Overture to The Flying Dutchman Richard Wagner Born: May 22, 1813 in Leipzig, Germany Died: February 13, 1881 in Venice, Italy Wagner composed his great works exclusively for the opera house. Fortunately his music-dramas, as he called them, include a good deal of marvelous writing for orchestra. Whether as separate preludes or overtures, or as adaptations of music from within the … Read More
Program Notes: Bach to America
Concerto for Chamber Orchestra, “Dumbarton Oaks” (1938) Igor Stravinsky Born June 17, 1882 in Oranienbaum, near St. Petersburg, Russia Died: April 6, 1971 in New York City Dumbarton Oaks is an elegant estate in the District of Columbia that belonged to Mr. & Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss, wealthy patrons of the arts. On the occasion of their thirtieth wedding … Read More
Program Notes: Mozart’s Romantic Side
Piano Concerto No.20 in D minor, K.466 Wolfgang Amadè Mozart Born: 27 January, 1756 in Salzburg, Austria Died: 5 December, 1791 in Vienna, Austria Brooding and chromatic, the D Minor Piano Concerto is a far cry from conventional Mozart. Listen for stormy outbursts, even in the slow movement. Mozart provided his Viennese audience with a sunny conclusion – but not until the coda of … Read More