Hi guys,

I've been having a bit of trouble during the last few weeks preparing my auditions that I couldn't write before. I've also discovered new music that I hadn't listen before, remembered old music and learnt new techniques about conducting. Bernstein plays an important role in all of these aspects, and that's why I've decided that he should be present in all of the videos that illustrate this post...

BERLIOZ

A few weeks ago, our Music History teacher gave us an assignment about an aspect of Romanticism, the artistic and cultural movement that developed in the beginning of the XIX Century. While researching, I came across Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique", which I hadn't listen before. I was impressed by the power of the music and also by the use of new instruments like bells in the fifth movement and the use of the "col legno" in the violins at the end of the symphony. The version I listened to was conducted by Bernstein, with whom I leave you conducting the fifth movement of this incredible and marvelous symphony.

BRAHMS AND CONDUCTING

I assisted last week to a very interesting two-day course about conducting. I searched the web for videos about conducting and... yes! I came up with Bernstein again!!! In this case, he explains how the conducting experience, the role of the conductor and his relation with the orchestra. In the next video we will see Bernstein talking about Brahms' First Symphony in C Major...

GERSHWIN

As I am preparing Gershwin's three Preludes, I couldn't forget "Rhapsody in Blue", Gerhwin's masterpiece for Piano and Orchestra, used in many films, like Disney's "Fantasia 2000", and the only version I had was one in which the conductor and pianist was (oh no! not him again!) Leonard Bernstein. I found a live version by Bernstein in the web, and I couldn't not put it in this post. Here you have: "Rhapsody in Blue", played and directed by Bernstein!

WEST SIDE STORY

And in a whole Bernstein post, how could we forget "West Side Story"!!! I knew that Bernstein had arranged some of the songs of the famous musical for orchestra: the "West Side Story" symphonic dances. But what I didn't know was that he had actually conducted them live with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra... And here you have it ladies and gentlemen!!!

I hope you've liked it... See you soon (I hope),
MANU

Hi friends,

Yesterday was the Conservatory's last Concert of the year at the Auditorio Nacional. I was at the backstage and I remembered with my friends from the Orchestra and the Brass Band the great times we had had together through the year. The audience had the opportunity to hear the "Andante e Rondó Hungarese" by Carl Maria von Weber, played by the Orchestra and by the bassoon student Patricia as soloist. This marvelous piece is composed by two sections, a slow one and a more vivid and fast one (I think the second part looks like a hunt)...

The Brass Band played the rapid dance "Mambo" from Leonard Bernstein's "West Side Story", a little bit like the version you're giong to see, as the members of the Band were dancing on the stage...

I hope you have enjoyed it and see you soon,
MANU

Hi friends,
Sorry to keep you waiting, but I've been a whole week-end in Barcelona just relaxing and letting my mind go away from the internet and, most importantly, work...

But, during my visit to Barcelona, I had the oportunity to see my good friend and first Piano teacher Luis de Arquer. I went to the smallest theatre in the world, "La Casa dels Musics", owned by him, where he played his usual Saturday afternoon concert. The programme included Beethoven's Pathétique, Chopin's Scherzo nº4 and some of his compositions, like the new "Toccata" or his "Música para un Viaje" (Music for a Trip). At the end of the concert, he improvised a little piece with three notes the audience gave: G sharp, E and C. So here I leave you with Luis's "Toccata"...

Also, my friends Tomás and Max, along with their family, invited me to the "Auditori Nacional", where the Orchestra of the Liceu Theatre held a concert with some of Wagner's most important symphonic compositions: the Sigfried's Funeral March, the end of the Ring Trilogy, Isolde's Death, the Meistersinger von Nuremberg's overture... I leave you now with my favourite: the end of the Ring Trilogy...

Also, yesterday, I had my Chamber Music Audition, in which my companion Pablo (bassoon) and I played Saint-Saëns' Bassoon Sonata Op. 168. Here you have another student's version, played at the Reina Sofía's Superior Conservatory, also in Madrid...

I hope you have enjoyed it!
See you,
Manu

Hola amigos,

El otro día asistí a la presentación de un libro muy especial: "Feliz Navidad con... Joaquín Rodrigo", que corrió de la mano de Cecilia Rodrigo (hija del Maestro), de Cecilia León (nieta del maestro y presidenta de la Fundación Victoria y Joaquín Rodrigo) y de Georgina García Mauriño (la autora del cuento y creadora de las páginas web Cuentameunaopera.com y Mirlomusic.com). La presentación estuvo acompañada también por unos "villancicos" de Joaquín Rodrigo incluidos en el cuento, interpretados por Sonia de Munck (soprano) y Aurelio Viribay (piano)...

El acto fue un éxito rotundo y es que las ilustraciones de libro que se proyectaron acompañaban perfectamente la excelente interpretación de los músicos...

El cuento ya está disponible en la tienda online de Mirlomusic.com...

Hi guys,

I went the other day to the presentation of a very special book: "Merry Christmas with... Joaquín Rodrigo". The book was presented by Cecilia Rodrigo (the daughter of the Maestro), Cecilia León (grand-daughter of the Maestro and president of the Victoria and Joaquín Rodrigo Foundation) and Georgina García-Mauriño (author of the tale and founder of the web-sites Tellmeanopera.com and Mirlomusic.com). The presentation was all the time illustrated by some of Rodrigo's "christmas carols" included in the book, played by Sonia de Munck (soprano)and Aurelio Viribay (piano)...

The event was an enourmous success because some of the illustrations (from the book) were shown to the audience and they matched exactly with Rodrigo's music...

The book can already be purchased in Mirlomusic's online shop...

Hasta luego / See you later
Manu

Hi friends!
It's been a wonderful summer in France and in Ezcaray! Also, this course beginning has been a little difficult at school and in the Conservatory. I must say that I'm excited to begin classes at the conservatory, as all the subjects seem very interesting: Piano, Chamber Music, History of Music, Composition, Accompaniement & Alexander Technique! WOW!

I leave you now with Prokofiev's Classical Symphony, a favourite in my spare time!

Goodbye,
MANU