Hank Reynolds

Beethoven, Septet Op. 20 (Scherzo) We talked last week about some of the ways Chopin’s Scherzo No. 2 did not conform to what one might expect of a scherzo (literally defined as a joke or jest). Beethoven was not the first to place scherzi in … Read more

Chopin, Scherzo in B-flat minor, Op. 31 The term scherzo means, literally, joke or jest. When the term first appeared in the early 17th century in Italy, it generally referred to a lighthearted work. The New Grove Dictionary refers to Monteverdi’s scherzi from this time as “frivolous … Read more

Elgar, Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 You may hear today’s featured work somewhere else this month since it is the “go-to” piece for graduation ceremonies. I remember a small kerfuffle in high school when our band director floated the idea of playing something else. The … Read more

Rachmaninov, Études-tableaux, Op 39 Rachmaninov composed two sets of études-tableaux, Opus 33 (1911) and Opus 39 (1917). The works follow in the tradition of etudes by Chopin and Liszt: character pieces presenting specific technical challenges. Kapustin’s jazz etude featured last week, for that matter, belongs to … Read more

Ticheli, Blue Shades Frank Ticheli (b. 1958) comes out of a strong band tradition in Texas. After finishing high school in Richardson, Texas, he studied theory and composition at Southern Methodist University. (That was before Professor Carol joined the faculty there.) Ticheli writes for many different … Read more

Pergolesi, Stabat Mater At the Cross her station keeping, stood the mournful Mother weeping, close to her Son to the last. I’m posting this week’s Friday Performance Pick a day early. Our weekly digest goes out on Thursday and, since the selection this week relates … Read more

Elgar, Lux Aeterna You may recognize this piece as “Nimrod” from Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations. It is also often performed as a stand-alone work. Writing in The New Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians about the Enigma Variations, Diana McVeagh says: “Nimrod,” the Adagio core of the work, drops … Read more

Let’s talk about something that may signal the end of civilization. Okay, maybe it’s not quite that serious, but it’s close. Multi-tasking. If you are young, you may be always multi-tasking and consider it so normal that you don’t even know there’s a word for … Read more

Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet “Dance of the Knights” This post is scheduled to appear when I’m somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. If you hang around Professor Carol, as I do on a regular basis, you will find yourself in some interesting places. … Read more