Classical Music: where to start ? Part 9

8th June 2026

Part Nine starts with a stroll through an art gallery, looking at paintings by the Russian artist Viktor Hartmann.

Modest Mussorgsky (Russia 1839 – 1881) wrote a piece for solo piano, capturing the essence of each painting in music. The ‘Promenade’ recurs, depicting a walk from painting to painting.

The work has also been orchestrated, most notably by Maurice Ravel.

Christoph Willibald Gluck (Germany 1714 – 1787) was inspired by the Greek myth of Orpheus going to the Underworld to rescue Eurydice. The opera was very popular, and influenced Mozart, Beethoven and Wagner.

‘Swan Lake’, the most popular ballet, was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russia 1839 – 1881). The ballet premiered in 1877 and is about a princess who is turned into a swan by day, and can only be saved by the love of someone who has never loved before.

As with the Mussorgsky, Gabriel Faure’s (France 1845 – 1924) ‘Pavane’ started as a solo piano but is now more known in the orchestrated version.

A pavane is a slow dance, and Faure’s version dates from 1887.

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Classical Music: where to start ? Part 8 … let’s get heavy!

25th May 2026

Famous for inspiring Heavy Metal pioneers Black Sabbath, Gustav Holst (UK 1874 – 1934) is most famous for his Planet Suite, composed during the First World War. Mars, the Roman God of War, is the opening movement.

Another composer known to the general public for a single work is Carl Orff (Germany 1895 – 1982) and again I have chosen the opening movement. Carmina Burana is based on medieval poetry, and O Fortuna is about the vagaries of fate.

Giuseppe Verdi (Italy 1813 – 1901) is best known for his operas, but I’ve chosen the Dies Irae from his 1874 Requiem as an example of heavy classical music.

To end our ‘annoy the neighbours’ fest, a piece not just heavy in volume but heavy in theme. Hector Berlioz (France 1803 – 1869) wrote programme notes to explain his 1830 Symphonie fantastique, based on his experiences of falling love with an Irish actress. The fifth movement describes a drug-induced hallucination, where the composer is surrounded by witches, ghosts and monsters, and there is a grotesque version of the Dies Irae, found in the Catholic requiem mass.

Classical Music: where to start ? Part 7

27th April 2026

Chopin’s heart in the Church of the Holy Cross, Warsaw.

Going back to the Renaissance, Josquin des Prez (1450s – 1521) was born in either modern day Belgium or northeast France. Nymphes des Bois is a five-part vocal pieces, regarded as a lament for a former composer, Jehan Ockeghem.

Now one of the most famous Classical pieces, the Canon in D. To make this a little more interesting, I’ve chosen a version performed solely by brass instruments.

A great composer, and a great artist, Rubinstein’s version of Chopin’s (Poland 1810 – 1849) famous Nocturne Op 9 No 2.

Chopin left Poland when he was 20, and spend the rest of his short life in Paris. However, he requested that his heart be returned to Poland after his death, and it is today in the Church of the Holy Cross, in Warsaw.

Another famous artist, Chloe Chua, who is still under 20 [born in 2007]. Born in Singapore but currently based in Berlin, Chloe plays the third movement from Max Bruch’s (Germany 1838 – 1920) Violin Concerto No 1.

Classical Music: where to start ? Part 6

19th April 2026

Carnegie Hall, New York, considered the first classical venue in the ‘New World’

To start, a beautiful piece performed by a beautiful artist. Maurice Ravel’s (France 1875 – 1937) solo piano piece is from 1899.

From France to Spain, a composition by Joaquín Rodrigo (Spain 1901 – 1999). Here, Flamenco legend Paco de Lucía performs this exemplary guitar concerto.

“Let no one sleep” is the translation of ‘Nessun Dorma!‘, an aria from Giacomo Puccini’s (Italy 1858 – 1924) opera ‘Turandot‘. As with Mozart’s Requiem, Turandot was unfinished at the time of the composer’s death.

Now we leave Europe, the Old World, with Antonín Dvořák (Czech 1841 – 1904) for the 4th Movement of his 9th Symphony, written in New York, 1893.

Classical Music: where to start ? Part 5

5th April 2026

Some Renaissance flute music to start, from Erasmus Widmann (Germany 1572 – 1634). I know very little about this composer, I discovered him serendipitously whilst searching for some Mediaeval music. Helena is from a collection of Galliards (lively dances).

Now to the ballet, and Sergei Prokofiev (Russia 1891 – 1953) with his iconic Dance of the Knights.

Gregorio Allegri (Italy 1582 – 1652) composed his Miserere circa 1638, and legend states that it was performed exclusively at the Sistine Chapel, and then only during Holy Week (in April). Now, this has been refuted, other copies were available outside the Vatican, and other performances took place, even in London.

A further legend has it that a young Mozart heard the piece once, possibly twice, and transcribed the entire work, note perfect. Again, this is questioned by historians but it remains a wonderful story and, as the film says, “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.” [1]

Gustav Mahler (Austro-Bohemia 1860 – 1911) mostly wrote symphonies, and song-cycles. His symphonies are often large-scale; his 8th Symphony had over 1 000 performers on its premiere.

The famous Adagietto is delicate, mystical and hauntingly beautiful. As mentioned in the previous blog, I hear a distinct influence from Beethoven’s final String Quartet in F Major Op 135.

[1] From the John Ford film ‘The Man who Shot Liberty Valance’ 1962.

Classical Music: where to start ? Part 4 … Vienna!

29th March 2026

By Part Four, we have to introduce either Mozart or Beethoven, so why not introduce both. Vienna is a city resonating with music, coffee and culture, as well as being home to one of the world’s top orchestras, the Weiner Philharmoniker.

Let’s start with the aforementioned orchestra, performing the overture to Die Fladermaus by Johann Strauss II (Austria 1825 – 1899) at a traditional New Year’s Concert.

Joseph Haydn (Austria 1731 – 1809) has been called the “Father of the Symphony”, and can be seen as a link between Bach, Mozart and Beethoven. Here is the Adagio from his Cello Concerto in D Major.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Austria 1756 – 1791) began composing at the age of five. Requiem, his last composition, has been the subject of speculation and scandal, and is one of art’s famous unfinished works. The magnificent opening movement is Introitus.

From Mozart’s last work, to that of Ludwig van Beethoven’s (Germany 1770 – 1827). Mahler was certainly influenced by Beethoven, and this movement reminds me of Mahler’s Adagietto from the 5th Symphony … but that is for next week.

Classical Music: where to start ? Part 3

22nd March 2026

Starting with a titan of Classical Music – Johann Sebastian Bach (Germany 1685 – 1750).

From such a wide and canonical repertoire, I’ve selected something a little different; a sonata extract but played on a traditional Swedish instrument, the nyckelharpa. Andante indicates a moderate tempo, a walking pace.

The next selection is the Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana, a one-act opera, a contrast to Wagner’s gargantuan musical dramas. Pietro Mascagni (Italy 1863 – 1945) composed this major work in 1890.

Zbigniew Preisner (Poland born 1955) is closely associated with Polish film director Krysztof Kieślowski for whom he composed several soundtracks (notably the ‘Three Colours’ trilogy).

Requiem for my Friend from 1998 is a tribute to the director.

The first time I heard our final selection, I thought it was from a film soundtrack, possibly a Michael Nyman piece. I was therefore very surprised to discover that it was 200 years old.

The Piano Trio No. 2 was one of Franz Schubert’s (Germany 1797 – 1828) last compositions. I’ve selected the second movement, another Andante, inspired by a traditional Swedish folk song.

What are you doing ? Present continuous

17th March 2026

We use present simple [verb 0 or base verb] to talk about things that we do all the time, to talk about things that do not change often in our life.

EXAMPLE:

I live in London / I study English / I work in a hospital / I am a student /

You eat vegetarian food, you don’t eat meat / He plays football /

She plays tennis / We go to the beach on holiday

The present continuous is for things we are doing NOW

EXAMPLE:

I live in London [present simple] = I am living in London

We form the present continuous by:

Subject + verb ‘to be’ + verbing

I am eating // You are drinking // He is watching // She is studying // It is working//

Ms Quyen is laughing // We are dancing //

They are playing.

NOW … your turn

Change present simple into present continuous

1. I swim 2. You buy pizza 3. He plays tennis

4. She learns science 5. We talk quietly

6. They visit Wales

Answers:

I am swimming // You are buying pizza //

He is playing tennis // She is learning science //

We are talking quietly // They are visiting wales.

Renoir ‘Luncheon of the Boating Party’ 1881

Time to use English ! Look at the painting and tell me what you see … use present continuous and amazing adjectives.

EXAMPLE: The tall, strong man with a yellow hat is standing by the gate.

What are these people doing ?

Eyewitness! Can you identify the criminal ?

16th March 2026

An activity to test students’ ability to describe people, facial features and clothing.

A serious crime was committed, and these three men were reported to be at or near the scene.

These men are NOT suspects, the police just want to question them.

Can you help the police ? What do they look like ?

Use adjectives wisely, tell the police officer as much as possible:

Age, height, weight, hair length and colour, facial features, clothing, accessories etc.

Person Number 1

Person Number 2

Person Number 3

The following three tourists were also reported to be in the area. Can you help the police find them ? Maybe they saw the criminals.

Tourist Number 1

Tourist Number 2

Tourist Number 3

Classical Music: where to start ? Part 2

15th March 2026

Part Two starts with a guitar transcription of a piano suite by Enrique Granados (Spain 1867 – 1916), Spanish Dances, Number 2 ‘Oriental’ Op 37.

I usually hear this played by two guitarists, but I was very impressed by this solo performance by Sawa Yamamoto.

The second piece is a sinfonia, an instrumental introduction to an opera or oratorio. The composer is the German-born George Fridrick Handel (1685 – 1759), who became a naturalised British subject.

Vespers are evening prayers, held at sunset. One of my favourites is from Sergei Rachmaninoff (Russia 1873 – 1943). Here we have number VII Hexapsalmos from his Vespers Op 37.

Listening to a whole symphony can be a tad challenging, so here is one short section from Brahms (Germany 1833 – 1897), the third movement from his 3rd Symphony