An ancient Chinese philosopher once said: "Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage”. This certainly seemed to be the case with Tchaikovsky and Brahms who were the main composers for our music appreciation this month.
Tchaikovsky’s fourth symphony (played at this month’s 1st session) was an expression of his love for Nadezhda von Mech – a wealthy widow who provided him with a generous stipend annually on condition they never meet. He said in a letter to her: “how much I think of you in every bar”.
Brahms was deeply in love with the widow of Robert Schumann. He wrote to a friend: “I believe that I do not have more concern for and admiration for her than I love her and find love in her. I often have to restrain myself forcibly from just quietly putting my arms around her….” While he could never bring himself tell her as much, his first piano concerto (played at our 2nd session) was composed at the height of his admiration for Clara Schumann.
In addition to these major compositions, there were shorter works by Mozart, Kodaly, Rimsky-Korsakov, Offenbach and Richard Strauss. You can read all about it and listen to the music by clicking on the links below.
Session Notes (13th May)
Mozart - Overture to he Marriage of Figaro
Tchaikovsky - Symphony No.4
Kodaly - Dances of Galanta
Rimsky-Korsakov - Capriccio Espagnole
Session Notes (27th May)
Offenbach - Overture to Orpheus in the Underworld
Brahms - Piano Concerto No.1
R. Strauss - Der Rosenkavalier Suite
Offenbach - Orpheus in the Underworld, Finale
Tchaikovsky’s fourth symphony (played at this month’s 1st session) was an expression of his love for Nadezhda von Mech – a wealthy widow who provided him with a generous stipend annually on condition they never meet. He said in a letter to her: “how much I think of you in every bar”.
Brahms was deeply in love with the widow of Robert Schumann. He wrote to a friend: “I believe that I do not have more concern for and admiration for her than I love her and find love in her. I often have to restrain myself forcibly from just quietly putting my arms around her….” While he could never bring himself tell her as much, his first piano concerto (played at our 2nd session) was composed at the height of his admiration for Clara Schumann.
In addition to these major compositions, there were shorter works by Mozart, Kodaly, Rimsky-Korsakov, Offenbach and Richard Strauss. You can read all about it and listen to the music by clicking on the links below.
Session Notes (13th May)
Mozart - Overture to he Marriage of Figaro
Tchaikovsky - Symphony No.4
Kodaly - Dances of Galanta
Rimsky-Korsakov - Capriccio Espagnole
Session Notes (27th May)
Offenbach - Overture to Orpheus in the Underworld
Brahms - Piano Concerto No.1
R. Strauss - Der Rosenkavalier Suite
Offenbach - Orpheus in the Underworld, Finale
