performed by the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra under Paavo Rautio, or below with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra under John Storgards (cover image by Vincent Guth) I received a telegram from Viipuri yesterday that made my blood run cold: “Yjrö fell on … Continue reading Leevi Madetoja: Symphony no. 2 in E-flat, op. 35
performed by the Lahti Symphony Orchestra under Osmo Vänskä, or below with the Helsinki Philharmonic under Leif Segerstam Det är synd om människorna (One feels pity for human beings). August Strindberg (cover image by Radek Grzybowski) Well, we saw Sibelius a … Continue reading Sibelius Symphony no. 4 in Am, op. 63
performed by Kreeta-Julia Heikkilä, violin; Tuomas Lehto, cello; Roope Gröndahl, piano (cover image by Cassie Boca) Toivo Timoteus Kuula was born on July 7, 1883 in Vaasa, on the west coast of Finland. He studied privately with Sibelius from 1906-1908, and … Continue reading Toivo Kuula: Piano Trio, op. 7
performed by the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra under Leonid Grin (cover image by Hannu Keski Hakuni) Erik “Erkki” Gustaf Oskarsson Melartin was born on February 7, 1875 in Käkisalmi (or Kexholm in Swedish), which since 1948 is known as Priozersk (Приозе́рск) in Russia. He … Continue reading Erkki Melartin: Symphony no. 1 in Cm, op. 30
performed by the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra under Sakari Oramo (cover image by Chris Brignola) Ernst Mielck was born on October 24, 1877 in Vyborg. He began taking piano lessons at the age of 10 and in 1891 moved to … Continue reading Ernst Mielck: Symphony in Fm, op. 4
performed by the Minguet Quartett second and third/fourth movements (cover image by Steven Wang) Robert Fuchs was born on February 15, 1847 in Frauental an der Laßnitz, the youngest of 13 children. He studied at the Vienna Conservatory with Felix Otto … Continue reading Robert Fuchs: String Quartet no. 1 in E, op. 58
(cover image by Ian Dooley) The series is available, in reverse chronological order, here. This has been one of the most exciting series we’ve done. There has been such a wide spectrum of styles and approaches, but really just excellent … Continue reading The American Symphony in Review
performed by the Pacifica Quartet (no video today, but go check out the album for some audio clips) (cover image by Steven Wang) Back to Blackwood. If you know Blackwood’s name from somewhere (and you’re not a contract bridge player; … Continue reading Blackwood String Quartet no. 3
performed by Sinfonia Varsovia under Ian Hobson More and more, I realize the power of music—the power of the interval, of rhythm, of being exact in what I put down as what I meant to hear. George Walker, Strings Magazine … Continue reading George Walker: Sinfonia no. 3
performed by The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra under John Nelson third movement here (second movement seems not to be on YouTube. Just go buy the album!) Throughout the entire Symphony, the melodic and harmonic implications of the first fifteen bars of … Continue reading Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: Three Movements for Orchestra (Symphony no. 1)
performed by the Louisville Orchestra under Lawrence Leighton Smith (cover image by Jennifer Arlem Molina) William Elden Bolcom is still alive. He was born May 26, 1938 in Seattle. He entered the University of Washington at the exceedingly young age of 11 … Continue reading William Bolcom: Symphony No. 3, for Chamber Orchestra
performed by the Boston Modern Orchestra Project under Gil Rose, or below by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the composer’s baton (cover image by Andrew Yardley) Irving Gifford Fine was born in Boston on 3 December 1914. He earned both … Continue reading Irving Fine: Symphony
performed by the Seattle Symphony under Gerard Schwarz …without even the shadow of a doubt one of the half dozen great works written during the last ten years. It sings forever in my heart and in my consciousness, and it … Continue reading Walter Piston: Symphony no. 2
performed by the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein, or below by the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy This is no abstract intellectual exercise but an expression of changing moods and emotions, generating excitement and ecstasy at the climactic points. … Continue reading William Schuman: Symphony no. 3
(Or how I think about it) part 1: An introduction to Sonata Form and its place in the Symphony This is all highly opinionated, and probably highly unprofessional, but it’s the way I try to get someone who’s never cared … Continue reading How to listen to classical music
Fugue for Thought 