Birthday Boys

May 7, Johannes Brahms (1833) & Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840).

This piece, Hungarian Dance #1, was actually recorded on Edison Cylinder by Brahms himself in 1889 (YouTube below the fold).  It’s a horrible recording, barely recognizable, and the voice is almost certainly not Brahms.  It’s one of 21 Hungarian Dances of which the most famous is probably #5.  They’re great favorites of piano teachers, this one is usually performed as a duet or a 4 hander.

In his capacity as director of the Moscow branch of the Russian Musical Society, Tchaikovsky invited Brahms, who was quite a celebrity, in as a guest conductor.  March of the Slavs was composed in commemoration of a crushing defeat of the Serbian Army in 1876 by the Turks.  It was written in 5 days and includes some familiar themes later used in his more well known 1812 Overture.

Brahms on Edison

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  1. There’s actually a deceptively large amount of research in this apparently short piece.

    I will say that searching YouTube for anything in particular is a long grinding mind numbing task.

    Tomorrow something easier.

    • TMC on May 8, 2010 at 09:41

    This is for all those last minute shoppers and for those who have Mom’s that are tough to buy for

    Mother’s Day Gifts for Do-Gooders

    This has to be my favorite

    Camel Kit

    For $50 you can have a kit sent to a save 5 camels in Mongolia and they’ll send a gift card to your Mom.

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