Classically Speaking

I struggle with a problem that seems all too common in the United States today. This struggle can be summed up in a simple question: what is my heritage? Or, perhaps, where are my roots? 

My grandmother’s parents came over on a boat from Hungary around the turn of the 20th century. Unfortunately, my mother’s parents passed away before I ever had the chance to get to know them.

All I know of this heritage is what my Mom has passed on to me -- she does make some really amazing cabbage rolls!  But there are times when I long for a greater connection to my roots.

My great uncle (my grandmother’s brother) was the first child of the family to be born in America. He just passed away in 2007. I enjoyed a good relationship through the years with him, but never really got to sit down and have good long heart-to-heart discussions about our ‘motherland.’

From my mother, I have gained a love and appreciation of history. She has always been passionate about these memories from her own past and the romanticism of times and places before her own time.

Such appreciations have no doubt fostered my love of classical music, and in time they led me to Brahms’s Hungarian Dances. I have learned through the years of these pieces and how some of them can be traced back to old Hungarian folk songs. It’s kind of humorous to me in a way that all these pieces were written by a German, but nevertheless; these tunes have in years past been some of my favorite music ever.

Which brings me to the point: what makes these pieces so special to me?  Is it a longing for another place and time - that is mine, though not quite my own?  I read in some articles that the Hungarian Dances are some of Brahms’s most beloved pieces, which makes me think that maybe my experience of this music is not quite as singular and unique as I originally thought. I don’t like to think that way. I would rather try to hang on to any scrap of history that I might have! 

Below is a choice performance of Hungarian Dance No. 7, performed by the duet of Jascha Heifetz (violin) and Emmanuel Bay (piano). Bravo!  Asked about his own life, Heifetz said:

"Born in Russia, first lesson at three, debut at seven, debut in America at 17. That's all there really is."

Aran Jenkins is a recent graduate of WV State University.  He plays piano and guitar, writes for the Charleston Gazette, and is working on a novel.

Previous posts by Aran Jenkins:

As an avid music lover, I can think of several composers, bands, songs, albums, compositions, that if asked, I would claim as my favorite in whatever category we would discuss. I love talking about music to be sure!

But in the course of my own casual listening, I always find pieces and composers that I seem to ‘forget’ about. Unfortunately, Johannes Brahms is one of those composers in my life. I always love his music when I hear it, but so often, I’m not listening to his compositions and time marches on.

The following is a great video of one of my favorite compositions attributed to Brahms. This video is a duet of Yehudi Menuhin, one of the greatest violin virtuosos of the 20th century, with pianist Adolph Baller, playing “Hungarian Dance No. 5.

Composer Johannes Brahms was born in Hamburg Germany May 7, 1833. The series of “Hungarian Dances” written by Brahms, 21 pieces in all, are among my favorite compositions ever, even though I often fail to mention them among my favorites.

Brahms completed the Hungarian Dances in 1869. Check out this site with Brahms' life in pictures, featuring great candid photos of Johannes Brahms himself.

 
Aran Jenkins is a recent graduate of WV State University.  He plays piano and guitar, writes for the Charleston Gazette, and is working on a novel.

Previous posts by Aran Jenkins: