Edvard Grieg: Holberg Suite Context Composed in 1884 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Dano-Norwegian playwright Ludvig Holberg, Edvard Grieg’s Holberg Suite exemplifies stereotypical 19th century dance forms. The suite was initially composed for piano, but a year after it was written, Grieg changed his mind Read more…
Olivier Messiaen: Le merle noir Context Olivier Messiaen wrote a collection of significant works in the 20th century. His music often explored the uses of rhythm and harmony to create new and innovative ways to compose music. He also involved himself in the newer practices of total serialism and modes Read more…
Michael Tippett: String Quartet No.1 Context Three out of the five string quartets that Michael Tippett (1905-1998) composed during his lifetime were written in a ten-year period between 1935-45. A 30 year gap between the third and fourth scuppered the composer’s initial plan of writing four quartets during one period. Read more…
William Grant Still: Lyric Quartet Context Known for being one of the forefront African-American composers of the 20th century, William Grant Still’s legacy lives on today. Still was the first American composer to have an opera produced by the New York City Opera, the first African-American composer to conduct a Read more…
Jan Ladislav Dussek: Piano Trio in F Major Context Composed c.1790, Jan Ladislav Dussek’s Piano Trio in F Major (Op.20, No.3), is a truly thrilling work in the genre. Dussek’s in-depth knowledge of the piano certainly aided him in creating such a large catalogue of music including the piano. He Read more…
Joan Tower: Copperwave Context Joan Tower was born in New Rochelle, New York in 1938. When Tower was nine, her family moved to Bolivia, which she describes as an integral part of her compositional style. Upon her father’s insistence, she learnt the piano and had consistent musical training. Her father Read more…
Arwel Hughes: Fantasia in A Minor Context Arwell Hughes (1909-1988) was born near Wrexham, North Wales. He attended the Royal College of Music, where he studied with Ralph Vaughan Williams. Hughes worked as a professional organist and conductor, leading the way in premiering new works by Welsh composers. He often Read more…
George Gershwin: Lullaby for String Quartet Context Composed in 1919 when George Gershwin was still a student, Lullaby for String Quartet was one of the young composer’s first ‘serious’ works. As with many of Gershwin’s works, Lullaby was conceived at the piano and fully harmonised before Gershwin arranged it for Read more…
Henry Purcell: Come All Ye Songsters Context Henry Purcell’s semi-opera The Fairy Queen is based on an anonymous adaptation of William Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The show premiered in 1682 – just three years before the composer’s death. After his passing, the scores for The Fairy Queen were Read more…
Hugo Wolf: Italian Serenade Context Completed in 1886, Hugo Wolf’s Italian Serenade is written for string quartet. This short piece of light chamber music was to become an audience favourite in years to come. The music is vivacious and colourful, with Wolf’s range of writing being showcased effectively. The Read more…