Musical Beasts and Where to Find Them Throughout childhood, my parents would find me warbling to songbirds, serenading cats or performing sonatas to chickens. I harboured hopes that a lark might land, Snow White style, on my outstretched hand and perhaps sing me a little something. Twenty-five years later, I Read more…
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No.1 Context Ludwig van Beethoven grew up hearing and learning about the symphonies of his predecessors such as Mozart and Haydn. When he was a boy, Mozart was penning his famous Salzburg symphonies, and when he was a teenager, Mozart was writing his perennial late symphonies. Read more…
Krzysztof Penderecki: Intermezzo Context Composed in 1973, Krzysztof Penderecki’s Intermezzo is composed for 24 strings. The work bears resemblance to his First Symphony in terms of style. Penderecki builds various stages of narrative throughout Intermezzo which sees each individual part shine through. The Music The timbres and textures that Read more…
Ludwig van Beethoven: Klaviersonate Nr. 17 Der historische Kontext Die Klaviersonate Nr. 17 von Ludwig van Beethoven wurde zwischen 1801-1802 komponiert. Sie wird oft als den Sturm bezeichnet. Es wird behauptet, dass der Spitzname von einem Gespräch zwischen Beethoven und Anton Schindler gestammt sei. Die Musik Satz I – Read more…
Interview with Kris Garfitt Award-winning trombonist Kris Garfitt is constantly busy with concerts, competitions and recitals. His sheer breadth of styles has led him to become a remarkable force in the business. He is currently a member of the German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, where he performs a variety of orchestral Read more…
Jean Sibelius: The Swan of Tuonela Context Jean Sibelius composed The Swan of Tuonela in 1895 as part of the Lemminkäinen Suite. The suite is based on the Finnish mythological epic, Kalevala. The Swan of Tuonela is the second in the quartet of tone poems, and is by far the Read more…
Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.17 Context Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No.17 was composed between 1801-02. Often referred to as ‘The Tempest’, the nickname is said to have originated from a personal conversation between Beethoven and Anton Schindler. The Music Movement I – Largo-Allegro The opening bar and Read more…
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphonie Nr. 5 Ein Schnappschuss Der historische Kontext Die 5. Symphonie von Ludwig van Beethoven, die zwischen 1804 und 1808 komponiert wurde, ist nicht nur ein von seinen berühmtesten Musikwerken, sondern auch ein von den bekanntesten Musikwerken der westlichen klassischen Musik. Die 5. Symphonie wurde am 22. Read more…
Interview with Philip Harper Award-winning conductor and composer Philip Harper has led the world’s No.1 brass band, The Cory Band, since 2012. He has won all the major trophies including the Grand Slam of all major titles in 2016 & 2019 – something now known as the ‘Harper Slam’. In Read more…
Anatoly Liadov: The Enchanted Lake Context First performed in 1909 in St Petersburg, Anatoly Liadov’s serene orchestral work The Enchanted Lake is one of the composer’s most fondly-remembered works. Liadov himself really liked this work, commenting that: “How picturesque it is, how clear the multitude of stars hovering over Read more…