Tera de Marez Oyens: String Quartet Contrafactus Context Born in August 1932, Tera de Marez Oyens was a talented Dutch pianist composer who studied at the Amsterdam Conservatoire under Jan Odé. Oyens wrote a catalogue of over 200 works which mainly focused on song cycles and chamber music. However, during Read more…
Astor Piazzolla: Libertango Context Composed in 1974 whilst in Milan, Astor Piazzolla’s Libertango is one of his most recognisable works. A significant shift from the traditional tango form to the tango nuevo, Libertango incorporates elements of jazz to create a new hybrid genre. Piazzolla is remembered for paving the way Read more…
Heitor Villa-Lobos: String Quartet No.3 ‘The Popcorn Quartet’ Context Composed whilst Heitor Villa-Lobos visited Rio de Janeiro in 1916, the Third String Quartet was not premiered some years later in 1919. It wasn’t until many years later in 1933 that this quartet premiered in North America, with just one year Read more…
Bedřich Smetana: String Quartet No.1 “From My Life” Context Due to his decline in health in 1874, Bedřich Smetana began to lose his hearing, with him becoming completely deaf by the end of the year. Smetana thus had to forfeit his job as the Principal Conductor of the Provisional Theater Read more…
Karl Jenkins: Palladio Context Sir Karl William Pamp Jenkins (CBE), was born on 17th February, 1944, in Penclawdd, Wales. He first received music training from his father, who was a choirmaster and chapel organist. Jenkins began to learn the oboe, and subsequently played in the National Youth Orchestra of Wales. 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…
Franz Schubert: Octet in F Major D.803 Context Commissioned by Ferdinand Troyer in 1824, Franz Schubert’s Octet in F Major is the largest set up of any chamber works written by the composer. Scored for clarinet, bassoon, horn, two violins, viola, cello and double bass, the instrumentation shadows that of Read more…
George Frideric Handel: Pifa Messiah Part I Context George Frideric Handel’s Messiah has remained one of the composer’s most beloved works. Incredibly, Handel completed this 260-page oratorio in just 24 days during the summer of 1741. The scriptural text was compiled by Charles Jennens, with the source being the King Read more…
Rosy Wertheim: String Quartet Context The Dutch composer, Rosy Wertheim (1888-1949), was one of the first female composers who completed her professional music education and garnered some international acclaim for her music. Although spending the start and end of her life in her homeland of the Netherlands, Wertheim travelled all Read more…
Bohuslav Martinů: String Sextet Context Bohuslav Martinů composed his String Sextet in under a week in May 1932. The sextet was popular and won awards, which surprised Martinů somewhat. Even though it was popular among Martinů’s contemporaries, the work itself was not published until 1947 – 14 years after it Read more…