MUSIC IN THE TIMES OF CRISIS
INTRODUCTION
Aspect presents MUSIC IN THE TIMES OF CRISIS, a video series narrated by accomplished musicologists and art historiansю Illustrated talks presented by Stephen Johnson and Patrick Bade.
Exploring compositions by Verdi, Copland, Schütz, Shostakovich, Chopin, and Beethoven, as well as the musical contributions of Dame Myra Hess.
NB The painting in our banner is Improvisation #19 (1911) by Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944)
GIUSEPPE VERDI
“VA, PENSIERO” FROM NABUCCO
Episode 1 of MUSIC IN THE TIMES OF CRISIS
presented by Stephen Johnson
Longtime collaborator Stephen Johnson explores the significance and relevance of Verdi’s “Va, pensiero” from his opera Nabucco.
NB The painting in our banner is The Tower of Babel (c. 1563) by Pieter Bruegel the Elder (~1525-1569)
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
PIANO SONATA NO. 26 “LES ADIEUX”
Episode 2 of MUSIC IN THE TIMES OF CRISIS
presented by Stephen Johnson
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 26 in E♭ Major, Op. 81a, is known as Les Adieux (The Farewells), but Beethoven actually preferred the name Das Lebewohl (Fare Thee Well). Discover this and more with our longtime collaborator Stephen Johnson.
WILLIAM BYRD
MASS FOR FIVE VOICES
Episode 3 of MUSIC IN THE TIMES OF CRISIS
presented by Stephen Johnson
Longtime collaborator Stephen Johnson returns to explore a piece first published in 1594, written by William Byrd.
MYRA HESS
DESPITE THE WAR…
Episode 4 of MUSIC IN THE TIMES OF CRISIS
presented by Patrick Bade
One of Aspect’s longtime collaborators, Patrick Bade, explores the lunchtime concerts presented by Myra Hess during WW2 in London. It was music that could not be stopped…
IGOR STRAVINSKY
THE SOLDIER’S TALE
Episode 5 of MUSIC IN THE TIMES OF CRISIS
presented by Michael Parloff
Artistic Director of Parlance Chamber Concerts Michael Parloff explores Stravinsky’s “The Soldier’s Tale”, composed at the time of the Spanish Flu in 1918.