William Zeitler's Music Box

Author: william

  • Christmas According to Beethoven

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    Sonata Op.110, Moderato Beethoven (1770-1827) “Lord Speak to Me That I May Speak” “All Beautiful the March of Days” W. Zeitler Generally speaking I try to present new music each Sunday. But there are two Sundays for which I have a piece I traditionally play every year. One is Widor’s Toccata from his 5th Organ…

  • O Come, O Come Emmanuel: Seven Antiphons

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    Seven Antiphons on Veni Emmanuel (“O Come O Come Emmanuel”), W. Zeitler “O Come O Come Emmanuel” is a modernized version of the so called “O Antiphons”, a set of pieces traditionally sung at Vespers (evening service) for the seven days leading up to Christmas Eve. Each highlights a different aspect of the Christ, and…

  • Greensleeves

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    Greensleves                Traditional Susan Addington, Flute Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus Improvisation Greensleeves is traditionally ascribed to King Henry VIII. However, the piece is based on an Italian style of composition that did not reach England until after Henry’s death, making it more likely Elizabethan in origin. In Shakespeare’s…

  • Isaac Watts

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    Three Variations on a Solitary Theme W. Zeitler “O God, Our Help in Ages Past” Extemporization Isaac Watts (1674–1748) was an English logician, Christian theologian, and the author of some 750 hymn texts, including “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”. Watts was brought up in the home of a committed religious Nonconformist; his father,…

  • Gymnopedie

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    Gymnopedie No. 1 Erik Satie (1866-1925) Erik Satie was a French pianist and composer during the Impressionist period (early 20th century). After his mother’s death when Satie was 6, he and his younger brother were sent to live with his grandparents. There he received his first music lessons from a local organist. When he was…

  • Chopin and a Moth

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    Prelude in Bm     F. Chopin (1810-1849) “How Firm a Foundation” Fuga   J.H. Buttstett (1611-1727) One evening, when they were all assembled in the salon, Liszt played one of Chopin’s nocturnes, to which he took the liberty of adding some embellishments. Chopin’s delicate intellectual face, which still bore the traces of recent illness,…

  • Bach Flute Sonatas

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    Flute Sonata in Eb (BWV 1031)      J.S.Bach (1685-1750) Susan Addington, Flute The history of Bach’s flute sonatas is unclear. He probably wrote most of them while in the service of Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cothen. Prince Leopold was a young man who loved music and who gradually expanded his court orchestra to eighteen players.…

  • Father Mozart

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    Variations on “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” (1778) W. Mozart (1756-1791) Wolfgang Mozart married Constanze Weber (1762–1842) when he was 28 — she was 22 — and together they had six children, only two of whom survived Wolfgang. The elder son was Karl Thomas Mozart (1784-1858), a gifted pianist who turned his attention to commerce. His…

  • Tacet

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    This week’s Music Box is ‘tacet’ because it’s ‘Youth Sunday’. ‘Tacet’ is Latin for ‘is silent’, and it’s the music term for ‘don’t play’. In a set of orchestral parts, for example, if the 3rd bassoon doesn’t play, there will be a printed part that says ‘3rd bassoon: tacet’. You’d think this is odd –…

  • Trinity Sunday

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    Prelude in Eb (“St. Anne”) J.S.Bach (1685-1750) “O God, Our Help in Ages Past” Fugue in Eb (“St. Anne”) J.S.Bach (1685-1750) The world-famous cellist Pablo Casals tells the story: One day I told my father I needed to find some new solo music for the Café Pajarera. Together we set off on the search. For…