John Adams: Harmonielehre Context John Adams’ epic symphonic work Harmonielehre was composed in 1985. The title derives from the German for ‘Study of Harmony’, which is also a reference to Arnold Schoenberg’s 1911 theory book of the same name. Adam has commented that Harmonielehre was inspired by a dream that Read more…
Leroy Anderson: The Typewriter Context Composed in 1950 during a trip to Woodbury, Connecticut, Leroy Anderson’s The Typewriter is one of his most iconic works. Anderson conducted the Boston Pops Orchestra to make a recording of the piece in 1953. Since then The Typewriter has been arranged for string orchestra, Read more…
Peter Boyer: Three Olympians Context Peter Boyer was commissioned by The Conductors Institute to compose a work for them in 2000. Three Olympians was the outcome of this commission. The original recording was done at the Abbey Road Studios, with the London Symphony Orchestra (2001). The work was recorded again Read more…
Henry Purcell: O Solitude, My Sweetest Choice Context O Solitude, My Sweetest Choice is an English song composed by Henry Purcell around the year 1685. The work is set for either a soprano or countertenor voice, and by a bass ostinato and continuo. The text was taken from English poet Read more…
John Adams: Short Ride in a Fast Machine Context John Adams composed his orchestral work Short Ride in a Fast Machine in 1986. Subtitled a “fanfare for orchestra”, the piece came from a commission from the Great Woods festival. Due to the name of the festival, the original title of Read more…
Christopher Tin: Sogno di Volare Context Award-winning American composer Christopher Tin is perhaps best-known for his film and video game music. His output shows that he is a talented orchestral and choral composer, with his influences spanning both Eastern and Western musics. Tin has won two Grammy Awards for his Read more…
Edward Gregson: Connotations Context Edward Gregson’s brass band test piece Connotations was initially commissioned for the 1977 National Brass Band Championship Finals held at the Royal Albert Hall. The winners of that year were the Black Dyke Mills Band, who further won the British Open in 1983 with the same Read more…
Phamie Gow: The Milky Way Context Scottish composer Phamie Gow is a multi-instrumentalist who was classically trained at the Royal Scottish Conservatoire. She studied under Ronald Stevenson and regularly undertook commissions, films and theatre work whilst studying. Since graduation, Gow has produced and released nine albums of her own original Read more…
Michael Nyman: The Heart Asks Pleasure First Context Michael Nyman’s solo piano piece The Heart Asks Pleasure First was composed as part of the 1993 film The Piano. On the album soundtrack Nyman plays all the piano parts himself, with this album being his twentieth album release. The soundtrack was Read more…
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…