LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Egmont: Overture and Incidental Music The most famous evidence of Beethoven's admiration for men of heroic stature was most evident in his initial dedication (later withdrawn) of the "Eroica" Symphony to Napoleon. But the composer also celebrated the life of a true hero by scoring the Goethe play about the Count of Egmont, a Flemish statesman and warrior whose execution sparked a national uprising and Dutch independence. The famous overture and the more rarely heard incidental music are rich, dramatic and, ultimately, heroic.
ARAM KHACHATURIAN Symphony #2 in e "The Bell" In the summer of 1943, as the planet was being ravaged by the destructive forces of the Second World War, Khachaturian translated the war and the feelings that it inspired in him into a symphony – a work he described as "a requiem of wrath, a requiem of protest against war and violence." This massive work is a heady mixture of fervor, drama, rage and hope, and it remains as moving and relevant today as when it was first inspired.
GEORGE GERSHWIN - Overture, "Of Thee I Sing" Politics and music have always made entertaining bedfellows, and nobody proved the point more than when George and Ira Gershwin unleashed "Of Thee I Sing" on Broadway audiences in 1931. The show was an instant hit, and ran an amazing 441 performances. It also garnered the first Pulitzer ever awarded to a musical comedy.
RICHARD PEASLEE - Nightsongs Peaslee mixes the sounds of classical, theatrical, jazz, folk and electronic music with ease. His many influences color his prodigious output, including the jazzy "Nightsongs," a technically demanding and brilliantly effective showpiece for trumpet and flugelhorn.
OSCAR LEVANT - Suite for Orchestra A pianist, conductor, actor and composer, Oscar Levant wrote his "Suite for Orchestra" in dedication to his close friend, George Gershwin, after Gershwin's untimely death.
AARON COPLAND - Billy the Kid (complete ballet) Nobody captured the American spirit on the concert stage the way Copland did. Copland's ballet, "Billy the Kid," is a veritable melting pot of modern classical sounds, theatrical imagery, folk songs and cowboy tunes. And along with his ballet "Rodeo," it remains his most popular homage to the Wild West component of the American spirit.
JOHANNES BRAHMS - Variations on a Theme by Haydn For years, Brahms made no secret of his reluctance to produce a symphony, as he struggled to emerge from the shadow of his hero, Beethoven. Some say he wrote this set of variations to prepare himself for the eventual task. Others point out that he had already had great success with the theme-and-variations formula. Whatever the inspiration, this popular work clearly established Brahms' credentials as one of the world's greatest composers.
JEAN SIBELIUS - Violin Concerto in d, Op. 47 It was only natural that the sole concerto Sibelius would ever write would be for his favorite instrument, the violin — which he featured as a solo voice in much of his music. The concerto is virtuosic yet lyrical, brilliant yet expressive; and it remains a concert favorite for performers and audiences alike. This challenging and rewarding work is brought fully to life by 2008 Don Bushell Competition winner, Rachel Wong.
RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS - Symphony No. 6 in e The horror and aftermath of two world wars had a profound effect upon Vaughan Williams, and inspired or influenced several of his major works. His sixth symphony seemed to sum up all the composer's feelings; audiences in 1948 immediately connected with his expressions of anger, sorrow and helplessness. The work is both unsettling and violent — yet also hauntingly beautiful. It speaks as much to us today as it did 60 years ago.