My music

645 Posts
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From Orchestra to Piano: Debussy’s La Mer
With its full title, La mer, trois esquisses symphoniques pour orchestre (The sea, three symphonic sketches for orchestra), we can understand what Claude Debussy (1862–1918) was trying to show in his 1905 orchestral work. I. De l’aube à midi sur
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An Introspective Journey: Vanessa Wagner’s Miniatures
The idea of the piano miniature has largely faded from the scene, but in the 19th century, particularly fuelled by the rise in home ownership of pianos, composers by the score wrote little consequential pieces for their audience. French pianist
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Creating a Dream World: Fauré’s Nocturnes
After the invention and development of the Nocturne in the hands of John Field and Frédéric Chopin, it wasn’t until Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924) took up the genre that it grew out of its romantic past and became part of the
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Elevating his Fame: Beethoven’s Piano Trios
When Ludwig van Beethoven went to Vienna in 1792, he was coming expecting to become Mozart’s successor. Mozart had died in early December 1791, and Beethoven came with the praise of the German composer and organist Christian Gottlob Neefe (1748-98)
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Defeating the Monster: Holmès’ Andromède
In the field of program music, stories from Greek myths are especially popular. French composer Augusta Holmès (1847–1903), was born in Paris, but was not permitted to attend the Paris Conservatoire because she was not a citizen of France (she
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Giving Praise in Latin and Welsh: Williams’ Missa Cambrensis
Welsh composer Grace Williams (1906–1977) grew up in a Welsh-speaking household that had music at its core. Williams’ father, William, was a schoolteacher and also conductor of the Romily Boys’ Choir, for which Grace was accompanist. The choir appeared not
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Making the Piano the Orchestra: Florian Noack’s Transcriptions
Doing transcriptions, particularly for the piano, is more than just writing the same notes for a different instrument. Each instrument has its idiosyncratic elements, be it only being able to play one or two notes at the same time or
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Paris of 1913 in Song: L’Offrande lyrique
In this brilliant, luscious recording by soprano Claire Booth and pianist Andrew Matthews-Owen, we’re given songs circulating in Paris in 1913. Debussy and Ravel are both looking at the poetry of Stéphane Mallarmé (1842–1898). The symbolist poet set the two
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