A Belated Valentine
The creation of emotional tension and the release of it is a common aesthetic goal among all composers of wordless, abstract music. The moment of greatest emotional intensity in a…
Orchestra
Gentle Goodbyes
The first and final movements of many symphonies and concertos end with a bang! “Send them home on a high note!” But that is not universally the case. George Marriner…
The Joke’s On Us
Have you ever attended a symphony orchestra or chamber music recital, when suddenly the person next to you or near you began to chuckle or laugh under their breath? You…
Why Do They Write That Way?
Maestro Maull jumps headlong into the dissonant writing of early 20th Century composers. . .from the perspective of asking what their motivations for composing in such a fashion might be….
Happy 40th Anniversary NJYS!
The New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS) celebrated its 40th anniversary this weekend in Newark at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s Prudential Hall. The truth is…NJYS has been celebrating all…
Discovery Orchestra Chat 177 – The Firebird Suite Lullaby & Finale Play-Through
This Chat Video features the final two movements of Stravinsky’s “Firebird” Suite with our Listening Guide on screen. Performed by the Vienna Symphony courtesy of Naxos of America.
Today I watched an episode called “Discover Beethoven’s Fifth”, and it was marvelous! Maestro Maull and his talented orchestra gave me a one-hour thrill. I’ve always loved Beethoven, especially his Fifth Symphony. I studied piano for 7 years as a young person, and came to appreciate so many of the classical composers, but Beethoven’s Fifth has always thrilled me. I so appreciated the format of the program, and the Maestro involved all of us and taught us so much. Thank you for this fine program. And many thanks and praise to the orchestra! When the program ended, I clapped loudly and shouted “Bravo!! Bravo!!!”