The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical Music: Here is Part 3 of The Ear’s holiday gift-giving guide, featuring NPR’s “Top 10 Classical Albums of 2012.” Plus, how will you celebrate Beethoven’s birthday today?

ALERT: Be sure to listen to some Beethoven (below) today. Because Dec. 16 is Ludwig van‘s   242nd birthday  (born Dec. 16, 1770 in Bonn – died March 26, 1827 in Vienna).  

By Jacob Stockinger

As in past years, and two weekends ago, The Ear will again be offering some holiday gift-giving ideas for classical music fans.

Of course, every year I recommend package gifts – gifts that combine a recording or video with a book or, best of all, a ticket to a live concert.

Two weekends ago, I offered the Classical Nominations for the 2013 Grammys. Here are links to the two postings:

https://welltempered.wordpress.com/2012/12/08/classical-music-the-classical-music-nominations-for-the-2013-grammy-awards-can-provide-a-helpful-holiday-gift-shopping-guide-part-1-of-2-plus-the-uw-russian-folk-orchestra-and-madison-handbells-pe/

https://welltempered.wordpress.com/2012/12/09/classical-music-the-classical-music-nominations-for-the-2013-grammy-awards-can-provide-a-helpful-holiday-gift-shopping-guide-part-2-of-2/

One of my most trusted sources for sound judgment, when it comes to outstanding classical music, is NPR’s outstanding blog “Deceptive Cadence” and its exceptionally well-informed writers Tom Huizenga (below) and Anastasia Tsioulcas.

That blog publishes its list of the best classical recording halfway through the year, and then again an expanded version at year’s end. As usual, it provides a fine of established artists and well-known artists; vocalists and instrumentalists; established repertoire and contemporary music; big labels and small labels; large groups, small ensembles and individual performers..

Below is a link to the NPR list for this past year. Be sure to read comments and other suggestion for Best of 2012 by  readers and followers of the NPR blog.

You will notice that the pianist Jeremy Denk made the NPR  post for his Nonesuch debut recording (below) of some fiendishly difficult etudes by Gyorgy Ligeti combined with Beethoven’s epic last piano sonata, Op. 111 in C Minor.

Denk will perform in Madison on April 22 at 8 p.m. in Mills Halls, at the University of Wisconsin School of Music while the historic Wisconsin Union Theater is closed for renovations. A ticket to that concert, which is tentatively scheduled to have program of half-Brahms and half-Liszt, would be a welcome gift.

But you can find other connections — cellist Alisa Weilerstein (below) has performed several times in Madison — to make with local live concerts by orchestras, chamber music ensembles, soloists and opera companies.

Here is NPR’s “Top 10 Classical Albums of 2012,” which comes complete with CD covers and audio samples:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/bestmusic2012/2012/12/04/166505256/top-10-classical-albums-of-2012

Have fun figuring out ways to bring about synergy and make your classical music gift even more rewarding and expansive!

In the COMMENTS part, tell me what you think of NPR’s suggestions.

And leave your own gift-giving suggestions!

The Ear wants to hear.