Hank Reynolds
Hummel, Trumpet Concerto Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778-1837) was recognized early as a child prodigy. At the age of 8, he was taken by his father (a violinist) to Vienna and began studying piano with Mozart and even lived under Mozart’s roof (a practice not uncommon … Read more
Veracini, Overture No. 6 in G minor Francesco Maria Veracini (1690-1768) was born into a musical family in Florence, Italy. He forged a successful performing career as a violinist in Venice. From there he secured a position in Dresden from 1716 to 1723. Returning to … Read more
Viet Cuong, Re(new)al It is traditional to ring in the New Year with a toast, accompanied hopefully by a sense of optimism. So we can start a new year of our Friday Performance Picks the same way. Viet Cuong begins his composition Re(new)al with a … Read more
Praetorius, Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming Christmas is not over yet. We are in the midst of the Christmas Season—the twelve days of Christmas—although this post probably won’t hit the weekly digest until the season is almost over. The source of the text of … Read more
Kent, I’ll Be Home for Christmas First recorded in 1943 by Bing Crosby, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” expressed the desire of U.S. Soldiers in World War II to be back home. The song’s enormous popularity soon took it well beyond that original context, and … Read more
Warlock, Bethlehem Down Peter Warlock is the pseudonym of Philip Arnold Heseltine (1894-1930). Heseltine was born in London to a wealthy family. His father soon died and his mother was remarried to a landowner in Wales. Heseltine’s Welsh roots would form part of his lifelong … Read more
Scarlatti, Cantata Pastorale per la nascità di nostro Signore The Scarlatti family from Sicily included quite a few successful musicians. Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725) was the second of eight children born to Pietro and Eleanora, five of whom had musical careers. Alessandro would sire ten children, … Read more
Bach, Das Orgelbüchlein (6 Advent and Christmas Chorale Preludes) J. S. Bach composed a more or less unbroken stream of music for organ and harpsichord throughout his professional life. But his time in Weimar, from 1708 to 1717, marks a particularly fruitful period for organ … Read more
Debussy, Noël des enfants qui n’ont plus de maisons Claude Debussy composed Noël des enfants qui n’ont plus de maison in December 1915 as the second Christmas during World War I was approaching. Debussy had cancer by this time and was composing very little. He … Read more
Tartini, Devil’s Trill Sonata Giuseppe Tartini (1692-1770) is best known for his Sonata No. in G minor (GT 2.g05), known informally as the “Devil’s Trill” sonata. The trill in question occurs in the final movement (at 9:44-10:00 in this recording) in which Tartini demands double-stop … Read more