Atmosphere

Of the Chopin Waltzes I have said that they are dances for the soul, not the body. But their animated rhythms, insouciant airs and brilliant, coquettish atmosphere, the true ball - room atmosphere, seem to smile at this exaggeration. The Waltzes are the most objective of the Chopin works, and only in a few of them is there a hint of the spleen and melancholy of the Nocturnes and Scherzi. They are less intimate in the psychic sense, but are exquisite exemplars of social intimacy and aristocratic abandon. As Schumann declared, the dancers of these Waltzes should be at least countesses. Despite their intoxicating movement there is high - bred reserve, and never a hint of the brawling peasants of Beethoven, Grieg, Brahms, Tschaikowsky or Dvorak. Yet little of Vienna is in Chopin.

Lista utworów:
Grande Valse brillante Es-dur op. 18 (Chopin Frederic)
Valse brillante As-dur op. 34 nr 1 (Chopin Frederic)
Valse brillante a-moll op. 34 nr 2 (Chopin Frederic)
Valse brillante F-dur op. 34 nr 3 (Chopin Frederic)
Valse As-dur op. 42 (Chopin Frederic)
Valse Des-dur op. 64 nr 1 (Chopin Frederic)
Valse cis-moll op. 64 nr 2 (Chopin Frederic)
Valse As-dur op. 64 nr 3 (Chopin Frederic)
Valse As-dur op. 69 nr 1 (Chopin Frederic)
Valse b-moll op. 69 nr 2 (Chopin Frederic)
Valse Ges-dur op. 70 nr 1 (Chopin Frederic)
Valse f-moll op. 70 nr 2 (Chopin Frederic)
Valse Des-dur op. 70 nr 3 (Chopin Frederic)
Valse e-moll (Chopin Frederic)
Valse E-dur (Chopin Frederic)

Jacob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn - Bartholdy was born February 3, 1809. He grew up in an atmosphere of privileged wealth: what Harold Schonberg refers to as "...almost grim culture." His father, Abraham Mendelssohn, who was the son of the eminent philosopher Moses Mendelssohn, was an influential banker and played an important role in the social, intellectual and artistic city of Berlin. He married Lea Soloman, the granddaughter of one of Berlin's most affluent citizens. Their four children were given the finest education available. The atmosphere of their home was sophisticated, elite and enlightened and as a result they became singleminded and serious.
Many famous musicians, artists, philosophers, and literary figures of the day attended the Mendelssohn family's Sunday evening concerts. During these growing - up years Felix established friendships with Goethe and Hegel. Goethe's emphasis on the dynamic and productive aspects of art and Hegel's belief that "even in instrumental music the composer should devote equal attention to two aspects - musical structure, and the expression of an admittedly indeterminate content, "greatly influenced Mendelssohn's tendency toward the classical period's values of clear ideas and pure form.

Lista utworów:
Six pieces for Children op. 72 (Mendelssohn F.)
Songs without words (Mendelssohn F.)
Confidence op. 19 nr 4 (Mendelssohn F.)
Regrets op. 19 nr 2 (Mendelssohn F.)
Hunting - Song op. 19 nr 3 (Mendelssohn F.)
Venetian Boat - Song No. 1 op. 19 nr 6 (Mendelssohn F.)
Venetian Boat - Song No. 2 op. 30 nr 6 (Mendelssohn F.)
Folksong op. 53 nr 5 (Mendelssohn F.)
Contemplation op. 30 nr 1 (Mendelssohn F.)
May Breezes op. 62 nr 1 (Mendelssohn F.)
Posthumous (Mendelssohn F.)
Consolation op. 30 nr 3 (Mendelssohn F.)
Spring - Song op. 62 nr 6 (Mendelssohn F.)
Tarantella op. 102 nr 3 (Mendelssohn F.)
Spinning - Song op. 67 nr 4 (Mendelssohn F.)
Wedding March (from a Midsummer Night's Dream) (Mendelssohn F.)
Characteristic Piece (with Longing) op. 7 nr 6 (Mendelssohn F.)
Andante (from Fantasie) op. 16 nr 1 (Mendelssohn F.)
Scherzo op. 16 nr 2 (Mendelssohn F.)
Praeludium in E Minor (Mendelssohn F.)
Rondo Capriccioso op. 14 (Mendelssohn F.)

Lista utworów:
Atmosphere (Shinedown, tobyMac)
Burn For You (INXS, tobyMac)
Catchafire (Whoopsi-Daisy) (tobyMac)
Diverse City (tobyMac)
Getaway Car (Audioslave, tobyMac)
Gone (Ben Folds, Ferlin Husky, Jack Johnson, Jim Chappell, Kelly Clarkson, Montgomery Gentry, 'N Sync, Switchfoot, tobyMac, U2)
Gotta Go (tobyMac)
Hey Now (Oasis, tobyMac)
Ill-M-I (tobyMac)
Phenomenon (tobyMac)
Stories (Down To The Bottom) (tobyMac)
The Slam (tobyMac)

A fine selection of the finest masterpieces by Felix Mendelssohn arranged for solo piano. Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy was born in Hamburg in 1809 into a well-to-do Jewish family. The family moved to Berlin when Mendelssohn was very young, where he was lucky enough to be brought up within a strong cultural and intellectual atmosphere.

Lista utworów:
Christmas Piece op. 72 nr 1 (Mendelssohn Felix)
Christmas Piece op. 72 nr 3 (Mendelssohn Felix)
Christmas Piece op. 72 nr 5 (Mendelssohn Felix)
Consolation op. 30 nr 3 (Mendelssohn Felix)
First Movement - Allegro Moderato Ma Con Fuoco (Octet For Strings) (Mendelssohn Felix)
First Movement - Allegro Vivace (Piano Sonata In B Flat) (Mendelssohn Felix)
First Movement - Allegro Vivace (Symphony No.4 'The Italian') (Mendelssohn Felix)
First Movement - Con Moto Maestoso (Organ Sonata No.3 In A Major) (Mendelssohn Felix)
First Movement - Introduction And Allegro (Symphony No.3 'The Scottish') (Mendelssohn Felix)
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Mendelssohn Felix)
I Waited For The Lord (Mendelssohn Felix)
Lift Thine Eyes (Mendelssohn Felix)
Nocturne (A Midsummer Night's Dream) (Mendelssohn Felix)
O For The Wings Of A Dove (Mendelssohn Felix)
Regrets (Song Without Words) op. 19 nr 2 (Mendelssohn Felix)
Second Movement - Adagio (Organ Sonata No.2 In C Minor) (Mendelssohn Felix)
Second Movement - Andante (Piano Concerto No.1 In G Minor) (Mendelssohn Felix)
Second Movement - Andante (Violin Concerto In E Minor) (Mendelssohn Felix)
Second Movement - Andante Con Moto (Symphony No.4 'The Italian') (Mendelssohn Felix)
Sehnsuchtig (Seven Characteristic Pieces) op. 7 nr 6 (Mendelssohn Felix)
Snaft Und Mit Empfindung (Seven Characteristic Pieces) Op.7 No.1 (Mendelssohn Felix)
Spring Song (Song Without Words) op. 62 nr 6 (Mendelssohn Felix)
Sweet Remembrance (Song Without Words) op. 19 nr 1 (Mendelssohn Felix)
The Hebrides Overture (Fingal's Cave) (Mendelssohn Felix)
Third Movement - Adagio (Symphony No.3 'The Scottish') op. 19 nr 6 (Mendelssohn Felix)
Venetian Boat-Song No.1 (Song Without Words) (Mendelssohn Felix)
War March Of The Priests (Mendelssohn Felix)
Wedding March (A Midsummer Night's Dream) (Mendelssohn Felix)