Category Archives: Orchestral

On this day in 1946 – Charles Ives premieres

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by Ben Hogwood. Image courtesy of Wikipedia

On this day, 80 years ago, an important concert featuring premieres by Charles Ives took place at the McMillin Theatre, Columbia University, New York City.

Three works were given their premieres by a group of graduate students from the Juilliard School – two short pieces for orchestra, The Unanswered Question and Central Park In The Dark, and the String Quartet no.2. Listened in sequence they give insight into Ives’s originality as a composer, which shines as brightly today as it did then:

Published post no.2,884 – Monday 11 May 2026

On this day – anniversaries for Marcel Dupré & Adolphe Adam

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by Ben Hogwood. Image by La Presse, courtesy of Wikipedia

Two French composers share significant anniversaries on this day. The first, organist-composer Marcel Dupré, was born on this day 140 years ago. His innovations for the instrument were many, and here is one of his most thrilling works – the early Prelude and Fugue in B major, once proclaimed to be ‘unplayable’ by fellow composer Charles-Marie Widor:

Sharing this anniversary is Adolphe Adam, who died on this day 170 years ago, in 1856. One of his most celebrated works is the ballet Giselle, premiered in 1841 with the ballerina Carlotta Grisi in the title role (below). The ballet, conducted by Herbert von Karajan, can be listened to below:

Published post no.2,876 – Sunday 3 May 2026

On this day in 1885 – the first performance of Dvořák’s Seventh Symphony

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by Ben Hogwood Image of Dvořák courtesy of Wikipedia

On this day in 1885, the first performance of Dvořák’s Seventh Symphony took place, at St. James’s Hall in London, with Dvořák himself conducting.

It is one of his finest symphonies, highly regarded by critics and audiences alike, and shows a clear affinity with the work of Brahms. Characteristically for Dvořák, it is bursting with melody – as this classic recording with the London Symphony Orchestra and István Kertész shows:

Published post no.2,866 – Wednesday 22 April 2026

On this day in 1936 – the death of composer Ottorino Respighi

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by Ben Hogwood Image of Respighi courtesy of Wikipedia

Today marks the anniversary of the death of composer Ottorino Respighi, 90 years ago in 1936, at the age of just 56.

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. A previous post on the composer highlighted recordings of those three; however I wanted this time to pay tribute to Respighi’s flair as an orchestrator. Here are his arrangements of five of Rachmaninoff‘s Etude-Tableaux for piano, showing off the orchestra with colour and flair:

Published post no.2,862 – Saturday 18 April 2026

On this day in 1895 – the first performance of The Wood Nymph by Sibelius

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by Ben Hogwood Image of Sibelius courtesy of Wikipedia, and Finnish photographer Daniel Nyblin

Having just returned from Tallinn, Estonia, I feel particularly close the music of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. On this day in 1895 one of his early orchestral works, The Wood Nymph, was premiered – and you can listen below:

Published post no.2,861 – Monday 17 April 2026