Gerald Finzi: Five Bagatelles Context Just before he was drafted into the war in 1941, Gerald Finzi completed three short pieces for clarinet. He used “20 year old old bits and pieces” he still hadn’t used, with his consequently adding a fourth piece in 1943. The quartet of pieces were Read more…
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Sérénade mélancolique Context Sérénade mélancolique was composed in early 1875 by Tchaikovsky at the request of violinist Leopold Auer. Scored for solo violin and orchestra, it was the first work of its kind that Tchaikovsky composed. It was composed at the same time as his iconic Piano Read more…
Henry Hadley: The Ocean Context Henry Kimball Hadley (1871-1937) was an American romantic composer. He was an important figure in the development of American symphonic music, however since his death his music has become lost in the onslaught of modernist American composers that found greater success a few years later. Read more…
Gustav Holst: A Somerset Rhapsody Context Composed in 1906, Gustav Holst’s A Somerset Rhapsody is inspired by a collection of key English folk tunes. Dedicated to Cecil Sharp, to whose tunes the work is based on, A Somerset Rhapsody tells a story, which Holst once divulged to a colleague: “Into Read more…
Antonín Dvořák: The Golden Spinning Wheel Context Antonín Dvořák composed five symphonic poems in his career, all of which were composed in a two-year spell between 1896-97. The Golden Spinning Wheel was the third of the quintet, and was completed in April 1896. The work is inspired by the poem Read more…
David Diamond: Rounds for String Orchestra Context David Diamond (1915-2005) was an American composer who studied in New York and Paris. He wrote a range of works including 10 string quartets and 11 symphonies. Although Diamond didn’t receive the popularity that some of his American contemporaries did, his works are Read more…
David Arnold: The Stepford Wives Main Title Context The Stepford Wives is a 2004 science fiction-black comedy film directed by Frank Oz. The film stars big names such as Nicole Kidman, Bette Midler, Matthew Broderick and Christopher Walken. The story is based around a successful reality TV presenter whose career Read more…
Frédéric Chopin: Etude Op.25, No.12 ‘Ocean’ Context Etude No.12 from his Op.25 collection was the last of his formal studies for the piano. The set is dedicated to À Madame la Comtesse d’Agoult and was first published in 1837. The collection was published in a range of different languages including Read more…
John Adams: Saxophone Concerto Context Jointly commissioned by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the St. Louis Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo Foundation. The world premiere took place in Sydney in August 2013, with saxophonist Timothy McAllister, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and John Read more…
Bedřich Smetana: The Bartered Bride Overture Context The Bartered Bride is a comic opera that was composed between 1863-1866. The music was composed by Bedřich Smetana, with the libretto by Karel Sabina. The opera gave its first performance at the Provisional Theatre in May 1866. The opera is set in Read more…