July 4 - Fireworks

Ah, a day off, and what a day -- Charles Ives, Igor Stravinsky, Aaron Copland, , etc., ringing in the ears -- now an entire week stretch of plus-100 weather (a new second-highest at 108, only June 8 at 109 higher... 104th day of summer, 29th 90-or-above, 9th 100-or-more):
 

a number of

impressive,

thought-provoking

videos with

Harriet,

Carol checking in with pictures from her Northwest adventure, + finishing up a re-reading of Richard Brautigan's

Willard and his Bowling Trophies and the composition re fourth scene of Hamlet (46 pages total), and

early dinner at Joe's Creekside Cafe,

then

down to

Vallejo,

accompanying

Tisha, Clair, Tom, and

Amanda toward the waterfront for

good old-fashioned communal

 pyrotechnics.

July 3 - Here We Are

A morning, with the Pianists,

afternoon home in the heat (sixth day of 100+ temperatures -- tying the highest of the wave at 107,   ... 103rd day of summer, 28th 90+, 8th 100+),

composing page 45 of Hamlet and doing more class preparation than grading once again on behalf of the

Music Historians, as we go Baroque and beyond...

C Melodic Minor
Ascending: C D Eb F G A B C
Descending: C Bb Ab G F Eb D C

Four Movements of an Idealized Symphony
I. Sonata-Allegro - A (ab Exposition) B (Development) A' (a'b' Recapitulation)
II. Theme and Variations - A A' A'' A'' . . .
III. Minuet and Trio- A(aabb) B (ccdd) A (ab)
IV. Rondo - ABACA (ABACABA)

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Early - Classical
Middle - Heroic
Late - Romantic

Listening
[8732] [Franz] Joseph Haydn - Symphony No. 94 ("Surprise"): II
[8756] Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Violin Concerto No. 5 ("Turkish"): III
[8770] Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No. 5: I
[8803] Hector Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique: V. Dream of a Witches' Sabbath
[8810] Frederic Chopin - Piano Prelude in E Minor
[8813] Richard Wagner - Gotterdammerung: Finale (The Twilight of the Gods)

July 2 - Open Rehearsal

At San Francisco Conservatory for what amounts to a public penultimate practice of 2/3 of the

Fresh Voices XIII: Mischief and Mayhem program -- to wit: 

The Decameron - First Day

and

John Bilotta's  

Quantum Mechanic.

While

the

heat

wave

continues

inland,

raging

for

a fifth day of 100+ temperatures (although the coolest at a mere 102 after 105, 107, 105, 104 (102nd day of summer, 27th 90-or-better, 7th 100-or-beyond) --

it

is

downright

chilly

in

the

City,

its afternoon high of 82 long vanished in the chilly 50ish / 60ish mist.

Meet the Diablo Valley College Pianists in the morning, and in late evening, compose page 44 of Hamlet.

July 1 - There and Back and There and Back

Week 3 of the summer semester,

Pianists up to repertory roughly reflecting the Renaissance and Baroque,

related deal in the evening class, first things first...
 

D Major
D E F# G A B C# D

A Major
A B C# D E F# G# A

E Major
E F# G# B C# D# E

E Minor
E F# G A B C D E


Three Typical Genres of Baroque Music

Suite
Overture
Dance I
Dance II
.
.
.

Opera
Overture
Recitative
Aria (Duet, Trio...)
Chorus
.
.
.

Concerto
Fast
Slow
Fast


J.S. Bach (1685-1779) - Three stylitic periods, and typical music written...
Weimar - Organ
Cothen - Instrumental
Leipzig - Vocal


Listening
[8567] Claudio Monteverdi - Vespers: I. Deus in Adjutorium (God in the House)
[8659] Henry Purcell - Dido and Aeneas: Dido's Lament (When I Am Laid in Earth)
[8678] Antonio Vivaldi - The Four Seasons - Spring: I (Allegro)
[8681] G.P. Telemann - Oboe Concerto in F Minor: I (Allegro)
[8685] G.F. Handel - Messiah: Hallelujah!
[8686] J.A. Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No. 1: I (Allegro)

***

Afternoon adventures include not enough paper grading on a fourth day of in-line 100+ temperatures --

high now of 104..

the coolest of this heat wave of so far 105, 107, 105 --

101st of summer,

26th 90-or-better, 6th 100-or-beyond.  In the late evening, compose page 43 of Hamlet.