Fausts, Fischers, & ABCs

It’s a phrase that gets overused. But last week, I decided to use it in a different sort of way on Classic Mornings. 

I asked listeners to not think about Johann Sebastian, Carl Philipp Emanuel, Johann Christian, or Wilhelm Friedemann Bach – the members of that famous family whose music I’ve played on the program. Yes, I wanted them to think outside of the Bachs with whom they’re already familiar.

That’s because I planned to introduce them to a fun selection from a recent recording with Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov, which is new in the Friends of WILL Library. Bach:The Art of Life (Deutsche Grammopnone B0034277-02) is primarily devoted to Johann Sebastian Bach’s Art of the Fugue. But Trifonov also presents works by several of Bach’s sons, including Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach.

That’s a member of the Bach family whose music I’ve never had the chance to play. He was born in Leipzig in 1732, three years before Johann Christian, whose birthday we celebrated last Thursday (September 5). And it’s the same year that Franz Joseph Haydn was born. Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach was a harpsichordist and composer. His son, Wilhelm Friedrich Ernst Bach, also became a composer.

The recording gives us a surprise introduction to Johann Christoph Friedrich. You may have heard me play recordings of Mozart’s famous variations on the tune of the French song Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman, which many know as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or the "ABC Song". Mozart wasn’t the only one to write variations on the tune, though I understand he was the first. Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach wrote 18 variations on it as a part of his Allegretto con variazioni. Trifonov’s recording is the first we have of JCF’s work.

I was curious about other composers who wrote variations on the tune. Some of the more familiar are the organist/composer Michel Corrette (1707-95), harpist/composer Jean-Baptiste Cardon (1760-1803), guitarist/composer Ferdinando Carulli (1770-1841), and pianist/composer Ernst von Dohnányi (1877-1960). If Franz Joseph Haydn is included for the somewhat similar sounding tune in the famous second movement of his Symphony No. 94 (the “Surprise” Symphony), I would add Dmitri Shostakovich, who seems to make a parody reference to it in the finale of his Sonata for Cello and Piano, op. 40. There are others who wrote variations on it as well. And there’s quite a variety of lyrics in many languages, which you may substitute for Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman.

There are no lyrics attached to the waltz from Act 2 of Charles Gounod’s opera Faust. But there are lots of arrangements of the waltz. On Classic Mornings, I have played an arrangement for guitar and fortepiano featuring Pepe Romero and Wilhelm Hellweg. And I noticed online that there are arrangements for string duet, string quartet, string quartet with double bass, woodwind quartet (flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon), concert band, violin and piano, flute and piano, solo piano, piano 4 hands (2 players at one keyboard), piano 6 hands (1 keyboard with 3 players), piano 8 hands (2 keyboards with 2 players), and easy piano.

I’m not surprised by all those options. From years of browsing through books in music stores, I’m aware that many works are available in a wide variety of arrangements. I don’t imagine we’ll be hearing recordings of even a fraction of them. But it gives those who play all sorts of instruments the chance to learn and enjoy the waltz. I have to say that I’d be thrilled to hear a dazzling recording of it made by a young player using the easy piano version!

You may not be aware that there have been many Fischers in the history of classical music. One of them, Hungarian conductor Adam Fischer, celebrated his 75th birthday this past Monday (September 9). He’s the founder of the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra, with which he recorded the complete symphonies of Haydn. His brother is conductor Iván Fischer. And just so you know, they’re not related to the German violinist Julia Fischer.

American conductor Leonard Slatkin celebrated his 80th birthday on September 1. Slatkin was Music Director of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra from 1979-1996. His father was violinist/conductor Felix Slatkin, who was active in film and popular music recordings, as well with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and ensembles which he founded.

I don’t know how many families in central Illinois have multiple Classic Mornings fans. I would like to think that there are many. I do know that radio listeners in our community who share an interest in enjoying classical music have come together to support that music on WILL-FM, particularly during fund dirves.

Our Fall Fund Drive begins in just over a week (September 21-26). I hope you’ll consider making a gift by calling 217-244-9455 or contributing online at willgive.org. Thank you very much!