Chopin: Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52 Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) wrote almost exclusively for the piano and is best known for short character pieces such as noctures, études, and mazurkas. It is somewhat remarkable that this idiosyncratic output earned Chopin a solid position among … Read more
Mendelssohn: Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 49, III – Scherzo I said last week that there is no right place to start when getting to know Classical music, or – more accurately – no wrong place to start. Perhaps you listened to the Haydn Trumpet Concerto that began this … Read more
Once upon a time . . . actually, when I started my job as Music History Professor at Southern Methodist University in 1985, I had to face facts: even with my fancy new Ph.D. in musicology, my musical education was filled with holes. There wasn’t … Read more
This chart is included in the workbook for Discovering Music: 300 Years of Interaction in Western Music, Arts, History, and Culture. Watch for more reference guides like this one in the near future. Eighteenth Century Enlightenment Nineteenth Century Romanticism Music is an expression of balance … Read more
What’s this program about? Ottorino Respighi was not at war with tonality or tradition, and his works have consequently been denigrated at times as “crowd pleasers.” Although he wrote successful concertos, operas, and ballets that were widely performed in his day, he is known primarily … Read more
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What’s this program about? Tchaikovsky’s music holds a sacred place in Russian culture. Dmitri Shostakovich said, “Without Tchaikovsky we could not endure our sorrows.” Professor Carol examines his Fifth Symphony and considers his life, his personal struggles, and his professional successes. Works Discussed: Tchaikovsky Symphony … Read more
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