Hank Reynolds
Schubert, Fantasy in F Minor Piano duets and music for piano four hands (the difference being whether there are two pianos or only one) became popular in the late 18th and early 19th century. Numerous improvements had been made to the first pianofortes invented by … Read more
Lyadov, Kikimora In last week’s post on Glazunov, we briefly mentioned Anatoly Lyadov [Liadov] (1855-1914) as another member of the Belyayev circle. Lyadov also studied composition with Rimsky-Korsakov, but he was expelled from the conservatory for failure to attend class. He was later readmitted and … Read more
Glazunov, Symphony No. 4 The composer and conductor Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936) was a stabilizing influence on Russian music during the turbulent transition from late 19th-century Romanticism to the early Soviet period. Balakirev recognized Glazunov’s talent in 1879 and introduced him to Rimsky-Korsakov, with whom Glazunov … Read more
Reger, Gloria in excelsis Many historians recognize Max Reger (1873-1916) as the most important German composer for organ after Bach. My familiarity with Reger’s music comes mostly from hearing them at organ recitals. I never really studied Reger or made a concerted effort to learn … Read more
Wassenaer, Concerto Armonico No. 6 Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer (1692-1766) published his collection of concertos titled “Concerti Armonici” anonymously in 1740. The Concerti Armonici consist of six sets of concertos, with each set containing six individual concertos. These were until recently falsely attributed to the … Read more
Philidor, Sinfonia 1 in G Minor François-André Danican Philidor (1726-1795) came from a family with a prominent place in French Baroque music during the 17th and 18th centuries. The oboist Michel Danican (c. 1600-1659) so impressed Louis XIII that he dubbed him “Philidor” as a … Read more
Kedrov, Otche Nash Traveling through Russia with Professor Carol took me to quite a few Orthodox churches and monasteries in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and along the Volga River. We traveled on our own much of the time, but I also tagged along on some of … Read more
Tchaikovsky, 1812 Overture Is there a more famous piece of “classical” music than Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture? To answer that question, we need to think about the things that contribute to a given work’s fame. And I don’t mean the kind of fame that a work … Read more
Reich, Music for Pieces of Wood Steve Reich has been called “the most original musical thinker of our time” (The New Yorker), and “among the great composers of the century” (The New York Times). So begins Reich’s biography on the Boosey & Hawkes website. It … Read more
Gershwin, Strike Up the Band We traditionally turn to something with an American theme for the Fourth of July. Yes, we have been doing this series long enough to have traditions. This years marks our 9th Fourth of July. And when it comes to American … Read more