Tag Archives: Tone Poem Tuesday

Gustav Holst is known almost exclusively these days for The Planets and his two Suites for Military Band, but he wrote a great deal of fine and interesting music beyond his couple of war-horses. Today’s selection is one of those … Continue reading →

As I write this, it’s still Tuesday! Wow! Romanian composer George Enescu is endlessly fascinating, straddling the line between Romanticism and Modernism. He is probably the greatest composer to ever spring from Romania, and much of his work is of … Continue reading →

I don’t believe I’ve heard this work before, or even of the composer, Silvestre Revueltas of Mexico. Revueltas lived 1899 to 1940, and was not only short-lived but also a late bloomer, so his output is not large. The work … Continue reading →

Yeah, I just straight-up lost track of my days yesterday. It happens! Here’s a famous piece by Gustav Holst, probably his most famous work after The Planets. He wrote two Suites for Military Band, and both have become essential staples … Continue reading →

It’s interesting how many of the great composers push others out of the limelight, isn’t it? If not for Antonin Dvorak, likely the greatest of Czech composers, the music of Bedrich Smetana might be better known today. Dvorak’s work is … Continue reading →

Film music today: a symphonic suite comprising the music of Joe Hisaishi, written for the great Hayao Miyazaki film Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Hisaishi is one of my favorite composers, and this suite is representative of why.

William Grant Still, who lived from 1895 to 1978, is one of the most prominent and important African-American composers. He was prolific, writing five symphonies and eight operas in addition to an impressive array of other works. His is an … Continue reading →

I know I’ve featured this work before, but it’s so good that it bears returning once in a while. Ottorino Resphigi was an Italian composer most active in the early 20th century, but he wasn’t much of a modernist: he … Continue reading →

I know, I know, I know. Long time, not much content. In my defense, though: This can only mean one thing: I’m writing my ass off, getting the first draft of Orion’s Huntress done. Above is a screenshot from the … Continue reading →