Musically speaking
“He who does not take a thorough pleasure in a simple chord progression, well constructed, beautiful in its arrangement, does not love music.” –Saint-Saëns Musical Memories, 1919
Winter has ended*…Let summer come
Mozart Quintet for Piano and Winds in E-flat major, K. 452** Fauré La Bonne Chanson, Op. 61* Schubert Octet in F major, D. 803 **I myself think it’s the best thing I’ve ever written…I wish […]
Five successful years for the Commissioning Club
Mozart Oboe Quartet in F major, K. 370 Debussy Sonata for Cello and Piano, L. 135 Godfrey Ad Concordiam: Quintet Variations for Oboe, Strings and Piano (BCMS commission) Mendelssohn Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 66 Beethoven’s real teaching…was […]
Early Beethoven, Late Debussy, and Dvořák Decisive
Beethoven String Trio in D major, Op. 9, No. 2 (1797-98) Debussy Sonata for Violin and Piano in G minor, L. 140 (1917) Dvořák Piano Trio in F minor, Op. 65 (1883) Beethoven’s real teaching…was […]
Playful entrances, colorful exits, and the lightness of being
Beethoven Serenade in D major for Flute, Violin and Viola, Op. 25 (1795-6) Debussy Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp, L. 137 (1915) Walton Piano Quartet in D minor (1918-1921, revised 1974) Beethoven’s real teaching…was […]
Chamber music in 3D—rooted, informed and opened to the sky
Dohnányi Serenade in C for String Trio, Op. 10 (1902) Debussy String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10 (1893,4) Dvořák String Sextet in A major, Op. 48 (1878) Beethoven’s real teaching…was not to preserve the […]
Finding Their Way: Schumann, Brahms, and Schoenberg
“In every era there presides a secret alliance of kindred spirits. Ye who belong together, close your ranks ever more tightly, that the Truth of Art may shine more clearly, diffusing joy and blessings over […]
On the G String: Beethoven, Prokofiev, Dvořák
Beethoven Piano Trio in G Major, Op. 1, No. 2 (1794-95) Prokofiev Quintet for Winds and Strings in G Minor, Op. 39 (1924) Dvořák Bass Quintet in G Major, Op. 77 (1875, revised 1888) Our […]
Seconds, please!
Our thirty-fifth anniversary season at Harvard’s Sanders Theatre opens with three significant works, from very different places and times, written by masters in their prime. Each is the second and final musical statement in its […]
Announcing our new teaching artist program
We are pleased to announce the start of the BCMS Teaching Artist Program at the Somerville High School, a cooperation with the Somerville Public Schools Music Department that will provide weekly sectional rehearsals led by […]