The 2018 New Year’s concert from Vienna (with the Vienna Philharmonic), on January 1, will be conducted by Riccardo Muti for the fifth time. KOCE will broadcast the event at 9 p.m. on Jan. 1. This is always one of
Audio: A Christmas symphony
I give you herewith “Santa Claus (Christmas Symphony)” by William Henry Fry, an American composer and critic who lived from 1813-1864. He was a most interesting musician and writer, and is often credited as the first native-born American to write
Video: Philip Glass: Etude No. 6
Pianist Víkingur Ólafsfon’s new recording of music by Philip Glass is being mentioned in year-end best of lists. This is music that’s great to watch being performed as well as hear.
Listen to this: ‘Bolero’
In our ongoing efforts aimed at improving the listening skills of people new to classical music, we come to instrumentation. It is helpful in learning to understand a particular piece to be able to identify, just with your ears, which
Great moments in commercial music: Lincoln
From time to time we spot a commercial on TV or elsewhere that uses classical music. In this occasional series, we aim to share said commercials and identify said music. We caught this advert for Lincoln in a movie theater
Audio: Rossini: Overture to ‘L’Italiana in Algeri’
https://ia801203.us.archive.org/30/items/LaItalianaInAlgeri/01.%20Sinfonia.mp3 It’s Friday, time for some Rossini. Here’s the Overture to “L’Italiana in Algeri.” Carlo Maria Giulini conducts the Orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala di Milano. From 1954.
Instant recording libraries: Classical CD box sets for Christmas
[This article was first published in 2016. Some of the prices may have changed, but the general situation discussed is the same.] Browsing through the Amazon classical music section recently, in search of ideas for Christmas, I once again noticed
Video: Leonard Bernstein conducts Nielsen’s Symphony No. 3, ‘Sinfonia Espansiva’
None of the six symphonies of the Danish composer Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) turn up very often on U.S. concert programs, and that’s a shame. The set is certainly one of the most remarkable and satisfying of the 20th century (though
Audio: Rossini: Overture to ‘Semiramide’
It’s Friday, time for another Rossini overture. Carlo Maria Giulini conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra in the Overture to “Semiramide.”
The top 10 greatest notes of all time
[First published in 2011 on Classical Life, but still true.] Top 10 lists are big these days in the sophisticated world of the internet and its readership. Even the august New York Times (in January) got into the act recently