Herbert Howells: Elegy Context Herbert Norman Howells was born in Lydney, Gloucestershire on 17th October 1892. After beginning to learn piano and organ at home with his parents, Howells continued his musical studies at the prestigious Royal College of Music, London. Here, Howells studied under the likes of Hubert Parry Read more…
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Concerto for Two Pianos Context Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Concerto for Two Pianos was originally composed as a standard concerto for solo piano. Vaughan Williams wrote the work between 1926-1930, and it was first performed in 1933 with Adrian Boult conducting. Technically adventurous and devilishly difficult to perform, Read more…
Augusta Read Thomas: Radiant Circles Context Composed in 2010 that came from a commission by the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition at Brigham Young University and the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, Radiant Circles is a celestial orchestral work. At the time of composition, Thomas was Composer-in-Residence at the New Haven Read more…
John Rutter: The Beatles Concerto Context Although largely known for his choral and vocal works, John Rutter has also composed an interesting collection of orchestral works. His three movement concerto for two pianos: The Beatles Concerto, is based on various Beatles songs. The style of this work is reminiscent of the romantic and Read more…
Alan Menken: Overture from Beauty and the Beast Context When originally released in 1991, Alan Menken’s score for Beauty and the Beast was regarded as one of his best. The Oscar-winning score, with lyrics by Howard Ashman, was then recreated in the 2017 live-action version of the film. This new Read more…
Ruth Crawford Seeger: Rissolty, Rossolty Context Ruth Crawford Seeger’s unique and academic style of writing stood her music apart from many of her contemporaries. After a bumpy time after the Depression in the 1930s, Crawford Seeger took a new path to link her family name to folk music. After transcribing Read more…
George Gershwin: I Got Rhythm Variations Context Composed largely during a three-week holiday in Palm Beach, George Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm Variations was premiered in January 1934. As the title suggests, the basis of this piece comes from Gershwin’s hit song I Got Rhythm, which featured in the musical Girl Read more…
Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10 Context Dmitri Shostakovich was born in St. Petersburg on September 25th 1906, and by the age of nine he began to play the piano. By the age of thirteen, Shostakovich was admitted into the prestigious Petrograd Conservatory, where he learnt piano under Leonid Nikolayev. At Read more…
Colin McPhee: Tabuh-Tabuhan Context Composed whilst Colin McPhee was visiting Mexico in 1936, Tabuh-Tabuhan is an orchestral toccata that features two solo pianos. Straight after McPhee had finished penning the work, Carlos Chavez and the National Orchestra of Mexico City had given it its first performance. The unusual name and Read more…
Alan Menken: Main Titles from The Little Mermaid Context Alan Menken teamed up with Howard Ashman to work on the score for the 1989 Disney film, The Little Mermaid. It remains one of the most decorated albums in Menken’s wheelhouse, with it receiving multi-platinum sales and two Grammys, two Academy Read more…