In John Dowland, Britten found a kindred spirit who shared his love for the beauty of the English language and a rare gift for illuminating poetry with music. And in Henry Purcell, he discovered both a shared affinity for the theater and a sense of musical structure and style ideally matched to his own.
Read MoreFrom the beginning of Benjamin Britten’s career, it was apparent that there was a deep connection between the English composer and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Read MoreMozart may not have been the first to write for clarinet, but no composer did more to establish the instrument.
Read MoreThe compelling drama of Leonore Overture No. 3 has earned it a life of its own in the concert hall.
Read MoreMozart’s 31st symphony was a colorful three-movement work tailored for Parisian audiences.
Read MoreMozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major stands out as one of the composer’s most intimate and expressive works.
Read MoreBeethoven was unmatched in the musical portrayal of complex heroic characters.
Read MoreMozart’s final three symphonies are the composer’s longest and feature a level of structural complexity and experimentation unusual in contemporary works.
Read MoreThe Duke of Guînes, whom Mozart found to be an excellent flutist, commissioned Mozart to compose a concerto he could perform with his daughter, a harpist. The result was a charming and joyous work for what was, at the time, an unusual instrumental combination.
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