Pam and I went to The Royal Festival Hall to see this fabulous concert which was put on to celebrate the conductor Sir Charles Groves’ 70th Birthday. The orchestra playing was The RPO and they were conducted by Sir Charles himself. The soloist on the … Continue reading Another Classic Classics Concert – 23 April 1985

Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky was a Russian-born composer, pianist, and conductor. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of the 20th century. Stravinsky's compositional career was notable for its stylistic diversity. He first achieved international fame with three ballets commissioned by … Continue reading Stravinsky – 20th Century Bliss.

Introduction:- Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900) and to the works they jointly created. The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas and a cantata between 1871 and 1896, … Continue reading Gilbert and Sullivan – I’ve Got A Little List

Putting these posts together kept me sane during the first lockdown. This morning I started to feel that a few more might do the same now so when a random play music session came up with a beautiful piano suite by Granados this inspired me … Continue reading Granados and Albéniz – Sweet and very Spanish.

Following on from some research I did into the life of the composer Florence Price I came across the music of another African American composer, William Grant Still. Long known as the "Dean of African-American Classical Composers," as well as one of America's foremost composers, William … Continue reading William Grant Still – Another African American composer who should be played more.

As one of the best known, awarded, and financially successful composers in US history, John Williams is as easy to recall as John Philip Sousa, Aaron Copland or Leonard Bernstein, illustrating why he is "America's composer" time and again. With a massive list of awards … Continue reading John Williams Film scores – We’re Going To Need A Bigger Concert Hall

This is a fantasy concert inspired by an actual concert we attended on Friday 11th June 1982. This was a fantastic concert. André Previn André Previn was Music Director of The PSO. In addition to his considerable talents as a conductor, André Previn brought to … Continue reading A Fantasy Concert

We cannot consider the evolution and role of time, or the theme of desire, in 20th-century music without visiting Daphnis and Chloë. Conventions of rhythmic organisation were becoming increasingly disregarded by the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the most radical and obvious early innovation … Continue reading Daphnis And Chloë by Ravel – Stravinsky Was A Fan

Le Sacre du printemps: Tableaux de la Russie païenne en deux parties, In English. The Rite of Spring: Pictures from Pagan Russia in Two Parts, is a ballet by Russian modernist composer Igor Stravinsky that premiered at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris on 29th … Continue reading Stravinsky – The Rite Of Spring…………what a riot!

While waiting for live concerts to restart I listened to a lot of streamed concerts put on because of the social distancing rules of lockdown.  This meant that I was able to listen to things I might not have considered before and there were a … Continue reading Louise Farrenc – A wonderful French discovery.