Category Archives: Orchestral

On this day – the first performance of Brahms’ Piano Concerto no.2

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by Ben Hogwood

On this day in 1881, Johannes Brahms took to the stage to play in the world premiere of his Piano Concerto no.2 in B flat major, Op.83, with Alexander Erkel conducting the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra.

The concerto is one of the biggest in the repertoire. Set in four movements and lasting well over 40 minutes, it is more symphonic in structure, with demands of stamina and technique for the soloist that complement the more tempestuous Piano Concerto no.1.

The Second is a more obviously graceful work, from the lilting horn theme at the start to its elegant slow movement, where a solo cello plays a particularly beautiful melody. There are moments of grandeur – especially in the first two movements – while the finale is a dance, light on its feet and brimming with good spirits.

You can listen to a performance below from Yefim Bronfman, with Sir Antonio Pappano conducting the Verbier Festival Orchestra:

Published post no.2,713 – Sunday 9 November 2025

On this day – the first performance of Philip Glass: Symphony no.8

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by Ben Hogwood Photo of Glass by WNYC New York Public Radio, used from Wikipedia

On this day in 2005, the world premiere of the Symphony no.8 by Philip Glass took place. Generally the symphony has not been a form to fire the imagination of minimalist composers – Steve Reich, for instance, has not written one – but Glass has found a way of integrating symphonic thought and form with subtly repetitive figures.

The Eighth is a more exploratory, chromatic work in three movements, a substantial piece lasting nearly 40 minutes. Here it is with the performers from the premiere, the Bruckner Orchestra Linz conducted by Dennis Russell Davies:

https://open.spotify.com/album/4JXQOm6Imw93JBOsDn48X2

Published post no.2,706 – Sunday 2 November 2025

For a new month – Bax: November Woods

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by Ben Hogwood

To mark the 1st of November, here is the highly atmospheric tone poem that Sir Arnold Bax completed in 1917. November Woods is one of his most effective works, though in spite of its evocative title Bax said it “may be taken as an impression of the dank and stormy music of nature in the late autumn, but the whole piece and its origins are connected with certain rather troubled experiences I was going through myself at the time….”

You can enjoy it below in a performance with the Ulster Orchestra conducted by Bax specialist, the late Vernon Handley:

Published post no.2,705 – Saturday 1 November 2025

On this day – the first performance of Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto no.1

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by Ben Hogwood

Today marks 70 years since the first performance of a Shostakovich masterpiece. The Violin Concerto no.1 in A minor Op.77/99 received its premiere at the hands of its dedicatee, David Oistrakh, with the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Yevgeny Mravinsky.

Here it is from one of its most passionate recent exponents, Maxim Vengerov taking the solo part with the Novosibirsk State Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Thomas Sanderling:

Published post no.2,702 – Wednesday 29 October 2025

On this day – the first performance of Copland’s Symphony no.3

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photo courtesy of CBS Television

by Ben Hogwood

Two days ago we noted the first performance of Aaron Copland’s ballet Rodeo in 1942. Now we look at the first performance of his Symphony no.3, which took place on this day in 1946. The Third is Copland’s flagship symphony, an impressive and powerful work that reaches its apex with music that you will no doubt recognise as the Fanfare for the Common Man, written in 1942. Here is a fine performance of the whole work from the New York Philharmonic and Leonard Bernstein, recorded for DG in 1986:

As with Rodeo, Emerson, Lake & Palmer were not far away, and their adaptation of the Fanfare for the Common Man became their biggest hit in 1977:

Published post no.2,691 – Saturday 18 October 2025