Xenakis, Rebonds B Iannis Xenakis (1922-2001) was born to Greek parents in a Greek community in Romania. In 1932, he began attending a boarding school in Greece where he studied music while also excelling in mathematics. He entered the National Technical School in Athens in … Read more
Scriabin, Poem of Ecstasy The Poem of Ecstasy by Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915) often goes by its French title Le poème de l’extase. It is one of only five symphonic works written by Scriabin, along with Prometheus: Poem of Fire and three numbered symphonies. He tended … Read more
Cowell, The Banshee I don’t pay much attention to Halloween, but once I decided to feature this work, it seemed appropriate to save it until we could get all of our ghosts and goblins dealt with at the same time. A mythical creature “banshee” comes … Read more
Persichetti, Divertimento for Band I grew up in band country—Texas. There was only one year in one school where we had an orchestra. And let’s face it, the orchestra was not very good, whereas the band had many competent instrumentalists. Band repertoire didn’t always offer … Read more
Rautavaara, Credo (from Missa a Cappella) I ran across this piece yesterday while looking for an assortment of Credos. Professor Carol is teaching our Early Sacred Music course online for Memoria this semester and, as always, she wants to bring in new materials and find … 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
Britten, Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings I have previously mentioned my years, basically middle school through college, as a horn player. During that time, I frequently heard the name of Dennis Brain as the undisputed master of the instrument. Brain (1921-1957) had died quite … Read more
Berio, Black Is the Color Luciano Berio (1925-2003) was an Italian composer and a major figure in the avant-garde music of the 20th century. His cycle of eleven arrangements of folk songs is one of his most popular and frequently performed works. Titled simply Folk … Read more
Takemitsu, Requiem The Japanese composer Tōru Takemitsu (1930-1996) became Japan’s leading composer of the 20th century writing with a predominantly Western musical vocabulary. He was conscripted into the Japanese army toward the end of World War II when he was a mere adolescent. At the … Read more
Finzi, Five Bagatelles (3 and 4) The music of Gerald Finzi (1901-1956) in many ways follows the style of his fellow British composers Sir Edward Elgar and his friend Ralph Vaughan Williams. Best known for his choral works and songs, Finzi’s Five Bagatelles, written for … Read more
