When you think of the waltz, you might start humming Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers or The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II. Waltz music has certainly gone through much development since its origins in the 1700s. But did you know that the original Classical era dance was considered scandalous? And that it wasn’t until […]
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One of my favorite things about our local classical radio station is that it always introduces me to new (sometimes obscure) works and composers. This leads me to today’s topic: Polish pianist and composer Zygmunt Stojowski (1870-1946). I heard one of his piano concertos on the radio and was hooked from the start of its […]
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It’s October, which means the seasons are changing! To celebrate, let’s listen to some classical music inspired by autumn. (Click here for part 1.) Comes Autumn Time by Leo Sowerby (1895-1968) Sowerby wrote this shimmering piece for organ in 1916 before orchestrating it a year later. The work was inspired by a poem called Autumn by Bliss Carman: […]
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Everyone knows that the score can make or break the movie. That’s why top film composers are high in demand, and it’s also why many movie-watchers and music-listeners love listening to film scores outside of the movie itself. And the Interstellar score fits in this category. This 2014 science fiction movie tells the story of a […]
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I’ve been listening to a lot of different styles of instrumental music lately. Instrumental music helps me think, relax, dream, imagine, create, and more! However, my music favorites constantly change depending on what projects I’m working on and what is going on in my life. Right now I’m creating a lot of my own music, […]
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I had the pleasure of hearing Lyric Fantasy (Lyrisk fantasi) for Orchestra, Op. 54 by Swedish composer Lars-Erik Larsson (1908-1986) for the first time on my local classical radio station the other day. I was immediately struck by its beauty: Background Even though Larsson was born to a nurse and a factory worker, he showed musical talent […]
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As I’ve been doing some research and score study for a new composition, I came across Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis by British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958). After listening to it on repeat this week, I thought I’d share it with you! Background Composed in 1910, Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (also known as […]
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Today I want to share with you one of my most favorite pieces of music: the Holberg Suite (more properly known as From Holberg’s Time) by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg (1843-1907). Grieg wrote the Holberg Suite in 1884 to celebrate the 200th birthday of the Danish poet and playwright Ludvig Holberg (1684-1754). Composed of five movements, the suite calls […]
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Remember earlier this week when I posted about O Magnum Mysterium, a 16th century motet taken from Catholic Mass? Well, today I want to share another Mass with you – but this one is from the 21st century. Called Sunrise Mass, Norwegian composer Olja Gjeilo (b. 1978) created this 30-minute work for choir and strings with four […]
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Are you enjoying the sunshine and the beautiful weather that comes with springtime? Do you love classical music? If you answered yes to either of those questions, check out this list of classical music inspired by spring! [Part 1 can be found here.] Claude Debussy’s Rondes de Printemps (“Round Dances of Spring”) From 1905 to […]
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