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Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor
Beethoven constructed an entire symphony off of 4 notes. The short-short-short-long motif was used in each movement of the symphony and possibly one of the most well-known motifs in history. -
Schubert Erlkönig
The first song Schubert attempted to publish, sent it to someone who was not interested and the piece ended up being sent to a different Franz Schubert. -
Rossini Il Barbiere di Saviglia
Ranked as one of the best Italian comic operas. Rossini was one of the most popular and influential opera composers of his time due to his blend of opera buffa and opera seria in both comic and serious operas of his. -
Nicolo Paganini 24 Caprices for Violin, op. 1
Paganini brought violin techniques to a whole new level and is considered the benchmark of “virtuoso.”
Inspired Liszt to push the limits of the piano from Paganini’s own talents showcased in his Caprices. -
Berlioz Symphonie fantastique
One of the first programmatic symphonies. -
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Frederic Chopin Mazurkas Op. 7
His mazurkas are full of the spirit of Poland and illustrates the genre of the popular Polish folk dance. -
Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel Das Jahr
Features character pieces, twelve months plus a postlude inspired by a year-long trip to Italy. Hensel was discouraged by her father and brother in publishing music, but her husband supported her and encouraged her compositions. She died just a yer after here first publication. -
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Louis Moreau Gottschalk Souvenir de Porto Rico
While on a trip to Puerto Rico, Gottschalk was inspired by the rhythms played by musicians in the streets and took these rhythms and created a piece programming a story about the Jibaro people of Puerto Rico. -
Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition
A suite of ten pieces inspired by the many sketches of his late friend Viktor Hartmann. -
Bizet Carmen
A landmark in French opera. Although the story ends tragically, the opera is considered comique due to its spoken dialogue. -
Wagner Der Ring des Nibelungen
The story of a gold ring that brings grief to its owner, plot revolves around efforts taken to owning and controlling the ring, comprised into four units, features many mythological creatures. What an interesting tale. -
Brahms’ Symphony No.4
The piece was so popular once it premiered that Brahms took the orchestra on a tour performing it before publishing in 1886. Brahms himself characterized and described the piece as “sad.” -
Mahler Symphony No. 1
Mahler as a symphony composer could not be separated from Mahler as a song writer and in his first symphony, many themes from his Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen appear. -
Claude Debussy “Voiles” from Préludes Book 1
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Arnold Schöenberg Pierrot Lunaire
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Igor Stravinsky The Rite of Spring (premiere)
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Manuel de Falla Homenaje (Homage)
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George and Ira Gershwin “I Got Rhythm”
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Margaret Bonds “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”
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Dmitri Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 premiere
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Duke Ellington Cottontail
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Aaron Copland Appalachian Spring
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John Cage Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano
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Miles Davis Kind of Blue
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George Crumb Ancient Voices of Children
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John Adams Short Ride in a Fast Machine