Bartok Divertimento for String Orchestra
It might surprise, or even shock you, to learn that a piece that crackles with joy and excitement like Bartok's Divertimento was written in November of 1939. But the circumstances of the Divertimento ...
11 Feb 202150min
Medieval Music in 60 Minutes
When we hear Medieval music performed live, it speaks to us in a different way than almost any other music. It seems to have just appeared, as is, from the earth itself. Medieval music was originally ...
4 Feb 202152min
Beethoven Violin Concerto
December 23rd, 1806 should have been one of those dates etched into musical history; it was the premier of a new violin concerto by Beethoven, performed by one of the great soloists of the day. But th...
28 Jan 202150min
Berlioz, "Symphonie Fantastique"
Symphonie Fantastique, which was written just 3 years after Beethoven's death, redefined what music could portray. Its color, fire, narrative arc, vulgarity, descriptiveness, and drug-induced hysteria...
21 Jan 202159min
History of Classical Music in 60 Minutes
Welcome to Season 7 of Sticky Notes! I'm often asked: "I want to get into classical music, but where do I start?" Today is my attempt to answer that question! Western Classical Music is an umbrella te...
14 Jan 20211h 3min
Schubert Symphony No. 9, "The Great"
The pianist Andras Schiff on Schubert: "There is a folk song like simplicity in Schubert's Music; his music is never crowded. He does not want to impress you or overwhelm you. He tells you a very simp...
7 Jan 202155min
Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring, Part 2
A few years ago, I was at a performance of the Rite of Spring. Sitting behind me were some rather conservative audience members. As one particularly violent section of the piece blasted away, I heard ...
30 Des 202044min
Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker
It's possible that the Nutcracker is the most recognizable Western Classical Music in the world, so what could one say about this ubiquitous piece? Well, from the adaptations of the original story, to...
24 Des 202042min
