Handel’s speedy methodMorrell gave Handel the words of Cleopatra’s air “Convey me to some peaceful shore” in Alexander Balus, he cried out “Damn your Iambics!”. Morell offered to change them to trochees and went into the next room to do so, only to find about three minutes later that Handel had set them as they stood.” Dean, […]
Word of mouth encoreLeopold Stokowski gave the Philadelphia premiere of Ravel’s Bolero as an “encore” at a Friday afternoon concert. The newspaper critics had all left the hall, and so once again word of mouth had to prove its effacy, for at the Saturday night concert, after the last number, the audience applauded with unusual fervour and would […]
A very specific error indeedThe following is an account of the conductor Hans von Bülow: The newspaper critics Bülow continued to despise because of their self-importance, and he lost no opportunity to expose their musical ignorance. On one occasion, Bülow, at a public rehearsal in the Philharmonie, remarked upon a printing error in the second horn part of the […]
Beethoven and the candlesitcksBeethoven once gave a performance of a new piano concerto in which he forgot he was the soloist and began to conduct instead. At the first sforzando he threw out his arms so vehemently that he knocked both candlesticks off the piano. The audience burst out laughing, which enraged Beethoven. He made the orchestra start […]
A subtle way of changing the tempoBrahms was rehearsing his F minor piano quintet. But when they reached the Andante, the strings played too fast to suit Brahms. This had happened once before in an early rehearsal of the same work, and the composer had discovered a tactful way of handling the situation. Instead of criticizing, he called: "Just a moment, […]
Imagination“Imagination decides everything: it creates beauty, justice and happiness, which is the world’s supreme good.” – Pascal Blaise, French mathematician, physicist, and philosopher. C. Prendergast, A history of modern French literature: from the sixteenth century to the twentieth century, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2017, p. 237.
Puccini’s hangoutPuccini was a very sociable man, quote often putting this before his composing. Even when he was working hard, he maintained an active social life: With the opening of the 1894-1895 season not far way, Puccini began steady work on La Bohème in Torre. But he also needed a place to relax, so his “second […]
All the Ends of the Earth – Psalm 97 (98)Title: All the ends of the earth Text: Psalm 97 (98):1-6. R. v.3 Composer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: SATB and piano Product medium: PDF score and part SAMPLE:
Stokowski as a sound engineerThe conductor Stokowski (who was the conductor of Disney’s Fantasia) was a pioneer of orchestral recording. This was not without its problems: Stokowski was moving more and more toward what is recognized as his most significant achievement – the broadening of popular interest in serious music. He developed a firm conviction that radio, recordings, and […]
LullabyTitle: Lullaby Composer: Greg Smith Performer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: Piano Product medium: MP3 recording Related products: – Lullaby (PDF score) SAMPLE:
