Maurice Ravel wrote the following words about his composition La valse, po̬me chorÌographique pour orchestre: “Through whirling clouds, waltzing couples may be fairly distinguished. The clouds gradually scatter: one sees…
My first encounter listening to a symphony orchestra remains permanently fixed in my memory. Not so with jazz. My love of jazz gradually seeped into my being over time –…
The orchestral version of Pelleas et Melisande is used to illustrate Gabriel Faure’s lilting Sicilienne rhythm – listen for the prominence of the harp and flute in this Chat!
A composer will sometimes create a melody that is so beautiful, so haunting, that it just stands out as one of the best melodies ever. This was the case when…
A few blog posts ago I let some of you in on ‘conductor humor.’ I say ‘some of you’ because there are undoubtedly ‘others of you’ who may have already…
I just listened to the first episode of this (Dvorak’s “New World” Symphony) and can’t believe how fortunate I was to run across this on Prime. I have heard Maull lecture many times before performances and now here he is right on my computer screen and with the clearest of visual aids. I promise if you listen to one of these you will understand a piece as never before. And, I have discovered from past experiences with his lectures that I always listen to any given piece with a greater connection. These “home” viewings of Maull’s lectures are such a gift! Highly recommended.