Just the mention of Arnold Schoenberg strikes fear in the hearts and ears of most listeners. But can you guess what struck the fear of god into Arnold Schoenberg? Somewhat ironically, the composer experienced a paralyzing fear of the number

We’ve already looked at Modest Mussorgsky’s creation for piano, Pictures at an Exhibition. This best-known of Mussorgsky’s works had an afterlife as an orchestral work that has resulted in dozens of orchestrations. There are also arrangements for other performing forces

Carl Maria von Weber : Clarinet Concerto No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 73, J. 114 The comparatively late addition of the clarinet family to our modern catalogue of musical instruments at the turn of the 18th-century immediately spawned countless

In the Romantic era, as we’ve seen with in earlier articles (VI. Possessed by the Demon & VII. The Wolf’s Glen), there was a fascination with other worldly things – demons and sprites, ghosts and devils. Since this was part

Ah, there’s nothing like a march. It’s perfect for parades, for getting small children in order, or even for vacuuming the house – there’s a strong beat, hummable tunes, and they’re designed to get your attention and get you moving.

Famous musical sons frequently have famous musical fathers. And Richard Strauss is no exception. In his day, his father Franz was recognized as an important artistic personality. Foremost, he became a celebrated horn virtuoso, by “breathing soul into the unthankful

What could be more ideal for showing the supernatural world than opera? The most famous supernatural scene in opera occurs in Weber’s Der Freischütz. The opera, known in English as ‘The Marksman,’ is about a poor woodsman, Max, who, in

Yannatos: Variations In our earlier talk with bassist Ed Barker, we focused solely on his return to China with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, 35 years after his first visit to China with the orchestra In 1979. Our conversation continued, discussing