Ronald Binge: Sailing By Context Composed in 1963 by British composer Ronald Binge, Sailing By is known by many as the theme before the late Shipping Forecast on BBC Radio 4. The piece is played every night at 12.45am, with the piece being used not only for its simplicity and Read more…
Jerome Moross: The Big Country Main Theme Context Jerome Moross (1913-1983) was a popular Hollywood movie composer in the 20th century. Moross composed the scores for sixteen films between 1948-1969. He soon became known for his scores for many country and western films, most famously for the 1958 movie The Read more…
Alan Hovhaness: Symphony No.2 Context Also known by its original title Mysterious Mountains, Alan Hovhaness’ Second Symphony remains his most-recorded work to date. The three-movement work was composed in 1955 and was premiered by Leopold Stokowski and the Houston Symphony Orchestra in the same year. The original title does not Read more…
Antonín Dvořák: Serenade for Strings in E Context Antonín Dvořák composed his famous Serenade for Strings in E in just two weeks during a creative spell in May 1875. This was a particularly creative year for Dvořák, as he had also composed his Fifth Symphony, Second String Quintet amongst many Read more…
Yasushi Akutagawa: Trinita Sinfonica Context Composed during a period of Yasushi Akutagawa’s career where his music became influenced by some of the foremost Russian composers. Known as his ‘Sino-Soviet’ period (1947-57), Akutagawa went on cultural exchanges with the USSR and was made aware of the music of Dmitri Shostakovich and Read more…
Charles Griffes: The White Peacock Context Like many of his American contemporaries, Charles Griffes travelled to Germany to receive his advanced musical training. He focused on composition whilst studying, with piano being his first study for performance. Whilst in Germany, Griffes absorbed the Romantic traditions of Richard Strauss, Johannes Brahms Read more…
Ronald Binge: Elizabethan Serenade Context Famed for his light orchestral music, the works of Ronald Binge capture the essence of quality British classical music. From Sailing By, to The Watermill, Binge’s works are full of character and are still treasured today. Elizabethan Serenade was composed in 1951 and originally entitled Read more…
George Walker: Concerto for Trombone Context Composed in 1957, George Walker’s Trombone Concerto was one of the earliest of its kind for the modern trombone. The premiere took place in 1957 at a concert conducted by American composer, Howard Hanson. The concerto shows off Walker’s wide-range of inspirations, from Beethoven Read more…
Edward Elgar: Symphony No.1 Context Composed some way into his long musical career, the long awaited First Symphony from Edward Elgar did not disappoint. Premiered by the Hallé Orchestra under Hans Richter in December 1908, the First Symphony received great success in its first year. The symphony came at a Read more…
George Frideric Handel: I Know That My Redeemer Liveth Messiah Part III 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 Read more…