#SovietaDay May, 2012

Comrades! In honor of May Day, the theme this month is Soviet Composers. That list alone provides a lot of variety -- Shostakovitch, Prokofiev, Glazunov, and Khachaturian spring readily to mind.

But there are many more to choose from, such as Denisov, Artyomov, Miaskovsky, and Weinberg. And there are many, many more.

But if you'd like to add some variety, feel free to also listen to (and share) Soviet performing artists. You could listen to Richter, Ashkenazy, Gergiev, Temirkanov, or Oistrakh (or any orchestras or chamber ensembles from the Soviet Union).

And if you want a real challenge, try listening to Soviet composers performed by Soviet groups.

#FoolsaDay April, 2012

This time we take the entire month to celebrate April Fool's day. This month, it's all about the funny side of serious music. And there's a lot to choose from.


Classic jokes by classical composers
An obvious choice would be Mozart's >Ein musikalischer Spaß (A Musical Joke). But there is also Haydn's "Surprise" Symphony (#94) and his "Farewell" Symphony (#45).

And there's Beethoven's Rondo alla ingharese quasi un capriccio in G major, Op. 129, "Rage Over a Lost Penny" (they can't all be LOL). Malcolm Arnold's Grand, Grand Overture, and many more.

Comic operas and other amusing entertainment
Pergolesi's La Serva Padrona was composed to get the laughs. Ditto with Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, the output of Gilbert and Sullivan, and countless other operas and operettas throughout the centuries. You can also add J.S. Bach's Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht, BWV 211 (The Coffee Cantata), as well as Henry Purcell's naughty rounds and canons.

Humor in a classical music context
Victor Borge would be a good choice for this category. As would Peter Schickle, writing as PDQ Bach. And there's Anna Russell, Dudley Moore, and the newer classical music comedy team of Igudesman & Joo.

 

Hoaxes and Spurious Works
April Fool's Day usually involves pranks and tricks. So in honor of the holiday's emphasis on misdirection, let's also include spurious works. That wonderful adagio you thought was written by Albinoni? April Fool's!

There are plenty of spurious works to choose from, too. Haydn has a fair number, as does Handel and Bach. And don't forget all of the Baroque works "discovered" by Fritz Kreisler.

So share your favorite musical jokes with us on Twitter, and remember to use the hashtag #FoolsaDay.