Parity Violation

Well, some of you might remember a brief flirtation I had with running a while back. I even bought nice running shoes. And yet, here we are like a year later and I’m no runner.

I really just want to run because it seems like an easy way to improve my fitness. I may be thin, and I’m a reasonably fast sprinter, but I’m no distance runner. And by “distance” I’m talking like a mile. :)

Anyway, so I’m again trying to implement this couch to 5K plan. I have a new system now though. I skipped ahead to week 2, where I’m supposed to run for 90 seconds and walk for 2 minutes. But who wants to look at a watch or a stop watch? Not me.

So, I created a special playlist in iTunes for my iPod that alternates 90 second long tracks with 2 minute long tracks. Fortunately, with my vast collection of classical music, this is actually possible. And since today is Friday, I now present the not-so-random sixteen tracks. (28 minutes total)

1. Grainger, Percy – Lincolnshire Posy
   The Brisk Young Sailor/Lincolnshire Posy- Fennell, Frederick. Cleveland Symphonic Winds. Various composers
2. Bernstein, Leonard – Mass – Bernstein
   In nomine Patris- Bernstein, Alan Titus, the Norman Scribner Choir and Berkshire Boy Choir
3. Bernstein, Leonard – Mass – Bernstein
   Prayer for the congregation- Bernstein, Alan Titus, the Norman Scribner Choir and Berkshire Boy Choir
4. Bernstein, Leonard – Mass – Bernstein
   Antiphon: Kyrie eleison- Bernstein, Alan Titus, the Norman Scribner Choir and Berkshire Boy Choir
5. Prokofiev, Sergei – Alexander Nevsky Film Score
   II. The 13th Century- Temirkanov – Gorohovskaya – St. Petersburg Philharmonic
6. Bernstein, Leonard – Mass – Bernstein
   Trope: ‘I Believe In God’- Bernstein, Alan Titus, the Norman Scribner Choir and Berkshire Boy Choir
7. Rimsky-Korsakov – The Essential Canadian Brass
   Flight of the Tuba Bee- Canadian Brass
8. Mahler, Gustav – Des Knaben Wunderhorn
   Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht- Popp, Weikl, Tennstedt, London Philharmonic
9. Shostakovich, Dmitri – Ballet Suite No. 1
   II. Dance- Jarvi/Scottish National Orchestra
10. Bernstein, Leonard – Mass – Bernstein
    Offertory (De Profundis, Part 2)- Bernstein, Alan Titus, the Norman Scribner Choir and Berkshire Boy Choir
11. Grainger, Percy – Lincolnshire Posy
    Lisbon Bay/Lincolnshire Posy- Fennell, Frederick. Cleveland Symphonic Winds. Various composers
12. Schoenberg, Arnold – Five Pieces for Orchestra
    I. Vorgefuhle- Dorati – London Symphony
13. Shostakovich, Dmitri – Suite From ‘Katerina Ismailova’
    IV – Allegretto- Jarvi/Scottish National Orchestra
14. Shostakovich, Dmitri – Ballet Suite No. 3
    V. Waltz- Jarvi/Scottish National Orchestra
15. Mussorgsky – Pictures At An Exhibition
    VII. Limoges. Le Marche- Szell/Cleveland SO
16. Shostakovich, Dmitri – Suite From ‘Katerina Ismailova’
    V – Presto- Jarvi/Scottish National Orchestra

Let’s face it, 70% of my music is Classical, so all these “random” samples are going to be mostly classical anyway. So why pretend? This week’s is entirely from my Classical smart list. Also, I’m posting via a modem connection on the road this week…. so let’s hear it for my dedication to this blog post that maybe four or five people will read.

1. Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus – The Magic Flute
   Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen- Klemperer/Ludwig/Popp
2. Shostakovich, Dmitri – Ballet Suite No. 1
   I. Lyric Waltz- Jarvi/Scottish National Orchestra
3. Grainger, Percy – Works For Chorus & Orchestra
   Molly On The Shore- Hickox/Stephen/Padmore/Varcoe/Tozer/Joyful Company of Singers/City of London Sinfonia
4. Mahler, Gustav – Symphony No. 8 – Mahler – BBC Legends
   “Waldung, sie schwank heran” – “Ewiger Wonnebrand” – …..Erdenrest”- Jascha Horenstein-London Symphony Orchestra
5. Händel, Georg Friedrich (1685-1759) – Messiah – Handel
   If God Be For Us – soprano air- Robert Shaw • Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
6. Stravinsky, Igor – Pétrouchka
   Scene 1: The Shrovetide Fair – Vivace – Russian Dance- Temirkanov – Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
7. Sibelius, Jean – Symphony No. 4 in A minor
   Tempo molto moderato, quasi adagio- Sir Colin Davis – Boston Symphony Orchestra
8. Beethoven, Ludwig – Symphony No. 6 Beethoven
   3. Allegro- Abbado / Berliner Philharmoniker
9. Bach – Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
   Variation 17 – Variation 18 – Variation 19 – Variation 20 – Variation 21 – Variation 22 – Variation 23 – Variation 24- Glenn Gould, Piano
10. Beethoven, Ludwig – Symphony No. 9 “Choral” – Beethoven
    II. Molto vivace- Szell – Addison – Lewis – Hobson – Bell – Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus

I’m growing unsatisfied with randomizing iTunes. I either get all classical music or a bunch of songs I swear were in last month’s random ten. I should audit all of these and see how many repeats their have been.

1. Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus – Mass in C Major, K. 317, “Coronation”
   Gloria- Horenstein – Lipp – Ludwig – Dickie – Berry – Vienna Symphony Orchestra
2. Sleighride – Classics for Joy- Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy
   Sleighride – Classics for Joy
3. Michelle Branch- All You Wanted
   The Spirit Room
4. Bernstein, Leonard – Mass – Bernstein
   Trope: ‘World Without End’- Bernstein, Alan Titus, the Norman Scribner Choir and Berkshire Boy Choir
5. The American Analog Set- Million Young
   Tonight at 8:30 Disc 3
6. Brahms, Johannes – Ein Deutsches Requiem
   Herr, Lehre Doc Mich- Klemperer, Schwarzkopf, Fischer_Dieskau, Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra
7. Buena Vista Social Club- Candela
   Buena Vista Social Club
8. Lisa Germano- It’s Party Time
   Tonight at 8:30 Disc 3
9. Dvorak, Antonin – Symphony No. 8 – Dvorak
   Allegretto grazioso- Kubelik-Berliner Philharmoniker
10. Garbage- Run Baby Run
    Bleed Like Me

It’s Sunday, but here’s a Random Ten anyway. Friday I was up entirely too late playing Wacraft III – something I haven’t done in a couple of years, but Jared was in town so it was like old times.

1. Brahms, Johannes – Ein Deutsches Requiem
   Denn Wir Haben Hier Keine Bleibende Statt- Klemperer, Schwarzkopf, Fischer_Dieskau, Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra
2. Verdi, Giuseppe – La Traviata Highlights
   Act One: E Strano! … Ah, Fors’E Lui… Sempre Libera (Violetta, Alfredo)- Maazel/Lorengar/Aragall/Fishchr-Dieskau
3. Debussy, Claude – Piano Works Volume 3, Naxos
   Images II: Cloches à travers les feuilles- François-Joël Thiollier (pf)
4. Händel, Georg Friedrich (1685-1759) – Messiah – Handel
   Then Shall The Eyes Of The Blind – Alto Recitative- Robert Shaw • Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
5. Mahler, Gustav – Symphony No. 8 – Mahler – BBC Legends
   “Alles Vergängliche”- Jascha Horenstein-London Symphony Orchestra
6. Verdi, Giuseppe – La Traviata Highlights
   Libiamo ne’ Liete calici (Brindisi)- Maazel/Lorengar/Aragall/Fishchr-Dieskau
7. Sarah Harmer- Lodestar
   Tonight at 8:30 Disc 2
8. Cardigans, The- Love Fool
   
9. John Williams / Boston Pops- String Of Pearls
   Swing, Swing, Swing
10. Peter Graham – Signatures
    Harrison’s Dream- USAF Band -Washington DC

This is from my entire music library, shuffled up just now. Ok, I had to shuffle more than once because the first list was 8/10 classical and that seemed too high.

1. Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus – Requiem in D minor
   Introitus- Walter – NYPO
2. The Smashing Pumpkins- Tonight Tonight
   Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness
3. Nada Surf- Neither Heaven nor Space
   Tonight at 8:30 Disc 3
4. Blur- Song 2
   Blur
5. Händel, Georg Friedrich (1685-1759) – Messiah – Handel
   Why Do The Nations? – bass air. 41. Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder – chorus. Chorus- Robert Shaw • Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
6. Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus – Mass in C Major, K. 317, “Coronation”
   Gloria- Horenstein – Lipp – Ludwig – Dickie – Berry – Vienna Symphony Orchestra
7. Prokofiev, Sergei – Alexander Nevsky Film Score
   XVIII. Final Chorus- Temirkanov – Gorohovskaya – St. Petersburg Philharmonic
8. John Williams / Boston Pops- Snowfall
   Swing, Swing, Swing
9. Original Concept Album Cast- Gethsemane
   Jesus Christ Superstar
10. The Cure- Friday I’m in Love
    

I made it just in the nick of time to Mahler’s Second last night. The Shepherd School really blew the roof off the place. It was the best performance from the Shepherd School I’ve heard … probably since they did Mahler 5 a few years ago.

The soloists both sang well, though I thought the mezzo had a slightly bigger voice. The Rice Chorale, which was sitting for 50 minutes quietly, sounded great right from their first entrance. The offstage brass also worked to great effect. Rachleff even included the 5 minute pause (maybe a bit shorter) that Mahler suggests in the score after the first movement.

Anyway, in light of this Mahler experience, here is a Mahler edition of the random 10, a day late. :)

1. Mahler, Gustav – Symphony No. 5 in C Sharp Minor – Mahler – IV. Adagietto (Seht Langsam)- Barbirolli / New Philharmonia
2. Mahler, Gustav – Symphony No. 4 – I. Bedächtig. Nicht eilen.- Szell/Raskin/Cleveland SO
3. Mahler, Gustav – Symphony No. 7 Mahler – Nachtmusik: Allegro moderato- Rattle – Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
4. Mahler, Gustav – Symphony No. 8 – Mahler – BBC Legends – “Alles Vergängliche”- Jascha Horenstein-London Symphony Orchestra
5. Mahler, Gustav – Symphony No. 5 – Walter – Sturmisch Bewegt. Mit Grosster Vehemenz- Walter Bruno – New York Philharmonic
6. Mahler, Gustav – Kindertotenlieder – 2. Nun seh’ ich wohl, warum so dunkle flammen- Baker, Barbirolli, et al.
7. Mahler, Gustav – Kindertotenlieder – 4. Oft denk’ich, sie sind nur ausgegangen- Baker, Barbirolli, et al.
8. Mahler, Gustav – Symphony No. 3 Mahler – Comodo. Scherzando. Ohne Hast.- Horenstein – Procter – Ambrosian Singers – London Symphony
9. Mahler, Gustav – Symphony No. 7 Mahler – Rondo – Finale- Rattle – Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
10. Mahler, Gustav – Das Lied von de Erde – BBC Legends – Das Trinklied von Jammer der Erde- Horenstein/Mitchinson/Hodgson/BBC No. Orch.

This is not an original idea, as I see it at Anne’s blog and have heard of it elsewhere. My real innovation and contribution to the world here is that I’ve written an applescript to create the ordered list html… one simply selects 10 or more songs in iTunes first. I use the Party Shuffle playlist and can then pick from which other playlist the random songs come from that way.

The applescript uses html … I could have done it in markdown but I wanted it useful for the maximum number of people.

1. Mahler, Gustav – Symphony No. 7 Mahler – Rondo – Finale- Rattle – Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
2. Bach – Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 – Variation 17 – 24- Glenn Gould, Piano
3. Original Cast- Unworthy Of Your Love- Assassins
4. Stars Of The Lid- Mullholland- The Tired Sounds of Stars of the Stars of the Lid
5. Händel, Georg Friedrich (1685-1759) – Messiah – Handel – Thus Saith The Lord – Bass Recitative; 6. But Who May Abide – Alto Air; 7. And He Shall Purify – Chorus- Robert Shaw • Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
6. Debussy, Claude – Piano Works Volume 3, Naxos – Images I: Mouvement- François-Joël Thiollier (pf)
7. Grainger, Percy – Works For Chorus & Orchestra – I’m Seventeen Come Sunday- Hickox/Stephen/Padmore/Varcoe/Tozer/Joyful Company of Singers/City of London Sinfonia
8. Fiona Apple- Fast As You Can- When the pawn…
9. Chicago- You’re the Inspiration- Fu
10. Shostakovich, Dmitri – Ballet Suite No. 3 – V. Waltz- Jarvi/Scottish National Orchestra

So that’s my mostly random 10, I deleted some non-musical tracks that popped in there.

You can download the applescript here

To use, gunzip the applescript file and place it ~/Library/iTunes/Scripts/. It should then appear in the little script icon menu in iTunes.