Chopin Magic
Chopin Magic ‘Could it Be Magic’, was the name of the pop song written by composer and singer Barry Manilow. It was magic, as it’s opening was taken directly from one of my favorite Romantic Era composers, especially for piano music, Frederic Chopin. Frederic Chopin, the Polish composer and virtuoso pianist, was the quintessential Romantic composer. There…
Keep readingJan Swafford Biography of Brahms
Jan Swafford Biography of Brahms I just finished a very good non-fiction biography of the German Romantic Era composer/pianist/conductor, Johannes Brahms, by Jan Swafford. Swafford titles it simply, “Johannes Brahms: A Biography”. The author is also an American composer and musicologist who has written biographies on many of the great composers besides Brahms, such as…
Keep readingValcuha Leads the Beethoven 9th!
Juraj Valcuha Leads HSO in This Beethoven Masterpiece This weekend at Jones Hall in downtown Houston, Texas, the Houston Symphony Orchestra’s Director Designate, Juraj Valcuha [who will begin his directorship in the fall of 2022 with the 2022-2023 concert season] will have a debut performance leading our world class orchestra in a Beethoven blockbuster masterpiece:…
Keep readingRobert, Clara, and Johannes
I am now reading this very interesting and enjoyable non-fiction biography of Johannes Brahms by composer/author, Jan Swafford: “Johannes Brahms a Biography“. I am just getting to the relationship that developed between Robert and Clara Schumann with a young Johannes Brahms. I will give a book review of this biography when I finish [as it…
Keep readingA Classical Music Mothers Day
I would like to wish a very Happy and Blessed Mother’s Day to all, especially to all the wonderful Moms out there. On a personal note, my sister Susan and my brothers Sandy and Brad continue to always remember the blessing of our Mom, Reenie, who is in heaven with our “Pop” and God. Reenie,…
Keep readingHappy Birthday Brahms and Tchaikovsky
May 7th is the birth date for two of the giants in the Romantic Era of music, Johannes Brahms and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Brahms was born in the year of 1833 and seven years later in the year, 1840 was born Tchaikovsky. Both of these composers were known for their big orchestral sound filled with…
Keep readingAndres Orozco-Estrada Great Tenure As Director of the HSO Finishes With An Epic Symphony
Our (Houston’s) beloved Maestro and Director of the Houston Symphony Orchestra for the last 8 years, Andres Orozco-Estrada, tenure comes to a close this weekend in a dramatic and exciting fashion with the epic Symphony #2 by Gustav Mahler, “Resurrection Symphony”. What a blessing that my wife, Sheralyn, and I will be in Jones Hall…
Keep readingHaydn’s Philosopher
As I have stated before on my classical posts ‘Papa’ Haydn, the father of the classical symphony, composed so many symphonies, 104 to be exact, that many were given names as it would be easier to distinguish the more well known ones by a name than a number. This early symphony of his, #22, was…
Keep readingBravo, Concerto!
For those of you who have never had the privilege to go to a classical music concert with your local symphony orchestra, I would recommend going when one of the pieces on the program is a concerto. A concerto is a piece with the symphony orchestra and a soloist [of an instrument] who stands or sits in…
Keep readingInterpretation is In The Ear of the Conductor
One of the things that is great about going to classical music concerts is that even when you have heard the same piece of music many times, you almost always hear something new each time you hear it. You may hear the staccato in a phrase of a certain section of the orchestra that you…
Keep readingBach’s Prelude and Fugue in G, BWV 550
On this Bach O Tuesday, as I like to call Tuesdays, please enjoy J.S. Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in G major BWV 550 for organ. This has two parts, the Prelude which Bach notes “with pedal”, and then the Fugue. Please turn up the volume and enjoy another wonderful piece from the genius of Johann…
Keep readingMozart’s Piano Sonata #11 in A
On this Mozart Monday, here is one of his wonderful piano sonatas, #11 in A Major. This delightful sonata has 3 movements: 1. Andante Grazioso, 2. Menuetto and 3. Allegretto-‘Alla Turca’. So, please turn up the volume and enjoy this soothing piano sonata by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart!
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