Mstislav Rostropovich: Monday YouTube Fix

Since January is a good month to stay inside and watch movies, I've decided it is officially Documentary Month.  Each Monday for the month of January I will post a new documentary that I enjoy.

After posting footage of Rostropovich performing the Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 2 last month I was inspired to watch this documentary on him.  The impact he had on cellists and the entire musical world can be summed up by this quote from Seiji Ozawa which appears at the beginning of the documentary:

"Because of him, I think that I believe there is a God."

-Seiji Ozawa

The concert footage interspersed throughout is phenomenal.  This is a wonderful film on Mstislav Rostropovich that hopefully you will find just as engaging as I did.

Enjoy!

Uploaded by Leksandr Komarov on 2014-02-12.

Bob Dylan: Monday YouTube Fix

This week's clip is a song that is very special to me.  You know, one of those songs that you hear for the first time and you then proceed to listen to it four more times in a row immediately afterwards.

This song is "Visions of Johanna" off of Bob Dylan's timeless album Blonde On Blonde.  This song is just dripping with IT, that thing you can't ever put into words but that all musicians know about.

The style that Dylan both sings and plays with is just so genuine to me.  It screams at me in a way that less than 1% of music does.  There's just something about it.  You might not like Bob Dylan, but you know exactly what I mean...

Enjoy!

Visions of Johanna Bob Dylan / Bob Dylan ℗ Originally Released 1966. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment Released on: 1966-06-20 Associated Performer, Vocal: Bob Dylan / Bob Dylan Composer, Lyricist: B.

And then a bonus version of him doing this same piece with just an acoustic guitar at the Royal Albert Hall:

Artist: Bob Dylan Title: Visions of Johanna Album: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 4 : Bob Dylan Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert) [Live] itunes: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/live-1966-the-royal-albert/id187263073?affId=1930871 Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Bootleg-Series-Vol-Concert/dp/B0000247SU/ref=ntt_mus_dp_dpt_22 Link to Mr. Tambourine Man - http://www.yt.g00p.com/watch?v=BUuPo1zHo0k

US Army All-Brass Big Band - A Stan Kenton Christmas: Monday YouTube Fix

Okay this is awesome.  One of the best big bands in the world, minus their saxophones and with some mellophones thrown in for good measure, playing some of the finest charts ever written.  Here is the Stan Kenton Christmas carols arranged by Hoagy Carmichael.

A note on the instrument in the front row: they are mellophones.  The leader pretty much sums them up perfectly when he said, "The mellophone is an instrument of mostly indefinite pitch."

Enjoy!

The U.S. Army All-Brass Big Band presents A Stan Kenton Christmas: an annual holiday musical tradition featuring many holiday standards arranged by and made famous by Jazz great Stan Kenton.

Empire Brass on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood: Monday YouTube Fix

Growing up in Boston in the 1980's I was exposed to countless professional brass quintets.  Empire Brass, Atlantic Brass, Paramount Brass.  The city of Boston had the most thriving brass quintet scene in the country and for this young tuba player that was invaluable.  To get to hear my instrument featured in a chamber setting showed me what was possible and inspired me to get to work.

I will never forget the first time I heard Sam Pilafian play.  (When I was 11 and hearing him play for the first time I certainly never dreamed he would take over a gig for me as he did with Boston Brass earlier this year!) His playing was virtuosic, he was completely approachable, and he made me think that I could someday do what he did.  That's a great thing to be exposed to at such an early age!

The Empire Brass appearance on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood was a collision of two worlds for someone my age.  Seeing Sam along with Rolf Smedvig, Charlie Lewis, Dave Ohanian and Scott Hartman on the same television screen as Mister Rogers is still kind of crazy to me.

But the best part of this is Sam giving Mister Rogers a tuba lesson.  The other best part is when Mister Rogers asks if it helps to be friends and there is an uncomfortable laughter...

Enjoy!

ft. The Empire Brass Quintet

again the Empire Brass Quintet

Mstislav Rostropovich: Monday YouTube Fix

Here is a hauntingly beautiful performance of the Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 2 by cello legend Mstislav Rostropovich.  This performance took place on September 25th, 1967 in the Large Hall of the Moscow State Conservatory.  He is accompanied by The State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the USSR conducted by Svetlanov.

He sure could play phrases that seemed to last days.  This is a wonderful performance of one of my favorite concertos of all time.

Enjoy!

The State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the USSR. Conductor: E. Svetlanov Violoncellist: M. Rostropovich Recorded live in the Large Hall of Moscow State Conservatory, September 25th, 1967

The President's Own Marine Band: Monday YouTube Fix

This is a transcription of Igor Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" performed by the "The President's Own" Marine Band earlier this year.  The transcription is by Merlin Patterson and it is conducted by guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero. 

The playing and interpretation are simply top notch.  Enjoy!

Guest conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero, "The President's Own" United States Marine Band performed Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring (transcribed by Merlin Patterson) on Monday, March 31, 2014, in the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall at Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria, Va.

The King's Singers: Monday YouTube Fix

All that any of us instrumentalists are ever trying to do is sound like the world's best singers.  The King's Singers are certainly some of the world's best.  The blend.  The intonation.  The unified musical concept.  All stunning.  This group will take your breath away.  You won't find a more beautiful rendition of Danny Boy than this one.

Enjoy!

From Byrd To The Beatles

Northwestern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble: Monday YouTube Fix

I was lucky enough to play in the Northwestern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble under both John Paynter and Mallory Thompson.  Those performances rank as some of my most cherished in my career.  The level of musicianship that was demanded of me by both conductors as well as the colleagues I was surrounded by was intense and exhilarating.

Filling the shoes of John Paynter, an absolute legend in the band world, was no easy task.  Mallory Thompson stepped in from day one as if that job had been waiting for her all along.  She remains one of the most rewarding conductors I have ever played for.  Nothing gets past her ears.  Nothing.

This is a fantastic recording of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" arranged by Donald Hunsberger.  As with all great university wind ensembles of this caliber, it is hard to believe these are college kids.  And Mallory Thompson's interpretation is, as always, spot on.

Enjoy!

Northwestern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565 - Johann Sebastian Bach arr. Donald Hunsberger

Arthur Rubinstein and the London Symphony Orchestra: Monday YouTube Fix

Arthur Rubinstein is one of the piano greats.  Here is a very high quality video of him performing the Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 with the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Andre Previn in 1975.  He is 88 years old in this clip and plays beautifully!  It is hard for me to process that this performance is from the year I was born and yet Rubinstein was born in 1887!

He retired from performing only one year later although he lived until the age of 95.  His career is filled with momentous accomplishments.  He was best known as a recitalist and concerto soloist, but he also performed a lot of chamber music with the likes of Jascha Heifetz and Pablo Casals.

You will hear why he is considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.

Enjoy!

On the wings of the immortal classical music.

Jazz Funeral in New Orleans: Monday YouTube Fix

The traditional New Orleans jazz funeral is a beautiful way to celebrate the life of someone who has passed away, rather than mourning their death.  To see one is an incredibly powerful experience and this video captures it perfectly.

This funeral was in honor of tuba player Kerwin James who passed away in 2007.  It is hard not to tear up watching this celebration of life.  My favorite part is when they lower the casket and rock it back and forth so he can "dance one last time."

I hope traditions like this one never die.  God bless New Orleans.

http://www.onenawlins.com For more history on this wonderful and unique culture please visit and my website listed above. A traditional New Orleans Jazz Funeral for the late New Birth tuba player Kerwin James. He died in Oct. 2007. Alot of viewers have been asking whats the reason for the rocking of the casket, it's so he can dance one last time.