What is Coda in Music? [Explained]
A coda in music is a concluding section at the end of a piece or a movement that serves to bring the work to a close. The word coda comes from the Italian word for “tail,” and it acts as…
What is a Cadenza in Classical Music? [Explained]
A cadenza in music is a virtuosic passage, typically appearing near the end of a concerto movement, where the soloist performs a dazzling, improvised, or pre-composed display of technical skill and musical expression. Originally improvised, cadenzas allow performers to showcase…
What is Tema con Variazioni in Music? [Explained]
Tema con Variazioni (Italian for “Theme with Variations”) is a musical form in which a composer presents a main melody or theme and then creates a series of variations based on that theme. Each variation alters the theme in some…
Tárrega: Capricho Árabe [Isabel Martínez, guitar]
Spanish classical guitarist Isabel Martínez plays Francisco Tárrega’s Capricho Árabe, an 1892 work for classical guitar. This performance was recorded at the Santa Clara Museum in Murcia, Spain.
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 [Daniel Barenboim, Gustavo Dudamel, the Staatskapelle Berlin]
Accompanied by the Staatskapelle Berlin, Daniel Barenboim plays Johannes Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15. Conductor: Gustavo Dudamel. This performance was recorded at the Philharmonie Berlin in 2014.
Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 [Yuja Wang]
Accompanied by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, the Chinese pianist Yuja Wang plays Frédéric Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21. Conductor: Michael Tilson Thomas. This performance was recorded at the Tokyo NHK Hall on November 22,…
A New Piece by Chopin has been Discovered After Nearly 200 Years and Performed by Lang Lang
A long-lost waltz by the great Polish pianist and composer Frédéric Chopin has been unearthed in the Morgan Library and Museum in Manhattan, sparking widespread enthusiasm in the classical music community. Robinson McClellan, while examining a collection of cultural artifacts,…
Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral” [Le Concert des Nations, Jordi Savall]
Conducted by Jordi Savall, an orchestra performing on period instruments, Le Concert des Nations performs Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, also known as the “Pastoral Symphony”. This performance was recorded at the Philharmonie de…
Strauss: Violin Concerto [Renaud Capuçon, SWR Symphonieorchester, Eva Ollikainen]
Accompanied by the SWR Symphonieorchester (Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra), the French violinist Renaud Capuçon performs Richard Strauss’ Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 8. Conductor: Eva Ollikainen. This performance was recorded at the Liederhalle Stuttgart on 19 July 2024.
Baroque Concert with Countertenor Jakub Józef Orlinski [Pieces by Handel, Cavalli, Boretti & others]
Accompanied by the Italian early music ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro (English: The Golden Apple), the Polish countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński sings Baroque arias. The program, entitled “Facce d’Amore” includes 8 world premieres and recorded on July 21, 2021, at the…
Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1 [Janine Jansen]
Accompanied by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Dutch violinist Janine Jansen performs German Romantic era composer Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26, one of the most popular violin concertos in the classical repertoire. Conductor: Daniele…
Cecilia Bartoli sings Ombra Mai Fu [From Händel’s Serse]
Accompanied by the Italian early music ensemble Il Giardino Armonico (the Harmonious Garden), the great Italian mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli sings “Ombra mai fu”, the opening aria from the 1738 opera Serse (Xerxes) by George Frideric Händel. Conductor: Giovanni Antonini.