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Steven Hobe

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The Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteA Quick Note From Me đŸ€“Send us a textDescriptionRather than just disappearing for a few weeks—I thought I'd let you know that I am taking a rest until mid-September.  Enjoy the rest of the summer!Fun FactWhen Steven isn't recording podcast episodes, he is auditioning for tv commercials and series/film or feeding his cats milk. đŸ±__________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse...
2023-08-1600 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteMozart's Piano Music: Complexity Masked In SimplicitySend us a textDescriptionAt first glance, Mozart’s piano music may look simple. Yet for many pianists, the music’s greatest challenge lies in that seeming simplicity.  Take a minute to get the scoop!Take a listen: Mozart Piano Sonata No 16 C major K 545 Barenboim c/o YouTubeFun FactAnother challenge for the pianist is Mozart’s complete mastery of orchestration. Many of the piano sonatas have a symphonic sweep and soundworld in their opening and closing movements, while the slow movements are soprano arias w...
2023-01-2301 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteFelix Mendelssohn & Wagner's ContemptSend us a textDescriptionThough Felix Mendelssohn was one of the most beloved composers of the Romantic period, 270 of his works remained unpublished until recent years. But why? Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThanks to the work of The Mendelssohn Project many of his pieces are now being shared along with his story, letters and artworks. The project aims to establish itself as the world's central resource point for all matters pertaining to the prominent Mendelssohn family.About Steven, Host
2023-01-1601 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinutePablo Casals & The Bach Solo SuitesSend us a textDescriptionThe Bach Six Solo Cello Suites are considered a staple for every budding cellist. But in Bach’s day, the cello was not considered a solo instrument and these works were shelved for decades. Not until Pablo Casals came along. Take a minute to get the scoop!Bach Cello Suite No. 2 in D min. BWV 1008 Casals c/o YouTubeFun FactSince the earliest manuscripts copied by his wife Anna Magdalena Bach contain no markings as to the bowings, tempo, character, or ar...
2023-01-0901 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteHow Did FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin Feed His Creativity?Send us a textDescriptionFrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin loved his food and was afforded great opportunities to develop his rather expensive tastes. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactChopin’s favorite restaurant was “Au Rocher de Cancale,” and that particular eatery is still located at rue Montorgueil, Paris 75002. The composer also liked to eat at the “CafĂ© de Foy” when it was actually called CafĂ© Tortoni. About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he crea...
2023-01-0201 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteAddressing Childhood Trauma Through Music in Rwanda w/Patrick Rutikanga (Bonus Episode)Send us a textDescriptionThis holiday season I had the priviledge to talk with  Patrick Rutikanga, Executive Director of the Gisimba Memorial Center in Rwanda. They run an after school program for children, part of which introduces music into their lives. The purpose of the program is to build strong relationships, heal families, restore dignity, and create hope in vulnerable East African communities. Take a listen.About GisimbaUsing a holistic, trauma-informed approach Gisimba provides art and academic enrichment, family education, and therapeutic services to communities recovering from c...
2022-12-2832 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music Minute"Auld Lang Syne" & Mr. New Year's EveSend us a textDescriptionAs we usher in the New Year, many around the world sing "Auld Lang Syne" to bid farewell to the year gone by. But where did this tune come from and how did it come to be so popular? Take a minute to get the scoop! AULD LANG SYNE ~ GUY LOMBARDO ~ 1947 Version ℅ YouTubeFun FactGuy Lombardo’s orchestra played at the Roosevelt Grill in the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City from 1929 to 1959, and from then until 1976 at the Waldorf Astoria Hote...
2022-12-2601 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteThe Classical Music Minute Is Coming To Classical 95.9-FM WCRI In 2023!!!Send us a textDescriptionBeginning January 4th 2023, Classical 95.9-FM WCRI will be airing The Classical Music Minute just prior to Noon every Wednesday. Catch it live!About Classical 95.9-FM WCRIClassical 95.9-FM WCRI & Billboard Connection Providence are owned by Judson Group, Inc., a company that includes the son and grandsons of broadcasting pioneer Ted Jones, founder of Charles River Broadcasting Company and Boston’s legendary classical music station, WCRB. Judson Group acquired Classical 95.9-FM WCRI from Charles River Broadcasting in 2006 and is committed to carrying on the Ted Jo...
2022-12-2200 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteCoffee Chat w/ Jamie Jones from Classical 95.9-FM, “A Family Legacy” (Bonus Episode)Send us a textDescriptionThis episode I have something special for you, I chatted with Vice-President and Co-Owner of Classical 95.9-FM WCRI situated in Rhode Island. Come January 4th 2023 they will be airing The Classical Music Minute just prior to Noon every Wednesday. But the station also has a really interesting history and approach. Take a listen.About Classical 95.9-FM WCRIClassical 95.9-FM WCRI & Billboard Connection Providence are owned by Judson Group, Inc., a company that includes the son and grandsons of broadcasting pioneer Ted Jones, founder of...
2022-12-2116 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteHandel's Messiah: 'Tis The Season
Or Is It?Send us a textDescriptionThe holiday season wouldn’t be marked without a rousing rendition of Handel’s Messiah. But was that its original intent? Take a minute to get the scoop! Enjoy BBC Proms: Handel's Messiah – 'Rejoice greatly' with Trinidadian Soprano Jeanine De Bique. Amazing! ℅ YouTubeFun FactIn the 1730s, the emotional and financial toll of producing operas, as well as changing audience tastes, contributed to Handel's growing interest in sacred oratorios—which required neither elaborate scenery nor foreign stars—including, eventually, Messiah. "With oratorios, H...
2022-12-1901 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteThe Rise of Polyphony & The Notre Dame SchoolSend us a textDescriptionThe majority of modern music we hear today would not have been possible without the development of Polyphony in the 12th and 13th centuries. Much of this was accomplished through the innovation of The Notre Dame School in Paris. Take a minute to get the scoop! Listen to a great example of PĂ©rotin’s organum quadruplum—four-voice polyphony ℅ YouTubeFun FactThe earliest motets are the Notre-Dame motets, written by composers such as Leonin and Perotin during the 13th century. These motets...
2022-12-1201 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteAlma Mahler, Austrian Composer & SocialiteSend us a textDescriptionAlma Mahler was an Austrian composer and socialite. First, wife to Gustav Mahler and then after his death re-marrying twice. Take a minute to get the scoop!Here’s a lovely recording of her Laue Sommernacht (mild Summer Night) for Mezzo & Piano ℅ YouTubeFun FactIn 1938, after the Anschluss, Werfel and Alma were forced to flee Austria as it was unsafe for Jews. Eventually the couple settled in Los Angeles. In later years, her salon became part of the artistic scene, first in V...
2022-12-0501 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteThe World's Oldest Known Musical InstrumentSend us a textDescriptionWhat is the oldest known instrument to exist today? Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThe Paleolithic, also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek palaios - old, lithos - stone), is a period in prehistory, distinguished by the original development of stone tools, that covers 99% of the period of human technological prehistory. It extends from the earliest known use of stone tools by hominins c. 3.3 million years ago, to the end of the Pleistocene c. 11,650 cal BP....
2022-11-2801 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteL'Histoire du soldat (The Soldier's Tale) by Igor StravinskySend us a textDescriptionHere’s another one of my favourite pieces, L'Histoire du soldat (The Soldier's Tale) by Igor Stravinsky. Take a minute to get the scoop!L`Histoire du Soldat/ Suite de Concert, Pierre Boulez ℅ YouTubeFun FactL'Histoire du soldat (The Soldier's Tale) was premiered in Lausanne on 28 September 1918, conducted by Ernest Ansermet. The British conductor Edward Clark was a friend and champion of Stravinsky and a former assistant conductor to Ansermet at the Ballets Russes. He conducted the British premiere of L...
2022-11-2101 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteCoffee Chat w/ Spanish Concert Pianist, Juan PĂ©rez FloristĂĄn, “The Art & Business Of Performance” (Bonus Ep)Send us a textDescriptionRecently I came across a fabulous Spanish Concert Pianist on YouTube, by the name of Juan PĂ©rez FloristĂĄn. He was playing the Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 1—one of my favourites. Watching him play had me literally jumping out of my seat. So, I decided that I’ve really got to chat with him. And I did, from his home in Spain. Juan’s websiteJuan’s YouTube ChannelTĂłcala otra vez Juan (Play it again, Juan)My Note: I checked i...
2022-11-1647 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteWhat Happened When John Williams Met Yo-Yo Ma?Send us a textDescriptionJohn Williams is of course known for his Hollywood blockbuster orchestral music. But has also composed many incredible works, including his cello concerto for famed cellist, Yo-Yo Ma. Take a minute to get the scoop!Cello Concerto: I. Theme & Cadenza ℅ YouTubeFun FactWilliams has composed for a staggering number of critically acclaimed and popular movies, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, the first two Home Alone films, the Indiana Jones fi...
2022-11-1401 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteProkofiev Piano Concerto No. 1 in D-flat MajorSend us a textDescriptionOne of my favorite pieces of all time is Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in D-flat Major. This episode is dedicated to this breathtaking composition. Take a minute to get the scoop!Listen to Juan P. Floristán play  Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 1 in D-flat Major ℅ YouTube—Juan will also be a guest of mine coming soon!!!Fun FactOne day during the summer of 1911, Sergei Taneyev, the revered composer, asked the young Prokofiev a question that undoubtedly puzzled many musicians of his gene...
2022-11-0701 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteThe Beggar's Opera: The Anti-OperaSend us a textDescriptionJohn Gay wrote The Beggar's Opera as an anti-opera rather than an opera, lampooning the Italian opera style and the English public's fascination with it.  Take a minute to get the scoop!Listen to: The Beggar's Opera ℅ YouTubeFun FactsFact 1Lavinia Fenton, the first Polly Peachum, became an overnight success. Her pictures were in great demand, verses were written to her and books published about her. After appearing in several comedies, and then in numerous repetitions of The Beggar's Opera, she...
2022-10-3101 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteStravinsky’s Journey Through NeoclassicismSend us a textDescriptionIgor Stravinsky was a huge proponent of Neoclassicism in music—much to the shock and dismay of some listeners and critics. Take a minute to get the scoop!Listen to: Igor Stravinsky - Octet for Wind Instruments [With score] ℅ YouTubeFun FactA pupil of Rimsky-Korsakov in his native St. Petersburg, Stravinsky had inherited the style of the Russian nationalist group, the so-called kuchka or Mighty Handful, and the ballets he wrote for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes before and during the First...
2022-10-2401 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteNeoclassicism In MusicSend us a textDescriptionWhat was Neoclassicism in music? And which composers utilized this aesthetic form? Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactSergei Prokofiev's Symphony No. 1 (1917) is sometimes cited as a precursor of Neoclassicism. Prokofiev himself thought that his composition was a "passing phase" whereas Stravinsky's neoclassicism was by the 1920s "becoming the basic line of his music".About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer living in Toronto. He creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the...
2022-10-1701 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteHaydn's Symphony No. 45, The "Farewell" SymphonySend us a textDescriptionThe tale of Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 45 in F♯ minor, known as the "Farewell" Symphony was told in Haydn’s later life to his biographers Albert Christoph Dies and Georg August Griesinger. Take a minute to get the scoop!Listen to: Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 45, The "Farewell" Symphony ℅ YouTubeFun FactThe symphony could not be performed without the purchase of some special equipment. Haydn signed an order for two special half-step slides for use by the horn players. These slightly lengthened the ho...
2022-10-1001 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteSturm und Drang: The German Music Of Storm & StressSend us a textDescriptionIn my past episode about Frederick The Great, I mentioned Sturm und Drang aka "storm and stress". This movement occurred in German literature and music between the late 1760s and early 1780s. It was a style of composition that evoked emotions of stress, fear, horror and anxiety. Take a minute to get the scoop!Listen to: Mozart's Symphony No. 25 (the "Little" G-minor symphony) ℅ YouTubeFun FactThe clearest musical connections to the self-styled Sturm und Drang movement can be found in opera an...
2022-10-0301 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteFrederick The Great: Have Flute Will TravelSend us a textDescription King Frederick II of Prussia aka Frederick The Great was passionate about music. He particularly loved to play the flute, which he initially learned in secret due to his father being a straight-laced military man. Take a minute to get the scoop!Check out Friedrich II - Concerto For Flute, Strings & Continuo No.1 in G major 1st Movement - Allegro, c/o YouTubeFun FactKing Frederick II loved operas but never wrote one himself – he did, however, contribute arias for op...
2022-09-2601 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinutePaganini: The Devil’s ViolinistSend us a textDescriptionSome thought that the virtuoso violinist Paganini was a metaphorical musical God, others thought he literally got his virtuosity from a deal with the Devil. But what was the real story behind NiccolĂČ Paganini’s genius? Take a minute to get the scoop!Check out the trailer for The Devil's ViolinistFun FactKnown particularly for his fiendish 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Paganini helped popularise certain string techniques such as bow bounces – spiccato – as well as left-hand pizzicato and harmonics. He also purpose...
2022-09-1901 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteWho was "Elise" in Beethoven's Piano Piece, FĂŒr Elise?Send us a textDescriptionNowadays, ‘FĂŒr Elise’ is undoubtedly one of Beethoven’s most famous works. It seems almost strange then that, at the time it was composed, the piece was relatively incidental. It certainly didn’t provoke much of a reaction and apparently, Beethoven himself was never fully satisfied with the work, returning to it some years later and trying, unsuccessfully in his eyes, to revise and refine it. Ultimately, ‘FĂŒr Elise’ wasn’t even published until 1865, nearly forty years after Beethoven’s death on 26 March 1827. Take a minute to get the scoop!
2022-09-1201 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteJohann Strauss Jr. "The Waltz King"Send us a textDescriptionJohann Strauss Jr. found the perfect formula for engaging with the masses. He made a killing money-wise and was considered the biggest pop star of his time. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactStrauss Jr. had a passion for accumulating an awe-inspiring array of medals, decorations and honours from the world’s sovereigns. As such, the titles and dedicatees of his compositions, as has been suggested, “may be viewed as a musically illustrated guide to about 50 years of European history.”
2022-09-0501 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteCelebrating The 40th Anniversary Of The Compact Disk (CD)Send us a textDescriptionThis year marks the 40th anniversary of the compact disk. It’s worth giving a nod to this period in our music recording history because for many of us it was a brave new world. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactA BBC programme called Tomorrow’s World introduced British audiences to the CD in 1981 – the presenter Kieran Prendiville was skeptical about “whether there’s a market for this kind of disc”. There was indeed a huge market for this shiny little mirac...
2022-08-2901 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteCoffee Chat with Kati Falk-Flores, Hollywood Composer (Bonus Interview Episode)Send us a textDescriptionThe world of trailer music evolved composer Kati Falk-Flores’ skills beyond her classical training into writing the larger-than-life, cinematic music needed for the promotion of Hollywood’s biggest films.From the heartwarming piece used for advertising Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns to the dark exploration of humanity used for Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Kati’s music resonates with audiences for its “powerful role in storytelling” and has won both CLIO and Golden Trailer Awards.While trailer music has given Kati well-earned skill in writing orchestral-h...
2022-08-2538 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteFranz Liszt: Cognac, Dentures, & The DogSend us a textDescriptionBlessed with good looks, but bad teeth, Franz Liszt had a number of vices, including cigars and cognac. All of which he would indulge in to excess. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactLiszt was quite the rock star of his time. They called it “Lisztomania” – women would faint and go into a frenzy when he performed, so much so that local doctors thought it was an epidemic of mental illness. And it wasn’t just women swooning for Liszt! Upon seeing L...
2022-08-2201 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteBruckner’s Symphony No. 0 (Or Was It No. 1.5?)Send us a textDescriptionAnton Bruckner was extremely critical of his own work and often reworked his compositions. One such perplexity was his Symphony No. 0. Or was it? Take a minute to get the scoop!Check out Bruckner's Symphony in D minor℅ Frankfurt Radio Symphony | Paavo JĂ€rvi (YouTube) Fun FactUnlike other musical radicals such as Richard Wagner and Hugo Wolf, Bruckner showed extreme humility before other musicians, Wagner in particular. This apparent dichotomy between Bruckner the man and...
2022-08-1501 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteUkrainian Freedom Orchestra: A Message Of Defiance & HopeSend us a textDescriptionIn defence of Ukraine and its cultural heritage, Keri-Lynn Wilson is leading the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra on its inaugural tour of Europe and America. Composed of leading Ukrainian musicians from both inside and outside of Ukraine, the orchestra was created by Ms. Wilson with support from the governments of Ukraine and Poland and the Metropolitan Opera and the Polish National Opera.About the Ukrainian Freedom OrchestraAbout Maestro Keri-Lynn WilsonBBC Proms Events
2022-08-0801 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteThe Queen Of The Night Aria Part II: The Sopranos Who Brought It LifeSend us a textDescription"Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen" ("Hell's vengeance boils in my heart"), commonly abbreviated "Der Hölle Rache", is an aria sung by the Queen of the Night, a coloratura soprano part, in the second act of Mozart's opera The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte). But who are some of the sopranos who successfully tackled this feat of brilliance? Take a minute to get the scoop!Four Soprano Greats with their Queen Of The Night (℅ YouTube)Cristina Deutekom Diana Damra...
2022-08-0101 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteConversation with Maria Molinari, Canadian Media Composer (Bonus Episode)Send us a textDescriptionFor this bonus interview episode, I chat with Canadian Media Composer, Maria Molinari. Trained as a classical guitarist, Maria Molinari began her composing career writing concert music for soloists, chamber groups, ballet and orchestras until her love of film, storytelling & collaboration drew her to film scoring. Maria recently composed the score for the bold critically acclaimed anthology film TO THE NEW GIRL. Her music can be heard in the score for the feature film END OF DAYS, INC. and the theme for the forensic series MOTIVES & MURDERS: CRACKING THE...
2022-07-2748 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteThe Queen Of The Night Aria Part I: From The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte)Send us a textDescriptionThe ‘Queen of the Night’ aria, "Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen" ("Hell's vengeance boils in my heart"), is a coloratura soprano part, in the second act of Mozart's opera The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte). Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThe story is a mixture of fun and high ideals, of Masonic philosophy and high jinx, of brotherhood and love affairs, of melodrama and serious thought.  Within this context Mozart sent his final message of personal conviction and sta...
2022-07-2501 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteHenry VIII: King, Composer, & Bastion Of The ArtsSend us a textDescriptionHenry VIII, King of England (1491-1547) excelled at languages, literature, theology, sport and, famously, music. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactIn 1515, May Day was celebrated at Greenwich with all kinds of music, including, according to this description, a mix of natural and ‘made’ music: ‘In the wood were bowers filled purposely with singing birds which carolled most sweetly, and in one of these bastions or bowers were some triumphal cars, on which were singers and musicians, who played on organ, lute a...
2022-07-1801 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteConversation with world-renowned Theremin Player Pamelia Stickney, & Alexander (Sasha) Rapoport, Composer (Bonus Episode)Send us a textDescriptionFor this bonus interview episode, I chatted with world-renowned theremin player Pamelia Stickney (formerly known as Pamelia Kurstin). She has performed and recorded with many artists including David Byrne, Yoko Ono, BĂ©la Fleck and the Flecktones, David Garland, Seb Rochford, Otto Lechner and Simone Dinnerstein, and was instrumental in the final design of Robert Moog's Etherwave Pro Theremin, for which she was the primary test musician.I was also joined by composer, Sasha Rapoport, who has written several works for the theremin, performed by his good f...
2022-07-1344 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteAaron Copland: The Dean of American ComposersSend us a textDescriptionAaron Copland was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later a conductor of his own and other American music. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactDuring the late 1940s, Copland became aware that Stravinsky and other fellow composers had begun to study Arnold Schoenberg's use of twelve-tone (serial) techniques. After he had been exposed to the works of French composer Pierre Boulez, he incorporated serial techniques into his Piano Quartet (1950), Piano Fantasy (1957), Connotations for orchestra (1961) and Inscape for orchestra (1967). Unlike...
2022-07-1101 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteThe Era Of The Lute & The Composer Who Made It HappenSend us a textDescriptionThe lutenist Sylvius Leopold Weiss (1687 – 1750) was one of the most prolific composers of the lute in history and was the virtuoso lutenist of his day. He was a contemporary of J.S. Bach and even competed with him in improvisation. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactIn later life, Weiss became a friend of Wilhelm Friedemann Bach and met J.S. Bach through him. Bach and Weiss were said to have competed in improvisation, as the following account by Johann Friedrich Re...
2022-07-0401 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteNessun dorma Part II: The Tenors Who Brought It To LifeSend us a textDescriptionThe aria Nessun dorma is one of the most famous in all of operatic history and has been sung by an array of fantastic tenors—each adding their own unique technical and expressive prowess. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun Fact"Nessun dorma", "Let no one sleep" is an aria from the final act of Giacomo Puccini's opera Turandot and one of the best-known tenor arias in all opera. It is sung by Calaf, il principe ignoto (the unknown prince), who falls in...
2022-06-2701 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteNessun dorma Part I: The Plot of Puccini's TurandotSend us a textDescriptionI wanted to do a special two-part episode on the famous aria Nessun dorma. First the plot and lead up to the aria itself. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactAlthough "Nessun dorma" had long been a staple of operatic recitals, Luciano Pavarotti popularized the piece beyond the opera world in the 1990s following his performance of it for the 1990 World Cup, which captivated a global audience. Both Pavarotti and PlĂĄcido Domingo released singles of the aria, with Pavarotti's reaching n...
2022-06-2001 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteRigoletto in 60 SecondsSend us a textDescriptionNeed a quick refresher on the plot of Verdi’s Rigoletto? Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactRigoletto premiered on 11 March 1851 in a sold-out La Fenice as the first part of a double bill with Giacomo Panizza's ballet Faust. The opening night was a complete triumph, especially the scena drammatica and the Duke's cynical aria, "La donna ù mobile", which was sung in the streets the next morning. It initially had a run of 13 performances and was revived in Venice the following yea...
2022-06-1301 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteConversation with Bekah Simms, Composer & General Manager for the Canadian League of Composers (Bonus Episode)Send us a textDescriptionOccasionally, I am going to release a bonus interview episode for your listening pleasure. For this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Bekah Simms who is the outgoing General Manager for the Canadian League of Composers. She is also a truly innovative composer in her own right. We chatted all about the League as well as Bekah’s compositional process and what she’s currently working on. Enjoy!Bekah on SoundCloud | Ghost Songs By Bekah Simms on BandcampAbout Bekah Simms...
2022-06-0828 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteMedieval Music Era In A NutshellSend us a textDescriptionMedieval Western European music encompassed sacred and secular genres in the Middle Ages, from the fall of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance. It spans centuries and is worth considering as an integral part of our musical development.  Join me, Steven Hobé, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactHildegard von Bingen was a rare Medieval female composer. Also known as Saint Hildegard and the Sibyl of the Rhine, was a German Benedictine abbess and polymath active as a writer, co...
2022-06-0601 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteHow Performers Connect With Us Through MusicSend us a textDescriptionMusic has the power to arouse strong feelings and recall memories and the performer is the conduit to communicate this emotion. But it is actually far more complex than that. Join me, Steven HobĂ©, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactWe’ve all had those ‘Proustian rush’ moments when a piece of music, or a single movement or even a phrase, provokes an involuntary memory, sometimes with physical side-effects such as goosebumps or shivers. Sometimes we want to feel uplifte...
2022-05-3001 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteOtherworldly Sounds Of The ThereminSend us a textDescriptionThe theremin was the first electronic musical instrument invented purely by accident by a physicist and trained cellist. Join me, Steven Hobé, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThe theremin became the go-to noise for an alien encounter, most famously in the classic 1951 movie The Day the Earth Stood Still (scored by Bernard Herrmann). Other high-profile credits, alongside lots of B-Movies, include The Lost Weekend and the Biblical blockbuster The Ten Commandments.About StevenS...
2022-05-2301 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteThe BBC Proms Is Back This Summer!Send us a textDescriptionAfter a harrowing pandemic, and shut down of the arts worldwide, the BBC Proms is back this summer. It will showcase repertoire not heard at the festival since 2019, but also lesser-known works in its ‘Cinderella’ instruments series. Join me, Steven HobĂ©, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThe 2022 Proms marks the centenary year of the BBC, celebrating a historic partnership between music and broadcasting that has brought the world’s largest classical music festival into people’s homes across the UK an...
2022-05-1601 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteFranz Schubert & The Poets Of His TimeSend us a textDescriptionFranz Schubert in just eleven years (1797-1828) wrote over 600 songs. He set some of the greatest poets of his time to music. Some of them were even contemporary minor poets who were his friends. The greatest poet of Schubert’s age was Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. One of the most dramatic of Schubert’s vocal works was the setting of Goethe’s poem, The Erlking, Der Erlkönig.  Join me, Steven HobĂ©, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactMore than 10,0...
2022-05-0901 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteTchaikovsky's Violin Concerto & The Passion Behind ItSend us a textDescriptionIt was the passionate and sometimes tempestuous relationship between Tchaikovsky and violinist Yosif Kotek that sparked the miraculous creation of Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto, a true masterpiece. Join me, Steven HobĂ©, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactAlthough Yosif Kotek and Tchaikovsky were inseparable at one time, due to Kotek’s “unbelievable womanizing” the two fell apart. They would occasionally meet, love had clearly turned into contempt, and they found each other’s company “more unpleasant than pleasant,” and more “tiresome...
2022-05-0201 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteTeacher Mozart: Billiards, Bowling, & The Art Of FugueSend us a textDescriptionTeaching was part of Mozart’s lifestyle, and it was not uncommon for him to offer instruction while playing billiards or at the bowling alley. Join me, Steven HobĂ©, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactDuring the early stages of his career in Vienna, Mozart would give pupils 3 to 5 one-hour lessons per week but wasn’t particularly flexible about when the lessons could happen: he only wanted to teach during and around noon, so that he could have the morni...
2022-04-2501 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteWhat Did Mozart Like To Eat? Inquiring Minds Want To Know...Send us a textDescriptionWolfgang Amadeus Mozart loved to eat. His favourites included a variety of dishes to fuel his creativity. Join me, Steven Hobé, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactWith Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and numerous other composers hanging around, Vienna was clearly a musical center. Concurrently, it was an epicurean center that created and established the Viennese cuisine we still enjoy today. About StevenSteven is a Canadian composer living in Toronto. He creates a range o...
2022-04-1801 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteUkrainian Choral Music & The Soul Of A NationSend us a textDescriptionDating back over one thousand years, it is said that Ukrainian choral music embodies a cultural identity and is truly a reflection of the soul of a nation. Join me, Steven HobĂ©, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactWith ever-changing borders and territories, Ukraine became a truly independent state only in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Yet choral art in the Ukrainian lands stretches back for over 1,000 years. The so-called “Znamenny Chant” stood at the core of Easte...
2022-04-1101 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteRachmaninoff & The Emotional Connection To Minor KeysSend us a textDescriptionSergei Rachmaninoff had an unmistakable connection to writing in minor keys. In fact, his three symphonies, Symphonic Dances, four piano concertos, and the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini are all written in minor keys. But why you may ask? Join me, Steven Hobé, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactBy 1900 Rachmaninoff was paralyzed with self-doubt and unable to compose. After professional help, his creative juices were rekindled. The Piano Concerto No. 2, completed in 1901 and performed by Rachmaninoff himself, w...
2022-04-0701 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteVladimir Horowitz & The Russian EmpireSend us a textDescriptionVladimir Horowitz is considered one of the greatest pianists of all time. What is less known is that Horowitz was born in Kiev, the capital of modern-day Ukraine and at the time this was part of the Russian Empire. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactHorowitz was acclaimed for his recordings of the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3, and his performance before Rachmaninoff awed the composer, who proclaimed "he swallowed it whole. He had the courage, the intensity...
2022-03-2801 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteSergei Bortkiewicz, Ukrainian Composer: "Through Hardship To The Stars"Send us a textDescriptionSergei Bortkiewicz, a Ukrainian composer and pianist, was oppressed by the Soviets and the Nazis, a refugee and survivor of two World Wars, yet he composed wonderfully rich, appealing and colourful music. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThe outbreak of World War I in 1914 changed Bortkiewicz's life: Being a citizen of the Russian Empire, he was—together with his wife—initially put under house arrest and later deported from Germany to Russia. He returned to Kharkov, wher...
2022-03-2101 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteLuciano Pavarotti, King of the High CsSend us a textDescriptionLuciano Pavarotti was one of the most remarkable tenors of all time. Born into a humble working-class family, he attained worldwide fame, and eventually the honorific title of "King of the High Cs". Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThough praised for his voice, Pavarotti was often criticized for his inability to read music well and was unpopular with conductors due to telling them the correct tempo he believed was appropriate. About Steven
2022-03-1401 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteAlexina Louie, Composer & Canadian IconSend us a textDescriptionAlexina Louie is one of my favourite Canadian composers of contemporary classical music. I first heard her work “Music For Heaven and Earth” in 1990, which was commissioned by the Toronto Symphony. This is one composer you should definitely get to know. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactAlexina Louie settled in Toronto in 1980, and over the subsequent four decades, she created a brilliant and ongoing career whose highlights are far too many to mention. Some of the most...
2022-03-0701 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteEsprit Orchestra & The Art Of The LivingSend us a textDescriptionEsprit Orchestra is one of the few full-sized orchestras devoted to performing the work of living composers. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactConductor, Alex Pauk, is married to composer Alexina Louie. Over the years, both have collaborated on several film scores including Don McKellar's Last Night, which received a Genie nomination for Best Original Score in 1998, and The Five Senses, a film by Jeremy Podeswa that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival the following year. In...
2022-02-2801 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteChopin's Mazurkas: The Polish Dance That Is UndanceableSend us a textDescriptionOver the years 1825–1849, FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin wrote at least 59 Mazurkas for piano, based on the traditional Polish dance. But his unique style differed significantly from the original. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactIn 1921, BĂ©la BartĂłk published an essay in which he said that Chopin "had not known authentic Polish folk music." BartĂłk suggested that Chopin instead had been influenced by national, and not folk music.About StevenSteven...
2022-02-2101 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteThe Obsession With Mozart's DeathSend us a textDescriptionThere has been much debate over the years as to how Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died. What had he suffered from that had taken his life at the early age of only thirty-six? Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactMost of us have seen the movie Amadeus, and the scene with Salieri pestering Mozart on his deathbed. However, there is little evidence that Salieri was present during Mozart’s final hours. The cause of Mozart’s death will sure...
2022-02-1401 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteClassical Music in AnimationSend us a textDescriptionThere are a myriad of animations around the world that use classical music. Sometimes to support the action and other times to be the focal point. Here are three that I wanted to touch upon. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactAnother Japanese anime to consider watching is Your Lie In April. It is about Kƍsei Arima, a child prodigy who became famous after winning a major piano competition. However, he lost his ability to play f...
2022-02-0701 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteRachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances: The Sum Of All ThingsSend us a textDescriptionIf you are a Rachmaninoff fan, his Symphonic Dances are worth a listen to gain further insight into the many shades of this dynamic composer. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThe Symphonic Dances combine energetic rhythmic sections, reminiscent of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, with some of the composer's lushest harmonies. He also may have included material intended for a ballet entitled The Scythians, begun in 1914–15 but abandoned before he left Russia. About St...
2022-01-3101 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteBeethoven: The Unscrupulous BusinessmanSend us a textDescriptionBeethoven was both composer and businessman as he hustled to make a living on a daily basis, balancing writing with the necessity of giving private lessons and negotiating with publishers. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThe publishing industry during Beethoven’s time was in its infancy, and as such, it was quite unreliable. People of ill repute dominated the publishing business, as they stole music, “altered it, misattributed it, bribed copyists to steal it, and pasted thei...
2022-01-2401 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteShostakovich & The Great Patriotic WarSend us a textDescriptionShostakovich’s Leningrad Symphony was composed amidst significant upheaval during the “Great Patriotic War” which began in 1941. No composer before Shostakovich had ever written a symphony during a raging war, “and no composer had ever attempted to describe a future victory, in music, with such power and conviction.” Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactShostakovich’s “War Symphony” was finally performed on 9 August 1942 in Leningrad. A playwright in the audience wrote, “People who no longer knew how to shed tears of s...
2022-01-1701 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteNew Year Celebrations with Die FledermausSend us a textDescriptionOn New Year’s eve, there are a handful of audience favourites that conductors around the world choose to perform. One such crowd-pleaser is the Die Fledermaus Overture by Johann Strauss II. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThe first London performance of Die Fledermaus did not take place until 1895, "Twenty years after its production as a lyric opera in Vienna
it was [composer and conductor Gustav] Mahler [who] raised the artistic status of Strauss's work by prod...
2022-01-1001 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteThe Nutcracker: 'Tis the seasonSend us a textDescriptionTchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker is a staple of ballet stages worldwide during the holiday season. But how did it come to be? And was it a hit right off the bat? Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactIn the original version of "Nutcracker and Mouse King" a little girl, Marie, worries about a beautiful nutcracker that's been broken. At night, she goes to check up on it. To her surprise, it has come alive, and a story-within-the-story be...
2022-01-0301 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteFranz Schubert & The Psychological NarrativeSend us a textDescriptionFranz Schubert died at the early age of only thirty-one. For a number of years, he suffered from the crippling effects of syphilis, coupled with the effects of highly toxic mercury treatment. Yet, despite this, he composed three final solo piano sonatas which are said to reflect his psychological journey of isolation and alienation. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactIt is said that Schubert’s place in the history of music is equivocal, for he stands be...
2021-12-2701 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteExploring The Flute Family in Western MusicSend us a textDescriptionFlutes come in all shapes and sizes. But each one was created with a specific purpose in mind and marks a period in musical history. In Western music history, certain well-known composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, and Stravinsky utilized different flutes in their pieces, thus paving the way for future works. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThere are several means by which flautists breathe to blow air through the instrument and produce sound. They include diaphragmatic...
2021-12-2001 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteGlenn Gould: The Mad ArtistSend us a textDescriptionGlenn Gould is best remembered for his remarkable interpretations of the keyboard works of Johann Sebastian Bach. But he is also fondly thought of as having been extraordinarily peculiar—in the most endearing way. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactFrom an early age, Gould challenged the accepted norms of the “classical music biz.” After winning the first Kiwanis festival in Canada in 1944, he swore off competitions, claiming that they were antithetical to the nature of art. (He lat...
2021-12-1301 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteThe Age Of Enlightenment: A New Era In MusicSend us a textDescriptionThe Age of Enlightenment saw the dawning of a new era in music. Public concert halls were established, lower classes had access to music, and even music itself changed and grew. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThe Age of Enlightenment considered the importance of an individual who can reason for themselves, the idea of equality under the law, and the notion of natural and inherent rights. This focus on the individual greatly influenced the music composition...
2021-12-0601 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteRenaissance Music & the “New Art”Send us a textDescriptionThe Renaissance was a period of European cultural, artistic, political and economic “rebirth” following the Middle Ages. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactFrom about 1520 through to the end of the sixteenth century, European composers utilized polyphonic language to explore musical expression through the French chanson, the Italian madrigal, the German tenorlieder, the Spanish villancico, and the English song, as well as in sacred music.About StevenSteven is a Canadian composer livi...
2021-11-2901 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteSteve Reich, “Music as a Gradual Process"Send us a textDescriptionSteve Reich is an American composer and leading exponents of Minimalism, a style based on repetitions and combinations of simple motifs and harmonies. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactIn commemoration of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center, Reich composed WTC 9/11: For Three String Quartets and Pre-recorded Voices (2010), incorporating recordings of emergency personnel and New York residents that had been made on the day of the tragedy.About StevenSteven...
2021-11-2201 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteJohn Cage: The Search For SilenceSend us a textDescriptionJohn Cage’s music is loved by many and hated by some. After him, no one could look at a painting, book, or person without considering how they might sound if you listened closely. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactIn the 1970s, with inspirations like Thoreau and Joyce, Cage began to take literary texts and transform them into music. “Roratorio, an Irish Circus on Finnegan’s Wake” (1979), was an outline for transforming any work of literature into a w...
2021-11-1501 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteFrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin: From Illness To InspirationSend us a textDescriptionFrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin suffered from serious and chronic health problems throughout his life. This shaped many of the pieces he created as he searched for peace of mind and a quest for simplicity. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop! Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactChopin generally bypassed the sketching process and proceeded directly from the piano to the engraver’s manuscript. As such, dealing with Chopin’s posthumous works was a rath...
2021-11-0801 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteJohn Dowland & Elizabethan MelancholySend us a textDescriptionThere was an overwhelming melancholy in Elizabethan times and composer John Dowland understood how best to capture this sadness. Dowland (1563 –1626) is best known for “I saw my lady weep,” and “Flow my tears” both of which capture the melancholy side of the early 17th century. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactDowland made his name on these crying songs and “Flow My Tears” became his signature song. The piece first existed as one for lute simply entitled Lachrimae (Tea...
2021-11-0101 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteFire Shut Up In My Bones: An Operatic MilestoneSend us a textDescriptionThe Metropolitan Opera is back after a long pandemic shutdown with a new season. It launched with Terence Blanchard’s “Fire Shut Up in My Bones,” marking the first time that a Black composer and a Black librettist have found their way to the Met. This is indeed a historic moment, fueled by recent events, and yet long overdue. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun Fact“If you have passion for something and you work hard and study hard and...
2021-10-2501 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteVivaldi’s Four Seasons: Music & Poetry In HarmonySend us a textDescriptionVivaldi’s The Four Seasons is a highly celebrated work. But did you know that poetry was also published along with it? You can check out the full poetry on the Charlotte Symphony website. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactVivaldi’s opera Giustino, which was also written in 1723, has similarities to The Four Seasons. In the middle of Act I, there’s a short sinfonia, and we can hear what Vivaldi did with the theme from the fi...
2021-10-1801 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteLeonard Bernstein: One Of A KindSend us a textDescriptionLeonard Bernstein was one of the first American-born conductors to receive worldwide fame. A conductor, composer, and avid educator, his life cannot be captured in this podcast. But my hope is that if you didn’t know much about Leonard Bernstein, this snapshot may inspire you to learn more. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactLeonard Bernstein's "West Side Story" was inspired by William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. The original 1957 Broadway production, ran for 732 performances before go...
2021-10-1101 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteNeoclassicism & Igor StravinskySend us a textDescriptionEver wondered what is Neoclassicism in music? And how did Igor Stravinsky play his part? Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactFrom 1948 to 1951, Stravinsky worked on his only full-length opera, The Rake’s Progress, a Neoclassical work based on a series of moralistic engravings by the 18th-century English artist William Hogarth. The Rake’s Progress flirts with the late 18th-century grand opera but with the hard edges and twists of the Stravinsky wit and refinement.Ab...
2021-10-0401 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteViva Verdi! The Music That United A NationSend us a textDescriptionWhy was Verdi so revered by the Italian people? Was it just his catchy tunes, or something deeper and more complex? Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactItalian unification is also known as the Risorgimento meaning "Resurgence", was the 19th-century political and social movement that resulted in the consolidation of different states of the Italian Peninsula into a single state, the Kingdom of Italy. The unification process was precipitated by the revolutions of 1848 and reached completion in 1871...
2021-09-2701 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteRenaissance Music & The Evolution Of The Printing PressSend us a textDescriptionEver wondered who invented the printing press and how this affected music way back when? Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactIt wasn’t until the 19th century that the hand-operated Gutenberg-style press was replaced by steam-powered rotary presses. This allowed printing on an industrial scale, becoming practically the sole medium for modern bulk printing worldwide.About StevenSteven is a Canadian composer living in Toronto. He creates a range of works, wi...
2021-09-2001 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteMartin Luther: Changemaker & ComposerSend us a textDescriptionMartin Luther is best known for having brought about the Protestant Reformation. But Luther was also an avid composer, whose works are still celebrated today. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThe Protestant Reformation was a religious revolution that took place in the Western church in the 16th century. Its greatest leaders were Martin Luther and John Calvin. The Reformation had far-reaching political, economic, and social effects on society. It became the basis for the founding of...
2021-09-1301 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteWhat Is The “Pants Role” In Opera?Send us a textDescriptionEver heard of the “pants role” aka “trouser roles” or “breeches parts” in opera? Well, this goes back centuries, with quite the backstory. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactWhy did Baroque audiences buy into women playing masculine heroic parts in opera? The most conceivable theory is that Baroque opera was not concerned with realism. Further, these parts were designed to showcase vocal virtuosity, as opposed to lending credence to the plot or character. About Steven...
2021-09-0601 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteAncient Greek Games & MusicSend us a textDescriptionIn order to understand where music stands today, it’s great to consider some of the origins and uses of music. Archaeology has uncovered numerous indications of the importance of music in Ancient Greece, especially as it relates to their athletic Games. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThe earliest games at Delphi were held in the eighth century BC. Initially, they were wholly religious. They formed part of the festival of Apollo. A sacrifice of three di...
2021-08-3001 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteTwelve-Tone Music & The Crisis Of TonalitySend us a textDescriptionEver heard of the twelve-tone technique aka dodecaphony aka twelve-tone serialism aka twelve-note composition? I know, it’s a little mind-bending, but worth noting if you love music that breaks the boundaries of tonality. It’s even used in modern broadway shows! Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactSchoenberg believed that his 12-tone technique would assure the supremacy of Germanic music for another hundred years. In reality, it had far less impact than he had hoped. Even Scho...
2021-08-2301 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteObsession, Infatuation, & Tumult: Symphonie Fantastique by BerliozSend us a textDescriptionEver wonder what inspired Symphonie fantastique by Hector Berlioz? This “program” symphony is fueled by Hector’s obsession with actress Harriet Smithson. It is a shocking ride of epic psychological dimensions. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactIn the fall of 1827, at age 24, Hector Berlioz attended the opening night of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, performed in Paris by an English theatre company. On that night, Berlioz was fascinated by more than the work of the revered English poet: he was enchanted by Harriet...
2021-08-1601 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteVerdi's Macbeth, An Opera “Unlike Any Other.”Send us a textDescriptionOne of my favourite operas by Giuseppe Verdi is Macbeth—maybe because I am such a Shakespeare fan. Verdi himself was also an avid reader of Shakespeare and sought to produce an operatic work unlike any that had gone before. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactWhen Verdi’s Macbeth first premiered in Florence in 1847, it was dubbed “L’opera senza amore!” The opera without love. It was odd to Italian audiences of the day that there was no great love affair as...
2021-08-0901 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteWhat Is Bel canto?Send us a textDescriptionEver wondered where the term Bel canto came from? Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactDid you know that Dame Joan Alston Sutherland, was an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano noted for her contribution to the renaissance of the Bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s through to the 1980s? One of the most remarkable female opera singers of the 20th century, she was dubbed La Stupenda by a La Fenice audience in 1960 after a performance of the title role in Handel's...
2021-08-0201 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteDid Mendelssohn Revive Bach?Send us a textDescriptionAlthough not a superstar like Handel, J.S. Bach was prolific in his writing. Yet, after his death, his music remained relatively dormant for some time. So, was Felix Mendelssohn responsible for kickstarting Bach back into the limelight? Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactAt the time Mendelssohn was promoting Bach, there was already a Bach revival underway; in fact even Beethoven proclaimed Bach as being one of the greats. There was also the first biography of J.S. Bach published...
2021-07-2601 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteA Brief History Of The Stradivarius ViolinSend us a textDescriptionMaybe you’ve heard of the famed violins by Stradivarius. But why are these violins so coveted? Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactWhat about the best-preserved Stradivarius? Tellingly nicknamed “the Messiah,” it sits in a climate-controlled case in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England, receiving the kind of curatorial attention and care reserved for precious works of art.About StevenSteven is a Canadian composer living in Toronto. He creates a range of works, with an emp...
2021-07-1901 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteWho Were The Medieval Troubadours?Send us a textDescriptionEver wondered who were the Medieval Troubadours? Back in the day, nothing was written down but passed from performer to performer as they travelled the countryside. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactOne of the epic poems performed by troubadours was Beowulf. Beowulf was spoken by some and sung by others. Beowulf is the story of a hero who fights and defeats a huge monster. Another epic poem is that of the Song of Roland.About Steven
2021-07-1201 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteThe Story Of The OvertureSend us a textDescriptionEver wondered how the Operatic Overture came into existence? Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThe roots of the opera Overture begin with the first surviving opera, Peri’s L’Euridice in the year 1600. Peri included an instrumental “ritornello” at the beginning of the opera. This planted the seeds for what would eventually become the full-blown overture. About StevenSteven is a Canadian composer living in Toronto. He creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the s...
2021-07-0501 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteCarlo Gesualdo: The Prince of DarknessSend us a textDescription Carlo Gesualdo was both a vicious murderer and brilliant composer—the two going hand in hand. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThere have been no fewer than eleven operatic works on the subject of Gesualdo’s life, with Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998) premiering his Gesualdo in 1993. About StevenSteven is a Canadian composer living in Toronto. He creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both t...
2021-06-2801 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteThe Magic Flute in 60 SecondsSend us a textDescription Need a quick refresher on the plot of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte aka The Magic Flute? Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactWolfgang Amadeus Mozart and librettist Emanuel Schikaneder decided to write The Magic Flute aka Die Zauberflöte in the style of Singspiel—a German-language comic opera with singing and dialogue—though it should be noted that Mozart never actually referred to it as a Singspiel. The opera premiered on 30 September 1791, just two months before Mozart’s death, wit...
2021-06-2101 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteLorenzo Da Ponte: The Words Behind Mozart’s GreatestSend us a textDescription In this minute of classical music history, I’ll showcase Mozart’s partner in crime, Lorenzo Da Ponte, who was librettist to many in the operatic world at the time, including writing for three of Mozart’s greatest works.Fun FactAt the age of 79, Da Ponte became a naturalized U.S. citizen. Five years later, he founded America's first opera house, the New York Opera Company. Unfortunately, it lasted only two seasons due to his lack of business savvy and was promptly disbanded. Howeve...
2021-06-1401 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteHildegard of Bingen: A True VisionarySend us a textDescription In this minute of classical music history, I’ll delve into the life of Hildegard of Bingen who was, among other things, one of the first identifiable composers—dating back over 800 years to the early medieval period.Fun FactA character of the same name, Hildegard, was created for the Netflix series “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”. Although Hildegard is mentioned in a long list of witches throughout history, there's no evidence she actually had any magical powers. About StevenSteven i...
2021-06-0701 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteOpera Seria versus Opera BuffaSend us a textFrom the grand gestures of gods and ancient heroes in Opera Seria to the comical meanderings of Opera Buffa. These two genres occurred at a time of great change both in music and European society as a whole. Take one minute to Get the Scoop!Fun FactOpera Buffa was inspired by intermezzi, which were comic intermissions appearing in between acts of Opera Seria, in order to break up the tension. This gave way to full-fledged operas in the new comic style of Opera Buffa....
2021-05-3101 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteWho were the Castrati?Send us a textIn this episode, I explore the history and impact that Castrati made on the musical scene of the time. They were indeed a powerful force, both literally and figuratively in shaping musical dexterity, virtuosity, and prowess.Fun FactAlessandro Moreschi was the last castrato to sing in the Sistine Chapel choir. He would retire in 1913, thus ending the Castrati legacy.About StevenSteven is a Canadian composer living in Toronto. He creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—hi...
2021-05-2401 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteWho were the Florentine Camerata?Send us a textIn this minute of classical music history, I’ll delve into the make-up and influences of the Florentine Camerata. They had a big impact on the arts in the latter part of the 16th century, more specifically the development of a new kind of music.Fun Fact:Did you know that Jacopo Peri’s Dafne (1598) is said to be the first opera ever written? Apparently, Jacopo might have popped in on Camerata meetings every once in a while to get the latest scoop.About Steven...
2021-05-1701 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteA Brief History of the Conductor’s BatonSend us a textToday, most orchestral performances begin with the grand entrance of the maestro, as he/she takes their place on the podium and then emphatically points their baton at the musicians to indicate everyone (including the audience) should pay attention.But the use of the baton wasn’t always this elegant and didn't always convey the musical subtleties of conductor to musician. In this episode, I hopscotch through history to see how the modern-day baton came to be.About StevenSteven is a Canadian composer li...
2021-05-1001 minThe Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music MinuteHow do Wind Players Circular Breath?Send us a textEver wondered how some wind players circular breath? What is circular breathing anyway? Check out my first episode of The Classical Music Minute podcast for the answer to this burning question. If you’re interested to hear the oboe piece I mentioned in the podcast check out the recording.  See if you can spot this circular effect in action!Featured Soundtrack for this episode, “The Nose: A Brief Moment In Time”.About StevenSteven is a Canadian composer living in Toronto. He creates a...
2021-05-0500 min