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
In 1870, Brahms’ friend the musicologist Carl Ferdinand Pohl shared one of his discoveries with the composer: a piece for woodwind octet that he believed to be an unknown work by the great eighteenth century composer Joseph Haydn. Intrigued, Brahms copied down the second movement, which was labelled “Chorale St. Anthoni” and consisted of a … Continued
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
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
Though he published it second, Chopin’s Piano Concerto in F minor was actually the first concerto he composed. After a surprisingly successful impromptu solo debut in Vienna, the nineteen-year-old composer returned home to Warsaw to compose a concerto that he could play on tours in the future. Chopin completed it during the fall of 1829 … Continued
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