Every piece of music Anton Bruckner ever wrote was dedicated to God, and his Symphony No. 9 was no exception. What is strange though is that it almost seems as if Bruckner knew that he would be leaving this symphony unfinished.
Tag: classical music
Ep. 39: Barnaby Martin
Sometimes one road leads us down another that we never expected to find ourselves wandering on. British composer Barnaby Martin has been active in the music world since a young age, but it wasn’t until later in life that his career as a composer led him to becoming a prominent video essayist on his YouTube channel Listening In.
Ep. 38: Star-Crossed – The Musical Reincarnations of Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare’s beloved tragedy of two star-crossed lovers has been one of the most frequently adapted stories for musical purposes. Composers, such Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Gounod, Berlioz, and even Duke Ellington, have been touched by its heart-wrenching tale since its creation, and this episode gives you a look into the many musical reincarnations of Shakespeare’s young lovers, Romeo and Juliet.
Ep. 37: A Sad Shrovetide – Stravinsky and Petrushka
Petrushka, Igor Stavinksy’s second ballet, is a tragic tale of a living puppet who is treated like a mere toy and brought to the point of madness. Ironically, such a sad tale brought Stravinsky a great deal of success, especially after the triumph that was his previous ballet The Firebird. However, there’s a more you do not know, hidden behind the curtain.
Ep. 34: J. M. Gerraughty
American composer J. M. Gerraughty imparts to listeners that the path to becoming a composer is sometimes the road less traveled. He shares the struggles of trying to maintain balance between working a full time job, raising a family, and keeping up with promoting his work on social media, but composition is always there as a creative outlet for him. Sometimes the passion is all the reason to keep doing what we love.
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. 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 […]
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. 23: Riddles and Revelries – Schumann and Carnaval
Robert Schumann poured his life and soul into his piano suite Carnaval. Rather than letting the world see the man behind the mask, Schumann embedded several cryptic messages and secrets into the piece and hid the identities of the many characters that are depicted throughout the work.
Ep. 21: Case Closed: The Mad Life of Carlo Gesualdo
Happy Halloween! Don Carlo Gesualdo, Prince of Venosa was a mysterious man who was haunted by the crimes committed in his youth. His position as prince held him above the law, and he abused his power, isolating himself from the world with only his music to comfort him.
