Blogs
William Walton ‘Spitfire Prelude and Fugue’: Let’s Take Flight!
William Walton: Spitfire Prelude and Fugue Context Film music was bread and butter for William Walton. He established his career as a prolific British composer Read more…
Blogs
Ben Gaunt ‘Empty Hand, Peaceful Mind’: A Kata-bove the Rest!
Ben Gaunt: Empty Hand, Peaceful Mind Context Ben Gaunt studied at the Royal Northern College of Music for a BMus degree, to which he then Read more…
Blogs
Benjamin Britten ‘Jubilate Deo’: A Royal Favourite
Benjamin Britten: Jubilate Deo Context Jubilate Deo was composed in 1961 at the request of H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh. This joyful work is based Read more…
Blogs
George Frideric Handel ‘Behold, And See If There Be Any Sorrow’: Messiah Part II
George Frideric Handel: Behold, And See If There Be Any Sorrow Messiah Part II Context George Frideric Handel’s Messiah has remained one of the composer’s Read more…
Blogs
Florence Price ‘Symphony No. 1’: A Rich Cultural Excursion
Florence Price: Symphony No. 1 Context Born in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1887, Florence Beatrice Smith Price received early musical training from her mother. Price Read more…
Blogs
Philip Sparke ‘Pantomime’: The Many Faces of the Euphonium
Philip Sparke: Pantomime Context Commissioned by euphonium player, Nicholas Childs, in 1986, Philip Sparke’s Pantomime has remained a staple work for the instrument. The work Read more…
Blogs
Ernest Chausson ‘Piano Quartet in A’: Romantic Links
Ernest Chausson: Piano Quartet in A Context A student of Jules Massenet, French Romantic composer Ernest Chausson wrote a number of highly-regarded works before his Read more…
Blogs
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ‘The Seasons’: October: Autumn Song
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: The Seasons October: Autumn Song Context Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky composed his twelve character pieces for piano, The Seasons, at the same time Read more…
Blogs
Ludwig van Beethoven ‘Symphony No. 7’: A Flurry of Triumph!
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 Context Completed in 1812 and premiered in December 1813, Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony has certainly remained one of his most popular Read more…
Blogs
Giacomo Puccini ‘O Mio Babbino Caro’: ‘My Love for Which I Suffer’
Giacomo Puccini: O Mio Babbino Caro Context Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca, Italy in 1858 and he was one of nine children. The family Read more…