John Adams: Saxophone Concerto Context Jointly commissioned by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the St. Louis Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo Foundation. The world premiere took place in Sydney in August 2013, with saxophonist Timothy McAllister, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and John Read more…
Henryk Górecki: Harpsichord Concerto Context Henryk Górecki’s Harpsichord Concerto was composed at the request of Andrzej Chłopecki, head of Polish Radio Music Station. The commission came in 1980 at a time when Górecki was exploring pure instrumental music after more than a decade of dedicating himself to vocal and choral Read more…
Pierre Rode: Violin Concerto No.11 Context Jacques Pierre Joseph Rode (1774-1830), also known as Pierre Rode, was a French violinist and composer. Rode was a pupil of Giovanni Battista viotti, who considered Rode to be the most talented student he ever taught. As a virtuoso violinist, Rode served as violin Read more…
Johann Sebastian Bach: Violin Concerto in E Major Context Composed potentially between c.1717-1723, Johann Sebastian Bach’s Violin Concerto in E major was written to satisfy the requirements of Prince Leopold. The Prince wanted Bach to compose large numbers of secular music, as well as his ever-popular sacred works. It is Read more…
Pablo de Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen Context As one of the most famous violin virtuosos of the 19th century, Pablo de Sarasate was also a keen composer for the instrument too. His perennially popular Zigeunerweisen was composed and published in 1878. Inspired by folk tunes from Rome, Zigeunerweisen has pleased audiences and Read more…
Paul Hindemith: Trauermusik Context Trauermusik was composed on the 21st January 1936 at very short notice in memory of King George V, who had passed away the previous night. The English translation of the title is ‘Funeral Music’, although it is always known by its German name. On the 19th Read more…
Sergei Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2 Context Around the time of the Russian Revolution in 1917, Sergei Prokofiev left the Soviet Union and lived abroad for the next 18 years or so. He returned in 1927 an outsider, and was regarded as a foreigner by the regime whilst on tour 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…
Alexandra Pakhmutova: Trumpet Concerto Context Alexandra Pakhmutova was born in 1929 in Russia. She began learning the piano at a very young age and she showed much potential. World War II interrupted her studies, and in 1942 the Pakhmutova family were evacuated to Kazakstan. When the family moved back to Beketovka, Read more…
Sergei Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Variation 18) Context Sergei Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini is a concertante work (a large-scale work which uses both the symphonic and concerto forms throughout). It was composed in 1934, and is scored for solo piano and a full Romantic Read more…