Soweto String Quartet: Sophiatown Context Sophiatown is a composition that appears on the second studio by Soweto String Quartet – Renaissance. Released in 1996, the album has received international success, as well as winning the ‘Best Instrumental Performance’ award at the South African Music Awards in 1997. The album blends 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…
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…
Jean Sibelius: Andante Festivo Context Originally scored for string quartet in 1922, Sibelius’ poignant work Andante Festivo is also known for its re-orchestration for string orchestra and timpani. For the purposes of references in this blog, I will be referring to the original string quartet version. Although now fondly remembered Read more…
Takashi Yoshimatsu: White Landscapes Context Takashi Yoshimatsu was born in 1953 in Tokyo, Japan where he is regarded as one of Japan’s greatest Western classical composers. Interestingly, he did not learn music from a young age, in fact it wasn’t until his teens that he became interested in music at Read more…
Ben Gaunt: Empty Hand, Peaceful Mind Context Ben Gaunt studied at the Royal Northern College of Music for a BMus degree, to which he then stayed on and studied Composition for his Master’s degree. Gaunt has recently completed his PhD in Composition at The University of Sheffield, whilst studying under Read more…
Sarah Fuller Flower Adams: Nearer My God to Thee Context Sarah Fuller Flower Adams was born on February 22nd, 1805 in Sussex. She was the youngest of two, with her older sister being the composer, Eliza Flower. Adams was an English poet and she is renowned for her writings during Read more…
Cindy McTee: Adagio for String Orchestra Context Cindy McTee was born in 1953 in Washington. Her father played the trumpet and her mother played the clarinet, so from an early age, McTee was involved with music. By age six she was receiving piano lessons, and her teacher at the time encouraged her Read more…
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Souvenir de Florence Context Composed as a response to being awarded an honorary membership of the Saint Petersburg Chamber Music Society in 1886, Tchaikovsky pledged that he would “write and dedicate to your society some sort of chamber music work.” Thus, Souvenir de Florence was born by Read more…
Aaron Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man Context Composed in 1942 for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and conductor Eugene Goossens, Fanfare for the Common Man is one of Aaron Copland’s most famous works. It was inspired, in part, by a speech made earlier that same year by the U.S. Vice Read more…