After Rachmaninoff fled Russia in 1917, he composed only six original pieces during the remaining twenty-five years of his life. Having lost nearly everything in the revolution, he was determined to restore his family to its former standard of living as quickly as possible, which meant giving up composing in favor of pursuing a career … Continued
Best known for the famous Hallelujah Chorus, Handel’s Messiah is one of the most performed pieces of classical music in history. Get ready for the Houston Symphony’s annual presentation of this masterpiece. By the time George Frederick Handel began composing Messiah in 1741, he was at the height of his powers, recognized as one of London’s leading … Continued
The idea for a ballet based on Daphnis and Chloe (an ancient Greek love story attributed to Longus) originated with the Russian choreographer Michel Fokine. He first proposed the subject to the Director of the Russian Imperial Theaters, but it was not until Fokine became involved with Sergei Diaghilev’s groundbreaking Ballets russes in Paris that … Continued
For many of us, Disney’s Fantasia was our first introduction to the playground of the imagination that is the orchestra. Walt Disney himself said, “In a profession that has been an unending voyage of discovery in the realms of color, sound and motion, Fantasia represents our most exciting adventure.” The story of how Disney’s most … Continued
In October 1883, Antonín Dvořák wrote to his publisher: “I was recently in Vienna, where I spent very fine days with Dr. Brahms, who had just come back from Wiesbaden,” a picturesque town on the Rhine river in Western Germany. The Czech composer, a good friend of Brahms, continued: “You know, of course, how very … Continued
There’s nothing more fun than a trip down memory lane—and this month, the Houston Symphony has the perfect soundtrack to fire your nostalgia-fest when we salute artists whose one shining moment left an indelible mark on the charts and in our hearts. Learn more about some of the unforgettable songs by the one-hit wonders featured … Continued