Handel’s Messiah

Handel’s Messiah

Often called the greatest piece of music ever written, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 was the last he would ever write.  The first symphony to feature a chorus and vocal soloists, Symphony No. 9 also includes the famous “Ode to Joy.”

Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 “Eroica”

Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 “Eroica”

The Eroica opened the floodgates for the symphonic outpouring of the nineteenth century–for Beethoven himself, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Bruckner, and the rest. The Eroica was the longest symphony ever written when it was unveiled, and listeners and critics commented widely on that fact, to the composer’s frustration. By 1807 nearly all reactions to the piece were favorable, or at least respectful, and critics were starting to make sense of its more radical elements.

Shostakovich Violin Concerto and Bartok’s The Miraculous Mandarin

Shostakovich Violin Concerto and Bartok’s The Miraculous Mandarin

"Banned" and "boycotted" - whether by the state or by the public, "official" disapproval has long had the power to change composers' careers and their lives.

Ravel's Alborada del gracioso

Ravel – Alborada del gracioso

Ravel's Alborada del gracioso is a jester's song to his lady—a poignant love song surrounded by a miniature musical comedy.

Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8

Dvořák's Symphony No. 8 is, in many ways, his most Bohemian - full of blue skies, but with dark shadows that make the sunshine that much brighter.

Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier

Der Rosenkavalier was Richard Strauss's "Mozart opera," and its sparkle, wit, sentiment and infectious music- especially the waltzes - cemented his standing at the top of the operatic world.

Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring

The Rite of Spring wasn't the first piece of music to spark a riot, and it certainly wasn't the last, but it was the most significant.