Happy Saint Cecilia Day! November 22 is the feast day of the patron saint of music and musicians, so as you might imagine, many composers have written music in her honor. This is Englishman Henry Purcell’s ode HAIL! BRIGHT CECILIA, performed by Ensemble Correspondances. You can also read more about St. Cecilia; there is a […]

Yesterday’s Beautiful Music featured violinist Rachel Barton Pine. Today, a special treat: Rachel’s daughter Sylvia, who is becoming an accomplished, articulate musician herself. I love the positivity and optimism of seeing a young musician developing her talents.    

Rachel Barton Pine is a terrific musician and an articulate teacher. Today’s Beautiful Music offering features her playing AND teaching about Johann Sebastian Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas.    

To paraphrase the old saying, two OBOES are better than one! This Beautiful Music is by Antonio Vivaldi — a Double Oboe Concerto. It’s played by Oboists Washington McClain and John Abberger, with Tafelmusik. You can also read more about the two soloists, using the links below.   Washington McClain https://africlassical.blogspot.com/2013/02/washington-mcclain-baroque-oboe.html John Abberger https://music.utoronto.ca/our-people.php?fid=55  

I admit it — I love music with a sense of humor. There is a series of “covers” of pop music performed in medieval style, with early instruments. They are expertly played, and great fun — so today’s Beautiful Music is from this clever series. Here’s hoping we’re all Stayin’ Alive!    

Yesterday’s Beautiful Music was composed by Dietrich Buxtehude, who was one of Johann Sebastian Bach’s idols. Today, it’s music by Franz Tunder, who preceded Buxtehude as main organist at the Marienkirche in Lubeck.    

Johann Sebastian Bach still inspires musicians of all genres, even centuries after his time. But who inspired Bach? One of his idols was Dietrich Buxtehude, the Danish-German organist and composer who composed this Beautiful Music. It’s a Sonata played by the Eroica Trio.    

Voices of Music is a terrific California-based ensemble that specializes in baroque music. For many years they have done an excellent job cataloging and sharing their outstanding performances online. This is Beautiful Music played by Voices of Music — Johann Sebastian Bach’s Third Brandenburg Concerto.    

Marianne von Martinez (aka Marianna Martines) was born in 1744, right at the end of the baroque era in history. She was a singer and a pianist, and quite a child prodigy who saw her third Mass performed in her hometown of Vienna when she was still a teenager. This Beautiful Music is Marianna Martines’