Various threads or chunks of history or music organized into strings of posts.
performed by the Zurich String Trio, or below by Perlman, Zukerman, and Harrell This trio is the second in a series of three works that make up the opus no. 9, the first of which we discussed yesterday. This set … Continue reading Beethoven String Trio no. 4 in D, op. 9 no. 2
performed by the Zurich String Trio or below by the Grumiaux Trio Here we have from Beethoven another set of early works published under the same opus number, the three op. 9 string trios. We’ll be discussing one per article, … Continue reading Beethoven String Trio no. 3 in G, op. 9 no. 1
performed by the Endellion String Quartet and David Adams, viola, or below by the Zurich String Quintet Composed in 1795, Beethoven’s op. 4 was originally an octet written for pairs of oboes, clarinets, bassoons and horns. That work was given … Continue reading Beethoven String Quintet in E flat, op. 4
Phew. The series can be reviewed here. That was a ton of music. And really it’s a testament to how much excellent music there is from that small little corner of the world up there off the coast of mainland … Continue reading The English Symphony in Review
performed by the Maggini Quartet Sir Peter Maxwell Davies was born September 8, 1934 in Salford, Lancashire. He told his parents at the ripe young age of four that he wanted to be a composer, after having seen Gilbert & … Continue reading Sir Peter Maxwell Davies: Naxos Quartet no. 1, op. 229
performed by the Arditti Quartet Brian Ferneyhough may well be one of the most important composers to emerge from the latter half of this century. Simultaneously famous and infamous, he is a controversial figure of world renown, bent on making … Continue reading Brian Ferneyhough: String Quartet no. 2
performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Vernon Handley, or below by the London Symphony Orchestra under Jascha Horenstein (this piece is featured on a list of pieces I heartily recommend to music directors for inclusion on their season programs. … Continue reading Simpson Symphony no. 3
performed by the London Symphony Orchestra under Richard Hickox, or below by the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland under Andrew Penny We had a chance to hear Arnold’s second horn concerto a few months ago, but he was yet another … Continue reading Arnold Symphony No. 1, Op 22
performed by the Delmé Quartet (Sorry, no YouTube this week, but I’m going to be linking below to program notes from Hyperion, who sells physical and digital copies of this music here. It’s also available on iTunes.) I’m very glad … Continue reading Simpson String Quartet no. 1
performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under the composer’s baton, or below with the London Symphony Orchestra under Richard Hickox They have an original development of their own, and they will be looked at in the future as being something … Continue reading William Alwyn: Symphony no. 1
performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra under Martin Yates in a world premiere recording, which you can purchase here. (Sorry, folks. No YouTube today either.) Richard Anthony Sayer “Tony” Arnell was born on September 15, 1917 in Hampstead, London. … Continue reading Richard Arnell: Symphony no. 4
performed by the New Russia State Symphony Orchestra under Alexander Walker, or below by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Myer Fredman It’s not the Gothic. Yet. William Havergal Brian was born 29 January, 1876 in Dresden, Stoke-on-Trent. Wikipedia says he “was … Continue reading Havergal Brian: Symphony no. 6 ‘Sinfonia Tragica’
performed by the Auryn Quartet, or below by the Badke Quartet, with Tamsin Waley-Cohen as first violin We’ve actually featured Britten before, but only once, and we didn’t give anything of a bio, so here’s something short. Benjamin Britten was … Continue reading Britten String Quartet no. 2 in C, Op. 36
performed by The Holywell Ensemble (Golly Gee Willikers, another with no YouTube. I should check on that more often, but I also won’t let the free availability of music on YouTube influence what I share, especially if I’ve spent the money … Continue reading John Ireland: piano trio no. 3 in E
performed by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra under Hans-Hubert Schonzeler, or below by the Hallé Orchestra under Sir John Barbirolli, in what is frustratingly only the last two movements. I highly recommend just purchasing the album it’s on, from iTunes) He … Continue reading Edmund Rubbra: Symphony no. 5
performed by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under Richard Hickox, or below by the London Symphony Orchestra under Sir Colin Davis Sir Michael Kemp Tippett was born on 2 January, 1905 in Eastcote, London. His father was a singer, or rather a … Continue reading Sir Michael Tippett: Symphony no. 1
performed by the Munich Symphony Orchestra under Douglas Bostock (this piece is featured on a list of pieces I heartily recommend to music directors for inclusion on their season programs. Check out the article here.) Ruth Dorothy Louisa Gipps was … Continue reading Ruth Gipps: Symphony no. 2
performed by the Dartington Piano Trio, or below by Yehudi Menuhin, violin; Maurice Gendron, cello; Benjamin Britten, piano We’ve visited Frank Bridge before, a number of years ago, but that was a while ago, and I didn’t discuss his upbringing and … Continue reading Bridge Piano Trio no. 2
performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under André Previn, or below by the London Philharmonic under Bryden Thomson …Walton’s Symphony No 1 is a free, strong, individual utterance, as far beyond mere imitation as, say, the Brahms First is in … Continue reading Sir William Walton: Symphony no. 1 in B flat minor
performed by the Ulster Orchestra under Bryden Thomson As mentioned in Monday’s revisit article, I was so taken with Bax’s first symphony that I felt we would benefit from one more of his symphonies, but which? Well, of his seven, the … Continue reading Bax Symphony no. 4
performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Bryden Thomson (this piece is featured on a list of pieces I heartily recommend to music directors for inclusion on their season programs. Check out the article here.) It’s odd, you know. A few … Continue reading Revisit: Bax Symphony no. 1
Fugue for Thought 