Prokofiev: The Love for Three Oranges cover (Muzyka, 1971)
Here’s a piece that I know very little about, aside from the title. It must have come up in a music history class at one point, because my wife and I have laughed at its title for years as an example of a musical piece that is esoteric, but beloved by a small group. “There’s a real sack of oranges,” we might say. Well, now’s my chance to actually learn something of it, and see if I might find it as beloved as others.
This week’s piece is Edvard Grieg’s tribute to the Danish -Norwegian playwright Ludvig Holberg, composed in 1884 for the 200th anniversary of his birth. From Holberg’s Time was originally written as a piano suite, but later was adapted for string orchestra, the version I will be studying.
This article appeared in the Fall 2014 issue of Worship, Music & Ministry, the journal of the United Church of Christ Musicians Association. It was my first published article.
Staff working in smaller churches must keep themselves from the temptation of thinking that certain projects are not possible, due to limited financial or human resources. Additionally, staff who must work full-time elsewhere in order to live their passion at a part-time church job may sometimes feel like one more project may be just enough to upset proper work-life balance.
Rachmaninov: The Isle of the Dead first page (A. Gutheil, 1909)
This is a piece that I uncovered for myself while browsing through some online concerts by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. It should be fun to learn some more Rachmaninov.
Respighi: Roman Festivals first page (Ricordi, 1929)
This week, I’m sticking with the Italy theme with Ottorino Respighi’s Roman Festivals.
I remember parts of it like it was yesterday. But it wasn’t. It was thirteen years ago tonight when my wife and I spoke our wedding vows and began this incredible journey together.
Berlioz: Roman Carnival Overture first page (Breitkopf & Härtel, 1900)
This week, I considered trying a tie-in to real life, searching for a piece that would be appropriate for my anniversary week. Nothing about weddings or anniversaries sprang to mind, and I couldn’t find any suitable pieces in my library relating to the moon. So, I decided, instead to continue the Italian theme from last week, with Berlioz’s Roman Carnival Overture, a piece which I’m not even sure I’d ever heard of before this year.
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