George Gershwin: Cuban Overture Context The genesis of George Gershwin’s Cuban Overture lies in a two week trip the composer took to Havana in 1932. Known for its nightlife and music, Havana made a big impression on Gershwin. He basked in exciting irregular rhythmic patterns and exotic harmonies which he Read more…
Chen Yi: Ge Xu Context Chen Yi was born in Guanzhou, China in 1953. She was born into a talented family of both doctors and musicians, and so from a young age Yi began learning violin. Her siblings were known as child prodigies within musical performance, so Yi had a Read more…
Maurice Ravel: Boléro Context Composed originally as a ballet that was commissioned by the Russian actress Ida Rubinstein, Maurice Ravel’s orchestral work Boléro is his most famous composition. Before composing Boléro in 1928, Ravel had composed music for ballets including suites for ballet and full large-scale ballet scores. For instance Read more…
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante in Eb Major Context Following on from the popular Baroque Concerto Grosso form, the Classical period’s successor came in the form of the Sinfonia Concertante. A form that celebrates clear soloistic roles from several soloists, creating thrilling double, triple and even quadruple concertos. Particularly favoured Read more…
Ludovico Einaudi: I Giorni Context Ludovico Maria Enrico Einaudi was born in Turin, Italy in 1955. Einaudi began to compose his own music when he reached his teen years, with his main musical tool being a guitar. He decided to study formally and gained a place at the prestigious Conservatorio Read more…
Tarik O’Regan: Latent Manifest Context Tarik O’Regan was born in Croydon in 1978, and his mother was Algerian so in his very early life he spent a lot of time abroad. O’Regan claims he was a “late starter” with music, only picking up music when he was 14. However, he Read more…
Johann Joachim Quantz: Flute Concerto No. 129 Context Born in Oberscheden, Germany in 1697, Johann Joachim Quantz was a prolific flautist, Baroque music composer and educator. It wasn’t until his early teens when Quantz began to study music formally, first with his uncle, and then with organist Johann Friedrich Kiesewetter. Read more…
Hubert Parry: I Was Glad Context Hubert Parry (1848-1918) was at the height of his fame by the start of the 20th century. He held a Professorship at Oxford from 1900, as well as being knighted two years previously in 1898. It was during this mature period of Parry’s life Read more…
Amy Beach: Piano Concerto in C# Minor Context Amy Beach was born in 1867 in New Hampshire. It has been extensively documented that Beach was a child prodigy when it came to music performance. Records say that she was able to sing forty songs by the time she was one. Read more…
Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre: Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Continuo Context Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre was born in Paris, 1665. She was born into a family of musicians and she was deemed a child prodigy when she began learning to play the harpsichord at a young age. Read more…