the National Concert Hall in Taipei. Ching-Yun Hu reprised the role of soloist, accompanied by the National Chinese Orchestra Taiwan under the direction of the composer, Yiu-Kwong Chung.  The entire composition lasts 14 minutes. This track is the live recording of the world premiere on October 9th, 2016. Ching-Yun Hu and the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia. Conductor: Dirk Brossé.

RED CLIFF for Piano and Orchestra (Section 1 "Visits To A Recluse's Cottage")

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European Melodies

Spanish Rhapsody

Liszt - Spanish Rhapsody (Live)

Violin Concertos: Mozart 5 & Vieuxtemps 4

Mozart - Violin Concerto 5 in A K.219 - Hilary Hahn

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Bernard Haitink, conductor
Paul Lewis, piano
Neeme Järvi, conductor

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 19 (October 2018)

David Loebel conducts the New England Conservatory Youth Philharmonic Orchestra (YPO) in a performance of Tchaikovsky's Symphony no 6 in B minor,  "Pathétique". Recorded live November 27, 2012 in NEC's Jordan Hall. This concert is part of the "Prep Presents" series of free concerts offered to the city of Boston as a token of gratitude for community support of NEC's Campus Redevelopment Plan.
http://necmusic.edu/prep-concerts

Tchaikovsky: Symphony no 6 in B minor, Op. 74 "Pathétique"   Adagio   Allegro non troppo

Beethoven-Romance no.2 in F major,for violin and orchestra,op.50

JAAP VAN ZWEDEN conducts

RACHMANINOFF Symphony No. 2

RACHMANINOFF Symphony No. 2

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Tchaikovsky piano concerto No. 1, 2nd mov

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