Silly Symphonies

Otto Luening was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Otto spent most of his early childhood on a farm outside of Milwaukee. He started to take piano lessons at the age of four with his father and just two years later at the age of six he began to compose his very own music. When Otto was around 12 years old, he and his family moved to Munich, Germany. Here he studied about orchestration, harmony, flute, and piano at the Staatliche Hochschule fur Musik. Four years later when Otto was 16, he made his…

As I walked into the Brechemin Auditorium I was immediately mesmerized by the stage. I took my seat and instantly took notice of the crimson curtain and the Grand black piano shining in the spotlight. The auditorium was much smaller than I had expected, but it created an intimacy between the musicians and audience that was necessary for the performances. During Introduction and Variations on ‘Trockne Blumen,’ D.802, I could hear the pages of sheet music turn and the breaths that the flute player…

Next, the works of Ravel and Gershwin were songs that were more familiar and understandable than the works of Kahane. For example, the addition of speech rather than just vocal and instrumental music in “Gabriel’s Guide to the 48 States” was not a typical action that is encountered at Symphonic Performances. Additionally, Kahane kept switching instruments from the electric guitar back to the banjo. The addition of the electric guitar and banjo changed the timbre and feeling of the orchestral…

Concert Report Diablo Valley College hosts many different concerts. Music of different genres, including classic, jazz, baroque, renaissance, and modern, sounds in this institution. Moreover, DVC Philharmonic Orchestra plays the works of American composers, such as Aaron Copland. A masterful concert dedicated to Appalachian Spring which impressed the audience of the College is the primary focus of the following discussion. On the third of October 2013, the members of DVC Philharmonic Orchestra,…

Orchestration: The techniwue of setting music ofr instruments in various comninations. Romanticism: The movement emphasized intense emotion as an authentic source of aesthetic experience, placing new emphasis on such emotions as apprehension. Virtuoso: Performer of extrordinary technical ability. a charismatic figure who was technically brilliant on his or her instrument and who riveted audiences in public concerts as well as in private recitals in fashionable salons. Tempo Rubato: Perfoemer…

April is recognized as Autism Awareness Month around the world. This is a time of great anticipation and reflection as families and organizations muse upon life without barriers for people on the autism spectrum. While we turn our focus to celebratory events highlighting the accomplishments of the autism movement, let us not forget about those on the spectrum who are engulfed in a sea of despair, frustration, and lack of access to employment and sufficient health care. With this in mind, autism…

Horowitz recorded four times of the Third in his lifetime,including the first one with Albert Coates in 1930, the second one with Serge Koussevitsky in 1950, the well-known recording with Fritz Reinerin 1951, and the live recording with Eugene Ormandy in 1978. As the first recording of the third piano concerto, Horowitz played with many his own musical interpretations. In his 1930’s recording, Horowitz started the piece with half note equals 65, which is much slower than Rachmaninoff’s He then…

He remained director until his death in 1831. It was during these last years of his life that published the last of his symphonies, string quartets, and other miscellaneous compositions. Krommer’s works hold great significance in the classical period and he was even considered a strong rival of Beethoveen. While Beethoven ended up dominating the history books with his orchestral…

Frederic Chopin was a Romantic period composer and pianist from Poland. A musical prodigy, he composed his first Polonaise when he was seven years old. In 1830, Chopin left Warsaw due to the Polish November Uprising which inspired him to compose music with nationalistic elements. The following year, he traveled to Paris, which became his home for the rest of his life and met fellow contemporaries such as Franz Liszt and Felix Mendelssohn. This meeting gave him a chance to showcase his talents…

I went to the University Symphony Orchestra's "An Evening of Handel, Schubert, and Haydn" on Thursday, April 2014 in the Daniel Recital Hall. The corridor was substantially more gathered than I anticipated. At the start of the show, the ensemble was situated on the stage; the men wore tuxedos, and the ladies wore dark dresses or jeans. The concertmaster turned out to tune the symphony, and after that the director made his door and gave a concise portrayal of the piece that was going to be played…