Wolfgang Birtel

The composer Peter Cornelius (1824-1874) from Mainz often called himself a 'poet-composer': All his life, he busied himself with composing and writing alike. No wonder that he had devoted himself part...

At best, it's the 'Air' by Johann Sebastian Bach that can rival his setting 'Jesus bleibet meine Freude' in popularity: The final chorus from the Cantata BWV 147 'Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben' has...

The composer Peter Cornelius (1824-1874) from Mainz often called himself a 'poet-composer': All his life, he busied himself with composing and writing alike. No wonder that he had devoted himself part...

Nella migliore delle ipotesi, l'"Aria" di Johann Sebastian Bach può rivaleggiare con la popolarità del suo movimento "Jesus bleibet meine Freude": Il coro finale della cantata BWV 147 "Herz und Mund u...

Allenfalls die 'Air' von Johann Sebastian Bach kann es an Popularität mit seinem Satz 'Jesus bleibet meine Freude' aufnehmen: Der Schlusschor aus der Kantate BWV 147 'Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben'...

A tango written by Giacomo Puccini? Indeed! In 1942 'Piccolo Tango' by the Italian opera composer was published by an American music publisher. The question as to whether it was actually composed by P...

A tango written by Giacomo Puccini? Indeed! In 1942 'Piccolo Tango' by the Italian opera composer was published by an American music publisher. The question as to whether it was actually composed by P...

A 'Last Night of the Proms' without this march - unthinkable! 'Pomp and Circumstance Military March No. 1' with its middle section, the hymn-like 'Land of Hope and Glory' by Edward Elgar (1857-1934),...

Après un rêve, written by Gabriel Fauré for solo voice and piano, is a charming performance piece for concerts and festive occasions and one of the most famous and most popular melodies by the French...

Golliwogg's Cakewalk

La malinconica e popolare "Pavane for a Dead Princess" di Maurice Ravel, composta nel 1899, fu originariamente scritta per pianoforte prima di essere arrangiata per orchestra nel 1910. Pur essendo ded...

La malinconica e popolare "Pavane for a Dead Princess" di Maurice Ravel, composta nel 1899, fu originariamente scritta per pianoforte prima di essere arrangiata per orchestra nel 1910. Pur essendo ded...

A 'Last Night of the Proms' without this march - unthinkable! 'Pomp and Circumstance Military March No. 1' with its middle section, the hymn-like 'Land of Hope and Glory' by Edward Elgar (1857-1934),...

The 19th century was not only the era of great forms, monumental symphonies and melodious sonatas, no, the Romantic composers proved to be versatile and highly imaginative on the field of little music...

A wedding without a famous wedding march - unimaginable! Wagner's 'Bridal Chorus' from 'Lohengrin' and Mendelssohn's 'Wedding March' from the incidental music of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' vie for th...

The music scene took notice of Erik Satie (1866-1925) all of a sudden: The world premiere of his ballet 'Parade' on 18 May 1917 [siehe dt. Text!] caused quite a scandal. The production which involved...

The music scene took notice of Erik Satie (1866-1925) all of a sudden: The world premiere of his ballet 'Parade' on 18 May 1917 [siehe dt. Text!] caused quite a scandal. The production which involved...

'Novelty of form, selected modulations, strange tone colours, the use of completely unexpected rhythms', this is how Camille Saint-Saëns praised the debut work of a young colleague and continued: 'Abo...