As a pianist Camille Saint-Saëns became a protege of Franz Liszt, who declared him “the world’s greatest organist”. Saint-Saens later claimed people celebrated Liszt as “the world’s greatest pianist” in part because that was easier than appreciating his innovations and importance as a composer. Saint-Saëns, however, seemed to have no illusions about his own gifts as a composer or as a musician. He began composing at the precocious age of three and at eleven debuted as a concert pianist, offering as an encore to play any Beethoven sonata the audience could name. The brilliant child grew into a virtuoso musician and composer who poured out elegant, perfectly-proportioned works as naturally, he said, as “an apple tree producing apples”. His 5th and final piano concerto, filled with strange and exotic sounds, he premiered as the soloist in a concert celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of his début.

Franz Schubert was an absolute master of melody, composing symphonies, concerts, quartets and more the 600 songs. For all this, his efforts to compose for the musical theatre were haphazard disasters. The collaborations with the libretti were poor and the performances were few. Fortunately, the “Rosamunde” Overture has survived. Even though it was originally written for a different play which didn’t survive,  it has become one of his most popular works.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart penned a staggering total of over 600 compositions throughout his short life, spanning various genres, including orchestral, chamber, piano, and vocal music. As a young 20 year-old in Paris Mozart wrote to his father that he was composing a concertante for a group of elite wind musicians. Although commissioned it never saw the light of performance for more than a hundred years, and doubt has circulated ever since as to whether it was really written by Mozart.  While there may be no solution to the problem of when or for whom it was written, or even whether it is truly by Mozart, there is no mystery about its charm, its melodiousness, or its wide appeal:- a firm reminder that while stories behind musical compositions abound, they are never as captivating as the music itself. You can read some of the stories and listen to the music presented in our July sessions via the links listed below:

11th July

Session Notes (pdf)

Mendelssohn - Overture for Harmoniemusik

Mozart - Sinfonia Concertante for Winds:

Bill Squire

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra was a little light on this month in terms of us trying to emulate the works they had planned to perform. Only five composers to choose from, so naturally all were selected, plus an extra Beethoven work to “make up the numbers” so to speak.   Nevertheless, some interesting works as well as a couple of old favourites.

Check out the notes for each session below - they include links to YouTube for the performances.  

Here are the class notes, which include links to videos to be watched, for 12th and 24th June.

​Class Notes 12th June- Beethoven 2020, Tchaikovsky, Ravel and more

​Class Notes 26th June - Beethoven 2020, Anton Bruckner, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Camille Saint-Saens

If you like what you see and haven’t joined up with our group as yet, either email me at [email protected] or give a me call on 0429 626 334 and I will only be too happy to include you in our twice monthly electronic mailout or provide another means if the computer is not the best medium for you.

I know this is not best way of doing what we do, but because it doesn’t look as though we will be back in our normal venue for a while yet, we must do something……. for, as the ABC FM presenters keep telling their listeners: “…… life’s better with music”. 

So tune into your favourite music station at least, and keep well and keep safe.
​
Bill Squire
​27June 2020