Category Archives: Anniversary

On this day in 1856 – the death of Robert Schumann

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by Ben Hogwood. Picture by Johann Anton Völlner, Hamburg, courtesy of Wikipedia

On this day, 170 years ago, the composer Robert Schumann died in Bonn at the age of just 46.

For a while it was fashionable to criticise him on account of his musical quality, and especially orchestration – and indeed Mahler re-orchestrated all four of his numbered symphonies. Yet time has shown him to have much greater substance, with Schumann’s influence on composers such as György Kurtág revealed more explicitly in recent years. One piece the Hungarian composer treasures in particular is the late Märchenerzählungen (Fairy Tale Narrations) Op.132, for clarinet, viola and piano:

One of the composer’s greatest champions is cellist Steven Isserlis, who can be seen playing the glorious Adagio and Allegro in A flat major Op.70 with Connie Shih:

Published post no.2,962 – Wednesday 29 July 2026

On this day in 2016 – the death of Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara

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by Ben Hogwood. Picture by Laivakoira, courtesy of Wikipedia

On this day ten years ago, Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara died in Helsinki at the age of 87.

Rautavaara’s legacy is impressive, a natural beneficiary of the legacy of Jean Sibelius – whose eye he caught with the 1953 work A Requiem in Our Time, for brass and percussion – while also innovating in many traditional musical forms. These include the symphony – with his seventh, Angel of Light, especially popular on release by Ondine in 1997 – but also the concerto and in music for the stage and the chamber music hall.

Rautavaara’s musical language varied between stages of his career, as rather like Arvo Pärt he showed himself to be a versatile composer capable of flirting with the avant garde as much as writing with deceptive simplicity.

One of Rautavaara’s standout pieces is the Cantus Arcticus, published in 1972 with the subtitle Concerto for birds and orchestra. The birds in question are recorded whooper swans, whose calls are both the impetus for the melodic figures and the orchestral responses. You can listen to that, and the Angel of Light symphony, below:

Published post no.2,960 – Tuesday 27 July 2026

On this day in 1796 – the birth of Swedish composer Franz Berwald

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by Ben Hogwood. Picture of Berwald used courtesy of Wikipedia, unknown author

On this day in 1796, the Swedish composer Franz Berwald was born.

Berwald has gained something of a cult following for his four symphonies, which are rightly popular for their poise and elegance, complementary to those who like the music of Schubert and Mendelssohn. Such qualities extend to his chamber music, an output headed by the bright Grand Septet in B flat major:

To that can be added an early Piano Quintet no.1 in C minor, headed by an effervescent tune on the piano:

Berwald’s first published piece, his Quartet for piano and winds, is for the unusual combination of clarinet, horn, bassoon and piano – and as you might expect explores some very attractive instrumental colours:

Published post no.2,956 – Thursday 23 July 2026

On this day – the death of Ernest Bloch

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by Ben Hogwood. Picture of Bloch used courtesy of Wikipedia, unknown author

On this day in 1959, the Swiss-born American composer Ernest Bloch died at the age of 79.

Bloch was a fine composer who has seemingly yet to get the coverage his work deserves. The first piece of his I heard stuck with me, the Concerto Grosso no.1 for strings and piano. It is a powerful piece whose Transatlantic language – hinting at folk influences from either side of the world – is also a pointer towards screen soundtracks that would come along decades later.

Here it is in a fine performance from the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra under Howard Hanson:

Published post no.2,948 – Wednesday 15 July 2026

On this day 165 years ago – the birth of Anton Arensky

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Otkrytoe Pismo Antonij Arensky Postcard-1910

by Ben Hogwood. Picture of Arensky used courtesy of Wikipedia, unknown author

On this day, 165 years ago, a lesser known Russian composer by the name of Anton Arensky was born. Regular readers of Arcana may know that I have something of a soft spot for his music, which at its best channels the poise and elegance of Mendelssohn with the passion of Tchaikovsky. Earlier this year we learned about his songs, in the company of soprano Anastasia Prokofieva and pianist Sergey Rybin.

Yet there are many strings to Arensky’s bow, the most prominent of which is his Piano Trio no.1, a fine piece which you can listen to below, in a fine version from the Beaux Arts Trio:

Published post no.2,945 – Sunday 12 July 2026