In 1849, Robert Schumann explored the horn as a solo instrument, dedicating to it an “Adagio and Allegro,” Op. 70, before embarking on the composition of an orchestral work featuring four solo horns (having also composed the “Five Songs based on Heinrich Laube’s Hunting Compendium” for men’s choir and four horns, Op. 137 that same … Read more
This meditative piece was written in 1914. With the onset of the Great War, Vaughan Williams was soon to enlist as an orderly in the Royal Army Medical Corps, and composition and premières were on hold for the duration. The piece takes its name from the title of a poem by George Meredith (1828-1909) and … Read more
Sibelius’ best works are to be found in his seven symphonies and symphonic poems. However, he is probably most renowned today for his tone poem Finlandia which he composed in 1899. At this time the Grand Duchy of Finland was struggling for independence from the Russian Empire. Sibelius was invited to write music for a … Read more
Some will recognise the ‘Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia’ as the theme tune for the long-running 1970s TV series, The Onedin Line, younger listeners perhaps for its appearance in the animated film Ice Age: The Meltdown. However, it was originally written as part of a ballet, Spartacus, by the Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian in 1954. … Read more
This famous hymn was originally written in 1804 by William Blake as part of a longer poem called Milton: A poem in two books and it was set to music by Hubert Parry in 1916 in an attempt to lift spirits during the war, proving an instant success. The music was commissioned by the poet … Read more
Some will recognise the ‘Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia’ as the theme tune for the long-running 1970s TV series, The Onedin Line, younger listeners perhaps for its appearance in the animated film Ice Age: The Meltdown. However, it was originally written as part of a ballet, Spartacus, by the Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian in 1954. … Read more
Claude Debussy was asked to write something for King Albert’s Book which was a collection of music sponsored by The Telegraph and put together by Hall Caine, and was designed to send “a tribute of admiration to Belgium on the heroic and ever-memorable share she has taken in the war”. He was in good company … Read more
This commission to mark the BHSO’s 30th anniversary marks a new venture for Alan Smith, most of whose previous output has been choral rather than instrumental works. Smith’s Ritornello is notable for its angular rhythms and constantly changing metre, the time signature changing in every bar for the first twenty bars. Unlike a symphony, in … Read more
1 Chorale St. Antoni: Andante 2 Variation I : Poco più animato 3 Variation II : Più vivace 4 Variation III : Con moto 5 Variation IV : Andante con moto 6 Variation V : Vivace 7 Variation VI : Vivace 8 Variation VII : Grazioso 9 Variation VIII : Presto non troppo 10 Finale: … Read more
The Hungarian-born composer and pianist Franz Liszt was strongly influenced by the music heard in his youth, particularly Hungarian folk music, with its unique gypsy scale, rhythmic spontaneity and direct, seductive expression. These elements would eventually play a significant role in Liszt’s compositions. Although this prolific composer’s works are highly varied in style, a relatively … Read more
