Basses and Baritones had a long fight to make it to the top in opera. When opera began around 1600 with Monteverdi, any roles of importance were given to the higher ranges, the sopranos, tenors, or counter-tenors, and the lowest voice lurked about to fill things out in the story. Within a hundred years or […]
George Gershwin (Born in Brooklyn, NY in 1898; died in Hollywood, CA in 1937) Selections from Porgy and Bess for Woodwind Quintet Overture: Catfish Row Summertime A Woman is a Sometimes Thing My Man’s Gone Now I Got Plenty O’ Nuthin’ It Ain’t Necessarily So There’s a Boat Dat’s Leabin’ Soon for New York Oh, […]
César Franck (Born in Liège, (then) Belgium, December 10, 1822; died in Paris, November 8, 1890) Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano Movement 4: Allegretto poco mosso César Franck, just 13 years old, came to Paris from his home of Belgium in 1835 as a piano prodigy. It was the beginning, however, of […]
Romanian Rhapsody No. 2 in D Major George Enescu (b Liveni Vîrnav [now renamed George Enescu], nr Dorohoi, August 19, 1881; d Paris, May 4, 1955) The history of Romania, like so many countries in Europe, began with the Romans and was followed by the successive invasions by the Goths, Huns, Avars, and others. The area’s […]
Cello Concerto in B-minor, Op. 104, B. 191 1. Allegro 2. Adagio, ma non troppo 3. Finale: Allegro moderato – Andante – Allegro vivo Antonin Dvořák (Born near Prague, Bohemia (now Czech Republic) in 1841; died in Prague in 1904) In 1892, the American philanthropist Jeanette Thurber persuaded the Czech composer, Antonin Dvořák, to come […]
Antonin Dvořák (Born near Prague, Bohemia (now Czech Republic) in 1841; died in Prague in 1904) String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96, B. 179, “American” 1. Allegro ma non troppo 2. Lento 3. Molto vivace 4. Vivace ma non troppo In 1892, the American philanthropist Jeanette Thurber persuaded Czech composer Antonin Dvořák […]
Franz Ignaz Danzi (Born in Schwetzingen, Germany in 1763; died in Karlsruhe, Germany in 1826) Quintet in B-flat Major, Op. 56, No. 1 1. Allegro 2. Andante con moto 3. Menuett – Trio 4. Allegro After Giuseppi Cambini “invented” the wind quintet ensemble in the early 1800’s, two composers in particular took a keen interest […]
Frédéric Chopin (Born near Warsaw, Poland in 1810; died in Paris in 1849) Variations for Piano and Orchestra on “Là ci darem la mano” from Don Giovanni, Op. 2 Introduction – Largo Theme – Allegretto Variation 1: Brillante Variation 2: Veloce, ma accuratamente Variation 3: Sempre sostenuto Variation 4: Con bravura Variation 5: Adagio; Coda: […]