Debussy’s “Christmas for Children Who No Longer Have a Home”: A Carol of Patriotism and Defiance

In 1915, German armies occupied much of France, and Paris fell under aerial bombardment via Zeppelin airships and mono and biplanes. Throughout Europe, civilians were displaced. In December of 1915, Claude Debussy composed the brief popular song, Noël des enfants qui n’ont plus de maison (“Christmas for Children Who No Longer Have a Home”). The raging words, also written by Debussy, form a prayer for French children, orphans, and the homeless. It …

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Handel’s “Ah Mio Cor” from “Alcina”: Julia Kirchner and Operatic Puppetry

Handel’s 1735 opera, Alcina, tells a fantastic story of sorcery, harrowing adventure, and heartbreak. The beautiful and treacherous Alcina seduces all of the men who land on her enchanted island. Eventually growing tired of each of her lovers, she transforms them into animals, plants, or stones. When the dashing knight, Ruggiero, falls under Alcina’s spell, his fiancée, Bradamante, seeks to rescue him. Bradamante is disguised as her brother, Ricciardo. Her plan is …

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Sibelius’ “Luonnotar”: A Mythic Tone Poem for Soprano and Orchestra

In Finnish mythology, Luonnotar is the female spirit of nature, and the daughter of the heavens. Also known as Ilmatar, she is at the center of the creation story which is told in Cantos 1 of the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic. Lonely and bored, Luonnotar floats aimlessly for centuries in a vast, celestial void, before dropping into the primal ocean. Following a mighty tempest, the goddess’ boredom is alleviated when a …

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Sibelius’ Second Symphony: The Creation of a Divine Mosaic

The famous 1907 meeting between Jean Sibelius and Gustav Mahler in Helsinki revealed two opposing, yet equally compelling, conceptions of the symphony. Mahler insisted that “the symphony must be like the world. It must embrace everything.” In contrast, Sibelius expressed admiration for the symphony’s “style and severity of form, as well as the profound logic creating an inner connection among all of the motives.” On another occasion, Sibelius observed, similarly, Music is, …

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Bach’s Viola da Gamba Sonata in G Major, BWV 1027: “The Loveliest, the Purest Idyll Conceivable”

The popularity of the viola da gamba was already fading when J.S. Bach composed three sonatas for the instrument (BWV 1027–1029) in the late 1730s. A predecessor to the cello, the bowed, fretted string instrument evolved from the Spanish vihuela in the late 15th century, and flourished during the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Evidence suggests that Bach wrote the Viola da Gamba Sonatas in Leipzig. During this period, in addition to his …

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Eugène Ysaÿe’s Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, “Ballade”: Shunsuke Sato

At the turn of the twentieth century, the Belgian violinist, Eugène Ysaÿe (1858-1931), was regarded as “The King of the Violin.” The conductor, Sir Henry Wood said, “The quality of tone was ravishingly beautiful…He seemed to get more color out of a violin than any of his contemporaries.” Commenting on the naturalness and flow of Ysaÿe’s rubato, Wood said, “Whenever he stole time from one note, he faithfully paid it back within …

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