Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) is one of the most celebrated composers of 20th-century symphonic works. Despite that reputation, his ballets receive less attention and that is a major oversight in music history. His failure on the ballet stage has nothing to do with the quality of the music in the ballet, but around the volatile politicalContinue reading “The Jazz Influences in Shostakovich’s The Golden Age”
Category Archives: ballet
Watch the saxophone solos in Léo Delibes ballet, “Sylvia”
In 2019, the Wiener Staatsoper ballet staged Sylvia by Léo Delibes. This classic Romantic styled staging harkens back to the premiere of the ballet at the Palais Garnier in its opening season 1876. The ballet was poorly received when it premiered, but with the strength of its score and new stagings and choreography, the balletContinue reading “Watch the saxophone solos in Léo Delibes ballet, “Sylvia””
Discover Günter Raphael’s ballet, Jabonah
Günter Raphael’s (1903-1960) life was surrounded by war and upheaval. Born into a musical family in Germany, he entered the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin in 1922. In 1926 he became professor of composition and theory at State Conservatory and at the Kirchenmusikalisches Institut, Leipzig in 1926. But this was short lived. When Nazis assumedContinue reading “Discover Günter Raphael’s ballet, Jabonah”
Publisher Bill Holab Music is now in the database, discover works by Michael Daugherty, Michael Torke, and Jake Heggie
Bill Holab Music’s catalog is now listed in the database. Bill Holab publishes works by American composers like Michael Torke and Michael Daugherty. Daugherty was already listed in the database with his opera, Jackie O, published by Boosey & Hawkes. Here are some featured works from Bill Holab’s catalog. Date: 2012 Ballet: Labyrinth of LoveContinue reading “Publisher Bill Holab Music is now in the database, discover works by Michael Daugherty, Michael Torke, and Jake Heggie”
The Operatic Saxophone turns one year old—celebrate it by watching opera
Two years ago when everything shut down due to Covid, I started watching the daily streams of the Metropolitan Opera. My interest in opera started before then, but with all the free time and the Met’s high production value, this was the perfect opportunity to dive into the world of opera. Outside of the knowledgeContinue reading “The Operatic Saxophone turns one year old—celebrate it by watching opera”
Listen to the Saxophone in Ambroise Thomas’s 1889 ballet, La Tempête
In 1889 Paris hosted the Exposition Universelle, a centennial celebration of the French Revolution. This was a showcase of the latest engineering marvels—the Eiffel Tower, technological advances—the telephone, and a showcase of the best of French culture. The Paris Opéra was slated to premiere Saint-Saëns’s newest opera, Ascanio, but the opera was not ready forContinue reading “Listen to the Saxophone in Ambroise Thomas’s 1889 ballet, La Tempête”
Another Romantic ballet featuring the saxophone: Discover Ambroise Thomas’s La tempête
Recently I went through the Metropolitan Opera’s archives to see if they have any works for saxophone in their performance history that I have yet to find. During this search, I discovered Ambroise Thomas‘s Hamlet was performed for their inaugural season in 1883-84. Did they use the saxophone in the finale of the 2nd actContinue reading “Another Romantic ballet featuring the saxophone: Discover Ambroise Thomas’s La tempête”
The Voxman Project: Kenneth Tse features theatrical works by Weill and Milhaud
During the darkest days of the pandemic, good art was hard to find. Opera houses, once bustling with activity were empty. Gone were the spectacles of Verdi, Puccini, and Wagner. Fortunately, this pause in the usual fare allowed new voices and new musicians to fill the silence. At the University of Iowa, alto saxophonist KennethContinue reading “The Voxman Project: Kenneth Tse features theatrical works by Weill and Milhaud”
George Russell is now in the database
Composer, music theorist, jazz pianist George Russell (1923-2009) is now listed in the database. Russell is most known as a theorist, creating the Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization (LLC) which became the backbone of modal jazz in the 1950s. In 1964, he left the states and settled in Sweden where he was able toContinue reading “George Russell is now in the database”
How Charles Koechlin used the saxophone in Cole Porter’s ballet, Within the Quota
Earlier this week, I came across a ballet by Cole Porter, Within the Quota. When I wrote about it, I wasn’t sure whether or not it was orchestrated with a saxophone for it’s premiere in 1923. Since it was programmed with La Création du monde and orchestrated by Charles Koechlin, I had a hunch thatContinue reading “How Charles Koechlin used the saxophone in Cole Porter’s ballet, Within the Quota”
the Operatic Saxophone 