Ástor Pantaleón Piazzolla (Born in Mar del Plata, Argentina in 1921; died in Buenos Aires in 1992) Milonga Sin Palabras From the time Argentinian-born Ástor Piazzolla was given the large keyboard accordion known as a bandoneón (a Christmas present from his father – he’d asked for skates) at around the age of eight, until his […]
August Friedrich Klughardt (Born in Köthen, Germany in 1847; died in Rosslau, Germany in 1902) Wind Quintet in C-Major, Op. 79 1. Allegro non troppo 2. Allegro vivace 3. Andante grazioso 4. Adagio – Allegro molto vivace Despite the riches that Cambini, Reicha and Danzi contributed to the repertoire of the wind quintet in the […]
Scott Joplin (Born in Texarkana, Texas (uncertain) in 1867 or 1868; died in New York City in 1917) Three Rags by Scott Joplin (arranged for String Quartet) – The Entertainer – Solace – Maple Leaf Rag It seems almost impossible to imagine that anyone in the western world has never heard Joplin’s magnificent classic rag […]
By the beginning of the 1800’s, wind ensemble music for eight winds in pairs, called harmoniemusik, was in great fashion. Like Mozart’s serenades (such as his Eine Kleine Nachtmusik), these wind octets were meant to accompany social gatherings – almost like background music – but the octet added additional color and volume to what were […]
Oswaldo Golijov (Born in La Plata, Argentina in 1960) Last Round 1. Movido, Urgente – Macho, Cool and Dangerous 2. Lentissimo – Death of Angels Oswaldo Golijov’s Last Round is as masterful as it is wonderfully quirky, a chamber work that honors the tango, Argentina’s beloved song and dance, while also serving as an elegy […]
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 […]
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 […]
Franz Josef Haydn (Born March 31, 1732 in Rohrau, Austria; died May 31, 1809 in Vienna) The Mermaid’s Song, Hob. XXVIa no. 25 By the time Haydn had reached his 29th year of service in 1790 to his patron, the music loving Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy of Vienna, he was undeniably the most famous living […]