May 24, 2005
Gratuitous Musickal Posting (TM)
(Haven't done one of these in a few weeks.)
The local classical station is currently running Felix Mendelssohn's Rondo Capriciosso for Piano in E Major, Opus 14, a piece I've always enjoyed because it is a keyboard version of the things I like about Mendelssohn's orchestral works (particularly in the scherzo from Midsummer Night's Dream, the Fingal's Cave Overture and the Scottish Symphony) - a wild, sometimes impish melodic line over a powerful, romantic bass.
I occassionally try to play this piece myself. I can get through the slow introduction without any real difficulty, but can't play the body of the piece at anything like the speed required for a real performance. And after a while, all those bloody arpeggios start to make my fingers hurt. Unfortunately, it isn't a piece designed for messing about on a casual basis, but instead requires a good deal of technical rigor and a lot of practice to master.
Anyhoo, if you're interested in some good Mendelssohn piano music, I'd recommend this piece.
Posted by Robert at May 24, 2005 03:06 PMEmmm--that would be "Fingal's Cave," wouldn't it;
"Thingol" is what Paris Hilton calls a person who inhabits the steppes of Central Asia.
Thanks for the catch. You're right about Fingal, of course. However, Thingol is actually a character from J.R.R. Tolkien's Silmarilion, an elf who marries Melian, one of the Maia (or lesser spirits) and becomes King of the Sindar of Doriath. They are the parents of Luthian Tinuvial who, with her lover Beren, plays a major part in the story of the Simarils and the fate of Middle Earth.
Erm...on re-reading this, I see that I've firewalled my geek-throttle. Sorry 'bout that.
Posted by: Robert the LB at May 25, 2005 11:51 AM
