Tag Archives: Tone Poem Tuesday

We did a piece by Vasily Kalinnikov last week, so this week…let’s do another one! Just as last week I was unable to dig up much actual information about the Bylina Overture, so too am I unable to find a … Continue reading →

I’ve long loved the two symphonies that Vasily Kalinnikov wrote, but I’ve been largely unfamiliar with the remainder of his output. Kalinnikov was a talented composer who produced a lot of rich, emotional, and songlike work before his untimely death … Continue reading →

I discovered this work the other night purely by chance, thanks to YouTube’s “suggested video” algorithm thing. I gave it a try…and then I listened to it three times in succession. What a wonderful, magical, lyrical work! It’s full of … Continue reading →

I’ve been slowly developing a greater appreciation for the music of Jean Sibelius over the last few years. He always left me cold in my younger years (Finlandia excepted), but I’m understanding him more and more of late. This work, … Continue reading →

A bit of film music today, suggested by Sheila O’Malley’s twitter thread from the other day, which she offered in context of much of the discussion about suicide and mental illness following last week’s death of Anthony Bourdain. Basically her … Continue reading →

There are times–and lately, they are frequent–when I have to remind myself that despite our flaws, America is still the nation that produced George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein.

OK, posting a march is probably stretching the definition of “tone poem” to the breaking point. So be it. In honor of the wedding the other day of Prince Harry (who is my favorite royal, likely because of the eternal … Continue reading →

Not really a tone poem, but it is a rather complete musical statement: “The Flying Sequence” from the score to Superman, by John Williams. This is in honor of the passing of Margot Kidder over the weekend. This music underscores … Continue reading →

It’s May Day, so here for the occasion is “A May Day Overture,” by British composer Haydn Wood. Enjoy!

Stretching the idea of the “tone poem” somewhat, here is Alexander Glazunov again, this time looking back in time rather than east in direction. This orchestral suite is called “From the Middle Ages,” and it is just that: a musical … Continue reading →