Theorbo

Lute trumps piano | CBW20

4. Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) by Gustav Mahler
 The song of sorrow shall ring laughingly in your soul.
When the sorrow comes, blasted lie the gardens of the soul,
wither and perish joy and singing.
Dark is life, dark is death!
[…]
The heavens are ever blue and the Earth
shall stand sure, and blossom in the spring.
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3 Pianos and a Violin | CBW14

Honourable mention: “Symphony no. 3” by Henryk Górecki

Also known as the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, this work got Henryk Gorecki in the attention of the wide public, being before then known only to a restricted circle of 20th century modern music connoisseurs. Despite having sold over a million copies, it remains a controversial work, being loved by the public and rather dismissed by critics.… Read more

Pianos, Trumpets and Prokofiev | CBW10

Honourable mention: “Concerto for two trumpets in C major, RV 537” by Antonio Vivaldi

We begin the week with one of the greatest names of the Baroque era, namely Antonio Vivaldi. He was a very prolific composer, having composed more than 500 concertos, several sacred works and over forty operas. Out of the 500, forty are for two instruments.… Read more

Masses, Carnivals and Opera | CBW09

Honorouble mention: “Missa prolationum” by Johannes Ockeghem

Johannes Ockeghem was a major composer of early Renaissance, having served as singer and composer in Paris, at the court of three French kings in the second half of the 15th century. Complex polyphonies, emphasis on bass lines and freely composed melodies (the norm then was to borrow pre-existing songs) are the key elements that mark him as one of the most influential musicians of his time, and “Missa prolationum” encompasses all of them.… Read more