The build up to the release of Classic FM’s composer in residence, Debbie Wiseman’s newest album has caught the attention of many, including myself. This unique collaboration between Wiseman and gardener guru, radio presenter, and author, Alan Titchmarsh, does not disappoint in the slightest. There are two distinctive roles within Read more…
As part of the new 2018 expansion of Classicalexburns, I am starting to take on reviews (of events, concerts and CDs), and I am really pleased to be writing this review on Daniel Thomson debut solo album Secret Fires of Love. According to the CD notes, Secret Fires of Love: “Tells the Read more…
Dearest classical music fans, welcome to a brand new strand of Classicalexburns! As well as now doing CD reviews, I am also beginning to try some reviews of other events, such as conferences, concerts and music events. To kick things off, I am going to share my experience of playing Read more…
Dearest readers, something new for you today, a blog on a conference I attended in June which I think you’ll be interested to hear about. ‘Representations of Early Music on Stage and Screen’ (REMOSS) is a small working group of academics from around the UK who put together meetings, talks, Read more…
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.9 Movement IV Referring back to Bernstein’s theory that every movement represents a farewell to an aspect of life (read more in the previous blog), this movement is a farewell to life itself. The form of the finale can be read in two different ways, either as a Read more…
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.9 Movement III In his introduction to the symphonic works of Gustav Mahler, Leonard Bernstein claims that each movement of the Ninth Symphony is a farewell in itself, which then feeds into the overriding themes of farewell and death. The first movement is a farewell to passion and Read more…
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.9 Movement II The second movement has been said to be a ‘dance of death’ or Todtentanz for the original German translation. Adorno was one of the first to publicly characterize this movement, alongside critic Paul Bekker. This movement resonates a previous symphony by Mahler, the Fourth, which uses Read more…
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.9 Genesis & Movement I Gustav Mahler (1860-1911), composed his Ninth Symphony in the last few years of his life between 1909 and 1910. This Ninth Symphony was the last work that Mahler completed before his death in 1911 (whilst he was part-way through the Tenth Symphony). The Read more…
Jay Ungar: Ashokan Farewell Context Today’s blog is going differ from all the others as this is a tribute post for someone who taken from us far too soon – our Bryony. Life is incredibly precious, and it’s important to remember how fragile we really are. So I hope some of Read more…
Frederick Delius: The Walk to the Paradise Garden Context The Walk to Paradise Garden wasn’t actually a part of Delius’ initial set up of the opera and it was only added in before the Berlin premiere in 1906 (with the first every premiere being in 1901). The piece is between scenes 5 Read more…