What's new ?

Feb 3, Mendelssohn 203 today

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:22:50 GMT

203 today - Happy Birthday Felix!

Feb 3, February Anniversaries of Great Classical Composers

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:06:09 GMT

February
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

2/02/1594 Palestrina died
3/02/1809 Mendelssohn born
7/02/1652 Allegri died
13/02/1883 Wagner died
15/02/1857 Glinka died
17/2/1653 Corelli born
20/2/1961 P.Grainger died
23/2/1934 Elgar died
23/2/1685 Handel born
27/2/1887 Borodin died
29/2/1792 Rossini born

Jan 7, Rodrigo is our latest addition

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 21:51:22 GMT

Joaquin Rodrigo (1901 - 1999) the Spanish composer, is the latest addition to the site.

Best known for 'Concerto de Aranjuez', one of the most popular pieces of 20th century classical music.

Jan 2, Sir Michael Tippett & Mily Balakirev birthdays

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:15:05 GMT

Two birthdays today - the Englishman Sir Michael Tippett (1905) and the Russian Mily Balakirev (1837), leader of the 'Mighty Five'.

Jan 1, January Anniversaries of Great Classical Composers

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 19:13:05 GMT

January
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

1/1/1782 J C Bach died
2/1/1837 Balakirev born
2/1/1905 M Tippett born
4/1/1710 Pergolesi born
6/1/1838 Max Bruch born
7/1/1899 Poulenc born
8/1/1713 Corelli died
8/1/1990 M Tippett died
11/1/1801 Cimarosa died
16/1/1886 Ponchielli died
16/1/1891 Delibes died
17/1/1751 Albinoni died
18/1/1835 Cesar Cui born
23/1/1981 S.Barber died
27/1/1756 Mozart born
27/1/1813Verdi died
29/1/1862 Delius born
30/1/1963 Poulenc died
31/1/1797 Schubert born

Dec 30, New page - St HILDEGARD of Bingen

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 20:53:39 GMT

The latest addition is our second female composer.
One of the most extraordinary women of the Middle Ages.

Dec 11, Happy Birthday Hector!

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 12:52:00 GMT

208 today - Happy Birthday Hector!

Oct 25, Bizet's birthday today

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:02:17 GMT

173 today - Happy Birthday George!

Here's the Happy Birthday theme in the style of Bizet and of Tchaikovsky
on YouTube

Oct 24, Dame Ethel Smyth - our first female composer!

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:44:40 GMT

Not only a brilliant composer but also a political activist involved in the suffagette movement.

She was even jailed for smashing the windows of a leading politician!

Oct 22, 200th anniversary of Liszt's birth

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 23:35:08 GMT

Happy Birthday Franz!.
Big celebrations for his becentenary.
Franz Liszt, the world's first rock star.

Oct 12, Vaughan Williams birthday today

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 14:51:51 GMT

139 today. Happy Birthday Ralph.
This year he is at No2 and No3 in the ClassicFM Hall of Fame ranking.

Oct 10, 2012 Opera Calendar on Etsy

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:47:39 GMT

I uploaded my new 2012 Opera Calendar onto Etsy today. Looks good!

Oct 2, October classical composer anniversaries

Sun, 02 Oct 2011 17:27:27 GMT

October
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

1/10/1865 Paul Dukas born
2/10/1920 Max Bruch died
3/10/1931 Carl Nielsen died
5/10/1880 Offenbach died
9/10/1813 Verdi born
9/10/1835 Saint-Saëns born
11/10/1896 Bruckner died
12/10/1872 Vaughan Williams born
14/10/1990 Bernstein died
17/10/1849 Chopin died
18/10/1893 Gounod died
20/10/1874 Charles Ives born
22/11/1811 Liszt born
24/10/1725 A Scarlatti died
25/11/1825 J Strauss Jr born
25/11/1838 Bizet born
26/11/1685 D Scarlatti born
27/11/1782 Paganini born

Sep 29, Gabriel Fauré - our latest addition

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:19:55 GMT

I have just added a page on Gabriel Fauré. Like Messiaen he was a 20th century French composer, organist and teacher.
Strangely he didn't compose a single work for the organ even though he was involved with it for most of his life.

Sep 26, Putting fun into classical music

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 12:54:41 GMT

Our new Video of the Week on our home page is a very entertaining 8 minutes by the MozART Group.
Some will find it disrespectful but I hope most will find it a lot of fun as I do.

Sep 26, Gershwin - 113th birthday

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:14:14 GMT

Happy Birthday George!.
He would have been 113 today.
What a pity he died so young at 38 years old.
Just think what more wonderful music we could have had.

Sep 4, Bruckner's Birthday today

Sun, 04 Sep 2011 20:50:01 GMT

187 today. Happy Birthday.
So he is our Composer of the Week!
Also today is the birthday of the French composer Darius Milhaud (1892 - 1974)
It is the 104th anniversary of the death of Edvard Grieg (1843 - 1907).

Sep 1, September Composer Anniversaries

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 23:21:32 GMT

September
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

4/9/1824 Bruckner born
4/9/1892 Milhaud born
4/9/1907 Grieg died
5/9/1735 J Christian Bach born
5/9/1912 John Cage born
8/9/1813 Gesualdo died
8/9/1841 Dvorak born
8/9/1949 Richard Strauss died
10/9/1659 Purcell born
13/9/1819 Clara Schumann born
13/9/1874 Schoenberg born
17/9/1179 Hildegard von Bingen died
20/9/1957 Sibelius died
21/9/1874 Holst born
23/9/1836 Bellini died
25/9/1906 Shostakovich born
25/9/1849 J Strauss Sr died
26/9/1898 Gershwin born
26/9/1945 Bartok died

Aug 17, Classical Composers Calendar - back to school!!

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:55:24 GMT

There is a September '11 to August '12 Great Composers Calendar now available at Etsy. I have posted a link on the Home page.

Aug 4, August Classical Composr Anniversaries

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 11:08:38 GMT

Sorry late again!

August
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

Births
?/08/1653 Pachelbel
18/08/1750 Salieri
22/08/1862 Debusssy
22/08/1928 Stockhausen
25/08/1918 Bernstein
31 /08/1834 Ponchielli
Deaths
2/08/1945 Mascagni
8/08/1975 Shostakovich
09/08/1919 Leoncavallo
10/08/1928 Janacek
12/08/1992 John Cage
13/08/1912 Massanet
26/08/1958 Vaughan Williams
28/08/1959 Martinu

Aug 2, Pietro Mascagni RIP

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 11:52:00 GMT

Classical composer Pietro Mascagni died 66 years ago today. Considered a one hit wonder for his Cavalleria Rusticana he in fact created much much more music of quality which unfortunately doesn't get much exposure at all.

Jul 31, New page - Olivier MESSIAEN

Sun, 31 Jul 2011 21:04:20 GMT

I have just added a page on Olivier Messiaen. He was a 20th century French composer, organist, teacher and ornithologist. He is known for incorporating birdsong into his compositions.

Jul 10, George Gershwin - our latest profile

Sun, 10 Jul 2011 15:24:04 GMT

The latest composer profile to be added is George Gershwin, the American composer of so many well known songs.
He died young at only 38 years old, 74 years ago today.

Jul 7, Happy Birthday Gustav Mahler

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:03:07 GMT

151 today. Congratulation.
This is a big anniversary year as it is the centenary of his death on 18 May 1911.

It is also the centenary of the birth of Gian Carlo Menotti a talented Italo-American composer best known for his operas.
Anyway he is our Composer of the Week!

Jul 6, July Composer Anniversaries

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:39:37 GMT

Sorry, a bit late but here are the birthdays and death anniversaries for July:

July
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

Births
2/07/1714 Gluck
3/07/1854 Janacek
7/07/1860 Mahler
8/07/1882 Percy Grainger
9/07/1879 Respighi
10/07/1895 Carl Orff
Deaths
1/07/1925 Satie
4/07/1623 William Byrd
11/07/1937 Gershwin
13/07/1951 Arnold Schonberg
23/07/1757 Domenico Scarlatti
27/07/1924 Busoni
28/07/1741 Vivaldi
28/07/1750 Bach
29/07/1856 Schumann
31/07/1886 Liszt

Jul 4, Happy 4th July

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:02:34 GMT

As today is the 4th July I have made Sousa the composer of the week.

Video of the week is a complete recording of Tchaikovsky's '1812 Overture' the finale of which is often played at 4th July fireworks displays, even though it has nothing to do with America and everything to do with commemorating Moscow's defense against Napoleon's armies.

Sousa and 1812 on the Home page

Jun 1, June Composer Anniversaries

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:32:57 GMT

It's June already. So here is the June list of the main composer birthdays and death anniversaries.

June
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

01/06/1804 Glinka born
02/06/1857 Elgar born
03/06/1875 Bizet died
03/06/1899 Strauss J died
06/06/1903 Khachaturian born
08/06/1810 Schumann born
21/06/1908 Rimsky Korsakov died
10/06/1934 Delius died
11/06/1864 Strauss R. born
14/06/1671 Albinoni born
15/06/1843 Grieg born
17/06/1818 Gounod born
17/06/1882 Stravinsky born
20/06/1819 Offenbach born
25/06/1767 Telemann died

May 29, Happy Birthday Isaac Albeniz!

Sun, 29 May 2011 20:55:01 GMT

Today is the birthday of Albeniz so I have put his 'Asturias' as Video of the Week on the Home page.
He composed it for the piano but you nearly always hear it played on the guitar, thanks to Segovia's transcription.

Apr 10, The Parallel Lives of Verdi and Wagner

Sun, 10 Apr 2011 19:20:10 GMT

An interesting essay by Peter McKenzie-Brown on the similarities and differences in the lives of these two composers, born within months of each other.

Mar 22, Films about composers

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:17:39 GMT

I occasionally get asked if there is a movie about a particular composer.
So I have built a page listing the ones I know about.
Lots by the Brits Ken Loach and Tony Palmer.

Mar 21, Happy Birthday Bach and Mussorgsky

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:56:10 GMT

Johann is 326 today. Happy Birthday and have a great party up there.
It is also Mussorgsky's birthday but he's too Modest to advertise it!

Mar 16, French Classical Composers

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 23:09:22 GMT

There are 8 French composers on this site at the moment and more to come. Here is a page which lists them in one place to make them easier to find.

Mar 15, Shostakovich is the latest addition

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 22:22:20 GMT

Having died in 1975 there is a lot of film/video footage available of Dmitri Shostakovich.

Fascinating.

Mar 13, A Bruckner update

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 22:07:13 GMT

I've added a brief bio and other information to the Bruckner page.
Strange that during a life dedicated to studying, teaching and playing the organ he didn't leave any compositions for the organ.

Mar 9, The Badass from Bonn

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:09:38 GMT

I've added a brief bio and other information to the Beethoven page.
While researching material I came across a brilliant portrait by Richard Thompson and an interesting article entitled 'The Badass from Bonn'

Mar 7, Ravel - a birthday update

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 22:21:05 GMT

Today is Ravel's 136th birthday.

I've updated his page with more information about him including a brief bio.

Mar 5, Charles Ives - the latest addition to the site

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 16:35:04 GMT

I've just added a profile of the great American composer Charles Ives.
Doubtful of his ability to earn a decent living from his music he also founded and ran one of America's most successful insurance companies.

Mar 4, Verdi Requiem - new page

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 20:52:07 GMT

The Verdi Requiem won TWO Grammy Awards - Best Classical Album and Best Choral Performance.
The Chicago Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Riccardo Muti.
Congraulations!

Mar 2, March Anniversaries of Great Composers

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 16:54:29 GMT

March
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

?/03/1706 Pachebel died
1/03/1810 Chopin born
2/03/1824 Smetana born
4/03/1678 Vivaldi born
5/03/1953 Prokofiev died
6/03/1932 Sousa died
7/03/1875 Ravel born
8/03/1566 Gesualdo born
8/03/1803 Berlioz died
8/03/ 1983 Walton died
16/03/1736 Pergolesi died
18/03/1844 Rimsky-Korsakov born 21/03/1685 J S Bach born
21/03/1839 Mussorgsky born
22/03/1687 Lully born
25/03/1881 Bartok born
25/03/1918 Debussy died
26/03/1827 Beethoven died 28/03/1881 Mussorgsky died
28/03/1943 Rachmaninoff died
29/03/1902 Walton born
31/03/1732 Haydn born

Feb 23, Mussorgsky - new page

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:50:01 GMT

One of the 'Mighty Five' group of Russian composers. Best known for Pictures at an Exhibition, Boris Godunov and Night on a Bald Mountain.

Feb 2, 'Benvenuto Cellini' by Berlioz

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 20:19:58 GMT

I have just added an excellent article by Dieter Schoop about the Berlioz opera 'Benvenuto Cellini'

Jan 2, Happy Birthday Mily Balakirev

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 17:50:09 GMT

Leader of the 'Mighty Five' group of Russian composers. Tchaikovsky dedicated his Romeo and Juliet overture to Balakirev

Jan 1, 2011 Composer Anniversaries

Sat, 01 Jan 2011 20:09:31 GMT

There are only two major annniversaries in 2011:

Mahler centenary of his death on May 11 1911

Liszt 200th anniversary of his birth on October 22 1811

Jan 1, January Anniversaries of Great Composers

Sat, 01 Jan 2011 20:04:54 GMT

January
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

Dec 16, Beethoven's 240th Birthday

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 22:27:50 GMT

Ludwig was baptised on 17 December 1770. His date of birth is unconfirmed but assumed to be 16th December.

Dec 11, Happy Birthday Hector!

Sat, 11 Dec 2010 22:10:16 GMT

Hector Berlioz was born on 11 December 207 years ago.
He said "Time is a great teacher - unfortunately it kills all its pupils"!
He is this week's composer of the week.

Dec 2, Aaron Copland died 20 years ago

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 14:57:16 GMT

Aaron Copland died twenty years ago today 2 December aged 90.

Last month was his 110th birthday anniversary.
A long and productive life - thank you.

Dec 2, December Anniversaries of the Great Composers

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 14:36:18 GMT

December
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

2/12/1990 Copland died
4/12/1976 Britten died
5/12/1791 Mozart died
5/12/2007 Stockhausen died
7/12/1863 Mascagni born
8/12/1865 Sibelius born
8/12/1890 Martinu born
10/12/1822 César Franck born
10/12/1908 Messiaen born
11/12/1803 Berlioz born
16/12/1770 Beethoven born
16/12/1921 Saint Saëns died
17/12/1749 Cimarosa born
22/12/1858 Puccini born
25/12/1871 Scriabin born
28/12/1937 Ravel died

Oct 22, 199 today - Franz Liszt

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:58:44 GMT

The Hungarian pianist and composer Franz Liszt is 199 today (22 October). So 2011 will be the Bicentenary of his birth.
I'm looking forward to some big celebrations.

Oct 11, Ralph Vaughan Williams - 138th birthday

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 22:43:52 GMT

"But in the next world I shan't be doing music, with all the striving and disappointments. I shall be being it."

What's new ?

Feb 3, Mendelssohn 203 today

Feb 3, February Anniversaries of Great Classical Composers

February Great Classical Composer Anniversaries

Jan 7, Rodrigo is our latest addition

Jan 2, Sir Michael Tippett & Mily Balakirev birthdays

Jan 1, January Anniversaries of Great Classical Composers

January Great Classical Composer Anniversaries

Dec 30, New page - St HILDEGARD of Bingen

Dec 11, Happy Birthday Hector!

Oct 25, Bizet's birthday today

Oct 24, Dame Ethel Smyth - our first female composer!

Oct 22, 200th anniversary of Liszt's birth

Oct 12, Vaughan Williams birthday today

Oct 10, 2012 Opera Calendar on Etsy

Oct 2, October classical composer anniversaries

October Great Classical Composer Anniversaries

Sep 29, Gabriel Fauré - our latest addition

Sep 26, Putting fun into classical music

Sep 26, Gershwin - 113th birthday

Sep 4, Bruckner's Birthday today

Sep 1, September Composer Anniversaries

September Great Classical Composer Anniversaries

Aug 17, Classical Composers Calendar - back to school!!

Aug 4, August Classical Composr Anniversaries

August Great Classical Composer Anniversaries

Aug 2, Pietro Mascagni RIP

Jul 31, New page - Olivier MESSIAEN

Jul 10, George Gershwin - our latest profile

Jul 7, Happy Birthday Gustav Mahler

Jul 6, July Composer Anniversaries

July Great Classical Composer Anniversaries

Jul 4, Happy 4th July

Jun 1, June Composer Anniversaries

June Great Classical Composer Anniversaries

May 29, Happy Birthday Isaac Albeniz!

Apr 10, The Parallel Lives of Verdi and Wagner

Mar 22, Films about composers

Mar 21, Happy Birthday Bach and Mussorgsky

Mar 16, French Classical Composers

Mar 15, Shostakovich is the latest addition

Mar 13, A Bruckner update

Mar 9, The Badass from Bonn

Mar 7, Ravel - a birthday update

Mar 5, Charles Ives - the latest addition to the site

Mar 4, Verdi Requiem - new page

Mar 2, March Anniversaries of Great Composers

March Great Classical Composer Anniversaries

Feb 23, Mussorgsky - new page

Feb 2, 'Benvenuto Cellini' by Berlioz

Jan 2, Happy Birthday Mily Balakirev

Jan 1, 2011 Composer Anniversaries

Jan 1, January Anniversaries of Great Composers

January Great Classical Composer Anniversaries

Dec 16, Beethoven's 240th Birthday

Dec 11, Happy Birthday Hector!

Dec 2, Aaron Copland died 20 years ago

Dec 2, December Anniversaries of the Great Composers

December Great Classical Composer Anniversaries

Oct 22, 199 today - Franz Liszt

Oct 11, Ralph Vaughan Williams - 138th birthday

February
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

January
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

October
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

September
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

August
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

July
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

June
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

March
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

January
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries

December
Great Classical Composer
Anniversaries