Beautiful Music

As the end of International Guitar Month (April) approaches, I’m sharing another guitar performance for today’s installment of Beautiful Music in Difficult Times. Today, it’s the Instrucción de Música sobre la Guitarra Española by 17th century Spanish composer Gaspar Sanz played by guitarist Ernesto Bitetti. You might recognize some of the tunes because Joaquin Rodrigo […]

La Follia is an old melody that has been used countless times through history as the theme for composer’s fanciful variations. Ludwig van Beethoven, Sergei Rachmaninov, and Franz Liszt were among the famous composers who quoted La Follia in their music. Before them, composers such as French viola da gamba master Marin Marais wrote his

The marvelous young cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason made a big splash when he was one of the featured musicians who played at the May 2018 wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. His brother Braimah is also a talented musician — a violinist — and they are just two of SEVEN musically accomplished siblings! For today’s

You may remember the character Eeyore from the Winne-the-Pooh books by A.A. Milne. Eeyore was the gloomy, pessimistic donkey, and his “birthday” is TODAY! (the last Saturday in April) In honor of Eeyore, today’s offering is music by the English Renaissance composer, lutenist, and singer John Dowland, who was the Eeyore of his day. Seriously,

National Dance Week is April 17-26, so today I’m sharing jaunty dance music from John Playford’s 17th century English Dancing Master. It’s fun to listen, but dancing is also a terrific form of exercise and diversion. So please … feel free to get up and move!   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7_TokOSNs8  

For your enjoyment today, violinist Michelle Ross plays the beautiful Chaconne from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Partita #2 in d minor. It’s a thoughtful and sensitive performance by a terrific musician. You can hear our conversation about her DISCOVERING BACH cd.   Suzanne speaks with violinist Michelle Ross about her cd DISCOVERING BACH. https://sundaybaroque.org//~sundayba//podcasts/michellerossinterview.mp3

Happy Earth Day! I hope you are safe and well, and can take a moment today to appreciate the beauty of our planet. Today’s offering of Beautiful Music in Difficult Times is not quite from the baroque era … it’s from a few years after, in April 1798. Franz Joseph Haydn’s oratorio THE CREATION just

Some uplifting and other-worldly vocal music for today’s offering of Beautiful Music in Difficult Times. The superb British vocal ensemble Stile Antico sings Renaissance era settings of the Song of Songs. Heavenly! As a bonus, I’ve also provided a link to my conversation with members of Stile Antico from a few years back.    

Wow! Today’s selection of Beautiful Music in Difficult Times is fiery and hypnotic music from Renaissance Spain, from Andrew Lawrence King and The Harp Consort’s recording FIRE ~ WATER. It’s full of life, drama and emotion. It’s ancient, yet also vaguely modern.  It’s music that demands your attention, even (maybe especially) in its quiet moments.

Voices of Music is a terrific ensemble based in California, and I’m delighted to share some of their videos for today’s installment of Beautiful Music in Difficult Times. They are committed to outstanding performances, as well as outreach, and they choose particularly interesting and exciting music to play. Such a talented, versatile and innovative group.