Hank Reynolds
Byrd, Miserere mei, Deus We begin the Lenten Season on a more reflective note, especially compared to last week’s Shrovetide Fair and Petrushka. William Byrd (c. 1543-1623) made his mark on the early Elizabethan Era. He grew up in the reign of the Mary Tudor … Read more
Stravinsky, Petrushka Stravinsky’s ballet Petrushka opens amid the festivities at the Shrovetide Fair. And since Shrovetide takes place this week, now may be a good time to look at Petrushka? Despite my Anglican leanings, I did not grow up hearing about “Shrovetide.” In South Louisiana, … Read more
Britten, Four Sea Interludes (from Peter Grimes) I’m sitting in my son’s new apartment on the beach, a stone’s throw from Chesapeake Bay. No really, I could throw a rock from here that would land in the water. There is nothing between the window and … Read more
Delius, In a Summer Garden Frederick Delius (1862-1934) absorbed musical influences across Europe and America before turning seriously to composing. Born in Yorkshire to German parents, his early career in his father’s business took him to posts in Germany, Sweden, France, and Florida. Delius had … Read more
Verdi, Caro nome (from Rigoletto) Caro nome translates as “dear name.” Unfortunately, the dear name that Gilda knows at this point in Act I of Verdi’s opera Rigoletto (1851) is a false one. Gilda, daughter of the court jester Rigoletto, thinks she has just fallen … Read more
Trenet, Ah, dis! Ah, bonjour! One thing I like about writing this series on listening is that I can do whatever I want. (Yes, there’s probably some line I could cross that might get Professor Carol’s attention, but that hasn’t happened and probably won’t.) Today, … Read more
Rimsky-Korsakov, Capriccio Espagnol You may have thought that only French composers could write Spanish music, but here’s proof that Russians can do it too. Okay, that’s a bit overstated: we could find plenty of superb Spanish composers. But it’s hard not to think of Bizet’s Carmen, … Read more
Villa-Lobos, Choros No. 1 Choro in Portuguese translates as “cry,” or more appropriately, “lament.” The popular musical genre under that name first appeared in Brazil in the late 19th century. Despite the name, Choros tend to be upbeat. They drew on African rhythms and a … Read more
Haydn, Piano Trio in C Major, Hob. XV: 27 The piano trio of the Classical era grew out of the Baroque trio sonata. The long-popular Baroque trio sonata featured a solo instrument accompanied by what was called the basso continuo consisting of harpsichord and viol da gamba … Read more
Biebl, Ave Maria Although Franz Biebl (1906-2001) composed many works, he is known (so far) for just one. But if you are going to be remembered for a single work of about 6 minutes, you couldn’t do much better than this setting of Ave Maria. Composed … Read more