Dido's Lament

One of my new discoveries in concert music is Dido's Lament.
The aria is pretty simple and is sung when Dido commits suicide and is about to die and she sings it to her maid:

When I am laid, am laid in earth, May my wrongs create
No trouble, no trouble in thy breast;
Remember me, remember me, but ah! forget my fate.
Remember me, but ah! forget my fate,

The instrumentation is a Passacaglia with descending bass which gives a sense of enormous pathos to the aria. The best version i have heard so far is Susan Graham's.
If you are feeling sad or depressed you want to put your arms around it and give some realization or visualization for the depression, this song and Susan's rendition of it is your best bet. She wrings the pathos out of the words and music which seeps out slowly and takes enormous shape around you in your ears and in your minds eye.

The words "Remember me" reinforces and etches the sadness in your feeling, ensuring it is not brushed away or ignored and hence it pacifies and assuages the dark feeling. At the same time, the words "No Trouble" and "forget my fate" rings again and again it is going to be okay after all.

And all of this is reinforced by the ground bass lines. While they paint a deep blue as they ominously start going down, they resolve each time at a comfortable place where it is dull but it is not so dark. This passage from dark to dull each time consoles the heart and gently pats the soul to reconciliation. The train that started descending down to the abyss in the beginning of the aria come to a gentle stop at the end of the aria.

Wonderful music!

Classical Music pieces from an article on zubin from indian american:

Classical Music pieces from an article on zubin from indian american:

Mahler II Symphony - Resurrection

Brahms: Academic Festival Overture - Zubin with LA philharmonic

Ravel's Bolero

Beethoven's Violin Concerto

Stravinsky's Rite Of Spring

Three Tenor's concert with Zubin

Sitar Concerto #2 with Ravishankar and London Philharmonic

On Beethoven's symphonies

On Beethoven's symphonies
(from: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?columnId=5477647)

Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125
one of the finest with Ode to Joy - a poem of Friedrich Schiller chorus in the symphony.
AKA choral symphony; runs to around 74 mins

Beethoven's Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93
classical in style

Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92
Performed to benefit soldiers

Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68
His full title was "Pastoral Symphony, or Recollections of Country Life." Beethoven publicly declared the
piece's "extramusical" purpose: an expression of nature.

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67
- one of the greatest work of Beethoven

Symphony No. 4 in B Flat Major, Op. 60
More classical. Beethoven had a trend of keeping his even symphonies more classical in nature.

Symphony No. 3 in E Flat Major, Op. 55 - Eroica

Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 21

Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21
Beethoven's First Symphony, dedicated to Baron Gottfried Van Swieten, came at age 29.

A Classical music listening list

Good guide to listening is at: classical.netMedieval, Rennaisance, Baroque, Classical, Modern Music of the Baroque Era (1600-1750) was characterized by vastness of proportion, rich counterpoint, great splendor and a highly ornamented melodic line. JS Bach, Handel, Vivaldi BACH, Johann Sebastian
* Concertos for Violin BWV 1041, 1042
* Art of the Fugue BWV 1080
* Toccata and Fugue in D minor for Organ BWV 565 HANDEL, George Frideric

Acis and Galatea (oratorio)
Arias
Concerti Grossi Op. 3
* Concerti Grossi Op. 6
Concertos for Organ Op. 4 and 7
Concerto for Organ "Cuckoo and Nightingale"
Harmonious Blacksmith for Harpsichord
* Messiah (oratorio) ( Hallelujah Chorus work )
Operas (Flavio, Tamerlano)
Royal Fireworks Music ( I - II - III - IV - V - VI Royal Fireworks Music - Click on movement )
Solomon (oratorio)
Sonatas for Flute or Recorder and Harpsichord
Suites for Harpsichord
Susanna (oratorio)
Trio Sonatas Op. 2 and 5
* Water Music

VIVALDI, Antonio

* Four Seasons Spring
* Concertos (for violin, bassoon, cello, oboe, flute, etc.)

classical era: (1750 - 1820): Briefly, the characteristics of classicism are a concern for musical form with a greater emphasis on clarity with more concise melodic expression and clarity of instrumental color. composers: mozard, beethoven, haydn, cpe bach BACH, Carl Philipp Emanuel * Concertos for Cello Wq. 170-172 BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van

* Concertos for Piano (1-3, * 4, * 5)
* Concerto for Violin Op. 61
* Concerto for Piano, Violin and Cello Op. 56
Diabelli Variations for Piano Op. 120
Eroica Variations for Piano Op. 35
Fidelio Op. 72 (opera)
* Missa Solemnis Op. 123
Overtures (Leonore, Coriolan, Egmont. etc.)
* Quartets #7-16 (* 8, * 14)
Quintet for Piano and Strings Op. 16
Serenade and Trios for Strings Op. 3, 8 and 9
Sextet for Winds Op. 71
* Sonatas for Piano (All, especially * 8, * 14 Piano Sonata #14, Op. 27 #1 (first movement), 21, * 23, * 29)
Sonatas for Cello and Piano (1-5)
* Sonatas for Violin and Piano (5, 9)
* Symphonies (1 Symphony #1, Op. 21 (first movement), 2 Symphony #2, Op. 36 (first movement), * 3 Symphony #3, Op. 55 (first movement), 4 Symphony #4, Op. 60 (first movement), * 5 Symphony #5, Op. 67 (second movement), * 6 Symphony #6, Op. 68 (first movement), 7 Symphony #7, Op. 92 (first movement), 8 Symphony #8, Op. 93 (first movement), * 9 Symphony #9, Op. 125 (first movement))
* Trios for Piano and Strings (* #7 "Archduke")
MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus
Arias (opera and concert arias) Queen of the Night aria from The Magic Flute
Concerto for Clarinet K. 622
* Concertos for Flute, K.313 and 314
* Concertos for Horn #1-4 K. 412, 417, 447 and 495
* Concertos for Piano (7-19, * 20, * 21, * 23, 24, 25, 27)
Concertos for Violin (#3-5)
Cosí fan tutte (opera)
Divertimenti #1-3, K. 136-138 and #10, K. 247
* Don Giovanni (opera)
* Exsultate, Jubilate (motet)
Idomeneo (opera)
La Clemenza di Tito (opera)
* Magic Flute (opera) Queen of the Night aria
Marriage of Figaro (opera) Overture
Mass in C minor "The Great"
* Opera Overtures Overture from Marriage of Figaro
Quartets for Flute and Strings
Quartet for Oboe and Strings K. 370
* Quartets for Strings(* 8-13, 14, 16, * 17, 18, * 19, 23)
* Quintet for Clarinet and Strings K. 581
Quintet for Piano and Strings
* Quintets for Strings (* K. 515, 516, 593 and 614)
Requiem K. 626 Confutatis
Serenade #6 "Serenata notturna" K. 239
* Serenade #7 "Haffner" K. 250
Serenade #9 "Posthorn" K. 320
* Serenades #10 "Gran Partita", 11 and 12 for Winds
* Serenade #13 "Eine kleine Nachtmusik" K. 525 ( I - II - III - IV Eine kleine Nachtmusik)
* Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola K. 364
Sonatas for Piano (8, 11, 13, 15)
Sonatas for Violin (K. 296 and 454)
* Symphonies (29, 35, 36, * 38, 39, * 40, * 41)
* Trio for Strings K. 563
Trios for Piano and Strings

Romantic Period: (1820 - 1910): Extending the bounds of music beyond the restrictive formality of Classicism was the prime function of the musical period known as Romanticism. Formal concern, intellectuality and concise expression have now been augmented by sentiment, imagination and effect. Romantic Period: (1820 - 1910): Extending the bounds of music beyond the restrictive formality of Classicism was the prime function of the musical period known as Romanticism. Formal concern, intellectuality and concise expression have now been augmented by sentiment, imagination and effect. composers: Bizet | Brahms Chopin Dvořák Liszt Puccini | Rachmaninoff J. Strauss Jr. | J. Strauss Sr. Tchaikovsky | Thomas | Verdi | Wagner | BIZET, Georges

* Carmen (opera)
BRAHMS, Johannes
Alto Rhapsody for Alto, Male Chorus and Orchestra Op. 53
* Academic Festival Overture Op. 80
* Concertos for Piano (1, * 2)
* Concerto for Violin Op. 77
Concerto for Violin and Cello Op. 102
Ein Deutsches Requiem (German Requiem) Op. 45
Hungarian Dances for Piano or Orchestra
Piano Music (Fantasias Cappricio Op 116 #3, Intermezzos, Ballades, Waltzes Waltz Op. 39 #1, Rhapsodies, etc.)
Quartets for Strings (1-3)
Quartets for Piano and Strings (1-3)
* Quintets for Strings
* Quintet for Clarinet and Strings Op. 115
Quintet for Piano and Strings Op. 34
* Serenades for Orchestra (* 1,2)
Sextets (1,2)
Sonatas for Cello and Piano
Sonatas for Viola or Clarinet Op. 120
Sonatas for Violin and Piano
* Symphonies (* 1, 2, * 3, * 4)
Tragic Overture Op. 81
Trio for Clarinet and Strings Op. 114
* Trios for Piano and Strings (* 1, 2, 3)
Trio for Horn, Violin and Piano Op. 40
* Variations on a Theme by Haydn Op. 56a

CHOPIN, Frédéric

* Piano Music (Ballades, Études, Nocturnes Nocturne #2 Op. 9 #2, Preludes Prelude Op. 28 #2, Scherzi Scherzo #1 Op. 20, etc.)
Sonata for Cello and Piano Op. 65

DVOŘÁK, Antonín

* Concerto for Cello Op. 104
* Quartets (* 10, 11, 12, * 14)
* Quartets for Piano and Strings
Slavonic Dances
* Symphonies (* 7, * 8, * 9 "New World")
* Trios for Piano and Strings (1-3,* 4)

LISZT, Franz

Annees de Pelerinage for Piano
* Concertos for Piano (* 1, 2)
* Hungarian Rhapsodies Hungarian Rhapsody #2
* Les Préludes for Orchestra
Mephisto Waltz for Piano Mephisto Waltz
Paganini Études for Piano
* Sonata in B Minor for Piano
Totentanz for Piano and Orchestra
* Transcendental Études for Piano

RACHMANINOV, Sergei

* Concertos for Piano (1, * 2, * 3, 4)
* Études and Preludes for Piano
* Morceaux de Fantasie (* Op. 3/2 Prelude in C# minor, Op. 3 #2 )
* Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Sonatas for Piano
Suites for Piano Four Hands
Symphonic Dances
Symphony #2
Trios for Piano and Strings
TCHAIKOVSKY, Peter Ilyitch
Capriccio italien for Orchestra Op. 45
* Concerto #1 for Piano Op. 23 1
* Concerto for Violin Op. 35
Eugen Onegin (opera)
Manfred Symphony Op. 58
Marche slave for Orchestra Op. 31
* Nutcracker Op. 71 (ballet suite) Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
Overture 1812 Op. 49 1812 Overture
Quartets for Strings
Roméo and Juliet Fantasy Overture Love Theme
Serenade for Strings Op. 48
Sleeping Beauty Op. 66 (ballet) Sleeping Beauty
* Swan Lake Op. 20 (ballet) Swan Lake
* Symphonies (2, 4, * 5, * 6)
Trio for Piano and Strings Op. 50
Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra Op. 33

shopping for piano

I stopped by colton pianos in 101; The salesman was very helpful: corey keating (www.coltonpiano.com) 408 986 9900
He demoed George Steck Pianos. These are built at: Sejung in Quingdao, China.
A 48" model was $2700 mahagony finish (delivery and tuning and bench extra).

Yamaha store salesman: David Blank quoted $3k for m425 piano ( i believe made in us ) and with bench and tuner. This piano is cherry/mahagony finish; made in the US; 44"; spruce keys and soundboard

Western music store in cupertino was renting yamaha for $50 per month.

blue book for pianos website lists retail prices;
im not sure what to buy at this point.


Both colton pianos and yamaha dealer have a policy of upgrading within 5 years where the full price of piano can be applied towards the upgrade.

chords for ninaithu ninaithu paarthen

From: Friday, April 08, 2005

Here it is... or atleast what I think..

G D Em G
ninaithu ninaithu paarthaen
G D Em G
nerungi vilagi nadandhaen

G D (Em)G F# G G D Em G
unnaal dhaanae naanae vaazhgiRaen oho oho oho oh
G D(Em) G F# G
unnil indru ennai paarkkiRaen


G Bb G G D G
eduthu padithu mudikkum munnae
G F# G G D G D Em G
eriyum kadidham edhaRku peNNae ae ae a

G D (Em)G F# G G D Em G
unnaal dhaanae naanae vaazhgiRaen oho oho oho oh
G D(Em) G F# G
unnil indru ennai paarkkiRaen

G D G
amarndhu paesum marangaLin nizhalum
G D G
unnai kaetkum eppadi solvaen
G Bm G Eb D G
udhirndhu poana malarin mounama Aaaa.. Aaaa
G D G
thoodhu paesum kolusin oliyai
G D G
aRaigaL kaetkum eppadi solvaen?
G Bm G Eb
udaindhu poana vaLaiyal paesuma?
Eb G Eb G
uLLangaiyial veppam saerkkum mmmm
G F#G
viralgaL indru engae?
Eb F# Eb G
thoaLil saayndhu kadhaigaL paesa Aaaa
G F#G
mugamum illai ingae
G Em D
mudhal kanavu mudiyum munnamae Ae
D G
thookkam kalaindhadhey

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