Jean Sibelius’ first musical instruction came in the form of piano lessons from his aunt Julia. Sibelius was a troublesome student, however; his habit of improvising instead of practicing his etudes would often earn him “raps across the knuckles.” He never really took to the piano. It was only as a teenager that he discovered … Continued
Above: From left to right, Matthew Strauss (percussion), Mark Griffith (percussion), Marian Beauchamp, Gary Beauchamp and Brian Del Signore (principal percussion) pose with the new low E bell that will be played during this weekend’s concerts. At this weekend’s performances of Richard Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra, a new sound will ring out through Jones Hall. … Continued
Principal Clarinet Mark Nuccio makes his solo debut with the Houston Symphony playing Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto. In this post he explains what makes this piece such a joy and a challenge to play. When I was asked which concerto I would like to present as my first to the Houston audience, I chose the Mozart … Continued
Though Mozart likely began composing his last piano concerto sometime in 1788, he would not complete it until January 1791; after composing the first two movements and 39 measures of the finale, he likely realized that his other recently written concertos would suffice for his upcoming performances and saved the unfinished work for later. The … Continued
On February 2, 1865, Johannes Brahms received an urgent telegram from his brother Fritz: “If you want to see our mother once again, come immediately.” At age 76 their mother, Christiane Brahms, had had a stroke. Brahms hastened to her from Vienna, but she had already passed away by the time he arrived in Hamburg. … Continued
Above: One of Nicholas Roerich’s original set designs for The Rite of Spring. After the failed revolution of 1905, a cloud of apocalyptic doom seemed to hover over the Russian Empire. With freedom of speech severely curtailed, many artists turned to increasingly subjective, mysterious sources of inspiration. Some, like the composer Alexander Scriabin, were captivated … Continued
Subscribe now for exclusive savings, priority seating, special event invitations, discounts at top local restaurants, and more!
VIEW PACKAGES