Richard Wagner's 'Der Ring des Nibelungen', otherwise known as The Ring cycle, is the peak of operatic indulgence, excess and excellence. But how do you go about it? What should you listen out for? And what on Earth are they all singing about anyway? The … Continue reading Wagner’s Ring Cycle – WTF?!?!?!

Over the last week or so I have been listening to a lot of music by Brazilian composer Heiter Villa-Lobos. I have been enthralled by what I have heard and so I thought a Blog article was called for. I couldn’t have put this any … Continue reading Heitor Villa-Lobos – Brazilian genius

Because of illness I have been able to investigate and listen to a lot of new (to me) music. My friend, the incredibly talented violinist Fenella Humphreys, is playing a concert in a few days that includes music by a German composer I have never … Continue reading Emilie Mayer – Brilliant German Composer

Samual Coleridge-Taylor is a very interesting composer.  He was born on 15 August 1875. Of mixed race birth, Coleridge-Taylor achieved such success that he was referred to by white New York musicians as the "African Mahler" when he had three tours of the United States … Continue reading Samual Coleridge-Taylor – Superb music which is getting more airtime….at last.

I have recently rediscovered my love of the music of the Polish composer Frederick Chopin. His pieces for solo piano are renowned for being some of the finest music ever written for the instrument. I don’t know of many, if any, pianists who don’t have … Continue reading Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 21

A fantasy concert is a concert that you would like to go to but it has never (to your knowledge) happened. This is one such concert that revolves around the work of Erich Korngold. It begins with an overture to the score of a 1940 … Continue reading Erich Korngold – A Fantasy Concert.

A string quartet is a musical ensemble consisting of four string players – two violin players, a viola player and a cellist – or a musical composition written to be performed by such a group. The string quartet is one of the most prominent chamber … Continue reading String Quartets – Mmmmmmm, nice!

At the Proms last night (26/8/22) we heard a performance of Debussy's La Mer and it reminded me how much I enjoy his music. So here is a Blog article about this amazing French composer. (Achille) Claude Debussy (22 August 1862 – 25 March 1918) was … Continue reading Debussy – Creating an impression.

The Planets, written between 1914 and 1916, is a suite of seven movements composed by British composer Gustav Holst. Holst's starting point for the music was the astrological character of each planet. His daughter, Imogen, wrote that once the underlying idea had been formulated 'he … Continue reading Gustav Holst – The Planets.

Today’s selection is music written for people to sing or vocalise. I have not included any opera because I might do some of that at a future date but I hope you enjoy this varied selection. First up is a very famous and exquisitely beautiful … Continue reading Vocal Music – Old and New.