Johannes Brahms Tragic Overture in D minor, Op. 81 Johannes Brahms was born in Hamburg in 1833 and died in Vienna in 1897. He composed this overture in 1880, though some of the materials had been previously composed in 1869. Brahms revised the work in 1881. The work was given its first performance in 1880… Read More

Johann Sebastian Bach Concerto for Violin & Orchestra in A minor, BWV 1041 J.S. Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany in 1685 and died in Leipzig in 1750. He likely composed this work between 1717 and 1723, although some scholars think it came a few years later. The circumstances of its first performance are unknown…. Read More

Wolfgang Amadè Mozart Concerto for Piano & Orchestra No. 17 in G major, K. 453 Wolfgang Amadè Mozart (he never used “Amadeus” except when making a joke) was born in Salzburg, Austria in 1756 and died in Vienna in 1791. He composed this concerto for his student Babette Ployer in 1784. The first known performance… Read More

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet, Overture-Fantasy after Shakespeare Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born in Votkinsk, Russia in 1840 and died in St. Petersburg in 1893. He composed Romeo and Juliet in 1869, revised the score extensively in 1870 and reworked the ending in 1880. The first performance took place in Moscow in 1870 with… Read More

Ernest Bloch Schelomo: Rhapsodie Hébraïque for Violoncello & Orchestra Ernest Bloch was born in Geneva, Switzerland in 1880 and died in Portland, Oregon in 1959. He composed this work in 1915-1916, and led the first performance in Carnegie Hall, New York with Hans Kindler the soloist. The score calls for solo cello, 3 flutes, piccolo,… Read More

Wolfgang Amadè Mozart Symphony No. 38 in D major, K. 504, “Prague” Wolfgang Amadè Mozart (he never used “Amadeus” except when making a joke) was born in Salzburg, Austria in 1756 and died in Vienna in 1791. He composed his Symphony No. 38 in Vienna in December 1786, and it was first performed in Prague… Read More