The Week in Hope-Inspiring Spontaneous Music Online, Op. 3

April 1, 2020, 1:11 PM · With symphony performances almost universally on hiatus, we are also going to put "The Week in Reviews" on hold and instead bring you a weekly roundup of performances to be found online. With so many people told to stay at home and keep a distance, artists around the world have been posting videos of spontaneous music performances and more. We invite you to also share your links to the most inspiring, comforting or humorous musical content you've found online during this time, so that we can all benefit from the power of music.

Violinist Augustin Hadelich has been posting some wonderful videos to his Facebook page. I particularly enjoyed this one, in which he decided to use some technology to be his own piano accompanist, playing Rachmaninoff's "Vocalise":

Violinist Midori advises us to wash our hands, with the world's cutest public service announcement plus a little Bach:

Violinist Hao Zhou has posted some lovely playing on his Instagram channel, including the Grieg Violin Sonata, Kreisler's "Liebesfreud," and Elgar's "Salut d'Amour" - which you can see below.

View this post on Instagram

It's been tough being apart from friends this past week and I miss making music with everyone. But spreading joy through music is important to me so I wanted to share with you some of my favorite melodies ?? Elgar - Salut d'Amour (DISCLAIMER: there is only one Hao in this video) Stay safe and healthy! ???? ??: @fromlucy

A post shared by Hao Zhou ?? | Violinist (@haotoplayviolin) on Mar 24, 2020 at 5:32pm PDT

If you'd like a little "Take Me Home, Country Roads," violinist Adam DeGraff has been rockin' out as usual in West Virginia:

One of my friends who is from Russia alerted me to the fact that the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow is offering a different opera or ballet each day through April 10 on its Youtube Channel, and the videos will remain available for 24 hours. (They already streamed Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty - glorious!)

If you are looking for some interesting instruction about technique and interpretation in solo Bach, LA Phil Associate Concertmaster Nathan Cole has been posting a "Bach on the Road" series on several of his platforms, including his YouTube channel. He plays a bit, then discusses how to do it. Here is his teacherly talk about Bach's G minor Fugue:

Violinist Ray Chen paid tribute to health workers with some Bach: "This one’s for all of our healthcare workers who are tirelessly putting themselves out there on the front lines in such dangerous times. I hope that music can help bring you a little bit of hope and joy!"

And finally, if you haven't seen this yet, here is quite a lot of joy: 12-year-old twins from Sicily named Mirko and Valerio put on a violin concert while in quarantine, performing Coldplay's "Viva La Vida":

These 12-year-old twins from Sicily put on a violin concert while in quarantine, performing Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" https://t.co/WEKiVX2xyG pic.twitter.com/CrMHj3qRFB
— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 27, 2020

If you would like to share links to performances you have found, please do so in the comments or e-mail me to include in next week's edition. Keep calm, keep your distance, wash your hands, and practice and listen to good music!

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Replies

Elisabeth Matesky

April 1, 2020 at 08:14 PM · "Oath of Musical Allegiance" to Agustin Hadelich ~

As from, Carrier of Heifetz-Milstein Legacy, Elisabeth Matesky

Violin/Piano Same Offering Rachmaninoff's Vocalise Soothing Covid-19 Hearts

Augustin Hadelich's beautiful & heartfelt sentiments expressed in Rachmaninoff's 'holy' Vocalise, are most moving and from his very golden heart . . . Having privately artist-studied with one of the Great Sergei Rachmaninoff's most revered closest friend's, Nathan Milstein, (whom NM felt the greatest Twentieth Century Composer, telling me this during numerous chats re

Rachmaninoff), captures in his accompanying himself some of the deeper sentiments of the unfathomable Heart of the much beloved, Sergei Rachmaninoff ~ Knowing the Vocalise, as so

deeply influenced by Mr. Milstein's feelings for & about Sergei Rachmaninoff, this is the first close to ideal offering of Sergei Rachmaninoff's "Vocalise" I've heard since hearing my close friend & mentor, Nathan Milstein, play it ... Realizing the artistic weight this might imply, I hope Augustin Hadelich can be told of my response & contacted to read this April 1, 2020, Sergei Rachmaninoff Birthday Reply from the 'Guinea Pig' first private Artist Pupil Under same UK Concert Management of Master Mentor, Nathan Milstein, for over 3 & 1/2 years at NM's home in London, yours truly ~

Sending warmed musical compliments for Augustin Hadelich to Be Most Well, I remain

Musically moved from America ~

Elisabeth Matesky

(aka on FB ~ Elisabeth Anne Matesky )

*https://www.facebook.com/elisabeth.anne.775?fref=nf

https://www.violinist.com/directory/bio.cfm?member=Milstein

Paul Deck

April 2, 2020 at 01:27 PM · I can play both parts of the Rach Vocalise too. The violin part is harder than it sounds -- I can play it okay but not like Mr. Hadelich there. The piano part is quite easy.

Laurie Niles

April 2, 2020 at 03:18 PM · But can you play both at once, Paul? That is quite a trick! ;)

Paul Deck

April 2, 2020 at 04:40 PM · I'm not sure I even know how to do the technology but that's something I'm hoping to teach myself here shortly. :)

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