For most of his career, Karl Weigl built on the Romantic tradition of Fin de Siecle Vienna. But he wasn’t a reactionary. In 1904 he co-founded the Society of Creative Musicians with Alexander Zemlinsky and Arnold Schoenberg. And that’s what makes this release so fascinating. Weigl’s music remained Post-Romantic throughout his life, up to his death in […]
Classical
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#ClassicsaDay #BlackLivesMatter Week 4
The Classics a Day team unanimously decided to make #BlackLivesMatter the theme for July. Classical music isn’t immune to systemic racism. It’s an art form that, like painting, sculpture, literature, or poetry, is a powerful form of expression for many voices. But some voices are heard more often than others. If you’d like to learn […]
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The elegant refinement of Leopold Kozeluch piano trios
I’m a little late to the party. This is the first volume of Leopold Kozeluch piano trios I’ve auditioned. In this release, the TRIO 1790 presents three more Kozeluch trios. The three trios in this release were published in 1786 and 1787. As was common at the time, they’ve technically named keyboard sonatas. The fortepiano […]
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Gloria Bruni Ringparable symphony delivers powerful message
To say Gloria Bruni is talented would be an understatement. She’s a renowned soprano, violinist, and composer. Her experience as both a vocal and instrumental performer seems to inform the choices she makes as a composer. Her Symphony No. 1 was premiered in 2012 and has nothing to do with Wagner. “Ringparabel” refers to a […]
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Agnas Zimmermann — another find from Toccata Classics
Labels matter. I’ve learned to trust the record label Toccata Classics. They often release music by composers I’ve never heard of (and that’s saying something). But it’s always been music I’ve found worth exploring. So when I saw this release of Agnes Zimmermann’s violin sonatas, I knew I had to audition it. Agnes Zimmermann was […]
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Christoph Graupner Passion cantata series comes to a glorious close
This release completes CPO’s traversal of Christoph Graupner 1741 Passion cantatas. For the 18th Century Lutheran church, Passion cantatas were performed throughout the Sundays in Lent, not just during Holy Week. The concluding installment is the Cantata for Laetare Sunday (the fourth Sunday in Lent). The libretti focus on the wickedness of those who judged […]
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Classical Interviews – Benjamin Rous
Courtesy of the Charlottesville Symphony profile page Benjamin Rous, music director for Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia, spoke with WTJU recently about his career, his favorite works, and coming to Charlottesville. For more on Benjamin Rous, visit: Charlottesville Symphony website. These interviews aired as part of Classical Sunrise, weekday mornings from 7-9am. How he […]
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#ClassicsaDay #BlackLivesMatter Week 3
The Classics a Day team unanimously decided to make #BlackLivesMatter the theme for July. Classical music isn’t immune to systemic racism. It’s an art form that, like painting, sculpture, literature, or poetry, is a powerful form of expression for many voices. But some voices are heard more often than others. If you’d like to learn […]
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Bohuslav Martinu played masterfully by Trio Martinu
Bohuslav Martinu had a remarkably consistent style that spanned over 380 works written over a half-century. Certain syncopations, inspired by the rhythm of his native Czech language, are almost always present. And his harmonies, also inspired by his country’s folk music, sound like no one else’s. That’s not to say Martinu wrote the same piece […]