"I would so much like young people to have a sense of the gift that they are. Not many of them feel like that” (John Denver). Whether or not he had a sense of being a gift to the world of music, Felix Mendelssohn was one of the most remarkable child prodigies of all time. At the precocious age of fourteen he wrote the Violin Sonata in F minor, Op 4, and two early concertos for his music teacher, while a year later scribbled out his Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra in A flat major, intending it for he and his sister Fanny to play in a private concert. Filled with stylish finger-work, the concerto clearly served to display the musical gifts of the two siblings. Since Mendelssohn came to regard it as mere juvenilia, it never achieved publication in his lifetime and remained forgotten until a version, which had been revised by the composer himself, surfaced in a Berlin library in1961.
Although born some forty years later Antonin Dvorak, like Mendelssohn, came to know music at an early age, becoming an accomplished violinist as a youngster, having studied harmony, piano, and organ since twelve years of age. Also in common with each other Mendelssohn and Dvorak travelled extensively, including to the United Kingdom. In 1884 Dvorak made the first of ten visits to England, where the success of his works, not only gave him enormous pride, but an outcome of one of his London concerts was to be made an honorary member of the city’s Philharmonic Society and offered a commission for a new symphony which became his Symphony No.7.
Mozart, too, began his musical career in the “prodigy” class, having scribbled out a concerto at the age of five; although he had arrived at a more mature age by the time of writing his four concertos for horn and orchestra – he was of the “ripe old age of twenty-seven” when he composed the second of them.
Aaron Copland was taught to play the piano by an older sister and by the time he was 15 he had decided to become a composer. At the age of twenty-one 1921 Copland attended the newly founded school for Americans at Fontainebleau, where he came under the influence of Nadia Boulanger, a brilliant teacher who shaped the outlook of an entire generation of American musicians. But it wasn’t until nearly twenty years later when production of ballet scores began to spread Copland’s fame throughout the world. Among these was his “Appalachian Spring” (nothing to do with Spring in the Appalachian Mountains) – a ballet he was commissioned to write for a ballet dancer and choreographer, Martha Graham. Originally titled “A Ballet for Martha”, the new title was given quite some time later.
More detail and links to the recordings are listed below:
For more detail and to view the video recordings click on the links below:
Session Notes 8th May
Glinka - Ruslan and Lyudmila Overture
Dvorak - Symphony No.7
Mozart - Horn Concerto No.2
Mendelssohn - Sonata in F minor
Session Notes 22nd May
Mozart - Overture to Cosi Fan Tutti
Khachaturian - Sabre dance
Copland - Appalachian Spring
Mendelssohn and Bruch - Concertos for Two Pianos: - note - you may wish to fast forward the presenter's introductions to both concertos.
Although born some forty years later Antonin Dvorak, like Mendelssohn, came to know music at an early age, becoming an accomplished violinist as a youngster, having studied harmony, piano, and organ since twelve years of age. Also in common with each other Mendelssohn and Dvorak travelled extensively, including to the United Kingdom. In 1884 Dvorak made the first of ten visits to England, where the success of his works, not only gave him enormous pride, but an outcome of one of his London concerts was to be made an honorary member of the city’s Philharmonic Society and offered a commission for a new symphony which became his Symphony No.7.
Mozart, too, began his musical career in the “prodigy” class, having scribbled out a concerto at the age of five; although he had arrived at a more mature age by the time of writing his four concertos for horn and orchestra – he was of the “ripe old age of twenty-seven” when he composed the second of them.
Aaron Copland was taught to play the piano by an older sister and by the time he was 15 he had decided to become a composer. At the age of twenty-one 1921 Copland attended the newly founded school for Americans at Fontainebleau, where he came under the influence of Nadia Boulanger, a brilliant teacher who shaped the outlook of an entire generation of American musicians. But it wasn’t until nearly twenty years later when production of ballet scores began to spread Copland’s fame throughout the world. Among these was his “Appalachian Spring” (nothing to do with Spring in the Appalachian Mountains) – a ballet he was commissioned to write for a ballet dancer and choreographer, Martha Graham. Originally titled “A Ballet for Martha”, the new title was given quite some time later.
More detail and links to the recordings are listed below:
For more detail and to view the video recordings click on the links below:
Session Notes 8th May
Glinka - Ruslan and Lyudmila Overture
Dvorak - Symphony No.7
Mozart - Horn Concerto No.2
Mendelssohn - Sonata in F minor
Session Notes 22nd May
Mozart - Overture to Cosi Fan Tutti
Khachaturian - Sabre dance
Copland - Appalachian Spring
Mendelssohn and Bruch - Concertos for Two Pianos: - note - you may wish to fast forward the presenter's introductions to both concertos.
Bill Squire
