Whew… December was a quite the month!! From Disney to Christmas carols, and opera to orchestral music, The Composer Chronicles had something for everyone this month.
Author: The Composer Chronicles
Ep. 31: Devotion – Poulenc and Dialogues des Carmélites
In the darkest times, we all need something we can turn to for guidance and peace. During one of the most difficult times of his life, Francis Poulenc turned towards his spirituality and the Roman Catholic church and embedding his faith into his opera he was composing at the time, Dialogues des Carmélites.
Ep. 30: Christmas Music from Around the World (Collection 1)
This time of year, our ears are filled with the sounds of holiday music on repeat, but do we know where they came from? This Christmas Eve, enjoy the origins and histories of some of the world’s most famous Christmas songs and carols, including “Winter Wonderland,” “Jingle Bells,” “O Tannenbaum,” “Silent Night,” and “O Holy Night.”
Ep. 29: A Figment of the Imagination – Prokofiev and Lieutenant Kijé
Yury Tynyanov’s fictitious adaptation of a non-existent lieutenant who rises through the ranks of a true historical emperor of Russia was brilliantly adapted for film by the Soviet film director Aleksandr Faintsimmer. Today, this film, Lieutenant Kijé, has fallen to the wayside, but composer Sergei Prokofiev’s ingenious score for the film has certainly persisted and remains as one of the most popular concert suites performed in concerts today.
Ep. 28: Dani Howard
British composer and orchestrator Dani Howard shares her brilliant story of becoming a composer whilst describing what it’s like to be a composer of New Music who is trying to reshape the genre and make it more accessible to audiences all around the world. Featured Piece: CoalescenceProvided to the podcast by the composer. Recorded by […]
Ep. 27: The Devil in the Details – Tchaikovsky and Cherevichki
Convinced that his opera Vakula the Smith was going to prove that he wasn’t a flop, Tchaikovsky did everything he could to ensure that a production of his “precious child” would follow through and be a success, even if he had to make major changes and rename it to Cherevichki.
1. Mysteries, Musings, and Masquerades (November 2020)
Unscripted is back and stronger than ever! With new music by Andrew Gavin, new cover art by host Stephen Trygar, and a new structure to the show, you’re invited behind the scenes of the making of The Composer Chronicles in a podcast that is, unlike The Composer Chronicles, unscripted.
Ep. 26: Movie Night (Reel 2): The Wonderful Music of Disney with Andrew Gavin
There’s something very unique about a Disney song. Why is it that all around the world, you could ask someone to just sing a song from any Disney movie? What makes a Disney score and soundtrack so unique from other production companies and studios? Composer Andrew Gavin and host Stephen Trygar attempt to answer these […]
Ep. 25: Fire and Ice – Schubert and Winterreise
Suffering physically and mentally from having contracted syphilis, Franz Schubert set out on a journey to write a piece that would not only be one of his greatest achievements, but would reveal to the world all the pain and suffering he endured for the last years of his life.
Ep. 24: Michael Seltenreich
New York-based Israeli composer Michael Seltenreich tells his fascinating story while we discuss his music, compositional processes, and what it’s like to be a composer of new music.
