by Ben Hogwood Photo by By Carl Van Vechten – Library of Congress
On this day in 1932, the first performance of Gershwin’s Cuban Overture took place in New York’s Lewisohn Stadium. Originally titled Rumba, its premiere with the New York Philharmonic conducted by Albert Coates was a success – and the work was renamed soon after. You can hear it below in a performance from the Orchestre national de France, conducted by Dalia Stasevska:
Published post no.2,628 – Saturday 16 August 2025
by Ben Hogwood Photo By Unknown author – Original publication
On this day, 50 years ago, the composer Dmitri Shostakovich died at the age of 68 in Moscow.
He is without doubt one of my favourite composers…but I will save a full appraisal for a major, extended project that is due to begin on Arcana pages shortly, studying Shostakovich’s music in the context of his contemporaries.
For now I will post four pieces, the last three in the form of a concert that show Shostakovich to have a number of strings to his bow. Beginning with a home favourite, the String Quartet no.7, we move to three orchestral works – the Jazz Suite no.1, the Cello Concerto no.2, and the Symphony no.8. The Cello Concerto no.2 is given in a fantastic recording by Heinrich Schiff, conducted by the composer’s son Maxim, while the symphony is the first recording of his music that I heard, with Rudolf Barshai conducting the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra:
Published post no.2,621 – Saturday 9 August 2025
by Ben Hogwood
On this day in 1757, the composer Domenico Scarlatti died in Madrid.
Taking the baton from his father Alessandro Scarlatti, Domenico was a prolific composer wrote no fewer than 550 keyboard sonatas, an unparalleled output that has a fascinating variety, looking forward to Beethoven and even beyond. Here is a great example with which to end the day, from a very fine album devoted to the composer by French-Canadian pianist Anne Quéffelec
Published post no.2,604 – Thursday 23 July 2025
by Ben Hogwood
On this day in 1901, the composer Gerald Finzi was born in Oxford.
Finzi’s most popular pieces tend to be in slightly shorter forms, and his unique way of writing for strings has endeared him to many lovers of British music. Here is a great example, a piece more than suitable for a summer’s evening – the Romance for String Orchestra:
Published post no.2,595 – Monday 14 July 2025
by Ben Hogwood
Today marks the anniversary of the birth of composer Ottorino Respighi in 1879.
Respighi’s most famous works are the orchestral pieces making up the ‘Roman trilogy’ – in order of composition the Fountains of Rome, Pines of Rome and Roman Festivals. Here they are in landmark performances from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Fritz Reiner:
Published post no.2,590 – Wednesday 9 July 2025
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