._.: October 2012

Tuesday

Sunday

Odilon Redon 1840-1916

Saturday

Friday

Over the years 1825-1849, Frédéric Chopin wrote at least 69 mazurkas, based on the traditional Polish dance (see mazurka):
58 have been published
45 during Chopin's lifetime, of which 41 have opus numbers
13 posthumously, of which 8 have posthumous opus numbers
11 further mazurkas are known whose MSS are either in private hands (2) or untraced (at least 9).
The serial numbering of the 58 published mazurkas normally goes only up to 51. The remaining 7 are referred to by their key or catalogue number.
His composition of these mazurkas signaled new ideas of nationalism, and influenced and inspired other composers—mostly eastern Europeans—to support their national music.

Mazurka No. 1 in F sharp minor, Op. 6, No. 1
Mazurka No. 2 in C sharp minor, Op. 6, No. 2

Mazurka No. 19 in B minor, Op. 30, No. 2
Mazurka No. 25 in B minor, Op. 33, No. 4

Mazurka No. 29 in A flat major, Op. 41, No. 2
Mazurka No. 32 in C sharp minor, Op. 50, No. 3

Mazurka No. 35 in C minor, Op. 56, No. 3

Thursday

Wednesday

pábitel

Sunday

Saturday

Sunday

embryo

Wednesday

Château de Cirey 1734-1749

Voltaire's next destination was the Château de Cirey, on the borders of Champagne and Lorraine. The building was renovated with his money, and here he began a relationship with the Marquise du Châtelet, Gabrielle Émilie le Tonnelier de Breteuil (famous in her own right as Émilie du Châtelet). Cirey was owned by the Marquise's husband, Marquis Florent-Claude du Chatelet, who sometimes visited his wife and her lover at the chateau. The relationship, which lasted for fifteen years, had a significant intellectual element. Voltaire and the Marquise collected over 21,000 books, an enormous number for the time. Together, they studied these books and performed experiments in the "natural sciences" in his laboratory. Voltaire's experiments included an attempt to determine the elements of fire.

Having learned from his previous brushes with the authorities, Voltaire began his habit of keeping out of personal harm's way, and denying any awkward responsibility. He continued to write plays, such as Mérope (or La Mérope française) and began his long research into science and history. Again, a main source of inspiration for Voltaire were the years of his British exile, during which he had been strongly influenced by the works of Sir Isaac Newton. Voltaire strongly believed in Newton's theories, especially concerning optics (Newton’s discovery that white light is composed of all the colours in the spectrum led to many experiments at Cirey), and gravity (Voltaire is the source of the famous story of Newton and the apple falling from the tree, which he had learned from Newton's niece in London and first mentioned in his Essai sur la poésie épique, or Essay on Epic Poetry).

Although both Voltaire and the Marquise were curious about the philosophies of Gottfried Leibniz, a contemporary and rival of Newton, they remained essentially "Newtonians", despite the Marquise's adoption of certain aspects of Leibniz's arguments against Newton. She translated Newton's Latin Principia in full, adjusting a few errors along the way, and hers remained the definitive French translation well into the 20th century. Voltaire's book Eléments de la philosophie de Newton(Elements of Newton's Philosophy), which was probably co-written with the Marquise, made Newton accessible to a far greater public. It is often considered the work that finally brought about general acceptance of Newton's optical and gravitational theories.

Voltaire and the Marquise also studied history—particularly those persons who had contributed to civilization. Voltaire's second essay in English had been Essay upon the Civil Wars in France. It was followed by La Henriade, an epic poem on the French King Henri IV, glorifying his attempt to end the Catholic-Protestant massacres with theEdict of Nantes, and by a historical novel on King Charles XII of Sweden. These, along with his Letters on England mark the beginning of Voltaire's open criticism of intolerance and established religions. Voltaire and the Marquise also explored philosophy, particularly metaphysics, the branch of philosophy that deals with being and with what lies beyond the material realm such as whether or not there is a God or souls, etc. Voltaire and the Marquise analyzed the Bible, trying to discover its validity for their time. Voltaire's critical views on religion are reflected in his belief in separation of church and state and religious freedom, ideas that he had formed after his stay in England.

Though deeply committed to the Marquise, Voltaire by 1744 found life at the château confining. On a visit to Paris that year, he found a new love: his niece. At first, his attraction to Marie Louise Mignot was clearly sexual, as evidenced by his letters to her (only discovered in 1937). Much later, they lived together, perhaps platonically, and remained together until Voltaire's death. Meanwhile, the Marquise also took a lover, the Marquis de Saint-Lambert.

Friday

Piano Sonata No.1, Op.11 (1832-35)

1) Introduzione: Un poco Adagio - Allegro vivace
2) Aria
3) Scherzo: Allegrissimo - intermezzo: Lento
4) Finale: Allegro, un poco maestoso

Gesänge der Frühe, Op.133 (1853)

1). D major

2). D major

3). A major

4). A major

5). D major

Carnaval, Op. 9 (1833-35)

AS(Eb)CH(B)

1.Préambule (A♭ major)
2.Pierrot (E♭ major) C
3.Arlequin (B♭ major)
4.Valse noble (B♭ major)
5.Eusebius (E♭ major)
6.Florestan (G minor)
7.Coquette (B♭ major)
8.Réplique (B♭ major)
9.Papillons (B♭ major) / chopin: g minor
10.Lettres dansantes (E♭ major)
11.Chiarina (C minor)
12.Chopin (A♭ major)/ root position
13.Estrella (F minor) / root position
14.Reconnaissance (A♭ major)
15.Pantalon et Colombine (F minor) / Bach
16.Valse allemande (A♭ major)
17.Paganini (F minor-A♭ major) / honor paganini+ German Valse
18.Aveu (D♭ major)
19.Promenade (A♭ major)
20.Pause (A♭ major)
21.Marche des Davidsbündler contre les Philistins (A♭ major)