TGIF

Happy Friday everyone, are you ready for the weekend?  To help get you in a weekend state of mind, I have some marvelous music and equally marvelous men.  Let's begin with the music, shall we? In today's play list we explore two excellent examples of the Sinfonia Concertante form. The first is the Sinfonia Concertante for Oboe, Bassoon and Orchestra in B Flat Major by Guiseppe Maria Cambini with a performance by the Academia Montis Regalis directed by Luigi Mangiocavallo. The second is the Sinfonia Concertante for Winds in E Flat by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, KV 297b with a performance by The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields conducted by Sir Neville Marriner with soloists Aurèle Nicolet, flute; Heinz Holliger, oboe; Hermann Baumann, horn; and Klaus Thumermann, bassoon. Cambini and Mozart were rivals and when Mozart was in Paris, a Concert Spirituel with Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante, K. 297b, was cancelled for which Mozart blamed Cambini (this was part of Mozart's pattern of badmouthing Italian composers, such as Antonio Salieri). "I think that what was behind all this was Cambini, an Italian maestro whom I offended, without meaning to, the first time we met at Le Gros'. I had heard one of his quartets in Mannheim; they're quite good and I complimented him on them, and played the opening bars of one. Then Ritter, Ramm and Punto refused to let it go at that but insisted I continue, improvising whatever I did not remember. I did this, and Cambini, absolutely livid, blurted out: 'Questa e una gran testa!' (There's a big-head for you!). I don't think the incident was altogether to his liking." Mozart's false allegation may have had something to do with the fact that Cambini wrote a lot of Sinfonia Concertante.   After this musical exploration (or during)  scroll on down the page to peruse the many luscious lads on display with all their wares in this sinfully hot edition of Naked or Nearly So.  If they don't put you in the weekend mode, then I fear you may not still be among the living (lol).  Have a fabulous weekend and be sure to stop in tomorrow for the Best of the Web This Week.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!