A little early this week, probably since most people I've been running into (including myself) have been in a murderous mood all day, it only seems fitting to start Anti-Road Rage Wednesday a bit early in an effort to wear the edge off.

So it's only natural I run some Chopin and Erich Wolfgang Korngold by way of the Martha Argerich Lugano Festival Project from this past June. It was recorded live and broadcast just a few weeks ago on Radio France. There is word most of this Festival will be issued by EMI sometime this month, but apparently not the opening piece, which is the Chopin Cello Sonata with Mischa Maisky and Martha Argerich. That's the opener - the second half is the opus 15 Piano Quintette by Erich Wolfgang Korngold featuring Alexander Mogilevsky, Piano, Alissa Margulis, Violin, Lucia Hall, Violin, Nora Romanoff, Viola and Mark Drobinsky, cello. A really nice, albeit short concert (a little over an hour) and for all intents and purposes seems to work better than a Valium or a Martini.

Since it's a little over an hour it fits on one player.

Here are the notes from France Musique:

Lugano : Chopin, Korngold

Frédéric Chopin
Sonate en Sol mineur Op.65

Mischa Maisky, Violoncelle
Martha Argerich, Piano

Erich-Wolfgang Korngold
Quintette en en Mi majeur Op.15

Alexander Mogilevsky, Piano
Alissa Margulis, Violon
Lucia Hall, Violon
Nora Romanoff, Alto
Mark Drobinsky, Violoncelle

Concert donné le 16 juin 2010 en l’Auditorium de la RSI de Lugano dans le cadre du Festival Projet Martha Argerich

Don't say I'm not looking out for you. The streets will be a safer place after listening to this - trust me.

This week's concert comes via RAI Radio 3 in Rome with the RAI Radio Symphony conducted by Andrej Boreyko and featuring legendary pianist Martha Argerich. It's a rather short program. The first half (top player) opens with Cesar Franck: Le Chasseur Maudit, followed by the Ravel Piano Concerto featuring Martha Argerich. This concert was recorded on February 9, 2009. The second half (the player down there) also features the RAI Symphony, this time conducted by Juraj Valchua performing Anton Webern: Im Sommerwind and was recorded on November 27, 2008.

Great concert, no matter how you slice it.

Announcements are in Italian and here's what you'll be listening to:
STAGIONE 2008-2009 DELL'ORCHESTRA SINFONICA NAZIONALE DELLA RAI
Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai
pianoforte, Martha Argerich
direttore, Andrej Boreyko
César Franck
Le chasseur maudit, poema sinfonico dalla ballata di Gottfried August Bürger
- Andantino, quasi allegretto - Poco più animato - Molto lento - Più animato - Allegro
molto, quasi presto
Maurice Ravel
Concerto in sol per pianoforte e orchestra
- Allegramente
- Adagio assai
- Presto
Registrato all'Auditorium Rai "Arturo Toscanini" di Torino il 19 febbraio 2009
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part 2 - STAGIONE 2008-2009 DELL'ORCHESTRA SINFONICA NAZIONALE DELLA RAI
Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai
direttore, Juraj Valčuha
Anton Webern
Im Sommerwind, idillio per grande orchestra
Registrato all'Auditorium Rai "Arturo Toscanini" di Torino il 27 novembre 2008

Enjoy.