Welcome to YourClassical’s Cliburn Blog for the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition! Every four years, the classical music world turns its eyes to Fort Worth, Texas, to see which pianists from a pool of 30 can manage two-and-a-half weeks of rigorous recitals and concertos to emerge as a medal winner. Medal winners receive a cash prize in addition to a professional management contract, concert tours, and a commercial recording.

Monday, June 9

THE FINALS, Day 4 + THE WINNERS

by Joe Goetz

The last day of the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition featured the last three concertos with the Fort Worth Symphony, and then the much-anticipated awards ceremony. The trajectories of three lives and careers were altered in a tremendous way.  We’ll get to who won what (which you may already know!) after a brief breakdown of the final three concerto performances.

Vitaly Starikov: Schumann – Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54

Starikov’s performance of Chopin’s Op. 25 Etudes in the semifinal round foreshadowed his performance of Schumann in the final: uneven start, strong finish. Starikov’s opening chords, and his chosen opening tempo, seemed lethargic and plodding to me. His playing was, as expected, lyrical and flowing. But I wanted more urgency in this first movement. After the concerto’s brief slow movement, the finale begins attaca, and Starikov launched into a more conventional tempo. This movement features endless arpeggios, and any pianist who performs it runs the risk of making it sound like a Czerny exercise, but Starikov avoided that trap completely. It was a thrilling and gorgeous conclusion.

Carter Johnson: Ravel – Piano Concerto for the Left Hand

Rumors swirled in the chat that Carter Johnson was nursing a right hand injury during the competition. I never saw an official confirmation of this, and as the kids say these days, that seemed pretty ”sus.” I’m not sure how he could have gotten through an entire competition, let alone the Prokofiev 2, with a lame right hand. But I digress. His performance of Ravel’s left hand concerto was the first ever, I believe, at the Cliburn. The work’s technical demands (and obvious limitations!) aside, I was most impressed with Johnson’s playing in the tender moments of this piece. The long and flowing cadenza that leads to the work’s finale was especially sensitive and beautiful. A quirky choice, this concerto, and one that was a fitting capstone to a highly entertaining and unusually programmed Cliburn run from the American.

Philipp Lynov: Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 16

If Carter Johnson’s performance of this work a few days prior was an academic reading, then Lynov’s was an exercise in brute force. I found his interpretation superior to Johnson’s in almost every way. It may not have been as note-perfect, but it was full of the vigorous anger the piece requires. The movement that gets talked about least in this concerto is its third, which isn’t a slow movement as would be traditionally the case. It’s not terribly fast, either, but the best word I can think of to describe it is “menacing,” and that’s just the vibe that Lynov brought to it. A contestant who has gotten steadily stronger through each round of the competition, he saved his best for last.

Now, onto the awards. Aside from the gold, silver, and bronze medals, a number of special awards were distributed. 

Beverley Taylor Smith Awards for the Best Performance of a New Work
Yangrui Cai, China
Cash award of $5,000

Best Performance of a Mozart Concerto
Evren Ozel, United States
Cash award of $5,000

John Giordano Jury Chairman Discretionary Award
Mikhail Kambarov, Russia
Cash award of $4,000

Raymond E. Buck Jury Discretionary Award
Jonas Aumiller, Germany
Cash award of $4,000

Patricia and Neal Steffen Family Jury Discretionary Award
Alice Burla, Canada
Cash award of $4,000

Carla and Kelly Thompson Audience Award
Aristo Sham, Hong Kong China
Cash award of $2,500

As for the medalists, here they are with my thoughts about each:

BRONZE MEDAL
Evren Ozel, United States
The Minnesota resident in me, of course, is thrilled that Minneapolis native Evren Ozel won a medal. I also believe, geography notwithstanding, that Ozel was the finest overall musician among the finalists. He may not have had the technical wizardry of some of the others (or chose not to display it, at least), but his sensitivity and connection to the orchestra and his audience was undeniable. It made his more virtuosic moments that much more powerful (I’m thinking of the octaves at the end of Tchaikovsky 1st concerto, for instance). I can’t wait to see what he does next, as he’s only 26, already an Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient, and has a tremendous career ahead.

SILVER MEDAL
Vitaly Starikov, Israel/Russia
I’ve underestimated Starikov’s appeal with the judges throughout this competition and did so again when it came to the medalists. His uneven performances of certain works in each round did not derail his chances, and his performance of Bartok’s second concerto in the finals will be talked about for years to come. Keeping in mind that the judges are grading as much on career potential and marketability as much as performance in the moment, I think it was his remarkable Bartok that led him here. He wouldn’t have been my choice for silver, but I’m not upset about it, either. He also seems like just a super nice dude, one with whom I’d love to grab a beer and a burger and nerd out about music.

NANCY LEE AND PERRY R. BASS GOLD MEDAL
Aristo Sham, Hong Kong China
Aristo Sham, according to a conversation I had on Reddit with Eugene Chan, creator of those awesome Don’t Shoot the Pianist comics, is the first Cliburn gold medalist since 1977 to not play a Tchairachiev concerto in the final round (Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, or Prokofiev). He did it not by being an overpowering virtuoso or an overly sensitive interpreter, but by consistently performing very difficult works at a very high level. His Gaspard de la Nuit in the preliminary round was the best of the competition. His daring choice to do Beethoven Hammerklavier in the second round paid off. Rachmaninoff’s complete Op. 39 Etudes-Tableux in the semifinals were dazzling, if imperfect. His Mozart concerto was warm, even if not terribly personal. And his culminating Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 in the finals was the cherry on top, a tour de force that avoided sentimentality but was still a rich and full musical experience. He now has the distinct disadvantage of being The Next Person to win Cliburn gold following Yunchan Lim, a generational talent. I don’t see Sham moving the needle to that degree, but he has proven himself a worthy performer who will excel in any setting, with just about any repertoire.

Of the other three finalists, I predict that Angel Stanislav Wang will likely have the most prolific career, possibly one that eclipses at least some of the medal winners. He’s already won a silver medal at the 2023 Tchaikovsky Competition (as you may recall, Van Cliburn’s gold medal in the inaugural Tchaikovsky was the reason we’re all reading this today), in addition to dozens of other wins at other competitions. As he matures, his ability to dazzle with his prodigious technique and his willingness to wear his heart on his sleeve will be irresistible to audiences and presenters.

Carter Johnson will continue to shed light on the lesser-known parts of the repertoire. I hope he lands a recording contract somewhere, the results would be fascinating.

And Philipp Lynov is an underrated lion of the keyboard. I’m not sure how much more of him we will see in the United States, but I am sure he will be a household name in Europe and certainly his native Russia.

I’ll have one more post in a few days detailing my favorite performances from the entire competition from each finalist. For now, thanks for reading and being along with me on this journey.  This is my first time covering a major competition, and it’s been a lot of fun, but also exhausting. I think my family will be thrilled for me to shut up about the Cliburn for a while, and to go back to our normal Netflix/Max/et cetera nightly routine. I hope you enjoyed the blog, and thanks to the listeners of YourClassical for their support that allowed me the space to do it!

Gallery: Awards Ceremony

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Saturday, June 7

THE FINALS, Day 3

by Joe Goetz

The third night of final round concertos featured three audience favorites by Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, and Brahms. Everyone performed about as I expected them to, so there were no surprises. Let’s get into the details…

Evren Ozel: Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58

This work seemed to be tailor-made for Ozel’s sensitive playing. It’s probably the sunniest, and maybe the most romantic of Beethoven’s five piano concertos. Ozel’s personality - and his vulnerability - shone through in the work’s quiet solo opening, but for most of the first movement he was perhaps a bit…too quiet? I will say that the livestream of Ozel’s performance seemed marred by distortion, as I heard some odd digital artifacts during louder passages. Those issues seemed to clear up for the other concertos later in the evening. In any event, it took a bit for Ozel and the orchestra to lock into agreement on dynamics and balance. Once they did, Ozel’s connection with his orchestral compatriots and his audience took over, as it did during his Mozart concerto in the semifinals. The final movement featured plenty of whimsy and energy, earning Ozel a raucous ovation. On the whole, it was a very musical performance, as we’ve come to expect from Ozel, who in my opinion is the most musically sound contestant remaining in the competition. If I had one quibble at all it would be that perhaps he was too sensitive, and perhaps by extension a tad tentative. But in a competition where the impetus of many is to push the pedal to the floor, having Ozel as an antidote may pay him dividends.

Angel Stanislav Wang: Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30

Let’s first address the elephant in the room about this concerto, and that’s the fact that anyone who chooses to play it at the Cliburn (or any competition, really) on the heels of Yunchan Lim’s performance in 2022 must have a boatload of confidence. Wang has proven time and again that he does, even when it gets him into some uncomfortable spots. He and anyone who’s been following the Cliburn knew that he needed a transcendent Rach 3 last night in order to move the needle, and I don’t think he accomplished that. It was the performance of a young man with infinite potential, but lacking the refinement necessary to jump to the level of the truly elite. Once again, like his Beethoven earlier in the finals, he seemed to ignore Marin Alsop completely. He chose the lighter of the two first movement cadenzas, which I don’t mind at all, but seemed to go against his usual take-no-prisoners musical choices. In fact, he took several of the rarely-heard (at least in modern times) cuts that Rachmaninoff himself made to the second and third movements. Some of the tempo changes and musical emphases were awkward, and the work’s mighty conclusion felt more tired than grand. All that said, i still enjoyed the heck out of watching him play. And his genuinely emotional reaction to having finished, lingering at the piano for a few moments before standing and embracing Alsop and acknowledging the crowd, was touching.

Aristo Sham: Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83

If we were to assign superlatives to each of Friday evening’s performers, we’d probably assign Evren Ozel “Most Musical,” Angel Wang “Most Dramatic,” and Aristo Sham “Best Execution.” Brahms 2 is a beast, there are no two ways about it. And Sham absolutely nailed every thorny passage, every double trill, every awkward leap. It was a positively Herculean effort, yet I came away from it feeling like something was missing. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there are many moments during the piece where the pianist can dial back Brahms’s ruthless precision and explore more ethereal spaces. A great example is this spot in the first movement, where the piano floats off into dreamland for a few moments before the horns, clarinets, and upper strings herald the return of the main theme.

It’s marked legato dolce, but Sham played it rather piercingly. He was able to find more sensitivity in the work’s gorgeous third movement, and playfulness in the finale, but genuine joy and personality were lacking, at least from my perspective. But at the end of the day, Aristo Sham is just too good to not medal. I’d be shocked if he received anything less than silver at this point, but we’ve been surprised by judge’s decisions plenty so far!

Three more concertos on tap this afternoon, then we’ll know the winners this evening.

Thursday, June 5

THE FINALS, Day 2

by Joe Goetz

Last night was one of the wildest and most compelling nights of Cliburn concertos I can remember. After it was over, I was trying to come up with adjectives to describe what I had just witnessed: courageous, bold, bizarre, proficient, amazing all came to mind, yet none of those words perfectly encapsulates the playing by the three pianists and the Fort Wort Symphony. Everyone rose to the moment last night!

Philipp Lynov: Liszt - Piano Concerto No. 2 in A Major
The episodic nature of this concerto was the perfect way to showcase all the things he brings to the table. Lynov has grown stronger in each round so far, and his Liszt 2 was a perfect capstone to everything he’s performed so far. Everything in his previous round performances found a home in his interpretation: the impetuousness of his Schumann sonata, the virtuosity from his Barber and Prokofiev sonatas, the tenderness of his Ravel Miroirs, and the free-wheeling fun of Rachtime all found their way into last night. Although is mannerisms and hair suggest he’s trying to be the heir apparent to Daniil Trifonov, he’s not quite at that level, but he’s proven himself ready for prime time. Top marks, all around.

Vitaly Starikov: Bartok - Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Major
Ever since seeing this concerto on his repertoire list at the beginning of the competition, I was worried. To perform such a work in a competition is almost unheard of, mainly because a) it’s so ridiculously hard, and b) turning this piece around on a tight rehearsal schedule could be a suicide mission. Yet Starikov, Marin Alsop, and the Fort Worth Symphony pulled it off and then some. I watched the beginning like I watch videos of those people that run up a greased pole, just waiting for that moment when the painful crash would happen. And it never came. The orchestra was incredible. Starikov was on point. This was the pianist I had hoped to see in the earlier rounds, and evidently the judges were able to anticipate he would meet this moment when they elevated him to the ranks of finalists. Absolute class from the entire group, and a performance that will likely be talked about for years, regardless of where Starikov finishes in the competition.

Carter Johnson: Prokofiev - Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 16
I’ve been high on Carter Johnson since his preliminary recital (which featured some solo Prokofiev), and I’m still high on him, but a few pegs lower after last night. It’s not that he didn’t play this piece well - he really did, but there seemed to be a higher gear that was missing. Usually I’m critical of pianists who overdo it on the bombast, but I felt that Carter actually needed more bombast last night. His playing was far from thin gruel, but if there was ever a concerto that begged to be absolutely rocked, this is the one. In the massive first movement cadenza, his interpretation felt more academic than ferocious. The second movement’s moto perpetuo wrist-breaking virtuosity was a highlight, as was the smaller cadenza at the end of the final movement. Look, Carter Johnson has it all, no doubt. But I just wanted more gravitas from this piece, more raw anger and passion, and I just didn’t sense that from last night. Others may disagree.

We’ve now heard concertos from all six finalists, and tonight is a much-deserved break for all. I’ll be interested to see how the each finalist’s choice of concerto factors into their evaluation by the judges. Evren Ozel and Angel Stanislav Wang are going the more traditional competition route with Beethoven (or similar) plus a big warhorse by Tchaikovsky or Rachmaninoff. But everyone else is going against the grain: Aristo Sham choosing Mendelssohn and Brahms yet ignoring the Russian repertoire completely, Philipp Lynov choosing two highly virtuosic works and ignoring Beethoven, Carter Johnson being kind of a hipster by pairing Prokofiev 2 with Ravel’s left hand concerto, and Vitaly Starikov pairing Bartok 2 with…Schumann? The 2025 Cliburn may not be remembered for having a generational standout talent like Yunchan Lim three years ago, but it’s definitely attained its own brand of bold, bizarre, and fascinating.

Wednesday, June 4

THE FINALS, Day 1

by Joe Goetz

Tuesday night saw the beginning of the final round of the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. The finals are when most people really start paying attention - Bass Hall was packed, and the livestream on YouTube had about double the viewers of the previous rounds. Everyone loves a concerto! And last night, they heard three. Let’s dive in.

Aristo Sham: Mendelssohn - Piano Concerto No 1 in G minor, Op. 25

As Osip alluded to yesterday, this concerto is very much like a bottle of champagne. It was a sparkling start to the evening, as Sham’s scales, arpeggios, and octaves flew up and down the keyboard. It was nearly flawless execution, with brilliant shaping throughout. My only quibble was with the choice of the concerto itself, which, while an enjoyable listen (and a boatload of fun to play, as my 15 year-old self can attest), doesn’t really offer many opportunities to show off one’s depth of artistry. I thought Sham’s middle movement, the one long stretch to be truly expressive, to be a bit on the static side. All that aside, it was a confident performance. He’ll have a chance to explore more depth, endurance, and raw power when he tackles Brahms’s mighty second concerto on Friday night.

Angel Stanislav Wang: Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58

I mentioned on Monday that Wang was on my final round bubble. Spellbinding preliminary and quarterfinal recitals were followed by shakier performances in the semifinals, both for his solo recital and the Mozart concerto. That shakiness continued into the finals, where the quiet solo introduction was muddled and slow. It seemed as though conductor Marin Alsop tried to push the tempo forward a bit once the orchestra entered, but to no avail. That’s not to say there weren’t great moments in this concerto - there certainly were! His second movement was gorgeous. In general, though, I found that Angel’s performance suffered from a lack of direction and lack of partnership. I don’t think I saw him engage with Marin Alsop at any point, and given that concertos should be partnerships among soloist, conductor, and orchestra, this lack of engagement seemed to drag the energy down. Angel will have a chance to redeem himself on Friday night, where I’m guessing he’ll swing for the fences with Rachmaninoff’s epic Piano Concerto No. 3.

Evren Ozel: Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23

In contrast to Angel Stanislav Wang, Evren Ozel seems to thrive on communication with the musicians around him. He had already proved himself to be a more than capable soloist in his first two rounds, and then came the joy he shared with the Fort Worth Symphony and Carlos Miguel Prieto during his Mozart concerto in the semifinals. I was worried about this choice of piece for Ozel, which turned out to be a completely dumb worry on my part. His Tchaikovsky concerto was, as the late ESPN anchor Stuart Scott loved to say, “cooler than the other side of the pillow.” He avoided the rushing octaves in the middle of the first movement where many pianists look to show off. His tender opening to the second movement was exceptional, and he kept his true virtuosic powder dry until the giant octaves that lead into the work’s mighty coda. Just like in Mozart, smiles were on the menu for all, and it’s clear Ozel clearly derives great pleasure not just in his own music-making, but in sharing that music with his fellow performers and the audience. He’ll be back on Friday night as well, leading off that night’s concertos with Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4.

I’ll be watching tonight’s concertos on delay, as my kids have a track meet. Liszt from Philipp Lynov, Bartok(!!!) from Vitaly Starikov, and Prokofiev from Carter Johnson are all on tap, and I’ll have a recap tomorrow morning.

Tuesday, June 3

Know Your Concerto!

by Osip Nikiforov

A note from Joe Goetz: I asked Osip, a fabulous concert pianist in his own right, to provide us with his analysis of the ten concertos we’ll hear in the finals of the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. This is an essential read if you plan to watch the finals, as he points out all kinds of details he’ll be listening to, as well as the potential booby traps that might ensnare our very worthy but very exhausted six finalists. Enjoy!

Felix Mendelssohn: Piano Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 25
This lively and effervescent concerto will open the final round like a bottle of champagne. This concerto is often associated with junior piano competitions, mostly because of its length and the aforementioned liveliness, but in reality it is a technically demanding (if played in the prescribed tempos) and not so “light” piano concerto (with cascades of octaves in both hands!) that demands from the pianist a lot of ensemble work with the orchestra. Though this concerto is in three movements, they are all connected without a traditional break in between the movements. It will be very important for the pianist to start the engine right away with the first series of two-hand octaves at the very beginning of the work, as it will set the tone for the rest of the concerto. Given the blistering tempos of this concerto’s first and last movements, it will also be imperative for the pianist to listen to the winds (specifically woodwinds) very closely throughout this work, as it is typically easy to get ahead of them on the keys. I would expect the pianist to choose a lighter piano of the ones available, since this can make the pianist’s life infinitely easier particularly in this work. What a bubbly opening this one will bring! 

Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58
Staying in the same key of G major (the Mendelssohn will end in G major despite the key of the piece), we will immerse ourselves in the world of the sumptuous Beethoven G major piano concerto twice in this final round. Since the soloist opens this concerto with a recitative-like material, it will be revealing immediately how this concerto will be interpreted. We may get a completely different outlook on the opening phrase, like what the legendary pianist Mikhail Pletnev did in his bright and spontaneous start of the concerto (you can listen to it here). In any case, we will be listening to it attentively. Beyond this, the first movement has some invisible-to-the-naked eye challenges, one of which is how convincingly the pianist finishes their solo phrases and passes them on to the orchestra. In the second movement, it will be paramount for the pianist to capture the overall somber character - the imagery of Orpheus taming the Furies – and the tightly engaged dialogue between the piano and the orchestra. A lot can be revealed about the caliber of the musician in this movement. As for the finale, the pianist will be tasked with starting it in a dance-like manner of a rondo but keep themselves in check and away from derailment in the cascading broken arpeggios that this movement is full of. I am personally looking forward to hearing this concerto in the competition! 

Peter Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23
Although this concerto has really been overplayed in my head for some time now (mainly because of other competitions), it is not nearly as often performed at Cliburn as some of the other “workhorses”. Despite not being considered the most difficult piano concerto to perform, it is quite awkward to play pianistically and packs a number of technical traps that are at first not so obvious. For example, I will be watching for the cascading chord spots in the high register in the first movement, the nimble and swift middle part of the second movement, and the main theme of the finale, which is notoriously easy to mess up. Of course, we should not forget about the famous thunderous series of octaves that the first and last movements bring, which are perhaps the emblems of this concerto. Nor should we forget how decisive the long and multi-layered piano cadenza in the first movement can be for the whole performance effect and structure of the work. I am also curious to see if Evren Ozel will decide to not go with the interpretative clichés of this concerto, like the accelerating octaves in the middle of the finale before the orchestra’s tutti, for example. These clichés are mainly found in the tempo transitions of the concerto. This piece will bring an exciting end to the first day of the final round. 

Franz Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 2 in A Major
This concerto is one of those concertos that erase the boundaries between the clear (and traditional) concerto movement setup. It is in one single movement but has six distinct sections that are centered around several themes. These sections are all connected by Liszt’s emblematic “thematic transformations”, which are basically melodic permutations. The thing to pay attention to is how the pianist’s high register material will be blending with the woodwinds – an important interacting point throughout the concerto. Just like in the Mendelssohn, there is always a danger for the pianist to get ahead in his part, be it in the octave passages or the arpeggios. I am also interested in hearing how the pedal will be used in this concerto by the pianist, since it is very easy to step on it and forget about it, creating a constant swash of sound. To me, it is perhaps one of the more personal choices in this piece. I cannot wait for the hair-raising coda at the end! 

Bela Bartok: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Major
This will be beyond interesting. Not only would you be hard-pressed to attend this piano concerto’s live performance anywhere in the world, as it is rarely done, it is quite literally “unheard of” in a competition setting. I cannot recall ever seeing it performed at any competition or even having it on a competition concerto list. In any case, it is a good bet that it will be the Cliburn’s first ever performance of it. In the world of piano concertos, this work is among the most difficult, complex, and finger-breaking piano concertos ever written. There’s a reason why no one wants to perform it in a competition, where the rehearsal time is very limited. I am not only worried about the lack of time for rehearsing this work from the soloist’s standpoint, I am a little more worried about the orchestra getting it all together in a record time, also considering that they must rehearse nine other concertos and have eleven other performances. Again, from the soloist’s point of view, this concerto presents a possible opportunity to stand out from the rest of the group by presenting something rarely played and of utmost difficulty, but it could also backfire because of the jury’s relative unfamiliarity with it, as I am quite sure only few of them know this work intimately. What should we pay attention to in this concerto? Watch the tight collaboration between the pianist and individual instruments in the orchestra. In the first movement, there will be lots of interaction between the piano and the trumpet; in the second one, there will be some between the piano and the woodwinds. Expect to be absolutely covered in cross rhythms and syncopations. There will be a lot of hand crossovers and tremolos in the piano part in the second movement and lots of leaps in the finale. At any rate, it will be fascinating to see it live at the Cliburn! 

Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 30
The Cliburn Competition would not be the Cliburn if it didn’t feature at least once the awe-provoking, magisterial, and show-stopping concerto of all piano concertos (pardon my hyperbole). The expectations will be sky-high for this one because of the last edition’s winner’s triumph with this work and the standard that he set for this piece. This, however, should not be on the performer’s mind when he is on the stage on the third day of the finals. What will we be watching for in this behemoth of a concerto? There will be a lot of things. Perhaps, the most important one will be regarding the pianist’s interaction with the orchestra and the interpretation matching between the soloist and the conductor. Will the pianist choose the short or long cadenza in the first movement? This will significantly impact the impression of the concerto’s form perception. Also, it will be interesting to see what tempo the performer will elect for the first movement and particularly the finale. Will this be on the slower, more controlled side, or will the tempo be revved up? We will have to wait to find out. Regardless of the tempo, it will be a workout for the pianist who in different moments has to stay flexible to accompany and follow the orchestra and at the same time very firm to lead and even push it. With this concerto, however, lots of excitement is guaranteed. 

Johannes Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83
This is another behemoth of piano concertos that firmly sits in the Romantic repertoire of the 19th century and is one of the longest concertos ever written, taking about 50 minutes to complete. Although it will not be nearly as difficult to rehearse as the Bartok Piano Concerto No. 2, the soloist will still find himself pressed for rehearsal time and will have to be very purposeful about which spots to focus his most attention on, since it is, perhaps, the most “chamber-music-like” concerto in the final round. As my teacher, Yefim Bronfman, would say “once you’re done with the first two movements, you are in the clear for the rest”, this paints you the structure that this concerto has. It is almost as if this concerto was composed backwards in terms of heaviness of each movement – both in difficulty and scope. The things to watch out in the first movement will be the octave and chord jumps in both hands, occurring separately, that will be mixed with single notes in between- a notoriously difficult spot in the concerto that comes twice in the movement. As for the second movement, all I can say is that it is a left-hand workout in terms of transitions between the lowest register and the middle part of the keyboard. These have to be done fast, even if the soloist plays in the most “musical” manner, therefore, allowing a little more time for those jumps. The chamber-like quality of this concerto is in full display in the third movement, but watch out for the series of tightly composed chords in both hands in the piano part that are unexpectedly confusing to play for the pianist. After that, enjoy the dance-like finale. I am ecstatic that we will hear this concerto in the final round! 

Robert Schumann: Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op 54
Although, this is a staple in the Romantic piano concerto repertoire, it is not as often heard in piano competitions. It is certainly a very “musical” choice from the competitor to select this work. The first movement will explore the musical contrast of the conflict between the passionate Florestan and the introspective Eusebius – the two characters that Schumann often self-associates in his music. There is also a very expressive cadenza near the end of the movement that acts as a grand culmination. Watch for a lot of eye contact between the soloist and the solo lines of the orchestral instruments in the second movement. Also, prepare for the smooth and seamless transition into the finale, which is full of colorful weaving lines and vivacious character. This will be a fitting work to start the last day of performances at the Cliburn! 

Maurice Ravel: Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D Major
Another very unusual selection for any piano competition would be this concerto. This is certainly because a competitor usually wants to demonstrate their ability to perform a piano concerto with two hands, so it has nothing to do with the quality of music of this work. The central question for this work is (perhaps amusingly), will the pianist rest his right hand on the lap or on the lid area? We shall see. As for the layout of this concerto, it is in one movement but displays an unusual structure within having a perceived slow-fast-slow section layout. Expect an intentional ambiguity between the duple and triple rhythms throughout this concerto and, of course, lots of arpeggios in the left hand as one of the primary devices in the solo part. I am not sure if the pianist is left-handed, but if he is, it will be a good advantage to possess!

Sergei Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16
We will also be hearing two contestants play this work in the final round – one of them finishing the last day of the final round performances. This is one of the piano concerto behemoths in the piano repertoire. Having played this concerto on numerous occasions, I know firsthand that the pianist must have 100% focus throughout the concerto, as there is no slow movement, per se, where the pianist can take a breather. One of the unique features of this concerto is the ginormous cadenza in the first movement that takes half of it. It’s no doubt the most experimental and wild cadenza written for a piano concerto by a composer in the tonal language. That being said, it may not be the most difficult part of the concerto. The second movement is, in a way, more challenging because of its awkward and angular two-hand unison perpetual motion passages in a blazing fast tempo. The third movement is where the pianist can technically “recalibrate”, although it is not so straightforward to do, since the movement is full of hand crossovers and occasional chord leaps over the whole keyboard. Speaking of really wide leaps, you will be witnessing a plethora of them from the get-go in the finale. Given that this work is the last work (a heavy one!) on the contestants’ long program menu in the competition, perhaps don’t expect them to nail every leap in this treacherous movement. I will also be listening to the cadenza that comes near the end of the last movement as well as to the returning of the intro material at the very end that almost acts as a coda – this is the place where it is easy to lose focus after such a long journey. If this is your first time listening to this concerto, buckle up, as we will be experiencing a wild rollercoaster of a piece!

Monday, June 2

Semifinals, Day Five + The Finalists are Revealed

by Joe Goetz

Sunday was the last day of the Cliburn semifinals, and with the Mozart concertos all done, all that remained were four solo recitals. Of these four remaining pianists, only one moved on to the finals, and it was not at all who I expected. More on the finalists after the recap…

Semifinal Recitals, Sunday afternoon

Philipp Lynov opened the afternoon with two giants works: Ravel’s Miroirs and Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 8. Lynov’s full range of colors was on display during the Ravel, a work that while less difficult than the more often played Gaspard de la Nuit, still requires pianists to summon just about every skill in their toolkit. I was especially struck by the soundscape Lynov created in the work’s final movement, La vallée des cloches. Lynov opted for another “second place in the popularity contest” selection with his Prokofiev. Longer than the more popular 7th sonata, it’s every bit as difficult. Its rollicking coda in B-flat major was Lynov’s strongest performance in the competition to date, and as it turned out, it propelled him to the final round.

Up next, Chaeyoung Park explored the sacred and the profane with a fascinating musical journey that began with Myra Hess’s famous transcription of Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring and culminated with Beethoven’s monstrous Hammerklavier Sonata. The serenity and godliness of the Bach was followed without pause by the twisted sound world of Scriabin’s Piano Sonata No. 9 , Op. 68 ‘Black Mass.’ What a stunning segue that was, and with a commanding performance of the Beethoven to close out her recital, I thought she was a lock for the finals. She…was not, I’m afraid. More on that later.

Semifinal recitals, Sunday evening

Poland’s Piotr Alexewicz, fresh off his triumphant Mozart concerto a few nights prior, opted to begin his recital with Schumann’s intimate Fantasie in C Major, Op. 17. Almost a sonata in disguise, Piotr really shone in the work’s second section, an exuberant quais-march in E-flat major, and faked out the audience with that section’s apparently culmination of the entire work, only to bring everyone back to earth with a gorgeous actual conclusion. Judging by the live chat on the YouTube stream, everyone was very excited to hear Chopin’s Piano Sonata No. 2 played by a Polish contestant. Alas, I found his performance of the work to be lackluster. The scherzo and famous funeral march were marred by a lack of forward momentum, and the mysterious finale lacked shape. On the surface, that last movement looks like a cacophony of whirling notes, but deep within it there’s a harmonic structure that should be pronounced. It also needs menace, which I thought Piotr lacked. In any event, he shifted gears delightfully for his ending, George Gershwin’s Three Preludes. What a fun way to go out! He won’t be in the finals, but he’s to be a contestant in this fall’s Chopin Competition in Warsaw, where he’ll surely be a local favorite.

Finally, Yangrui Cai offered some Prokofiev that wasn’t one of the famous War Sonatas. Ten Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, Op. 75 started his recital off with an entertaining spark, as over the course of a little over thirty minutes we were treated to all the characters and drama of Shakespeare’s play through Prokofiev’s own piano arrangement of his ballet. My wife, who was busy preparing materials for her fifth grade classroom while we watched, said “this is a bop.” I agree! Up next, Thomas Ades’s Darknesse Visible, based on lute music by John Dowland, was a fitting prelude to Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit. Cai’s mastery of repeated notes in the Ades was on full display, as the volume and timbre of each set of repeated notes was different – some requiring a delicate touch, others needing more aggression and percussiveness. In Gaspard, the shimmering quavers in Ondine were not as coolly executed as Evren Ozel, nor was his Le Gibet as viscerally creepy, but Cai provided one of the best Scarbo interpretations of the competition. Unfortunately, and surprisingly, he was not picked to go to the finals.

After a 40 minute wait, the six finalists were announced:

Carter Johnson, Canada/United States
Philipp Lynov, Russia
Evren Ozel, United States
Aristo Sham, Hong Kong China
Vitaly Starikov, Israel/Russia
Angel Stanislav Wang, United States

Gallery: Six Finalists

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My prediction during the interlude included Johnson, Ozel, and Sham, but the other three ranged from understanding to complete surprise. Wang was on my bubble. There’s no denying his ability to communicate with an audience and bring the bravura, but I just wasn’t sure if his shaky semifinal performances might cost him a finals appearance. Evidently the judges let him through based on aptitude more than actual results, which I think is fair. Lynov I have never been totally sold on, but his semifinal recital was revelatory, and upon reflection I think he deserves his spot. Starikov is the only finalist I’m not so sure about. I thought his Mozart concerto was underwhelming and his semifinal recital was uneven, particularly his Chopin etudes. But his spot in the finals means we’re going to see a Bartok Piano Concerto No. 2 at the Cliburn, which is quite something! Good luck to the orchestra getting that prepared on a tight schedule…!

Let’s also address the elephant in the room, and that is the fact that all six finalists are male. Only 4 of the 28 performers invited to Fort Worth were female to begin with, but all four were fabulous performers. We’ve already talked about Magdelene Ho’s apparent snub after the preliminary round. Alice Burla was a borderline case, but I would’ve loved to see her make it to the semifinals at least. Yanjun Chen was, as I’ve written about, a compelling musician but likely too unseasoned to warrant a finals appearance. But Chaeyoung Park – man, I don’t quite get her exclusion from the finals. I thought her Hammerklavier was a step up from Aristo Sham’s, and her Mozart concerto was sublime. We don’t know how the judges came to these decisions, and we have to respect their process, but I can’t help but wonder about the optics of an all-male final round.

Speaking of the finals, they begin Tuesday night, and run through Saturday (with an off day on Thursday, presumably to give everyone a slight breather). Tomorrow we’ll have a look at all ten concertos the six performers will bring to the stage, courtesy of Osip Nikiforov, who’s played most of them himself! It’ll be a fascinating finals: only ONE Rachmaninoff and ONE Tchaikovsky, plus some oddball competition choices like Bartok 2, Ravel’s Left Hand Concerto, Schumann, and Mendelssohn are all coming up. More to come!

Sunday, June 1

Semifinals, Day Four

by Joe Goetz

Semifinal recitals, Saturday afternoon

Up first on Saturday was Vitaly Starikov, who opened with an uneven account of Chopin’s Twelve Etudes, Op. 25. I’m not sure if it was the microphone placement or a conscious choice on Starikov’s part, but I found the melody in the first etude to be buried in the sea of cascading arpeggios. In general, Starikov seemed to approach most of the etudes with caution, but also with a keen sense of narrative. It wasn’t until he arrived at the final three etudes that he unleashed more firepower, which is essential to get through them. I did, however, find the last etude to be too fast, as if Starikov was trying to prove something that wasn’t necessary to be proven. After a short Schubert-Liszt transcription, he closed with Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 7, which had me concerned given the rather tentative performance of the Chopin that preceded it. But Starikov proved up to the task, opting for less than breakneck speed in the finale but still plenty of momentum. Enough for him to make the finals? My sense is no, but we’ll see.

Carter Johnson was next, and most of his hour was devoted to the Schumann at his most wild and bizarre in the Davidsbundlertanze, Op. 6. Eighteen vignettes depicting Schumann’s opposing personalities, Florestan and Eusebius, it can cause whiplash for the listener if not performed well, and thankfully Johnson saved everyone’s necks. Schumann still confuses the heck out of me sometimes, but it was an enjoyable account. After Scriabin’s bizarrely colorful Five preludes, Op. 74, he closed with a piece that was new to me, Paul Hindemith’s Piano Sonata No. 3. I had no idea what to expect, having very limited knowledge of Hindemith’s piano music, but I loved it. The best way I could describe it is if Brahms and Scriabin decided to combine their powers. It was yet another example of the vivid programming mind Carter Johnson possesses, and I would be shocked if he’s not a finalist.

Semifinal concertos, Saturday night

I said in my previous update that I couldn’t’ imagine Friday evening’s concertos being topped, and I was right.  Saturday’s slate was a downgrade overall, but each performer had their moments. And one in particular stood head and shoulders above all the Mozart in the entire competition. The power rankings are thus:

No. 4: Yanjun Chen, Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K. 488
Yanjun had to come through in a big way following the disappointment of her semifinal recital, and I don’t think her Mozart concerto did the trick. Odd voicing and phrasing, an aggressive first entrance, and some occasional sloppiness did her no favors. That said, I still admire the heck out of her as an artist. She marches to the beat of her own drummer, and even though I doubt she’ll make the finals, she’s going to be fun to watch as she continues her career.

No. 3: Jonas Aumiller, Piano Concerto No. 27 in B-flat Major, K. 595
Jonas Aumiller continues to churn out nearly note-perfect and painstakingly well-thought-out performances, but in this case it felt more as if I was reading a textbook about Mozart’s 27th concerto than actually listening to it. I didn’t sense the same deep level of engagement with the orchestra and the varieties of color that Piotr Alexewicz provided the night before, and even the orchestra didn’t seem to be as excited about it. For the opposite take, please check out Jed Distler’s Cliburn Blog, as he makes the case for Aumiller over Alexewicz. Chacun son gout!

No. 2: Angel Stanislav Wang, Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466
Angel Stanislav Wang’s take-no-prisoners style is the perfect match for the darkness and drama in Mozart’s D Minor Concerto. At the risk of tooting my own horn, I was struck by how much he played it like I did (or how I wish I had, ha) back when I was in college a million years ago. He even flubbed the same passages in the development section that I did, and used the same well-loved Beethoven cadenzas. At the very end, he inexplicably accelerated, causing a brief moment of humorous chaos with the orchestra. Wang has big feelings when he plays, and when it works, it’s amazing. When it doesn’t, though, he gets into trouble. He’s on my final round bubble for now…we’ll see.

No. 1: Evren Ozel, Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major, K. 503
I was waiting all week for this one. Having watched Evren’s previous rounds, I could think of no better concerto for him to tackle in the Mozart phase than this exact one. And he delivered 100% and then some. Smiles were on his menu, which were shared by conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto, and most of the members of the orchestra whose faces were visible to the livestream cameras. Ozel wrote his own cadenza for the first movement, which was magnificent. His ovation was the loudest of the entire Mozart portion of the competition, and he just may have punched his ticket to the finals.

It's Sunday evening and I’m about to sit down to watch the last of the semifinal recitals. More on those, plus a list of the six finalists, coming tomorrow.

Saturday, May 31

Semifinals, Day Three

by Joe Goetz

Day Three of the Cliburn semifinals featured two more solo recitals and then a set of Mozart piano concertos that is going to be hard to top. Of course, I say this now, early on a Saturday morning, and I suppose tonight’s slate of concertos could be even better, but that would be a very tall order.

Semifinal recitals, Friday afternoon

Yanjun Chen of China was the afternoon’s first competitor, opening with the Ballade No. 2 in F, Op. 38 by Frederic Chopin. Now, before I say anything else, I will say that Yanjun has been one of the most fiery players in the competition this far. She amps everything up to the max, and until this point, it has paid dividends, as it’s been pretty apparent she’s an audience favorite. Unfortunately, after taking corners on two wheels, she lost control of the car during this Chopin. Her Ballade was off the rails, and although she was able to rein it back in a bit during the beautiful Etude Op. 10, No. 3, the damage had been done. I could see the look of weary disappointment on her face before she did quite the job recombobulating herself for Schumann’s epic Kreisleriana. The Schumann was outstanding by comparison, full of the wild emotional swings that make his music so enchanting. He and Yanjun would’ve gotten along quite well, I think. She concluded with another Chopin etude, bowed to her adoring audience, and walked off stage looking forlorn. She’s a hell of a compelling artist, but I’m not sure she’ll make it to the finals after all those unforced errors.

Evren Ozel, YourClassical’s hometown guy, was next. After a colorful Les jeux d’eaux à la Ville d’Este by Franz Liszt, Evren stayed in the water for Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit. The opening movement, Ondine (the water sprite), was a masterclass in quiet control, and the second movement, Le gibet, was the most creepily haunting version in the competition so far. Scarbo, however, was a different story. Now, I should be clear that we’re talking about one of the most difficult pieces for the piano ever written, but Evren never looked quite comfortable with it. A few flubbed notes and muddy repeated notes at the outset threatened to derail his performance, but he recovered admirably as the movement went on. His strongest part of the recital was yet to come, Beethoven’s monumental Piano Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111. This piece is pure ahead-of-his-time late Beethoven, and Evren was in his element. The variations in the work’s final movement steal the show, and Evren took some pretty brisk tempos (especially in the “boogie woogie” variation, as I like to call it), but at no point were any of his tempo choices in poor taste. The whole performance was clear, cool, and calculated. If Evren moves on to the final round, I would guess that Beethoven is his ticket.

Semifinal concertos, Friday night

We were treated to a smorgasbord of Mozart last night: four concertos in about two and a half hours, and everyone was on their game. That includes the amazing Fort Worth Symphony conducted by Carlos Miguel Prieto, who seemed to be having more fun than anyone else. I think what made the evening so special is that each pianist seemed to pick a concerto that was a perfect match for their personalities and musical strengths. Let’s get into these concertos, using the same Power Ranking format from the last recap.

No. 4: Elia Cecino, Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor, K. 491
Elia was the second pianist of the evening’s concerto wave, and although he’s last in my power rankings, that doesn’t mean he wasn’t good. It’s just a reflection of how amazing the night was overall. Elia’s performance was full of brawn, which is just what’s required of this concerto, the only one of Mozart’s piano concertos to feature the full complement of winds as well as timpani. It’s a precursor to Beethoven, and Elia treated it as such. At times it seemed like he got a little ahead of the orchestra, but I’m willing to let that slide given the compressed rehearsal schedule of the competition.

No. 3: Aristo Sham, Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K. 488
I have in my notes from Aristo’s performance just one word: “perfect.” So what’s he doing third in the rankings? Well, I had no idea how awesome the rest of the night would be. And Sham’s performance was pretty darn perfect, with gorgeous articulation and phrasing througout, soulful mourning in the slow movement, and just the right amount of opera buffa in the finale. It would’ve been the best part of the night in any other situation, but everyone last night was just that good.

No. 2: Yangrui Cai, Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major, K. 503
It is truly a tossup between Yangrui Cai and Aristo Sham, but I have to give Yangrui the slightest of edges just because the technical demands of Mozart’s 25th concerto are just that much higher than those in the 23rd. His performance was declarative from the get-go, and he earned few bonus points with the Cliburn faithful by choosing cadenzas by 2017 Cliburn silver medalist Kenny Broberg.

No. 1: Piotr Alexewicz, Piano Concerto No. 27 in B-flat major, K. 595
Words escape me in attempting to describe this transcendent performance. Written five years (or more) after the other Mozart concertos heard to this point, there’s a more romantic sensibility and lush veneer to the piece than its predecessors, even though the size of the orchestra is smaller than, say, the very large 24th concerto. Mozart’s harmonic language is also far more complex, as he explores keys far distant from the home key of B-flat major. Piotr reveled in all of this, and as a Chopin pianist at heart, completely leaned into the textures that, had Mozart lived longer, might have evolved into a more Chopinesque sound. This was a performance I and others won’t soon forget. Bravo.

Friday, May 30

Semifinals, Day Two

by Joe Goetz

Day Two of the Cliburn semifinals featured two more solo recitals plus our first Mozart concertos of the competition – which gives me the chance to shout out the heroic Fort Worth Symphony. My goodness, those folks are incredible. Rehearsing multiple Mozart concerti, in a slimmed down chamber version of themselves, and performing live on a worldwide web stream…that is pressure! Next week will be even more nuts for the orchestra. Hats off to them!

Semifinal recitals, Thursday afternoon

The two solo recitals from yesterday were a study in polar opposite styles. Up first was Angel Stanislav Wang, who opened with a ferocious performance of Beethoven’s Appassionata Sonata. I got the sense quite early in this piece that it wasn’t really in his wheelhouse, but he sure sold it, as imperfect as his performance was. I truly hate being a rookie officer in the Wrong Note Police, but there were lots of them. Will his tenacious interpretation overcome his wildness to impress the judges? We won’t know until Sunday night. After Beethoven were some Bolcom etudes that didn’t keep my attention, followed by a complete Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky. Wang approached the stately Promenade with the same aggressiveness that he brought to the Beethoven, but he left room for fun and whimsy, especially in the Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks, which was delightful. All in all, it was a convincing survey of Pictures, albeit risky like the Beethoven, so we’ll see if he makes it to the finals.

Germany’s Jonas Aumiller was next, and it was immediately apparent that his style is the anti-Wang. He opened with the Bach-Busoni Organ prelude and Fugue in D, BWV 532, and I was impressed with his control of the cascading left hand octaves that masked just how virtuosic the piece truly is. The six Klavierstucke, Op. 118 of Brahms were next, and Aumiller’s ability to shift deftly from the rhapsodic A major Intermezzo (No. 2) to the brittle intensity of the G minor Ballade (No. 3) was captivating. The Romanze in F major (No. 5) I’d add to our Sleep Stream (shameless plug!) in a heartbeat. After the last work, an Intermezzo in E-flat minor, Aumiller moved on without pause to Chopin’s Impromptu No. 2 in F-sharp major, Op. 36. Aha, another perfect key signature segue for your boy here (F-sharp major is de facto the relative major of E-flat minor, please music theory nerds don’t bother me about the enharmonic details I’m leaving out). Aumiller closed his recital with his own transcription of Liszt’s symphonic poem Les Preludes. Aumiller’s mimicry of Liszt’s piano techniques was spot on, down to the uber-cool octave glissandos in both hands. I just wish he had chosen one of Liszt’s more interesting symphonic poems to transcribe, as I have always found Les Preludes to be a fantastically mundane piece of music. Thankfully Aumiller’s performance of it was anything but sedate.

As the field will be cut in half prior to the finals, I have to wonder which of these two the judges would choose. Both offer world class virtuosity, one with high-wire drama and action, the other with refined restraint. I should clarify that thought, however - the judges will cut the whole field in half, not every pair of hour-long recitals each day. So they both might make it, or they both might not. We’ll have to wait and see.

Semifinal Concertos, Thursday night

Let’s try something a little different for these, rather than a straight recap. I’m going to offer my Mozart Concerto Power Rankings for the four pianists who performed last night, in order from my least favorite to most. It’s important to note, though, that a) all four pianists were outstanding, and b) their performances are even more remarkable given the relative lack of rehearsal time. Such is the nature of big competitions…

No. 4: Philipp Lynov, Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat, K. 271
This is one of Mozart’s more unusual piano concertos in that the piano enters only a bar into the piece. Although brief orchestra tutti is marked forte, there’s not a specific dynamic marking for this piano entrance, which is usually played assertively, yet delicately. Lynov opted for the assertive side of the spectrum with his entrance, which startled me a bit. The rest of his performance was milk-and-potatoes Mozart through and through – nothing remarkable, nothing negative.

No. 3: Vitaliy Starikov, Piano Concerto No. 23 in A, K. 488
One of the most popular Mozart concertos, K. 488 is a roller coaster of drama and humor. Its opening movement unfolds unsurprisingly, but the Adagio in the middle is full of despair. The third movement, however, is a comic opera masquerading as a piano concerto. Starikov captured the emotional essences of these movements with aplomb, and his occasional smiles throughout conveyed an infectious enjoyment. His articulation was superb, almost to a fault. I found his phrasing to be a tad brittle, especially in moments that were supposed to be more bel canto. But it was still a spirited account of one of my favorites.

No. 2: Chaeyoung Park, Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466
My absolute favorite Mozart concerto (and the only one I’ve ever played myself, so I’m likely very biased), Park gave a positively operatic account of one of only two concertos Mozart wrote in a minor key. Liberal use of pedal, freedom with tempos, long and flowing phrases, and her usage of cadenzas by Robert Levin may not have appealed to all, but they aligned with my own conception of the piece. I only wish I could’ve played it as well as she did.

No. 1: Carter Johnson, Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat, K. 482
Before we get to Carter, I have to talk up the winds in the Fort Worth Symphony in this performance. Stellar work, folks. Just beautiful. As for Carter, he showed yet another side of his mature musicianship. After early round recitals featuring Bartok and Prokofiev, hearing his Mozart was a revelation. It was the perfect marriage of classical sensibility and romantic drama. I loved his ornaments, and his milking of the final movement’s drama (it contains a quasi-slow movement with it) was boatloads of fun to watch. High marks alla round.

More solo recitals, and four more concertos, coming later today!  Recap tomorrow.

Thursday, May 29

The Semifinals are Underway

by Joe Goetz

Last night, the semifinals of the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition began with just two pianists giving their solo recitals. The next four days will be a LOT busier, with recitals each afternoon, then Mozart concertos with the Forth Worth Symphony in the evening. For this round, the twelve remaining pianists will perform an hour-long solo recital, as well as a Mozart concerto from a list curated by the Cliburn. Let’s get to a recap of last night’s relatively brief session:

Up first was Hong Kong’s Aristo Sham, who took a big risk in the quarterfinals with Beethoven’s Hammerklavier Sonata. Aristo began his semifinal recital with Rachmaninoff’s arrangement of several movements from Bach’s Violin Partita No. 3. The voicing of counterpoint in the opening Preludio was exquisite, as were the sparkling leaps in the Gavotte, and the perfectly even runs in the Giga. After a trill-filled and rather spacy (but that’s the point!) Piano Sonata No. 10 by Alexander Scriabin, Aristo returned to long-form programming with a complete survey of Rachmaninoff’s nine Etudes-Tableaux, Op. 39. The challenge with these works is to not simply treat them as exercises (hence the “Etudes” part of the title), but to also paint pictures with the music. In fact, at least two of these works are directly inspired by paintings. Aristo accomplished this quite well, although I did have one minor quibble about dynamics. I felt that at times his soft parts were not soft enough, making the many climaxes in these works less effective. In the middle of the 5th Etude-Tableau, there’s a quiet and foreboding stretch that I personally love to hear as quiet as possible, which makes the thunderous chromatic ascent back to the giant dominant seventh heralding the return of the main theme much more powerful. Aristo seemed to keep this section at more of a mezzo piano, which didn’t allow him enough room to grow. Similarly, the march-like final Etude-tableau has a pretty long build-up to its final flourish, and I thought Aristo began this part too loudly, which made him really push hard at the end, resulting in a rather obvious (but forgivable) sour note in the work’s final bars. But, again, these are minor quibbles, and his spirited performance will likely be a highlight of this round.

Going next (and last) was Italy’s Elia Cecino. I’ve had my doubts about Elia, but he’s gotten stronger each round, and that trend continued last night. A placid Tchaikovsky nocturne opened his program, followed by another sonata in the key of F-sharp minor. In the previous round, Cecino played Scriabin’s Piano Sonata No. 3, and in this round he chose Schumann’s Piano Sonata No. 1. Aside from their shared key signature, I couldn’t help but contemplate the connections between these two otherwise disparate composers. Both explored wildly opposing personalities in their music, and both were often misunderstood by their contemporaries and by subsequent generations of musicians. Cecino’s performance of this sprawling sonata by Schumann was full of personality, though I admit I still have a very hard time understanding the work. I actually pulled out the score and was looking at it in bed last night (my wife thought I was nuts), and it’s even wilder than I remember the last time I looked at it. Anyway, after the Schumann, Cecino offered one of the most perfect programmatic choices of the competition so far, playing Sofia Gubaidulina’s Toccata-troncata as a prelude, without pause, to Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 7. What can be said about this incredible work, Prokofiev’s de facto middle finger to Stalin, that hasn’t already been written? His performance built in energy and anger, sweat pouring off his brow, bringing the work’s final movement (marked Precipitato) to a thrilling conclusion.

If last night was any indication, the judges are going to have a nearly impossible task cutting the current field in half. Every remaining competitor is world-class, so there will be plenty of heartbreak to go with the jubilation. More later!

Tuesday, May 27

Listen to a Teenaged Evren Ozel!

by Joe Goetz

As I mentioned in a previous post, we at YourClassical are based in Minnesota, thus we’re all very excited about Minneapolis native Evren Ozel’s participation in the 2025 Cliburn and his ascent to the ranks of the semifinalists. Let’s turn the clock back eleven years to 2014, when a 15-year-old Ozel was a participant in MPR’s Minnesota Varsity, showcasing young musical talent from across the state. On an April afternoon that year, he wowed the audience at the Fitzgerald Theater (and the thousands listening to their radios to the live broadcast) with this performance of Prokofiev. Enjoy!

Monday, May 26

Quarterfinals + Looking Ahead to the Semis

by Joe Goetz and Osip Nikiforov

It was a weekend to remember at the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. A surprise withdrawal, some controversial decisions, and of course, a boatload of stellar playing leaves us a LOT to talk about on this Memorial Day. The quarterfinals offer competitors a simple choice: Do they use their next 40-minute recital to double down on the types of music and performances that earned them their spot, or do they switch gears and try to show the judges (and the audience) a different side of themselves? There’s no right or wrong answer to this question. Big thanks to my intern Osip Nikiforov for writing up the Sunday morning and Sunday afternoon recitals, as I was taking a much-needed Cliburn break on the golf course, soaking in the absolutely perfect 72-degree Minnesota sunshine, and taking some much-needed dollars off my buddies (sorry, guys, better luck next time). Anyway, let’s get into it!

Quarterfinal Recital No. 1, Saturday afternoon
(recap from Joe)

The quarterfinals began, quite literally, in fantasyland, with Shangru Du of China. Beethoven’s Fantasia, Op. 77 and Scriabin’s Fantasy in B Minor were followed by Rachmaninoff’s Polichinelle from the Morceaux de Fantasie, Op. 3. Wrapping up his program was what has apparently become this Cliburn’s “gotta do it” selection, Liszt’s Dante Sonata. The Beethoven and Scriabin were solid, but things started to go off the rails with several imprecise moments in the Rachmaninoff. Du’s Liszt was similarly plagued, and when combined with his conservative approach to the piece, it left me concerned about his chances. Those concerns ended up being well-founded, as Du was not one of the 12 contestants moving on to the semifinals.

Up next was one of the more shocking moments I’ve witnessed in a major music competition. Xiaofu Ju, also from China, took the stage and sat at the piano. He then looked deeply at his hands, got up, took a bow, and left the stage as the concerned audience murmured anxiously. The competition would soon announce Ju’s withdrawal, citing “health concerns.” No details were ever provided beyond that, and it was a heartbreaking end of Ju’s competition. We wish him well!

Carter Johnson, representing Canada and the United States, then took the stage after an hour break (the schedule had assumed Ju would do a 40-minute recital, plus a 20-minute recess following). He was one of my favorites from the first round, and in his second round he reminded me why, choosing the “double down” approach to his programming. Four selections from Brahms’s Klavierstucke, Op. 76 were placed between two sets of preludes by Dmitri Shostakovich. He concluded his recital with the otherworldly Piano Sonata by Bela Bartok. The thing with Bartok is that you either love him or hate him, and though I admit this sonata is not the kind of music I’d listen to for pleasure (or likely ever program for the radio), the colors and timbres Johnson produced were undeniably compelling. I was transfixed, and I was both unsurprised and elated to see his name called as a semifinalist late on Sunday evening.

I didn’t think Johnson could be topped, but then I heard David Khrikuli of Georgia. More Brahms was on his menu, the complete Fantasien, Op. 116, followed by yet another Liszt Dante Sonata. Khrikuli immediately reminded me, just by his manner onstage, let alone his playing, of the “old school” of Russian pianists. I texted Osip and said, “This guy is downright Gilelsian.” His Brahms opened with a remarkable depth of sonority, but then I also said to myself “What is he going to do with the E major Op. 116/4?” I wasn’t disappointed, as he ascended from the depths of what had come before into an unbelievably peaceful and heavenly calm. His Liszt that followed set the standard, as far as I was concerned, for that piece and its place in this competition. He was a shoe-in for the semifinals — or so I thought. More on that later.

Quarterfinal Recital No. 2, Saturday evening
(recap from Joe)

There are many kinds of courage: jumping out an an airplane, speaking truth to power, and — maybe the most courageous of all — playing Beethoven’s Hammerklavier Sonata in the second round of a major international piano competition (wink wink). Aristo Sham of Hong Kong, China, did just that. It’s a monumental feat of strength and endurance to get through this work, and Sham didn’t just get through it, he actually seemed to build strength throughout it. The centerpiece of the work is its third movement, Adagio sostenuto, which the writer Wilhelm von Lenz called “a mausoleum of collective sorrow.” Sham took his time through this movement, so much time that I was concerned he would go over the 40-minute mark. But no worries — he launched into the sonata’s closing fugue with raw firepower, plowing through it while maintaining its elaborate structure. At the end, he looked weary? Relieved? Likely both. He’s moving on to the semis.

The stage was then set for American Angel Stanislav Wang, who brought a whole other kind of firepower (literally). After opening with a work that more traditionally closes many recitals, Ravel’s La Valse, Wang spent his next 15 minutes or so exploring seemingly all the colorful possibilities the modern piano can offer through a set of Debussy preludes. The last of these was the explosive Feux d’artifice (“Fireworks”), which was a fitting segue into his grand finale, Guido Agosti’s transcription of Igor Stravinsky’s ballet The Firebird. I had never seen this performed live before, and it was jaw-dropping. After its conclusion, as the audience in Fort Worth was giving Wang a raucous ovation, my son who was sitting next to me on the couch simply said “How…?” I don’t know, buddy, but I do know now that Wang is on to the semifinals.

Finally, Philipp Lynov of Russia offered us a taste of his homeland with the Prelude and Fugue in G-sharp Minor, Op. 29 by Sergei Taneyev. Do yourself a favor and read about Taneyev’s relationship with Tchaikovsky; it’s fascinating. Anyway, this thick, complex music was well executed in Lynov’s hands, but I can’t say the same for his Piano Sonata No. 1 in F-sharp Minor, Op. 11 by Robert Schumann. Schumann is always problematic, as his music doesn’t always feel organic to the hands, and even if you are able to untangle the technical challenges, you then have to figure out how to interpret it. There were some unfortunate errors in Lynov’s performance, but I think he handled it as well as could be expected. He’ll be moving on, although I have some thoughts about that later.

Quarterfinal Recital No. 3, Sunday morning
(recap from Osip)

Sunday morning’s session was opened by Jonas Aumiller, Germany. His thunderous yet poetic Liszt’s Saint François de Paule marchant sur les flots was just what the doctor ordered on a crisp Sunday morning. It was also the first time this work was heard at the competition. As we started immersing ourselves in Debussy’s Feux d'artifice from Préludes, Book II, maybe because of the complete musical language change, I didn’t quite feel enough that we were in the sumptuous world of the impressionist master composer. Beethoven’s monumental last piano sonata followed, bringing the pianist back to his element. While it was very well executed, I felt this sonata lacked the exact monumentality that it is all about. Overall, a very solid performance by Jonas.

Up next, Mikhail Kambarov, Russia, took the stage. It was certainly a bold choice of programming that caught my eye. Le baiser de l'Enfant-Jésus from Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus by Messiaen is very rarely programmed in competitions. It was quite the spiritual experience hearing this work on a Sunday morning, and though Mikhail played it beautifully, I am just not sure if this was a wise programming choice for the quarterfinals. The same Beethoven sonata was played back to back — this time opening with much more gravitas, setting up the pulse of the work from the get-go. After hearing Mikhail play this work, I couldn’t stop thinking how the spirituality of this work was indeed well transferred from the Messiaen, perhaps, after all making the whole round’s program very organic.

After the brief intermission, Piotr Alexewicz, Poland, started his quarterfinal round with the famed Pour le piano by Debussy, bringing different tone qualities and their respective colors, which this work is full of, with a wonderful sense of musical “time”. His Six Pieces for Piano by Ottorino Respighi was equally convincing with elaborate voicing and beautiful touch. The same personal sense of musical “time” was fully on display here as well. As musical as the Prokofiev Piano Sonata No. 3 was, I personally thought it lacked a bit of a bite and angularity (in a good sense of the word) that this work is full of. That being said, he strongly placed (or should I say played) himself into the contention for the semis.

The last competitor of the morning session, Alice Burla of Canada, took the stage with the self-asserting Sonata in G Minor, H. 47 by C.P.E. Bach. Generally speaking, C.P.E. Bach is one of those composers who needs special interpretive powers from the performer to make his music truly make sense or even be cohesive. I think Alice succeeded in that by bringing the needed improvisational freedom needed in this sonata. A very lovely contrast of Nocturne No. 6 in D-flat Major by Fauré followed, which felt to me like very personal storytelling. As interesting as the Variations on a Polish Folk Theme by Szymanowski were, from my own competition experience, I felt the program needed something a little more “known”, considering the previous two works. This all could prove to be a stepping stone, though, I hope to be wrong.

Quarterfinal Recital No. 4, Sunday afternoon
(recap from Osip)

The afternoon session was opened by Yanjun Chen of China, with Mozart’s Sonata No. 10 in C Major. I could tell she was enjoying herself very much in this work, and it showed — beautifully shaped lines, an array of varying articulation, and tons of playfulness visually and audibly. That feeling of “planned” spontaneity transferred to Debussy with a wide palette of colors in spades. Her last piece on the program, Medtner’s Sonata tragica, though played very energetically — “turning it up” as described by the Cliburn commentators — some sections were taken, perhaps, a tad bit too fast, resulting in evoking some imagery other than “tragic”. Nevertheless, Yanjun will always have a following, regardless of how this competition unfolds for her.

Next, American Jonathan Mamora, whom I personally know very well, took the stage with a palate cleanser in the form of Mozart’s Adagio in B minor, which was played soulfully and delicately. The next piece — Liszt’s Sonata in B minor — although written in the same key of B minor, started, of course, with the famous two G’s, from which Jonathan was completely immersed in the world of Faust and Mephistopheles. As he went on, I felt that the majority of the sonata lacked the overall dramaticism in the dark Mephistopheles-esque parts. That being said, I did enjoy his recitatives and more reflective parts of the sonata. A performance of this sonata at a competition of any level is always a feat, and I respect and admire him for bringing this sonata to this edition of the Cliburn.

For the last batch of the afternoon session performers, it was a nice warm feeling to see the Minnesota native, Evren Ozel, come onto the stage and begin his recital with a very bouncy and dance-like Bartok Out of Doors, including lots of nature sound effects in “The Night Music.” It was very captivating! The main fare in his program, though, was Schumann’s Humoreske — a piece that is loaded with traps both interpretational, conceptual, as well as purely technical (I can personally attest to that, having performed that piece myself many times). Evren handled this piece with mastery and confidence of a seasoned performer, which he certainly is. I loved how he managed to hold this piece all tight together despite its very nature of sectionality.

Chaeyoung Park, South Korea, wrapped up the afternoon session starting with Stravinsky-Agosti’s Firebird, and oh boy, was that bird on fire! Debussy’s Général Lavine – eccentric was played very convincingly and wittily. Le baiser de l'Enfant-Jésus by Messiaen, although another piece by a French composer of the 20th century, felt more organic and “at home” for the pianist in my opinion. The final course in an already heavy meal was none other than Brahms’s Variations on a theme of Paganini, Book II. This was played with a boldness and drive this music deserves yet still elegant and musical. This was a very fitting end to the afternoon session.

Quarterfinal Recital No. 5, Sunday evening
(recap from Joe)

Elia Cecino of Italy led off the last of the quarterfinal recitals with Joseph Haydn’s Sonata in E Minor, Hob. XVI:34. It was a spirited performance, but something about it nagged at me, like Cecino didn’t actually enjoy it himself. Mendelssohn’s Variations sérieuses, op. 54 followed, one of my favorites. Yet Cecino seemed tentative in his performance, and I felt that he missed a lot of the work’s dramatic arc. He then switched gears to Scriabin, with the rarely heard Sonata No. 3 in F-Sharp minor, Op. 23. From the first notes, it was if the weight of the world was lifted from Cecino’s shoulders, as if this was what he was meant to play all along. It started wobbly to my ears, but quickly he found his stride, and by the end I was very impressed. He’s moving on, and I have to guess it’s solely on the basis of that Scriabin, and not the two works that came before it.

China’s Yangrui Cai was next, offering us more Scriabin (the Fantasy in B minor again), then Liszt’s Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude, which is one of the most personal offerings the great piano master left us. Cai played it beautifully, although a bit impersonally (to me). Just a matter of taste is all. Anyway, he concluded with Three Movements from Petruskha by Igor Stravinsky, always a wild crowd-pleaser, and he seemed right at home with its constant barrage of leaps, repeated notes, and shifting colors. He’s a semifinalist.

Finally, Vitaly Starikov served up a Mozart Allegro, which was the perfect warmup for Liszt’s Les jeux d'eaux à la Villa d'Este. I have rarely heard such quiet precision in the high-register filigrees in the right hand. Starikov wrapped his recital with Schumann’s Symphonic Etudes, which is basically a glorified set of variations on a brooding chorale theme. That brooding turns to unbridled exuberance in the finale, and the whole journey was flawless from start to finish. Vitaly is also a semifinalist.

We only had to wait about 35 minutes for the jury to announce the complete list of semifinalists:

Piotr Alexewicz, Poland
Jonas Aumiller, Germany
Yangrui Cai, China
Elia Cecino, Italy
Yanjun Chen, China
Carter Johnson, Canada/United States
Philipp Lynov, Russia
Evren Ozel, United States
Chaeyoung Park, South Korea
Aristo Sham, Hong Kong China
Vitaly Starikov, Israel/Russia
Angel Stanislav Wang, United States

Now, about David Khrikuli. I was not alone in my shock to see his name left off this list. His performances were more than solid, full of brains, brawn, and heart. And they all had a level of technical mastery that was, in my opinion, at the high end of the spectrum we’ve seen so far in the competition. Alice Burla is another name I am surprised to see omitted. Perhaps her imaginative programming (Haydn/Ligeti/Barer in the first round, C.P.E. Bach/Faure/Szymanowski in the quarters) was just too out there for the judges? We may never know. I told myself when I started this blog that I’d try to refrain from anything that smacks of “I would’ve done this” or “I wouldn’t have done that,” but given the uneven performances of Elia Cecino and Philipp Lynov, I have a hard time understanding why they get to move on and David and Alice do not. BUT — at the end of the day — every one of these people are fantastic pianists, and no matter the result, they should hold their heads high. At the very least, we now know their names, and we can follow them and support them no matter what happens next.

What happens next at the Cliburn are the semifinals, which begin on Wednesday evening. Each of the remaining performers will play one hourlong recital, plus a Mozart piano concerto with the Fort Worth Symphony as the competition changes venues to Bass Hall, the Symphony’s home. Until then, enjoy the last hours of Memorial Day weekend.

Saturday, May 24

Preliminary Round, Day 3 + Who’s Moving On

by Joe Goetz

I’ve got to keep this update as brief as possible today due to various weekend plans, including a honey-do list that’s a mile long. We’ll take a look at the last recitals of the preliminary round and reveal who’s moving on (and who isn’t) to the quarterfinals, which begin in a very short time this afternoon. 

Preliminary Recital No. 7

First up on Friday morning was Evren Ozel. Full disclosure: I and others at YourClassical are quietly rooting for Evren because we are based in Minnesota, and Evren grew up in Minneapolis. The last Minnesota contestant in the Cliburn was Kenny Broberg in 2017, and he went on to medal. In any event, my potential bias aside, Evren showed up with a near-perfect Partita No. 5 by J.S. Bach, the required Montero, and a masterfully controlled Rachmaninoff Corelli Variations. He’ll be moving on, unlike the Timberwolves, who seem to be done for. Up next was South Korea’s Sung Ho Yoo, who I thought brought the best Rachmaninoff Piano Sonata No. 2 the competition had seen so far, but he was one of the unfortunate 10 voted off Cliburn Island at the end of the night. Another South Korean, Chaeyoung Park, wrapped up the morning’s recitals with the quietest opening we’ve heard so far, Rachmaninoff’s G Major prelude, and ended with a frenzy in Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 8. I was a little surprised to see such a large work in the competition’s opening round, and it seemed like a boom-or-bust proposition, but it turned out to be a boom. She’s moving on.

Preliminary Recital No. 8

The midafternoon action began with Spain’s Pedro Lopez Salas, who provided a daring opening work in Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 10, K. 330. I don’t consider this to be a competition piece, but I have fond memories of my father playing through this work when I was younger, especially its tender slow movement. Perhaps Salas was paying homage to his fellow Spaniard Alicia de Larrocha (who recorded Mozart oh-so-brilliantly back in the day)? In any event, it was just fine, and he followed it after Rachtime with, as they’d say on Monty Python, something completely different: Alberto Ginastera’s Piano Sonata No. 1. The crowd loved it, but it wasn’t enough to move Salas to the next round.

Next, Japan’s Kotaro Shigemori opened with the late Chopin Nocturne in E, Op. 62/2, followed without pause by Scriabin’s Sonata No. 2. I’m a sucker for programming pieces linked together via harmony, and the E major to G-sharp minor transition made my music-theory heart sing. After Rachtime, Shigemori ended with Liszt’s Dante Sonata, which I found to be far more emotionally effective and technically sound than Piotr Alexewicz’s performance of the same work the previous day, but evidently the judges disagreed. Shigemori goes home, Alexewicz moves on.

Finally, Italy’s lone representative in the competition, Elia Cecino, began with a lighthearted Prelude and Fugue by Dmitri Shostakovich, and a similarly lighthearted Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 16 in G, Op. 31/1. I don’t follow the competition circuit regularly, but I can’t imagine this particular Beethoven sonata making regular appearances. Cecino played it well, then concluded with the Gounod-Liszt Faust Waltz. The gold standard for this piece, in my biased ears, is my buddy Di Wu’s performance from the 2009 Cliburn, and Cecino fell short of that. It seemed as if the sudden shift from the lighter fare with which he began threw him off balance a bit, but it was enough for him to move on to the next round, where apparently we’ll get to hear him play Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 7. Just a bit different from Beethoven…! 

Preliminary Recital No. 9

Just two pianists in the evening wave. First up, China’s Yangrui Kai, who opened with Bach’s Toccata in D, BWV 912. I found the opening of this toccata to be a tad syrupy, with liberal use of pedal and lots of romantic-style liberties with phrasing and tempo. But in the back end, Kai deftly shifted gears into a much more “traditional” Bach sound, which by extension shifted my reaction from perplexed to delighted. After some bagatelles by the contemporary composer Carl Vine, Kai’s main event was the Liszt arrangement of the overture to Richard Wagner’s Tannhäuser. A tour de force of virtuosity, Kai thundered through it, perhaps getting a little too bangy at times for my liking, but his chops were undeniable. He’s moving on.

Finally, Vitaly Starikov, representing both Russia and Israel, opened with a rather watered-down version of Bach’s Toccata in F-sharp Minor, BWV 910. Usually this is my favorite of Bach’s toccatas, but the note I have written for myself is “meh.” Thankfully, that “meh” feeling quickly faded away with a spritely rendition of Chopin’s Scherzo No. 4 in E, Op. 54. The lightest of Chopin’s four scherzi, and the only one in a major key, Starikov brought whimsy to its outer sections and just the right amount of tender melancholy to the middle. Spot on. After Rachtime, Starikov brought us another Shostakovich Piano Sonata No. 1. I’ll admit my first thought was “Oh, no, not again,” but after hearing it in his hands, I found myself in a Brennan and Dale situation from the movie Stepbrothers: Did we just become best friends?? YUP! OK, so maybe I am still not in love with the piece, but Starikov’s excellent account of it changed my feelings quite a bit on it, which is the sure sign of a great artist. He’s moving on.

About an hour after the conclusion of the evening’s recitals, the 18 pianists moving on to the quarterfinals were announced:

Piotr Alexewicz, Poland
Jonas Aumiller, Germany
Alice Burla, Canada
Yangrui Cai, China
Elia Cecino, Italy
Yanjun Chen, China
Shangru Du, China
Carter Johnson, Canada/United States
Xiaofu Ju, China
Mikhail Kambarov, Russia
David Khrikuli, Georgia
Philipp Lynov, Russia
Jonathan Mamora, United States
Evren Ozel, United States
Chaeyoung Park, South Korea
Aristo Sham, Hong Kong China
Vitaly Starikov, Israel/Russia
Angel Stanislav Wang, United States

As with all competitions, there are great contestants that for, one reason or another, don’t move on. The big surprise for me (and others, judging by online comments and private correspondence I’ve had with those in the know) was the elimination of Malaysia’s Magdalene Ho. I just can’t understand it. I thought she was far more worthy than some others who moved on. Jed Distler, writing his own very excellent blog for Grammophone magazine, described his feelings on the issue as “enraging.” Jed and I chatted a bit this morning, and while I wouldn’t go as far as feeling enraged, I certainly understand the sentiment. Ho is only 21, and she can give the Cliburn another shot in four years, but this one still stings. I was also mildly surprised to see that Sung Ho Yoo didn’t make it, either. He brought so much poise and vigor to his Friday morning performance. But I’m not a judge (thankfully!).

Quarterfinals begin a few hours from this post (which is occurring around midday on Saturday). No posts until Monday, after the quarterfinals are over and the 12 semifinalists are announced. I’m just too busy this weekend to get a mid-round Sunday post done, and I’ll actually be having some help this weekend from my intern, Osip Nikiforov. Osip is a damn fine pianist (he wanted to audition for the Cliburn himself this year but barely missed the maximum age requirement) and a veteran of many international competitions himself, so I look forward to his perspective on some of Sunday’s performances, which I’ll have to miss due to [he says sheepishly] a golf outing. So, until Monday, have a great Memorial Day weekend. So much for brevity…!

Friday, May 23

Preliminary Round, Day 2

by Joe Goetz

Day 2 of the competition was a study in contrasts; several contestants chose programs that showcased wildly different sides of their musical personalities, and differences in interpretation among contestants choosing the same (or very similar) pieces made for fascinating viewing. On the whole, I found Day 2 to be a step down from Day 1 in terms of overall quality of playing and programming, but I suppose you could chalk that up to viewer fatigue. There were, however, lots of great moments to talk about, so let’s dive in.

Preliminary Recital No. 4

The morning began with German pianist Jonas Aumiller. The first word that pops to mind about his performance, to me, was “safe.” Or, perhaps, now that I’ve typed this, “restrained.” Aumiller began with the gorgeous Scriabin Fantasy, but his restraint seemed to temper the impulsiveness normally associated with Scriabin’s music. A solid Bach toccata and Chopin’s Barcarolle followed the Scriabin, and then his best performance was of Schumann’s rarely-heard Presto passionato, which seemed to best represent Aumiller’s style. Will Aumiller’s rejection of real bravura in his first round cost him? I have no idea.

Up next was Malaysian Magdalene Ho, who offered a much more colorful Bach toccata than Aumiller, followed by the intense and dark Prelude, Chorale, and Fugue by Cesar Franck. Her ability to shift emphasis deftly among the inner voices of both these works put her on plane above Aumiller, and her closing with Saint-Saens’ Étude en forme de valse was a playfully raucous taste of bravura that was just perfect. It may be premature, but I’ve got her on my Finals radar already.

Finally, Ukrainian Roman Fediurko opened his recital with some fairly pedestrian Bach, but after Gabriela Montero’s Rachtime, Fediurko decided it was, indeed, time to Rach, first with the Elegie from the composer’s youthful Morceaux de fantaisie, Op. 3, and then the epic Piano Sonata No. 2. Fediurko may be only 20, but he’s got that “Rachmaninoff sound,” a deep sonority that rumbles deep in your belly. I’m not sure if it’s enough for him, but even if it’s not, he’s got time to build on his experience at his age.

Preliminary Recital No. 5

My afternoon viewing was, admittedly, a bit distracted, as I was trying to do work at the same time. Russian Mikhail Kambarov played it safe with Chopin and Scarlatti, ending with a solid performance of Rachmaninoff’s Corelli Variations. Nothing stood out to me about his performance, either positive or negative.

British contestant Callum McLachlan was next, and he opted to begin his program with Schumann’s Waldszenen, an interesting choice for a competition. But his performance was more than worthy, especially the mysterious and lilting seventh movement, Prophetic Bird. He concluded with the second Samuel Barber sonata we’ve heard so far in the preliminary round, offering a more introspective interpretation than the brute force virtuosity we heard from Philipp Lynov the previous evening.

Following McLachlan was the day’s most (and I say this with no malice) bizarre recital, performed by Jiarui Cheng of China. As I said at the beginning of this update, today was a day of contrasts, and hoo boy, did Cheng’s program have plenty of those. After a Bach toccata to begin, he launched into the whiz-bang virtuosity of Vladimir Horowitz’s arrangement of Franz Liszt’s arrangement (yes, you read this right) of Saint-Saens’ Danse macabre. It’s a piece that exists solely for the purpose of wowing an audience, and Cheng certainly succeeded at doing just that. The musical whiplash continued with a Brahms Intermezzo in A, Op. 118/2. One of the last utterances of an aging and reluctant composer, I wanted to hear more vulnerability, but it felt wholly clinical in Cheng’s hands. Scriabin’s Piano Sonata No. 5 and Montero’s Rachtime rounded out his program, and Cheng seemed compelled to go for broke with both of them, amping the virtuosity up to 11, but I couldn’t help but feel a sense of emptiness from his playing, despite his obvious technical prowess.

Finally, Polish pianist Piotr Alexewicz offered us Brahms and Medtner before tackling Liszt’s Après une lecture du Dante, which started out great!...and then towards the end it felt as if he ran out of gas. Some pretty glaring errors occurred, as well as some muddy tremolo playing in the quieter moments, may have sunk his chances of advancing.

Preliminary Recital No. 6

The evening began with one of my favorite recitals so far. Canadian Alice Burla began with a sparkling Haydn sonata, which she followed with Ligeti’s fourth etude, “Fanfares.” Yes, our first Ligeti of the competition! A masterful bit of programming there, as the perpetual motion sparks of the Ligeti mirrored the crispness of her Haydn to absolute perfection. I did find her performance of Rachtime to be a bit on the uneasy side, but my reservations melted away quickly with her closing work, yet another interpretation of Samuel Barber’s sonata. This was the best of the bunch to date, as she allowed herself the room to build to the work’s many climaxes, making them even more powerful. I really hope she makes a deep run in the competition.

After Burla came Yanjun Chen of China, who also opened with Haydn, but she chose a sonata that didn’t really excite me. Its final movement, at least, had some Roma-flavored fun and games, but on the whole I thought it was kind of a throwaway selection. In contrast, her next piece, Medtner’s Canzona serenata, was absolutely gorgeous, as if she decided to bare her soul to the whole world. Chen’s next selection, the first sonata by Shostakovich, was just too much for me. As with everything I write here, your mileage may vary, but I just do not enjoy that piece, at all. She rocked it, but I just can’t. I’m sorry! In any event, I don’t quite know what to make of her chances of advancement, but at the very least she established herself as one of the more eclectic performers in the field.

Finally, American Jonathan Mamora, an enormous fellow who could easily stay in the Fort Worth area and walk into Cowboys training camp in a few months without anyone noticing, brought something completely new to the stage by opening with four etudes by contemporary composer David Onac. These etudes were a requirement from another competition he had attended, and he loved them enough to bring them to the Cliburn. Very cool. After some sensitive and contemplative Bach, and a spirited Rachtime, Mamora brought the thunder with Scriabin’s Piano Sonata No. 5. There was a sense of spirituality that permeated each of Mamora’s performances, which makes sense given his background as a church musician. While I’m not sure he has a great chance of advancing deep in the competition, he proved, along with everyone else in the field, his worthiness. 

That’s it for now. One more day of prelims ahead (they’ve actually begun already as I finish typing this), and the next round begins over the weekend.

Thursday, May 22

Preliminary Round, Day One

by Joe Goetz

The first day of the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition is in the books, and already there have been some transcendent performances. I wasn’t able to watch all of the day’s recitals due to personal commitments, but I saw a good deal of it, so let’s dive into what stood out.

The crux of my job at YourClassical is overseeing the music selections that are heard on the radio and our various on-demand streams, so I’m always fascinated to see how each contestant arranges their recital programs. Obviously programming music for radio/on-demand is a whole other ballgame compared to programming for a competition in front of a worldwide live audience, but that doesn’t take away from my intrigue.

At the Cliburn, there are certain works that seem to be “competition favorites,” which multiple contestants choose. For example, both Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit and Liszt’s Réminiscences de Don Juan appeared several times on Day One alone. These selections aren’t surprising, as they’re both powerhouses of virtuosity that are sure to please when executed well. What interests me more, however, are two things: a) which works contestants choose to surround these big powerhouses; and b) recital programs that include the unexpected. On Day One, several contestants did one or both of those things with aplomb.

Preliminary Recital No. 1

It seemed fitting to me that the very first contestant on Wednesday morning began his program with a world premiere. As I mentioned in the introduction to the competition, each preliminary round recital must contain the specially commissioned work, Rachtime, written by Gabriela Montero. Chinese pianist Xuanxiang Lu opted to open his recital, and by extension the entire competition, with this work! I wasn’t able to see it live, but I plan to go back and watch when I have time. I was able to tune in for the second pianist of the morning, Shangru Du, also from China. He immediately warmed my nerdy music programmer’s heart with his first two selections, Tchaikovsky’s Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op 19 No. 4, followed by the aforementioned Ravel Gaspard de la Nuit. He played these two selections without pause, to great effect, as the quiet C-sharp minor close of the Tchaikovsky dovetailed perfectly with the D-flat major quiet quavers that begin the Ravel. That programming sensitivity scored points with me, for sure, although I’m not the one who needs to be impressed.

Preliminary Recital No. 2

In the second batch of recitals during the afternoon, Ryota Yamazaki of Japan opted for a bold beginning to his competition, starting with Busoni’s transcription of Bach’s Nunn komm, der Heiden Heiland, followed immediately by Mozart’s 18th piano sonata. The Busoni is not one of his more overtly virtuosic Bach transcriptions, of which he wrote several, and Mozart is … well, Mozart. Not easy, but not a virtuoso work by any stretch. In a competition where first impressions are incredibly important, I found these choices to be quite a statement. However, we didn’t have to wait long for the virtuosity to begin, as Yamazaki concluded his opening round with a thrilling and nearly flawless performance of Liszt’s fiendishly difficult Réminiscences de Norma.

The biggest highlight of the afternoon, however, was the Canadian-American pianist Carter Johnson. No stranger to big competitions, having earned a silver medal at the 2024 Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, I’d bet pretty good money on him making a deep run in the Cliburn as well. He began his preliminary round with Bach’s sublime Capriccio in B-flat Major, BWV 992 "On the Departure of a Beloved Brother,” which livestream host Buddy Bray speculated was the first time it had ever been played at the Cliburn. After a playful rendition of Montero’s Rachtime, Johnson turned to Clementi, whose piano sonatinas are a staple for budding young pianists, and whose more mature piano sonatas are actually very difficult. Johnson’s performance of Clementi’s Sonata in F-sharp Minor, Op. 25, No. 5 carried lots of gravitas, and paved the way for the heavy-metal virtuosity required for a collection of short Prokofiev pieces that had me on the edge of my very uncomfortable couch. 

Preliminary Recital No. 3

The three evening recitals each began in ways that didn’t particularly wow me, but each ended dazzlingly. Aristo Sham of Hong Kong began with the Bach-Busoni Chaconne, always a competition staple. His interpretation, while executed well, seemed a little too aggressive for my taste (again, these are my own personal preferences — your mileage may vary), but his aggressiveness paid dividends in Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit.

American pianist Angel Stanislav Wang begin with Beethoven’s quirky G Minor Fantasy, which has never been one of my favorites, but then close with the second Liszt Réminiscences de Don Juan of the day, and boy oh boy, did he milk it for all its worth. I had never heard some of his tempo and dynamic changes before, and they were extremely effective, and at times downright humorous — not to mention his superb technical prowess.

Finally, Russian contestant Philipp Lynov opened with yet another Bach Capriccio in B-flat Major, BWV 992 "On the Departure of a Beloved Brother,” which, while not as strong as Carter Johnson earlier in the day, was followed by Samuel Barber’s monumental Piano Sonata. This work, so difficult that Barber himself was unable to play it, concludes with a movement that is half blues, half toccata, half fugue, and half scherzo. Is that four halves? Indeed it is, because it feels like you need two superhuman pianists to pull it off, and Lynov did just that, eliciting some of the most raucous applause of the day to send everyone home (or in my case, to bed) on a high note. I also award some unofficial bonus programming points to Lynov for bookending his program with Bach and Barber!

If the first day of competition was any indication, the field this year is stronger than ever, and we’re going to be in for a treat for the next few weeks. I look forward to what the next two days of the preliminary round have to offer!

Tuesday, May 20

The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition: The Basics

by Joe Goetz

Before the competition begins, we thought we’d provide this FAQ to help set the stage for what’s to come.

Who was Van Cliburn?

Van Cliburn (1934 – 2013) was an American concert pianist who burst onto the world stage in 1958 by winning the inaugural International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. The judges in the competition reportedly had to ask Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev for his blessing before awarding him the prize. “Is he the best?” Khrushchev asked. When the judges confirmed that he was, Khrushchev responded, “Then give him the prize.”

Cliburn returned home as a Cold War hero to a ticker-tape parade in New York City. To this day, he remains the only American pianist to win the International Tchaikovsky Competition’s top prize.

When did the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition begin?

Following Cliburn’s triumph in Russia, the National Guild of Piano Teachers capitalized on his newfound celebrity to secure funding for a brand-new piano competition named in his honor. The first-ever Van Cliburn International Piano Competition was held in 1962, and it has been held, generally, every four years since. The 2021 competition was delayed one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hence this year’s competition coming only three years following the 2022 competition.

Who has won the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition?

Many great pianists have entered the competition, yet did not win a prize. Conversely, there are many Cliburn prizewinners who have, despite their initial burst of fame, not become household names. Some notable medalists include Radu Lupu (gold medal, 1966), Christian Zacharias (silver medal, 1973), Barry Douglas (bronze medal, 1985), Jon Nakamatsu (gold medal, 1997), Olga Kern (gold medal, 2001), and Haochen Zhang (gold medal, 2009).

Previous Van Cliburn medal winners

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More recent winners have found great success, but it’s still too soon to say for sure whether their careers will have the staying power of their predecessors.

What is the format of the competition?

The competition begins with online video submissions, of which this year the committee received 340, representing 45 nations. Of those submissions, 30 were invited to perform in the “main event,” so to speak, which begins this week. That number has since shrunk by one following the late withdrawal of Russian entrant Anatasia Vorotnaya due to health reasons.

The competitors must come prepared for four rounds of recitals and concertos, with each round becoming progressively more complex. The first two rounds are solo recitals, and competitors may choose their own programs. In the first round, however, each competitor MUST include a newly commissioned work written especially for the competition. This year, that work is called “Rachtime,” written by pianist, composer, and jury member Gabriela Montero.

After the first two rounds, the field is whittled down by roughly a third each time, leaving a dozen or so contestants for the semifinals. In the semifinals, each pianist must perform a 60-minute solo recital plus a Mozart piano concerto of their choosing, accompanied by the Fort Worth Symphony.

The final round usually features six remaining pianists, each of whom must perform TWO concertos: one of their choosing (usually a virtuosic warhorse by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, or Prokofiev), plus another from a list provided by the competition. You can find that list of concertos at the bottom of the Van Cliburn competition’s schedule page.

Who are the favorites to win this year’s competition?

It’s nearly impossible to say! Handicapping a group of 28 pianists who are not widely known is an exercise in futility, but that’s what makes watching the Cliburn so much fun!

In the preliminary rounds, you might encounter a pianist whose playing and/or program choices you find to be extraordinary, but perhaps the judges prefer another. Usually, though, by the semifinal round, favorites begin to emerge. In the 2022 competition, eventual gold medalist Yunchan Lim wowed audiences in Fort Worth and across the world with his stunning performance of Franz Liszt’s complete Transcendental Etudes.

I remember thinking there wasn’t much of a question, at that point, who would go on to win! We’ll see if any pianist rises to the top this year in the early rounds, or if there is lots of parity. Either way, it’s bound to be exciting.

Be sure to check back to this page throughout the competition. I’ll be watching as much as I can, recapping daily programs as much as possible, and offering my opinions on who I think has the best chance of winning. The competition’s media folks will also be sending YourClassical audio of each round, so expect some highlights on the radio as well.

Happy Cliburn Season to all who celebrate!

If you like classical music but can’t relate to the “classics,” you might be wondering: Who are the Mozarts and the Beethovens of today? There is a host of composers making new music that continues the rich tradition of the masters, while offering fresh perspectives. Here are some of the best works from recent years.

Edie Hill’s ‘Poem for 2084’ (1996)

Hill says this work, commissioned by the Dale Warland Singers, was inspired by poet Joan Wolf’s work. She was drawn to it because “it is both personal and universal,” she says. “It is both hopeful and heedful. I wanted to the music to reflect all of these elements.” She pointed out that at the end of the piece, the sopranos sing “take heart” in the form of a question. “These two words became an anchor for the entire piece,” Hill says. Here’s a 2018 rendition by the choir the Crossing.

David Lang’s ‘Again (After Ecclesiastes) (2005)

This piece is part of a larger song cycle, The Writings, based on five Old Testament books that are crucial to the Jewish liturgical year. The melodic theme repeats steadily, a reminder that nature's cycles are continuous. Near the end, the choir (here, the Choir of Merton College, Cambridge) sings: “What happened before will happen again.”

Andy Akiho’s ‘Karakurenai’ (2007)

Japanese for “Foreign Crimson,” this work was written by Akiho as part of his Synesthesia Suite for solo steel pan drum, but he says it can be “performed on any combination of instruments and can included elements of improvisation.” This approach is evident in this version by Sandbox Percussion.

Errollyn Wallen’s ‘Concerto Grosso’ (2008)

This work provides an updated take on the Baroque concerto style, “a dazzling rethinking” that is “distorted but utterly new and compelling,” in the words of conductor John Butt. The final movement is inflected by jazz and other contemporary styles.

Mizzy Mazzoli’s ‘Still Life With Avalanche’ (2008)

Mazzoli has been described as a “post-millennial Mozart” and “21st-century gatecrasher of new classical music.” Still Life, described as “a pile of melodies collapsing in a chaotic freefall,” was commissioned by the sextet Eighth Blackbird, an ardent advocate of music by contemporary composers.

Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s ‘Aeriality’ (2011)

Thorvaldsdottir says, “‘Aerality’ refers to the state of gliding through the air with nothing or little to hold on to — as if flying.” She adds that the work is “on the border of symphonic music and sound art.” Listen to the aural landscape she creates.

John Luther Adams’ ‘Become Ocean’ (2013)

Adams was inspired by the oceans of the Pacific Northwest to compose this piece, which won a Pulitzer Prize and a Grammy. The title was taken from a phrase by John Cage: “Life on this Earth first emerged from the sea. As the polar ice melts and sea level rises, we humans find ourselves facing the prospect that once again we may quite literally become the ocean.” This timely sentiment prompted New Yorker critic Alex Ross to say it “may be the loveliest apocalypse in musical history.”

Robert Mirabal and Ethel’s ‘The River’ (2016)

This collaboration between Native American flutist/storyteller Mirabal and the string quartet Ethel was recorded in Taos, New Mexico, incorporating the sounds of wind and water into a mesmerizing tone poem. The music brings forth the majesty of the natural world and the winding river that stands in for the ebb and flow of life.

Carlos Simon’s ‘Fate Now Conquers’ (2020)

Simon was influenced by none other than Ludwig van Beethoven in this piece. “Using the beautifully fluid harmonic structure of the second movement of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, I have composed musical gestures that are representative of the unpredictable ways of fate,” he says. Simon counterposes string arpeggios with free-flowing passages that “depict the uncertainty of life that hovers over us.”

Raven Chacon’s ‘Voiceless Mass’ (2021)

This Pulitzer Prize-winning work by Navajo composer Chacon was commissioned specifically for the Nichols & Simpson organ at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Milwaukee. The piece contains no audible singing; Chacon says that “in exploiting the architecture of the cathedral, Voiceless Mass considers the futility of giving voice to the voiceless, when ceding space is never an option for those in power.”

Nico Muhly’s ‘Throughline’ (2021)

This work is divided into 13 sections, played without a pause, each featuring one member of the orchestra. Contributors to the music included bassist Esperanza Spalding, Finnish conductor/composer Esa-Pekka Salonen and an AI entity designed by scientist Carol Reiley that took nine bars of Muhly’s composition and “wrote” nine more of its own. If that’s not contemporary, what is?

Jlin’s ‘Soul Food’ (2023)

This work was composed by the electronic musician Jerrilynn Patton, known as Jlin, for the marching band at the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, a historically Black college. Jlin has been influenced by Chicago’s footwork style, as well as musicians such as Nina Simone and Igor Stravinsky. If you love rhythm, this piece (interpreted here by Third Coast Percussion) is in your wheelhouse.  

As always, listen to the best of new music on YourClassical’s weekly show for contemporary classical, Extra Eclectic.

You might not think you know opera. But you do! Here are 12 of the most recognizable and beloved opera songs, ones that have been heard in myriad settings. Which is your favorite?

‘Nessun Dorma’ (from Giacomo Puccini’s ‘Turandot’)

Translated to “Let No One Sleep,” this piece is sung by a prince who wishes to wed the imperious Princess Turandot. One of opera’s best-known tenor arias, it gained worldwide popularity when Luciano Pavarotti’s 1972 recording was used as the theme to the 1991 World Cup. It also was famously sung by (distinctly nontenor) Aretha Franklin at the 1998 Grammys in a last-minute substitution after Pavarotti took ill. You also might have heard it in such movies as The Sum of All Fears and Bend It Like Beckham.

Here is Franklin’s version:

‘Habanera’ (from Georges Bizet’s ‘Carmen’)

The aria accompanies the entrance of the title character, with lyrics translating to “Love is a rebellious bird that none can tame” — establishing the plot early on. Bizet borrowed the melody from Spanish musician Sebastian Iridier, but he lent it the haunting rhythm that helps lodge it in the brain. It’s been heard everywhere, including in The Bad News Bears, in Up, in a version by the Muppets, in a Doritos commercial and even on Gilligan’s Island.

The Doritos ad, first aired during the 2008 Super Bowl.

On a memorable episode of the classic TV show Gilligan’s Island, the lyrics were changed to help tell the story of Hamlet.

‘O Mio Babbino Caro’ (from Puccini’s ‘Gianni Schicchi’)

This plea (“Oh, my dear Papa”) from Lauretta, the daughter of the title character, is a paean to love that carries through the entire opera and provides a respite from the back-stabbing and duplicity of the plot that’s borrowed from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Its soaring melody appears in the Italian-centric movies A Room With a View and Luca.

‘Largo al Factotum’ (from Giaochino Rossini’s ‘The Barber of Seville’)

Better known as “Figaro’s Aria,” it’s one of the most difficult tenor arias to sing, with its rapid tempo and tongue-twisting lyrics. The repeated “Figaro, Figaro, Figaro” was a staple of classic cartoons featuring Bugs Bunny, Woody Woodpecker, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck and Tom & Jerry. It also opens the Robin Williams comedy Mrs. Doubtfire.

Here’s a compilation of every time the tune was used in a Looney Tunes cartoon:

The frenetic pace suited Mrs. Doubtfire’s plot:

‘Libiamo Ne’Lieti Calici’ (from Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘La Traviata’)

This lilting waltz known as “The Drinking Song” was famously featured in the alcoholic fever dream The Lost Weekend, and, yes, in beer commercials. With lyrics such as “Let’s drink, let’s drink from the joyous chalices,” it celebrates the fermented libation with gusto.

‘Ride of the Valkyries’ (from Richard Wagner’s ‘Die Walkure’)

Wagner was at his most bombastic in this Third Act opener, most notably heard accompanying the ominous helicopter raid in Apocalypse Now. But that’s not all, folks: It’s perhaps just as famous as the basis for Elmer Fudd’s “Kill the Wabbit,” which introduced many a cartoon-watching kid to the world of opera.

Here’s Fudd’s interpretation.

‘Toreador Song’ (from ‘Carmen’)

Bizet’s jewel is the opera gift that keeps giving. Best known for its refrain advising “Toreador, be on guard,” this piece provides the entrance in the Second Act of the bullfighter Escamillo. The music is so recognizable that it has been revisited with substitute lyrics in multiple ways (Oscar Hammerstein’s “Stan’ Up an’ Fight” in Carmen Jones, Bart’s creative rewrite on The Simpsons, bass Samuel Ramey’s “L is for Low” on Sesame Street).

Here’s Ramey’s version on Sesame Street.

‘Galop Infernal’ (from Jacques Offenbach’s ‘Orpheus in the Underworld’)

This riotous tune, which you know better as “Can-Can,” appears at the end of the opera, when the gods are living it up. It gained fame as the accompaniment to the high-kicking dancers at Paris’ Moulin Rouge and other fin de siécle cabarets. It’s been used in movies such as, yes, Moulin Rouge! and is one of the earworms on Disney’s “It’s a Small World” ride.

‘Voi Che Sapete’ (from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s ‘The Marriage of Figaro’)

This aria (“You Know What Love Is”), an expression of the lustful adolescent Cherubino’s love for an older woman, is most often sung by an adult soprano. In the 1995 BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet entrances Darcy with her version. Lust indeed!

Catherine Bott provided the singing voice for Elizabeth (Jennifer Ehle) in Pride and Prejudice:

‘La Donna e Mobile’ (from Verdi’s ‘Rigoletto’)

“The woman is fickle,” sings the Duke of Mantua, himself an unabashed Lothario, in this rollicking waltz. The tune is so catchy that folks on the street were whistling it after the opera’s Venice premiere in 1851. It’s been used in commercials galore, and during the lockdowns in 2020, a video of tenor Maurizio Marchini singing it from his Florence balcony went viral.

Here is Marchini’s balcony rendition.

‘Vesti la Giubba’ (from Ruggero Leoncavallo’s ‘I Pagliacci’)

The sad clown’s anguished lament that closes Act 1 has been appropriated for movies (A Night at the Opera, The Untouchables), television (Seinfeld) and commercials. (Do you have a sudden urge for Rice Krispies cereal? You might, if you are of a certain age!)

Dig into this paean to cereal:

‘Summertime’ (from George Gershwin’s ‘Porgy and Bess’)

And now for something completely different. Gershwin’s bluesy aria evokes the languid, longing days of the titular season, aided by DuBose Heyward’s expressive lyrics. It became a much-recorded jazz standard, notably by Billie Holliday in 1936 and Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald in 1959.

What are the benefits of playing classical music for babies? You might have heard of the so-called “Mozart effect” that purported to make babies smarter, which led many parents to rush out to buy CDs (yes, it was the 1990s) of Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. That research has been largely debunked because its conclusion was overly broad.

But other studies have shown that classical music, with its more complex structure than other kinds of music, indeed has many benefits for growing children.

Language development

A 2016 study by researchers at the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences showed that play sessions with music — particularly with waltz-time rhythms — improved 9-month-old babies’ brain processing of music and speech sounds.

“Our study is the first in young babies to suggest that experiencing a rhythmic pattern in music can also improve the ability to detect and make predictions about rhythmic patterns in speech,” researcher Christina T. Zhao said.

Try playing the familiar, lilting “Waltz of the Flowers” from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker.

Pain alleviation

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart still has his place: Newborns felt less pain during needle jabs or heel pricks if classical music such as the composer’s “Wiegenlied” (“Lullaby”) was played during the procedure, according to a 2023 study at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital that was published in Pediatric Research.

“Music intervention is an easy, reproducible and inexpensive tool for pain relief from minor procedures,” lead researcher Dr. Saminathan Anbalagan said.

The gentle music just might soothe nervous parents, too.

Creativity stimulation

Researchers at the Behavioral Science Institute in the Netherlands found in a 2017 study that creativity was higher for people of all ages who listened to “happy” classical music (they used “Spring” from Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons) than for those who listened to sad-sounding music (such as Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings) or no music at all.

Aid in sleeping

It’s long been accepted that quiet, soothing music helps children relax enough to fall asleep. There’s always “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” (itself adapted from, yes, Mozart), or Brahms’ Wiegenlied:

Dr. Tiffany Field, a pediatric researcher at the University of Miami, set out to prove it with a 2017 study of toddlers’ and preschoolers’ naptime. Teachers played classical music as the kids were settling down.

“With the toddlers there was a 35 percent faster sleep onset. With the preschoolers it was a 19 percent faster sleep onset,” she said.

The music needn’t be labeled “lullaby.” Maybe try a gentle piece such as Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Sheep May Safely Graze” at bedtime.

Find out more on the evolution of lullabies and why they’re so effective.

A bonus to playing classical music for your children: Early exposure just might make them fans for life! Try using YourClassical’s curated Children’s stream, with melodies to inspire young minds, as your everyday playlist.

You might know from experience that listening to classical music is enjoyable, even transporting. But it turns out that it’s also actually good for us! Studies have shown that it improves memory and creativity, reduces stress and boosts mental well-being.

Here are some of classical music’s impressive benefits.

Reducing blood pressure

You might notice a feeling of calm that comes over you when listening to classical music. A 2022 study reported by the National Institutes of Health details a physical explanation for how music lowers blood pressure and heart rates. The vagus nerve — the main nerve of the body’s parasympathetic nervous system — is located near the eardrum and responds to musical vibrations by triggering the body to relax. We just know it works. Try listening to a piece such as Ralph Vaughn Williams’ The Lark Ascending when you’re feeling stressed.

Healing properties and pain relief

A 2019 study by the University of Utah, published in Frontiers of Neurology, found that listening to music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, in particular, might help reduce pain and inflammation and improved oxygen saturation. And the International Journal of Critical Illness and Injury Science found in a 2012 study that intensive-care patients benefitted greatly from listening to Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. The next time you’re laid up, cue up some Beethoven.

Better sleep

Listening to a calming classical piece before bed can help you sleep. (“Calming” is important — you might want to rethink putting on anything by Richard Wagner!) Through a process called “entrainment” — when your mind and body synchronize with your environment — music with a heartbeatlike tempo of about 60 beats per minute helps slow the heart and relax the body to facilitate sleep. Listen to Erik Satie’s hypnotic Gymnopedie No. 1 instead of reaching for your usual sleep medication.

Improved memory

The University of Helsinki found in a 2015 study that listening to only 20 minutes a day of classical music — in this case, Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 — can modulate the genes that regulate brain function and memory. The research team noted an increase in dopamine secretion and synapse function, which also slows down the brain’s aging process.

Alleviating depression, boosting well-being

A new study by researchers a the Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine in China discovered that classical music can be a powerful antidote to depression. The study found that the key is how much a person enjoys what they’re hearing. Patients who reported a higher level of happiness while listening to classical music showed significant improvement in their depression symptoms. The researchers said enjoyable music activates a complex network that makes up part of the brain’s reward circuit, which plays a crucial role in mood regulation.

Anecdotally, during the pandemic lockdowns of 2020, London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra asked 8,000 U.K. residents about the role of classical music in easing feelings of isolation and depression. About 70 percent of people said listening to orchestral music improved their mood. How can you listen to George Frideric Handel’s “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba” and not feel your spirits soar?

In short, listening to classical music just feels good, whatever ails you! 

Video games are famous for creating worlds, and a big part of those worlds is the musical landscape. Some games (The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, Castlevania) have well-loved original scores. And games such as Starfield and The Elder Scrolls have even allotted a large portion of their budgets for full orchestras to perform their scores, attesting to the importance of the music. But many other titles have borrowed music from the realm of classical music.

Here are some prime examples of classical music favorites in the gaming world. How many have you played?

‘Night on Bald Mountain’ (Modest Mussorgsky)

This spooky, evocative music has been featured in many games, including Earthworm Jim and Skylanders: Trap Team. Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance bases a whole world on Disney’s Fantasia — featuring Mickey Mouse, of course — that uses music from the film, including Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s “Waltz of the Flowers” from The Nutcracker and Mussorgsky’s popular work, as seen here.

‘Moonlight Sonata’ (Ludwig van Beethoven)

Resident Evil and Earthworm Jim 2 (below), among many other games, have featured the moody, progressively dramatic piece.

‘Requiem’ (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

The steampunk-inspired BioShock Infinite featured an original score by Gary Schyman that took inspiration partly from Jonny Greenwood’s film score for There Will Be Blood, in keeping with the game’s 1912 setting. But it also included “Lacrimosa” (translated as “Tearful”) from Mozart’s classic Requiem, accompanying what some fans call the best scene in the game.

Mozart’s Requiem provides musical support again as its “Dies Irae” (“Days of Wrath”) is used as the theme for another Wolfgang — surname, Krauser — in Fatal Fury 2. Often used as shorthand for impending doom or death, the music is fitting for the character considered within the game as the world’s most powerful and feared martial artist.

‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ (Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov)

The Bumblebee is a character in It Takes Two, so it’s only natural that this frenetic piece would appear in that game. The buzzing earworm also has shown up in several other games over the decades, including Dungeon Encounters and Overboard! — as heard here in the latter’s trailer.

‘Ride of the Valkyries’ (Richard Wagner)

Borrowing imagery from the gunship scene in the film Apocalypse Now, this bombastic work is heard in Metal Solid Gear V: Ground Zeroes as the character Big Boss is extracted by helicopter from Camp Omega. And, yes, the Ring video game is based on the composer’s Der Ring des Nibelungen, and his music, including “Valkyries,” appears throughout.

‘Clair de Lune’ (Claude Debussy)

This serene classic is heard in the survival game The Evil Within 2 when Sebastian escapes a nightmare realm through the portal to Safe Haven. The gentle strains have a calming and almost eerie influence.

‘Mars, the Bringer of War’ (Gustav Holst)

Skylanders: Trap Team offers a remix of “Mars,” from Holst’s The Planets, during Phase 3 of the final fight against the wicked Kaos, truly bringing war to the table.

‘Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy’ (Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

You haven’t truly heard this Tchaikovsky classic from The Nutcracker until you’ve heard it rendered in tinny Tetris style. The delicate music befits the puzzle game’s plinky toy-piano vibe.

Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky)

George Lucas’ fantasy-themed Loom features the character of Lady Cygna Threadbare (“cygna” translates to “swan”), and other characters that are turned into the elegant creatures. Naturally, the developers included music from Tchaikovsky’s ballet, including its overture.

Other notable uses

Here are more instances of classical music in gaming.

• Gran Turismo 5 includes, among other works, Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Air on a G String,” played by pianist Lang Lang.

• The Hitman soundtrack prominently features Franz Schubert’s “Ave Maria,” which serves as the theme for Agent 47. It’s performed by the Zurich Boys’ Choir.

• In Grand Theft Auto III and GTA Liberty Stories, one radio station that gamers can hear while they drive around in a (probably stolen) vehicle is Double Clef FM, playing classical music and Italian opera. The faux station presents an aura of high-brow connoisseurs but offers suspect cultural knowledge. No matter — the music is sublime. And the host, Morgan Merryweather, is hilarious: “Now more hits from the sixties — 1760s, that is!”

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• The Fallout series includes the in-game radio stations Galaxy News Radio and Enclave Radio, which offer fife and drum arrangements of patriotic tunes (“America the Beautiful,” “Stars and Stripes Forever” and “Yankee Doodle Dandy”) and jazz standards of the 1930s-‘50s (“Anything Goes,” “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire”).  Pieces also can be unlocked by completing a certain in-game task, at which time a character named Agatha performs a violin solo (among them Bach’s Partita for Violin No. 3 and Antonin Dvořák’s Violin Concerto).

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• Eternal Sonata, befitting its name, is a role-playing game based on the life of composer Frederic Chopin. The game, with characters going by such musical monikers as Polka, Allegretto and Viola, features Chopin works played by pianist Stanislav Bunin.

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• In the Civilization series, works such as Mozart’s “Rondo Alla Turca” and Jean-Joseph Mouret’s “Rondeau” from Symphonies and Fanfares for the King’s Supper are played depending on what time period is being built. Here’s a tour through the Renaissance from Civilization IV.

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• And if you were inspired by the Leonard Bernstein biopic Maestro or just have always wanted to know what it’s like to wield the baton, the game Maestro, described as an “immersive rhythmic music video game,” allows gamers to “experience the thrill of conducting a symphony orchestra” through virtual reality. A demo version is available now.

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These are just a few examples of classical music’s influence in video games. Listen for more the next time you play!

Maybe you learned to play the piano at a young age and remember the positive effect it had. Maybe your kids have heard snippets of classical music on such TV shows as Bluey and can even hum along. Or maybe you just want to instill an appreciation in your children. What are the first steps to introducing the wide world of classical music to children? Here are tips to get you started.

Just start listening. Encourage your children’s curiosity by asking them what they hear. Can they pick out repeating themes or particular instruments? Here is a curated stream of playful and tuneful pieces that just might have them asking for more. Check it out weekly for an all-new playlist! We also asked listeners for their ideas on the best music for kids, and they responded enthusiastically.

Tap into their imagination and creativity. Research shows that classical music evokes positive feelings in children. Help them find the emotion behind the music. Do certain pieces make them happy or sad? If the music were a picture, what would it be? Try listening to a work like Gioachino Rossini’s William Tell Overture, which travels from hushed and dramatic to pastoral to rousing within the space of about 11 minutes.

Use music as a soundtrack to daily life. Accustom children to hearing music instead of the television in the background at home. When you’re in the car, listen to a piece and talk about it later. Did it make the ride go faster? Here are some gentle pieces to try.

Clair de Lune, by Claude Debussy, which evokes moonlight:

“Morning Prayer,” from Children’s Album, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky:

Move to the music. Have a dance party! It helps internalize the beat, which is a fundamental music concept. And it’s fun! Here are some lively examples.

”Hoe-Down,” from Aaron Copland’s ballet Rodeo:

And here’s “Anitra’s Dance,” from Peer Gynt, by Edvard Grieg:

Need more ideas? Here are other activities to accompany your listening party.

Explore live music. Check your event calendars for concerts geared to children. Make it a special occasion! Dress up and invite friends to come along. If you know the concert’s setlist, play the music beforehand and compare it with seeing the musicians performing live. The Minnesota Orchestra offers Kinder Konzerts, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra offers free tickets for children 17 and under. Check out the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra, whose summer concerts at the Lake Harriet Bandshell are famously kid-friendly. Concerts by other community orchestras and bands are a good choice, too.

Use an expert guide. Check out YourClassical ClassNotes’ Listening Lessons. Fun ones include Maurice Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite, Domenico Scarlatti’s Cat Fugue and George Gershwin’s Walking the Dog.

The sonata is one of the foundations of classical music and appears in many types of classical works. But what exactly is it?

Sonatas are usually written in three or four movements. The basic elements of a sonata are:

• Exposition of the main theme or themes.

• Development.

• Recapitulation (in which the musical subject matter is stated, explored and expanded, and then restated).

The definition is thus quite broad. Here it is it broken down by the great Leonard Bernstein, during a 1964 Young People’s Concert:

“A sonata is a piece, usually in several movements, that has a certain basic musical form; and when that form is used in a piece for a solo instrument, like a piano or violin or flute, or a solo instrument with piano accompaniment, the piece is called a sonata.

“Now when the same form is used in a piece for three instruments, it’s called a trio; and for four instruments, it’s called a quartet; for five, a quintet, and so on.”

“Sonata” originally meant simply a piece composed for instruments, rather than sung (“cantata”). At the end of the Baroque era and the beginning of the Classical era (about 1760-1830), it came to mean the structure and principle of composing large-scale works. It is regarded, along with the fugue, as one of two fundamental methods of organizing music.

At this time, composers such as Ludwig van Beethoven crafted the sonata as we know it best, using “sonata form” so often that it became an expected part of larger works.

Indeed, perhaps the most famous sonata is Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 14, more popularly known as the Moonlight Sonata. It is lauded for its exquisite balance between tension and composure that creates an emotional response in the listener. Do you agree?

Clara Schumann wrote her Piano Sonata in about 1841, but it was only published in 1991. What the world missed for those 150 years! Here’s the Third Movement, played by Isata Kanneh-Mason.

Yes, the piano seems to grab the spotlight in the lion’s share of sonatas, but many other instruments have gotten their due.

Guitar

Ferdinando Carulli’s Guitar Sonata, performed here by Richard Savino:

Manuel Ponce’s Sonata Mexicana, performed by Jason Vieaux:

Violin

Edvard Grieg’s Violin Sonata No. 1, performed by Augustin Dumay, violin, and Maria Joao Pires, piano:

Nobu Koda’s Sonata in D Minor, performed by Emily Cole, violin, and Yoko Greeney, piano:

Flute

Johann Joahim Quantz’s Flute Sonata No. 274, performed by Verena Fischer, flute; Klaus-Dieter Brandt, cello; and Leon Berben, harpsichord:

Johann Sebastian Bach’s Flute Sonata No. 2, performed by James Galway, flute, and Maria Graf, harp:

Cello

Johannes Brahms’ Cello Sonata No. 2, performed by Steven Isserlis, cello, and Peter Evans, piano:

Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Cello Sonata, performed by Sheku Kanneh-Mason, cello, and Isata Kanneh-Mason, piano:

As you can see (and hear), the sonata encompasses a wide variety of works and is a basic building block of classical music. Enjoy exploring this treasured art form.

Do you want to understand classical music but don’t know where to begin? The first thing to know is that you are not new to it — it’s all around you. Movies and television, weddings, commercials, video games: You’ve been absorbing (and appreciating it) without knowing just what that music is.

But if you want to get serious and intentional about listening, it helps to understand the different kinds of classical music. Listening to a variety of each will help you determine what resonates with you. Here’s a rundown of the main genres.

Baroque

This dominant genre in Western music between 1600 and 1750 is known for its grandiose and ornamental style. Think of Johann Sebastian Bach’s intricate melodies and George Frideric Handel’s innovative and robust masterworks. Classic forms such as opera, cantata, concerto and sonata were established during this period. Here’s the “Hornpipe” from Handel’s Water Music.

More: Learning to listen to Baroque music

Classical

This movement shifted toward simplicity, yet with a more powerful sound that corresponded to increased orchestra size. Ludwig van Beethoven’s music — darker and heavier than the Baroque masters — symbolized this shift. One of the most famous works in classical music, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, epitomizes the period.

Romantic

This sound defined much of the 19th century, when compositions became increasingly expressive and took inspiration from art and literature. Early Romantics such as Franz Schubert and late Romantics such as Richard Wagner shared a lush and sometimes bombastic and dramatic style. Here’s Schubert’s Symphony No. 8, also known as the Unfinished Symphony.

More: How is romantic music different from Romantic music?

Neoclassical

This early-20th-century movement reacted against the unrestrained emotionalism of the Romantic period. Igor Stravinsky’s avant-garde yet still melodic works interpreted the past through a more modern lens. His most famous work, the ballet The Rite of Spring, famously caused the initial audience to riot because it was so different from anything that had come before.

Here’s an illustrated, narrated primer to that groundbreaking piece.

Modernism

This movement, a cousin of the Neoclassical style, is characterized by experimental and often atonal concepts. Modernist adherent Arnold Schoenberg, who advocated for the “emancipation of the dissonance,” is credited with inventing the 12-tone technique that ensures all notes are played equally in a given piece. A prime example is his Piano Concerto.

Populist 

Between World Wars I and II, a national fervor arose and with it the popularity of a deliberately accessible style of American music. Consider the jazzy stylings of George Gershwin or the sweeping yet folksy compositions of Aaron Copland, whose “Hoedown” from the ballet Rodeo is conducted here by Leonard Bernstein (himself an acolyte of the musical style). 

Chamber

Chamber music is performed by a small number of musicians; originally, it was defined by the instrumentalists that could fit into a royal chamber. Many sonatas, trios and quartets are written in this genre, which relies more on strings and winds than brass and percussion. A chamber ensemble produces a more intimate sound.

More:
Top 20 playlist of chamber pieces.

Listen to YourClassical’s Chamber Music stream

Opera

Opera is dramatic music that tells a theatrical story through instrumental themes, choruses and recitative (which serves as sung dialogue). Some of classical music’s most recognizable works come from opera (for example, “Anvil Chorus” from Giuseppe Verdi’s Il Trovatore). Here’s the sublime “O Mio Babbino Caro” from Giacomo Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi.

Choral

This is music sung by a choir, with voices representing each part. With its strong origins in the church, it comprises madrigals, hymns and gospel as well as more secular compositions. Choral music packs a double emotional punch through words and music. It can be as rousing as Handel’s “Hallelujah!” or as quietly moving as Stephen Paulus’ “Pilgrims’ Hymn,” which was sung at two presidential funerals.

More: Listen to YourClassical’s Choral stream

Film

What would movies be without their music scores? The best ones channel classic composers to create their own evocative stories. Ennio Morricone (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, among others) credits Claude Debussy and Gustav Mahler as influences. John Williams, whose “Raiders Theme” from Raiders of the Lost Ark is heard here, has said he was shaped by the music of Stravinsky, Wagner and Gustav Holst.

More: Listen to Saturday Cinema, our weekly film music program

Broadway

The Great White Way has spawned some of the world’s most accessible music, much of which has transcended theater into film and the pop charts (“Hello, Dolly!” “People” and “Send in the Clowns” among them). Composers such as Richard Rodgers (The Sound of Music) and Frederick Loewe (My Fair Lady) were influenced by composers such as Victor Herbert and Franz Lehar. Here’s the ballad “Bring Him Home” from Les Miserables, by composer Claude-Michel Schonberg, with lyrics by Alain Boublil and Herbert Kretzmer.

More: Listen to YourClassical’s five-part series “Regarding Broadway.”
Part One - The Early Days
Part Two - The Golden Years
Part Three - Broadway Comes of Age
Part Four - The Sondheim years and Beyond
Part Five - The Future of Broadway

How do you listen?

Another way to determine what music is right for you is to figure out how you like to listen to it. Do you use it for inspiration while exercising or while doing household chores? Here’s some music to fuel your workout and a playlist to accompany bicycling, spinning or running.

Would you like music to help you study or just relax? Have a look at this curated playlist for studying and stress relief. Here’s the best classical music for studying. And here are activities that benefit from listening to classical music.

Finally, check out YourClassical’s Curated Streams for more ideas and to further narrow your classical preferences.

String quartets bring vitality, warmth and intimacy to any wedding ceremony. Able to accommodate most wedding venues and armed with a wealth of classical repertoire, they provide not only versatility, but beauty and elegance to the occasion. With so much music available, however, it can be daunting to know where to begin. Here are a few highlights that go beyond the standard wedding fare and can help jump-start the process.

Tchaikovsky: String Quartet No. 1

Planning the music for the beginning of any ceremony can be tricky. You want something lyrical and expressive yet with enough spark to keep the momentum going as family and friends reunite and eagerly await the celebration. Peter Tchaikovsky's String Quartet No. 1, aptly nicknamed The Accordion for the pulsing breathlessness of this first movement, starts with a quiet energy that slowly builds into a joyous explosion of musical fireworks. It's a combination of beautiful melodies, lush harmonies and just the right amount of fire.

Bach: Cello Suite No. 3

One of the often-underused advantages of having a quartet is that you have four highly skilled musicians available for your service. Why not highlight them individually? Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cello Suites are a staple of any cellist’s repertoire. While the common piece to turn to is the Prelude from the First Suite ….

… the Prelude from the Third Suite is stately, dignified and equally as beautiful; an elegant accompaniment as grandparents, parents and distinguished guests process for the ceremony.

Rochberg: String Quartet No. 6

This little-known gem would make the perfect processional for the creative traditionalist. Based upon Johann Pachelbel's now iconic and widely used Canon, the third movement of George Rochberg’s quartet keeps the structure and beautiful lines found in the 17th-century classic while providing new life through an infusion of neo-romantic intensity — the perfect combination of old and new.

Borodin: String Quartet No. 2

Weddings are a celebration of two becoming one, and the first movement of this piece by Alexander Borodin is a gorgeous representation of that same ideal. The piece consists primarily of violin and cello in graceful dialogue — yet culminates with the two united as one in the celebratory closing theme. Whether as a stand-alone piece or in an accompanying role, this piece is sure to captivate all in attendance.

Haydn: ‘Lark Quartet’

What better way to send off your guests than with this joyous spitfire? The fourth movement of Franz Joseph Haydn’s Lark Quartet is a classical favorite that can kick-start the festivities so they're sure to last well into the night.

Can classical music improve your brain function? Multiple studies have proved that listening to the classics stimulates focus, lowers blood pressure and aids relaxation, all of which help students become more receptive to information as they prepare for their academic challenges.

“Music activates both the left and right brain at the same time, and the activation of both hemispheres can maximize learning and improve memory,” says Dr. Masha Godkin, a professor of Marriage and Family Sciences at National University in San Diego.

She adds that music burrows deep and alters our very brainwaves.

Research from France’s University of Caen, published in the journal Learning and Individual Differences, found that students who attended a lecture accompanied by classical music scored significantly higher on a post-lecture test compared with those who heard no music.

“It is possible that music, provoking a change in the learning environment, influenced the students’ motivation to remain focused during the lecture, which led to better performance on the multiple-choice quiz,” the Caen researchers write. 

Do you suffer from sleepless nights before the big test? Tossing and turning can be a thing of the past when you add classical music to your bedtime routine. (Listen to YourClassical’s Sleep Stream.) Researchers at the University of Toronto found that works by Johannes Brahms, George Frideric Handel, Johann Strauss Jr. and Johann Sebastian Bach were effective sleep aids because their rhythms and tonal patterns slow brainwaves and create a meditative mood.

It apparently works even if you aren’t paying attention. A Russian study published in Human Physiology found that children who listened to classical music for an hour a day over six months while performing other tasks showed brain changes indicating greater levels of relaxation. (Listen to YourClassical’s Relax Stream.)

The Duke Cancer Institute found that music (in this study’s case, Bach’s concertos) lessened anxiety in patients about to undergo medical procedures. And a University of San Diego study found that people who listen to classical music have lower systolic blood pressure than those who listen to jazz or pop music.

Of course, there are many modes of classical music, and it’s important to choose the right pieces to foster the most effective mood. In other words, stay away from Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture or John Williams’ dramatic movie scores. Most choral music, which can become a distraction, is unconducive as well.

Music that imitates the heartbeat, with 60 to 70 beats per minute (think Ludwig van Beethoven’s Für Elise), is a good choice. And although the 1993 study detailing the “Mozart effect” on spatial reasoning that created such excitement (and CD sales to parents) has been somewhat discredited, that composer’s work is still a fine option.

Are you convinced, but still need ideas? Check out YourClassical’s playlist of the best classical music for studying.

Is the cello the best instrument ever? Its rich, mellow tone creates a warm and enveloping sound. It also has a broad range, able to match a bass or a violin. Considered the closest instrument to the human voice, it thus is highly expressive.

Part of the violin family that emerged in the 1500s, the earliest surviving cellos were made by Andrea Amati of the famous Italian family of luthiers (makers of string instruments).

The cello was a favorite of many composers including Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi and Ludwig van Beethoven, who all wrote concertos for the instrument. It has given us masters (Mstislav Rostropovich) and superstars (Yo-Yo Ma). And it has lent gravity and depth to popular music, from the Beatles to Nirvana.

Take a listen to some great works featuring the cello.

Classical legacy

Cello Suites (Bach): The legendary Pablo Casals popularized this work, becoming the first cellist to record all six suites in the 1930s. Unlike Bach’s other suites, the movements are considered an intentional, flowing cycle, rather than a discrete series of pieces. Here, János Starker, who won a Grammy for this work, plays the First Suite.  

Cello Concerto No. 1 (Joseph Haydn):  This concerto, composed in the 1760s, was presumed lost until a copy of the score was uncovered in Prague in 1961. It has since become a staple of the cello repertoire, perhaps because it gives the cellist the opportunity for a grand cadenza (an improvised or ornate, showy part) near the end of the first movement. Here, the great Rostropovich shows his chops with a cadenza (7:32 mark) written for him by Benjamin Britten.

“The Swan” (Camille Saint-Saëns): This movement from the composer’s 1886 suite, The Carnival of the Animals, employs the cello to approximate the bird’s languid motion. It was the only movement from Carnival that Saint-Saëns allowed to be played during his lifetime, considering it to be less frivolous than the rest of the suite. “The Swan” famously has been used to accompany ballet performances (notably by Anna Pavlova) and figure skating routines. Here’s Ma’s interpretation.

Cello Concerto (Antonin Dvorák): Composed in 1895 while Dvorák was teaching in New York, this work was inspired by Victor Herbert’s Second Cello Concerto and its ingenious use of the instrument’s upper registers, which Dvorák had previously regarded as limited. He sets up the cello in dialogue with the other musicians (particularly the brass), rather than in a virtuoso showcase. Watch Jacqueline du Pré put her stamp on the concerto during a 1968 concert honoring the besieged people of Czechoslovakia.

Variations for Cello and Piano (Samuel Coleridge-Taylor): This work was composed in 1905, lost for a dozen years and published in 1918, after Coleridge-Taylor’s death. The lovely minor-key melody is reinterpreted in four short movements, each with a distinct mood. Listen to the cello’s sinuous interplay with the piano.

Tre Momenti (Matilde Capuis): Italian pianist/composer Capuis lived a long (104 years) and sometimes difficult life. This work reflects her youthful suffering (particularly in the second movement, “Solitudine”) and the optimism she regained in later years (in the third movement, “Allegrezze”). Here’s cellist Raphaela Gromes on that movement.

Beyond classical

“Eleanor Rigby” (the Beatles, 1966): George Martin’s arranging brilliance was on full display in this Fab Four classic, which helped cement the group’s status as sophisticated musicians. The chopping strokes from two cellos provide a melancholy complement to the plaintive violin.

“As You Said” (Cream, 1968):  The celebrated trio combined cello and guitar in this lesser-known track from its album Wheels of Fire, creating a psychedelic and distinctly un-Cream-like sound.

“Cello Song” (Nick Drake, 1969): This song features the cello! To be more precise, cellist Clare Deniz, acting as a counterpoint to the guitars and conga drums and grounding Drake’s sorrowful lyrics.

“Mr. Blue Sky” (Electric Light Orchestra, 1978): As befits its name, ELO incorporated strings of all stripes into its music. Listen at the 4-minute mark as the cellos lead the symphonic shift that closes out the song.

“Viva la Vida” (Coldplay, 2008): The looping strings provide the uplifting riff throughout this song (unusual for the piano/guitar-driven group) and take over in a show of orchestral power at the end.

And check out the cello quintet String Theory playing all the parts of the song in this arrangement, highlighting the instrument’s many capabilities.

“Foxglove” (Murder by Death, 2010):  Cellist Sarah Balliet adds the sonic variations and color to husband Adam Turla’s vocals and guitar on this song, a prime example of the band’s brand of “gothic folk.”

 Now that you’ve heard the many moods of the cello, you’ll agree it’s the best instrument ever!

On May 7, 1824, an audience in Vienna heard for the first time the symphony that has become one of the most beloved works in the classical canon: Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.

Commissioned by the Philharmonic Society of London in 1817, the composer’s final complete symphony is regarded as a masterwork. Many composers (among them Johannes Brahms, Anton Bruckner, Antonin Dvorak and Bela Bartok) borrowed the Ninth Symphony’s motifs for their own works.

It is “the symphony to end all symphonies,” in the estimation of composer Richard Wagner. Hector Berlioz called it “the culmination of its author’s genius.” Giuseppe Verdi claimed it was “the alpha and omega” — although he dubiously took exception to the composition of the fourth and most famous movement, commonly called “Ode to Joy.”

That movement, the first example of a major composer scoring parts for choral voices, was adapted from Friedrich Schiller’s poem “An die Freude,” with additional text by Beethoven. It’s been heard everywhere from the films A Clockwork Orange and Die Hard to Sister Act 2 and Dead Poets Society — even the Muppets got in the act.

But the symphony wasn’t always so popular. In 1846, after its first performance in the United States at New York’s Castle Garden, a young lawyer named George Templeton recorded in his diary:

“A splendid failure, I’m sorry to say. The first movement was utterly barren. … The minuet was well enough, quite brilliant in parts [and] the only point I found worth remembering in the whole piece. … Then came an andante (very tedious) … then the fourth movement with its chorus, which was a bore. … [But] after all, ‘tisn’t fair to judge, hearing it under so many disadvantages.”

He apparently was referring to the chaotic scene at the Castle Garden, a popular spot for fireworks and balloon rides in addition to concerts.

Fourteen years later, after hearing the New York Philharmonic play the symphony, Templeton sang a different tune: “Strange I should have missed its real character and overlooked so many great points when I heard it last. It is an immense, wonderful work.”

The symphony might have reached peak immensity on Christmas Day 1989, when Leonard Bernstein conducted a chorus and multiple orchestras in a concert at Konzerthaus Berlin celebrating the fall of the Berlin Wall. Bernstein asked the chorus, with members drawn from eastern and western Europe, Israel and the United States, to substitute the word “freheit” (“freedom”) for the word “freude” (“joy”) in the final movement. (See below for a link to this concert.)

The symphony plays a crucial part in many orchestras’ repertoire. It is usually played on the penultimate night of the BBC Proms concert series, and Germany’s Bayreuth Festival always opens with the symphony.

Music writer Nicholas Cook notes, “Of all the works in the mainstream repertory of western music, the Ninth Symphony seems the most like a construction of mirrors, reflecting and refracting the values, hopes and fears of those who see to understand and explain it.

“From its first performance up to the present day, the Ninth Symphony has inspired diametrically opposed interpretations.”

In perhaps one of the most radical interpretations, conductor Marin Alsop in 2022 commissioned rapper Wordsmith to write new text.

“The Schiller poetry is phenomenal, but it’s not relevant for us today,” Alsop told Baltimore Magazine. “The word ‘joy’ meant something different in his day. I thought, why don’t we consider reimagining the text? With the same themes, the global themes of unification, tolerance, humanity, humankind and joy.”

Wordsmith adds that his goal was to use “present-day social issues to highlight the need for positive reinforcement.”  

These nine seminal performances, including some chosen by YourClassical staff, also put their own stamp on a classic.

Herbert von Karajan conducting the Berlin Philharmonic and Vienna Singverein (1963): Perhaps the reason I love this one is that it was the first version of the symphony I bought when I was in high school. There is always something compelling about the recording quality they get with Berlin. You hear things in the score you never heard before. I’m not sure if it’s the Philharmonie Hall itself, the engineers, the orchestra or all of the above. I saw them in concert in Chicago when I was in college and [Karajan’s] conducting style was so intriguing. I became a fan then. — Lynne Warfel

Leonard Bernstein conducting an international group of instrumentalists and singers (1989): We were living in Scotland and I came home from work one night to see on the news folks demolishing the Berlin Wall. It was such a joyous and unexpected thing. The world rejoiced, and soon after, at Christmas, Lenny led the band in the most emotional and joyful rendition of the work I’ve ever heard. There was always some debate about Schiller’s poem that “freedom” was not as big a theme as “joy.” On that day, both were overwhelmingly present. — Lynne Warfel

Jeffrey Thomas conducting the American Bach Soloists, American Bach Choir, Pacific Mozart Ensemble and UC Berkeley Chamber Chorus (2007): There’s a recording that’s very much off the beaten path that came across my desk many years ago when I worked at Vermont Public Radio. I popped the CD into the player and was absolutely astonished by the clarity of the playing. There’s nothing quite like the sound of an older-style kettle drum, the strings with no vibrato. This recording absolutely cooks. I’d listen to it in the car ad nauseum.  It made the three-hour drive to visit my girlfriend go faster, and now, 16 years after first hearing this recording, we’ve been happily married for nearly 13 years.  Maybe the fact that the music gave me the energy for those long drives helped! — Joe Goetz

Simon Rattle conducting the Berlin Philharmonic (2015): What struck me about this one is that it felt just right. The performance, at 67 minutes, wasn’t too fast or too slow; some recordings are very quick, just under an hour, some closer to 75 minutes. It was alive and invigorating when it needed to be, and straightforward and honest at other times, where the richness and tenderness of the strings and talented wind players show through. The audio quality is clear and crisp. It is also fun to think of the Berlin Philharmonic performing this in the backyard of Beethoven’s Bonn, Germany, nearly 200 years after its premiere. — Robin Gehl

Mark Elder conducting the Hanover Band (2021): I’m a huge fan of England’s Hanover Band and their interpretations of Beethoven on period instruments. His music sounds so fresh to me when they play it — vigorous, exciting, strident, in your face — yet gentle and thoughtful, too, when asked to be. I never feel as if I’m listening to an academic lecture on period performance practice. I do feel as though I might be hearing Beethoven the way Viennese audiences might have first heard his music. Here is a brilliant performance of the Ninth that the Hanover Band filmed during the depths of the pandemic.  — Bonnie North

Here are four more notable versions:

Felix Weingartner conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Vienna State Opera Choir (1935): This recording knit together the many previous interpretations, from Wagner’s to Arturo Toscanini’s, earning Weingartner (the first conductor to record all of Beethoven’s symphonies) acclaim as a master of assimilation.  

Wilhelm Furtwängler conducting the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra (1952): This performance, at the reopening of the Bayreuth Festival following World War II, came from a conductor deeply versed in the German culture from which the music sprang. It is viewed as a joyous reversal of Furtwängler’s 1942 recording made under some duress through the Nazis’ perversely titled “Strength Through Joy” program.

Robert Shaw conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (1988): Shaw’s final performance as Atlanta’s music director was recorded live (and the ambient noises put you right in the audience). As befitting the choral master, the balance between human and instrumental voices is sublime.

Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducting the Chamber Orchestra of Europe (2008): The smaller scale of this chamber recording is perfect for Harnoncourt, known for his historically informed performances. It’s been described as a “Ninth without varnish,” punchy and challenging. Harnoncourt said, “It has always been my conviction that music is not there to soothe people’s nerves … but rather to open their eyes, to give them a good shaking, even to frighten them.”

You’ve decided to become more familiar with classical music — but where should you start? The YourClassical programming staff has compiled this playlist, which covers a broad and basic range of the classics, to use as a starting point.

Beethoven: Complete Symphonies (Simon Rattle conducting the Vienna Philharmonic; EMI/Warner Classics): All the major composers wrote at least one symphony, regarded as the backbone of classical music. Some wrote a handful; some wrote more than a hundred! Ludwig van Beethoven composed “only” nine, but they are among the most famous of the genre. Indeed, the finale of his Symphony No. 9, commonly referred to as the “Ode to Joy,” might be among the most recognized pieces in all of classical music. See if you agree.  

50 Best Relaxing Piano (various artists; Warner Classics): For many people, the first exposure to (and appreciation of) classical music comes from taking piano lessons. There’s a wide range of classical piano music, but why not start with the relaxing variety included in this collection? Listen to Tzimon Barto play Franz Liszt’s Consolation No. 3. (For more mellow favorites, listen to our Peaceful Piano stream.)

String Quartets, Franz Joseph Haydn (Doric String Quartet; BBC): Besides symphonies, string quartets (comprising two violins, a viola and a cello) are a major indicator of a composer’s skill. Haydn was a master of both: He’s known as the father of both genres. Here’s the “Minuet” from String Quartet No. 5, performed by the Doric String Quartet.

Ballet Suites, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Herbert von Karajan conducting the Vienna Philharmonic; Deutsche Grammophon): Who better to introduce you to the world of ballet than Tchaikovsky? His Nutcracker Suite gets all the attention, especially around the holidays, but his other two major ballets — Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake — are no slouches either. You can enjoy all three ballets on this classic release from the Berlin Philharmonic. Dive into “Lake by Moonlight” from Swan Lake. 

The No. 1 Opera Album (various artists; Universal): This compilation album, a splendid introduction to opera, includes excerpts from such classics as La Bohème, Carmen and Madame Butterfly. But we’re partial to this selection from Giacomo Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, in which the titular barber, Figaro, starts things off with one of the most difficult baritone arias of all time, “Largo al Factotum.”

Choral Masterpieces (Robert Shaw conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus; Telarc): The urge to come together in song has been vital since the dawn of humanity. And of the great choral conductors, Robert Shaw stands at the top. His popularity and influence reached all corners of the globe, and his recordings with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, and his own Robert Shaw Chorale, are legendary. Here he conducts the Atlanta chorus in Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Rejoice, O Virgin,” from Vespers. (Listen to more vocal favorites on YourClassical’s Choral Stream.)

Manuel Barrueco Plays Albéniz and Turina (EMI/Warner Classics): The guitar and its ancestors have been around for millennia, and perhaps no nation has harnessed its power for classical music as wholeheartedly as Spain. This album has a sterling collection of Spanish classical guitar favorites, including Isaac Albéniz’s “Castilla” from Spanish Suite. (And if these selections whet your appetite, check out YourClassical’s Guitar Stream.)

By Request: The Best of John Williams and the Boston Pops (Phillips): Does movie music count as classical music? Of course! John Williams, the most famous film composer of our time, also was the longtime conductor of the Boston Pops. On this album, he conducts the orchestra in some of his most popular and familiar scores. Can you conjure up that famous image as you listen to “Bicycle Chase” from E.T.? (And if you want to hear more movie music, check out YourClassical’s weekly two-hour show Saturday Cinema, hosted by Lynne Warfel.)

You have started to delve into classical music; now you’re wondering which recordings should be in your starter collection. The programming staff at YourClassical has some suggestions for you.  

The Four Seasons, Antonio Vivaldi (Opus 111): Violinist Fabio Biondi and his group Europa Galante, renowned for using period instruments (or replicas), gives new life to what might be the most famous baroque music ever. Here’s the final movement of “Summer.”

The Berlin Concert, John Williams (Deutsche Grammophon): This 2021 recording with the Berlin Philharmonic showcases the composer’s most iconic film themes (think Superman, Harry Potter, Star Wars, Jurassic Park), showing that Williams’ music isn’t just for movie fans but will leave a lasting classical legacy. This track is from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

My First Recital, Ruth Laredo (Essay): Proof that you never forget the first time you play for an audience: The pianist was in her 50s when she recorded this album in 1990. In re-creating the recitals of her childhood, Laredo draws from the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven and Pyotr Tchaikovsky in offering some of the most popular, and simplest, piano works in classical music. Here she plays Beethoven’s Für Elise.

The Piano Concertos & Paganini Rhapsody, Sergei Rachmaninoff (Deutsch Grammophon): Superstar pianist Yuja Wang recorded these works in 2023 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Rachmaninoff’s birth. Known for her superhuman technique and endurance (she played all five pieces in one Carnegie Hall concert), she is proof that classical music is very much alive. Have a listen to the final movement of the Piano Concerto No. 2.

Symphonic Spectacular (Telarc): Classical greats including Dmitri Shostakovich’s Festive Overture, Emmanuel Chabrier’s Espana and George Enesco’s Romanian Rhapsody are given vibrant life by the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, led by Erich Kunzel. Here’s Richard Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries.

American Jubilee (Telarc): More from Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops, who provide a backdrop for your patriotic celebrations with such stateside classics as John Philip Sousa’s The Stars and Stripes Forever, Morton Gould’s American Salute, Samuel Ward’s America the Beautiful and John Williams’ Liberty Fanfare. And what would an Americana album be without Aaron Copland’s Variations on a Shaker Melody?

Elle (Analekta): La Pieta, an all-female ensemble led by violinist and conductor Angele Dubeau, offers this 2021 collection of short pieces that showcase meditative works written by women, including Rachel Portman, Caroline Shaw and Rebecca Dale (whose Winter is heard here). Find out more about the album on New Classical Tracks.

Dance! (Deutsche Grammophon): Daniel Hope and the Zurich Chamber Orchestra lead us on a history of movement through such classical works as Camille Saint-Saens’ Danse Macabre, Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and Bizet’s L’Arlesienne Suite. Igor Stravinsky wrote a few dances himself, including this “Tarantella” from Pulcinella Suite.

Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 5 and Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 (Italian) (Philips): This release offers an inspired pairing of two of the most cheerful symphonies in classical music, brought to life by the energetic Orchestra of the 18th Century, conducted by Frans Brüggen. Here’s the first movement from Mendelssohn’s work.

The World’s Favourite Tenor Arias, Luciano Pavarotti (Decca): What better introduction to opera is there than listening to Pavarotti? The great tenor, who might have been the first among the famous Three Tenors (who also included Placido Domingo and José Carreras), dominated the 20th-century opera stage. His voice (and fame) might never be equaled. Perhaps his signature aria is “Nessun Dorma, from Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot.

Is the trumpet the best instrument ever? With its clear and bracing tone, it is perhaps the most recognizable of instruments, able to issue a clarion call or herald a monarch (or an Olympic champion) with ceremonial fanfare. As the soprano voice of the brass section, it often carries the melody.

It is also one of the world’s oldest instruments. Early versions were used as signaling devices for hunting or battle, and often were created from shells, bones or horns (such as the shofar, used in religious ceremonies). Primitive silver and bronze examples from ancient Egypt (circa 1500 BCE) were found in Tutankhamun’s tomb.

In the Middle Ages, improvements in metal-making and design led to the instrument’s use for musical purposes. The Baroque era (about 1600-1750) became known as a golden age of the natural, or valveless, trumpet, with many works written to highlight the instrument.

But it was the development in the 1800s of keys and valves, spearheaded by Austrian trumpeter Anton Weidinger, that unlocked the trumpet’s full range of notes, revolutionizing its capability to play melodic parts and leading to the prominence it enjoys in both classical and popular compositions.

Here are some notable works showcasing the versatile trumpet.

Classical legacy

Trumpet Voluntary (Jeremiah Clarke): This sprightly-yet-regal piece became No. 1 for nuptials after it was famously used at the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. Composed in about 1700, it indeed has a royal pedigree; it is alternately called The Prince of Denmark’s March. For years, it was misattributed to Clarke’s contemporary Henry Purcell, whose similar Trumpet Tune also is a bridal staple.

Trumpet Concerto in D (Georg Philipp Telemann): The trumpet isn’t all fanfare; this piece displays its aptitude for subtlety. The high register of the “Adagio” movement was typical of the Baroque era and requires great stamina on the part of the trumpeter.

“Finale,” William Tell Overture (Gioachino Rossini): If your heart isn’t pounding and your hair isn’t standing on end when the trumpets gallop in with this iconic fanfare, check your pulse. The thrilling finale to Rossini’s opera is officially titled “March of the Swiss Soldiers,” but you might call it The Lone Ranger theme.

“Promenade,” Pictures at an Exhibition (Modest Mussorgsky): During Minnesota-born trumpeter Adolph (Bud) Herseth’s tenure as principal trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the ensemble recorded seven versions of Mussorgsky’s majestic work. Here is a compilation of those opening “Promenades,” spanning from 1951 to ‘90, highlighting Herseth on the glorious opening solo. Note the differences in tone and tempo.

“The Girl With the Flaxen Hair” (Claude Debussy): Listen to trumpeter extraordinaire Mary Elizabeth Bowden’s almost ethereal rendition on the piccolo version of the instrument, which is much smaller in size and pitched an octave higher than the standard trumpet. It might be the closest thing to a trumpet lullaby.

Bugler’s Dream (Leo Arnaud): It’s an Olympic year, so naturally we’ve got to include the stately trumpet flourish that ABC first played as a backdrop to the Winter Games in 1964, cementing its medal-winning status. Arnaud composed it in 1958 as part of The Charge Suite, commissioned by Felix Slatkin, who conducts it here.

Beyond classical

“Caravan” (Duke Ellington): Jazz trumpet is a genre all its own, with its distinctive rhythms and use of the mute: Think Louis Armstrong. If Armstrong was the king of the jazz trumpet, Valaida Snow was the queen. Sometimes called “Little Louis,” Snow blazed her own trail as a vocalist and trumpet player, showcasing both talents on this Ellington tune recorded in 1939.

Venus de Milo (Miles Davis): This track, composed in the late 1940s and included on the seminal 1957 compilation album Birth of the Cool, is testament to Davis’ ability to straddle big band and jazz — perhaps the birth of fusion, as well as cool.

Spanish Flea (Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass): Transport yourself back to the swinging ‘60s with this peppy tune written by Julian Wechter but popularized by magnetic trumpeter/bandleader Alpert. Its heavy use on the TV show The Dating Game lent credence to the notion that the trumpet can be mighty seductive.

“Penny Lane” (The Beatles): Paul McCartney enlisted English orchestral trumpeter David Mason to perform the brassy flourish on this 1967 classic after hearing him play on J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2. Mason’s work on the piccolo trumpet (so high that some listeners assumed the audio was sped up) lends the tune the distinctive music-hall sound that McCartney loved.

“Questions 67 & 68” (Chicago): The 1970s saw the rise of the horn-driven band, and there was none greater than Chicago. Here’s a deeper track from 1969 that features a lushly cascading trumpet intro and pulsating accents throughout, punctuated with an up-tempo bridge.

MacArthur Park (Maynard Ferguson): The trumpet icon’s extended version (10 minutes!) of Jimmy Webb’s 1968 classic pop song is a glorious rendition that will have you forgetting those dopey lyrics. The high notes defy gravity!

The trumpet is responsible for some of the most iconic passages in music. It can be authoritative, stately or playful. And that’s why it is the best instrument ever!

Listening to classical music while studying doesn’t guarantee you’ll ace your test and won’t complete that essay for you, but it has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, improve memory and increase your brainpower — perfect for concentrating.

So, what music should you play to produce these beneficial effects?

• Choose music that keeps you awake (important for an all-nighter).

• But don’t pick something that distracts you or causes you to start tapping your toes.

• Quiet and reflective is better than bombastic.

YourClassical’s Relax stream offers many works that can help you focus. In addition, here’s a playlist for your next study session.

“To a Wild Rose,” by Edward MacDowell: Part of the composer’s Woodland Sketches, it captures a contemplative walk through a garden. Often played as a piano solo, here it is scored for plaintive flute and gentle guitar.

“Au Lac de Wallenstadt” (“At Lake Wallenstadt”), by Franz Liszt: The undulating melodic waves of this movement from Years of Pilgrimage will make studying seem like a day at the beach.

Canon, by Johann Pachelbel: The tune that launched a thousand brides has a recurring melody that nicely accompanies the repetition involved in hitting the books.

“The Swan,” by Camille Saint-Saëns: This penultimate movement from Carnival of the Animals conjures the bird’s grace with its elegant legato, reminding the scholar to take things slow and easy.

“Hear Us in Heaven,” by Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Yes, there are those pesky, distracting words, but they are sung in a mesmerizing Icelandic chant that provides a meditative backdrop.

Rêverie, by Claude Debussy: The title means “dream,” but there’s just enough movement in this lush melody to keep you awake and on task.

“Alla Sarabande,” by Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson: The composer said that this achingly lovely movement from Generations (Sinfonietta No. 2) was dedicated to the matriarchs who offered “guidance for life’s journey.”

Echorus, by Philip Glass: The composer’s looping, layered soundscapes are tailor-made for studying. Glass has said this work was meant to evoke feelings of serenity and peace.

“Sarabande,” by Edvard Grieg: Remember the no-toe-tapping rule? This pensive movement from Holberg Suite has been described as “not too danceable.”

“Arioso,” by Johann Sebastian Bach: The familiar sinfonia from one of Bach’s cantatas gets the oboe treatment in this recording, with strings providing the tranquil counterpoint.

“Memory Waltz,” by Bernard Herrmann: Movie scores often lean toward the, yes, cinematic — that is, dramatic. This number from 1952’s The Snows of Kilimanjaro is more delicately expressed, and even its name is apt.

Recollection, by Rachel Portman: To tie it all up, finish with another “memorable” title. Portman plays her own composition, bolstered nicely by Caroline Dale’s mellow cello.

Are the timpani the best instruments ever? They are distinctive among percussion instruments in their ability to sound different (and even play a kind of melody) depending on how they are tuned, what the mallets are made from, and where and how hard they are struck. They can sound dull or thunderous, heavy or velvety, resonant or hollow, and thus can mimic a multitude of emotions.

Timpani, or kettledrums, evolved from military use to become a staple of classical music in the 18th century. Today, they are heard in all genres.

Classical legacy

Tonet, Ihr Pauken! Erchallet, Trompeten! (Johann Sebastian Bach): This cantata (which Bach reworked into his Christmas Oratorio) translates to “Sound Off, Ye timpani! Sound, Trumpets!” And the piece indeed starts with a timpani solo as the chorus and drums trade the melody back and forth.

“Scherzo,” Symphony No. 9 (Ludwig van Beethoven): The composer was a champion of the timpani, bringing them into more common usage with complex compositions that highlighted the instrument. Here he sets the timpani against the orchestra in a call and response of sorts.

“Sunrise,” Also Sprach Zarathustra (Richard Strauss): The timpani’s heart-pounding response to the rousing fanfare that opens Strauss’ tone poem is perhaps the most iconic percussion passage ever, thanks to its iconic use in the 1968 sci-fi film 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Concerto for Orchestra (Bela Bartok): The fourth movement, “Intermezzo Interrotto,” features 10 different pitches of the timpani over the course of 20 seconds — requiring the timpanist to retune the instrument every two seconds.

Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra (Philip Glass): This work was commissioned by several orchestras in 2000 for timpanist Jonathan Haas. For much of the concerto and especially the last movement, the timpani have an intense and near constant presence.

Beyond classical

“Countdown” (Dave Brubeck): This opener from his 1962 concept album Countdown — Time in Outer Space, was dedicated to astronaut John Glenn at the height of the space craze. Drummer Joe Morello puts an exclamation on Brubeck’s signature playful time signatures and tonal experimentation.

“Randy Scouse Git” (the Monkees): Take a deep dive into the Prefab Four’s oeuvre with this 1967 ditty written and sung by drummer Micky Dolenz, who provided the echoing timpani cadenzas that contrast with the lighthearted vaudevillian melody.

“White Room” (Cream): Ginger Baker’s singular talent contributes mightily to the sound of this 1968 rock classic. Listen for the distinctive quintuple meter opening in the timpani, which both Baker and singer Jack Bruce claimed credit for introducing.

“All We Ever Look For” (Kate Bush): The deep pulsating of Morris Pert’s timpani pairs nicely with Bush’s distinctive soprano (and the whistle of the Fairlight digital synthesizer) on this track from 1980’s Never for Ever.

The versatile kettledrums can evoke drama, tension and even playfulness across a variety of genres. And that’s why the timpani are the best instrument ever!

The oboe might be hard to master and suffer from a bit of an inferiority complex, but this distinctive woodwind instrument occupies a special and crucial role: It tunes the rest of the orchestra with its distinctive A note. It’s easy to hear over other instruments because of its penetrating sound, the result of its conical interior chamber and a double reed.

In 1695, Henry Playford wrote in his musical instruction book The Sprightly Companion that the oboe is “majestical and stately, not much inferior to the trumpet.” We guess that counts as high praise. In Tony Kushner’s play Angels in America, the instrument’s sound is described as “that of a duck, if the duck were a songbird.” Indeed, the oboe represents the duck in Sergei Prokofiev’s musical primer Peter and the Wolf.

That distinctive, plaintive sound has been used to great effect in classical and popular music and has been a favorite of many composers — Vivaldi, for one, wrote 15 concertos for the oboe! Here are some works that feature the instrument prominently.

Classical legacy

“The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba” (George Frideric Handel): This sinfonia opens Act III of the 1748 oratorio Solomon, based on the stories of the biblical king. This piece, often used as a wedding processional or recessional, features a joyful oboe duet (starting at 0:38).

Swan Lake theme (Pyotr Tchaikovsky): Not a duck but an elegant swan is conjured by the melancholy oboe in this main theme to the iconic ballet, written in 1875. It introduces the melody, relinquishes it and picks it up again in the closing bars.

Le Tombeau de Couperin (Maurice Ravel): Each of the six movements in this piece, written during World War I, is dedicated to a different friend of Ravel’s who died in battle. Here is the “Prelude,” written in honor of 1st Lt. Jacques Charlot.

Oboe Concerto (Ellen Taaffe Zwillich): This piece was commissioned in 1990 to honor the Cleveland Orchestra’s longtime principal oboist, John Mack. Gramophone’s reviewer remarked that it “agreeably exploits the instruments capacity for lyricism.” See if you agree.

Beyond classical

“Gabriel’s Oboe” (Ennio Morricone): In this main theme from the 1986 film The Mission, Father Gabriel (Jeremy Irons) plays his oboe to befriend the indigenous South American people. It’s such a popular melody that it has been adapted for other instruments including the human voice. But it’s best heard in its original form, here conducted by Morricone.

“Life in a Northern Town” (Dream Academy): Written in 1985 as an elegy to musician Nick Drake, the wistful oboe subtly underlines the nostalgic and, yes, dreamy quality of the song.

“Kiss From a Rose” (Seal): This hit, written in 1987 but released in 1994, appeared prominently on the Batman Forever soundtrack. Listen to how the oboe complements the vocals throughout this gorgeous ballad.

“I’ve Got You Babe” (Sonny and Cher): Who of a certain age isn’t transported back to the days of bell bottoms and flower power when they hear the piping oboe that punctuates the chorus of this 1965 hit?

These examples both old and new offer plenty of reasons why the oboe is the best instrument ever! 

Why does the conductor of an orchestra or band wave around that little stick?

Conductors’ gestures are the primary method to communicate tempo, dynamics and other musical ideas, and that little stick — called a baton — is used to enhance those movements. Think of it as an extension of the arm and hand.

The great conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein said, “If [the conductor] uses a baton, the baton itself must be a living thing, charged with a kind of electricity, which makes it an instrument of meaning in its tiniest movement.”

German composer and conductor Louis Spohr is credited with introducing the modern baton in the early 1800s, codifying the basic conducting actions that we see today. The baton is made of lightweight wood or fiberglass, varying in length from 10 inches to a more imposing 26 inches.

At any length, it can sometimes be a hazard: In 1973, Georg Solti stabbed himself in the temple while conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a performance of The Marriage of Figaro in Paris. The injury wasn’t serious, although Solti did bleed profusely onto his score.

That wouldn’t have been a problem for those conductors who prefer not to use a baton. Dmitri Mitropoulos, conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra (the forerunner of the Minnesota Orchestra) from 1937-49, was one of several prominent conductors who conducted only with their hands. His association with the New York Philharmonic’s Leopold Stokowski, who also eschewed the baton, might have influenced him.

Conductors of choral ensembles also usually use their hands. But instrumental conductors most often will opt for that little stick.

Is there a more expressive or versatile instrument than the violin? It can sing; it can weep; it can growl. It occupies the prime spot in the orchestra and plays vital roles in other genres (folk, country, jazz, pop). It has spawned classical superstars (Joshua Bell, Hilary Hahn, Anne-Sophie Mutter). And just imagine Vivaldi’s Four Seasons or the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby” without it!

A descendant of the stringed Greek lyre, the violin as we know it was first produced around 1530 in Italy. It proved popular especially with European nobility, which commissioned instruments from the famous violinmakers Amati, Guarneri and Stradivari. Since then it has become the most indispensable instrument at concert halls and hoedowns alike. Find out more about its influence on the classical world and beyond.

Classical legacy

Chaconne, Partita No. 2 (Johann Sebastian Bach): Violin virtuoso Yehudi Menuhin called it “the greatest structure for solo violin that exists.” Joshua Bell, adding that it’s “one of the greatest achievements of any man in history,” famously played this piece while anonymously busking in a Washington, D.C., metro station in 2007. Here’s Bell, far from the madding crowd.

Sonata No. 9, “Kreutzer” (Ludwig van Beethoven): Known for its length and technical difficulty, this piece was dedicated to Rodolphe Kreutzer, one of the finest violinists of Beethoven’s day. Ironically, it left Kreutzer cold but inspired no less than Leo Tolstoy to write a novella in its honor. Listen to Itzhak Perlman’s interpretation.

Sonata for Violin and Piano (Amy Beach): The composer and her work, mainly written around the turn of the 20th century, were largely cast into obscurity until the past 50 years. But her Romantic style was well-received by her contemporaries, save for a few who found her derivative (“for which the feminine character furnishes ground and excuse,” one reviewer said). Here is the sonata’s opening movement.

The Lark Ascending (Ralph Vaughn Williams): The British composer’s poet wife, Ursula, commented that Vaughn Williams had “made the violin become both the bird’s song and its flight.” Indeed, the thrilling, trilling notes that open the piece conjure the idyll of rural England, counterbalanced with a pensive undertone that some have ascribed to the advent of World War I.

Beyond classical

“The Devil Went Down to Georgia” (Charlie Daniels Band): What epitomizes the fiddle better than this tune about a demonic fiddle face-off? The tune, originally written by Vassar Clements as “Lonesome Fiddle Blues,” was adapted with lyrics by the Daniels Band.

“Come on Eileen” (Dexys Midnight Runners): The radio version usually leaves off the lovely violin intro, a rendition of the Irish ditty “Believe Me, If All These Endearing Young Charms.” But the strings keep the Celtic flavor of this perennial karaoke favorite going. Earworm ahead!

“Sawin’ on the Strings” (Alison Krauss): Ably abetted with the fine picking of Union Station, Krauss shows off her fiddle chops (and crystalline voice) in this tribute to a fella called Fiddlin’ Will. There’s no better illustration of how the fiddle and bluegrass are a match made in heaven.

“Sugar Plum Fairy” (Black Violin): This hip-hop duo made up of string instrumentalists Kevin Sylvester (aka Kev Marcus) and Wilner Baptiste (Wil B) turns the classics on their head. Listen to how the added beats emphasize the rhythm of this favorite from Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker.

Now you’ve heard the dual capabilities of the instrument, as violin and fiddle. It can tell any kind of musical story. And that’s why the violin is the best instrument ever!

We recently offered a playlist of 10 great choral works, and listeners responded with their own choices. Here are some of their favorites.

Messiah (George Frideric Handel, 1741): This is the one that everyone knows — at least that one really famous movement. The oratorio had modest popularity in its day but has become one of the most-performed choral works. Handel wrote Messiah for a more intimate vocal and instrumental presentation; it has been adapted for the larger-scale productions we most often hear today. You probably know the “Hallelujah” chorus — so here’s “For Unto Us a Child Is Born.”

Mass in B Minor (Johann Sebastian Bach, 1749): Completed a year before his death, this work was based by Bach largely on earlier works, such as the “Sanctus” he had composed in 1724. This section, “Et Incarnatus Est,” was composed just for the Mass.

Requiem (Gabriel Fauré, 1887-90): The composer wrote of this work, “Everything I managed to entertain by way of religious illusion I put into my Requiem, which moreover is dominated from beginning to end by a very human feeling of faith in eternal rest.” Fauré’s version differs from the usual requiem format in that it omits the usual “Dies Irae,” subbing in this “Pie Jesu:”

Requiem (Maurice Duruflé, 1947): Duruflé was among the French composers commissioned in 1941 by the collaborationist Vichy regime to write works for a monetary award. Asked to write a symphonic poem, he decided to write Requiem instead, and he was still working on it when the regime collapsed in 1944. He got the last laugh, eventually collecting three times the agreed-upon price.

“The Ground/Agnus Dei” (Ola Gjeilo, 2008): The composer defines this final movement from his Sunrise Mass with the terms “resolution,” “release” and “relief.” Indeed, it is a respite from the tension and emotion of all that goes before. Listen and feel the tranquility come over you.

School is back in session, and maybe your student joined the band. You might be thinking 76 Trombones or Stars and Stripes Forever — but let’s go beyond those warhorses and learn about these great works for concert band.

First Suite (Gustav Holst, 1909): Considered one of the foundational masterworks of the concert band repertoire, this piece, which grew out of the military tradition, convinced other composers that important music could be written specifically for band. Holst orchestrated the piece with “ad lib” parts so that bands of any size could play it. Here’s the great bandmaster Frederick Fennell conducting:

Lincolnshire Posy (Percy Grainger, 1937): This work comprises six movements adapted from the British folk songs Grainger so loved; he described each as “a kind of musical portrait of the singer who sang its underlying melody.” The work had its premiere in Milwaukee, played by bands made up of workers from the Pabst and Blatz breweries. A toast!

Divertimento for Band (Vincent Persichetti, 1950): While composing this piece in a remote log cabin, Persichetti had a revelation: “I soon realized strings weren’t going to enter, and my Divertimento began to take shape. … When composers think of the band as a huge, supple ensemble of winds and percussion, the obnoxious fat will drain off and creative ideas will flourish.” His creative idea was to set up a clash between woodwinds and brass, the timpani “arguing” with them, as in this “Prologue”:

Symphony for Band (Paul Hindemith, 1951): Written at the behest of Lt. Col. Hugh Curry, leader of the U.S. Army Band, this complex work was the only piece Hindemith wrote expressly for band. He employed his trademark dissonance and used contrapuntal techniques to highlight individual wind sections, a challenge for even the most accomplished ensembles.

Slava! A Political Overture (Leonard Bernstein, 1977): Bounding out of the gate in the style of a madcap Broadway overture, Bernstein’s tribute to cellist Mstislav (“Slava”) Rostropovich (and his dog!) is playful and almost vaudevillian. Although he wrote it for full orchestra, it is often adapted for wind ensemble. And the “political” part? Bernstein recycled themes from his less-than-successful musical 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, a wicked putdown of Washington goings-on.

Blue Shades (Frank Ticheli, 1996): It’s not literally a blues piece, Ticheli said, pointing out that “there is not a single 12-bar blues progression to be found,” but he acknowledges its debt to the genre. This jazzy work integrates many hallmarks of the Big Band era: Listen for echoes of Benny Goodman’s clarinet and the wailing brass train-whistle effects.

Bells for Stokowski (Michael Daugherty, 2001): The third movement of Daugherty’s symphony Philadelphia Stories, this piece is a tribute to legendary conductor Leopold Stokowski. Daugherty said, “I imagine Stokowski in Philadelphia visiting the Liberty Bell at sunrise, and listening to all the bells of the city resonate.” To honor Stokowski’s legacy of musical interpretation, Daugherty offers a brief snippet of Bach and his own Bach-style theme.

Ballet for Band (Cindy McTee, 2004): Adapted from her symphony Ballet for Orchestra, McTee’s work emerged out of an awareness that “the impulse to compose often begins as a rhythmic stirring and leads to a physical response … quite literally dancing.” This movement, “Waltz: Light Fantastic,” was inspired by another dance, Ravel’s La Valse.

Kingfishers Catch Fire (John Mackey, 2007): Based on an 1877 poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins, Mackey’s two movements represent a shy bird emerging from its nest, then soaring into the sunlight. Here’s the lively second movement. (Can you hear the reference to Stravinsky’s The Firebird in the final moments?)

Moth (Viet Cuong, 2013): Imagining the final moments of a moth drawn toward a flame, Cuong created an undulating tapestry with a restless momentum that ends with the inevitable final bang. Cuong said he sought inspiration from “the dualities between light and dark, beautiful and grotesque, reality and fantasy and the ultimate decision to sacrifice sensibility for grace.”

Of Our New Day Begun (Omar Thomas, 2015): Written in response to the 2015 attack on Mother Emmanuel Church in South Carolina, the piece is anchored by John and James Johnson’s anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” That melody, somber rather than stirring, wends through winds and brass, with tolling bells and timpani serving as a heartbeat. Thomas adds clapping, stomping and a hint of tambourine to honor Black church music traditions.

Everything Beautiful (Samuel Hazo, 2015): A requiem for band conductor and educator Charles Campbell Jr., this three-movement piece stemmed from grief: “I immediately went to my piano and began to play. … The notes matched my feelings so perfectly,” Hazo said. The result lives up to its name, delivering both sorrow and hope (with references to Stevie Nicks, Percy Grainger and William Shakespeare).

Brass Ceiling: The Journey of General Ann Dunwoody (Laura Karpman, 2018): Emmy-winning composer Karpman wrote this piece for the U.S. Army Field Band in tribute to America’s first female four-star general. Trace its martial beginnings to gentle winds and harp back to a stirring brass finale, complete with mallets hitting artillery shells.

Associate music directors Jennifer Allen and Robin Gehl contributed to this story.

We asked listeners to tell us their favorite film scores. Dim the lights, grab some popcorn and read on for their top 25 selections in movie music.

1. ‘The Lord of the Rings’ series (Howard Shore, 2000-04)

Peter Jackson’s grand trilogy deserved an equally monumental score, and Shore delivered an operatic work that is notable for its sheer length, the variety of musical styles and multitude of themes. He spent nearly four years writing the music, about as long as it takes to watch the movies (we kid!). Here’s the “Shire” theme.

2. ‘Star Wars’ (John Williams, 1977)

The American Film Institute lists it as the world’s most recognizable film score of all time; and who doesn’t get chills from the opening fanfare? You might prefer the lushness of “Princess Leia’s Theme” or the goofiness of “Cantina Band,” but that main title might be among the most indelible music in all of movies.

3. ‘The Mission’ (Ennio Morricone, 1986)

Morricone used liturgical music, Spanish guitars and native drums to capture the varied cultures that figure in this 18th-century story. And, of course, there’s the woodwind of “Gabriel’s Oboe,” the score’s main theme.

4. ‘Schindler's List’ (John Williams, 1993)

The haunting, violin-powered “Theme from Schindler’s List” might be most well-known as the accompaniment for many a figure skating routine, an incongruous image to associate with Steven Spielberg’s Holocaust-themed film. Listen to Itzhak Perlman (who has been outspoken about the violin’s importance in the internment camps) play it.

5. ‘Dances With Wolves’ (John Barry, 1990)

The sweeping strings evoke the wide western plain where Lt. John Dunbar is posted after the Civil War. Barry, who persuaded director and star Kevin Costner that an intimate approach was needed, listened to Native American music for inspiration while composing — some of which made it into the score. And there are bagpipes! Listen to the “John Dunbar Theme.”

6. ‘Doctor Zhivago’ (Maurice Jarre, 1965)

Jarre avoided using Russian folk music for this score, opting instead for Russian “flavor” through the balalaika. As for that famous tune: Director David Lean allegedly rejected Jarre’s first few attempts at a love melody, finally ordering him to a mountain retreat with his girlfriend for romantic inspiration. Out of that interlude came “Lara’s Theme,” as achingly lovely as Julie Christie.

7. ‘Out of Africa’ (John Barry, 1985)

The film is long and some would say excessively navel-gazing, but the score is atypically short (about 35 minutes, including a Mozart clarinet concerto and a popular song from the period-appropriate 1910s). Even in its brevity it manages to convey the emotional breadth of the doomed romance. The soaring “Flying Over Africa” lifts the characters, and the listeners.

8. ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ (Maurice Jarre, 1962)

The producers reportedly considered a multitude of composers — including Malcolm Arnold, William Walton, Aram Khachaturian, Benjamin Britten and Richard Rodgers (whose early draft David Lean called “rubbish”) — before landing on the young Jarre, who already had been hired to orchestrate Rodgers’ score. Here’s the tune, “Theme from Lawrence of Arabia,” that sealed the deal.

9. ‘Harry Potter’ series (John Williams/Alexandre Desplat, 2001-11)

Williams composed the scores for only the first three films, but several of his melodies (including the main “Hedwig’s Theme,” heard in all eight movies) were incorporated throughout the franchise. Among Desplat’s contributions to the last two installments was a new theme for He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. But who are we kidding, “Hedwig” is Harry Potter.

10. ‘Seven Years in Tibet’ (John Williams, 1997)

A showcase for cellist Yo-Yo Ma, the score includes a few Tibetan embellishments, but it’s mainly good, old Williams schmaltz. Ma’s exquisite performance in this main theme is enhanced by the delicate piano that introduces the melody and the horns that usher in the climax at 5:17.

11. ‘The Magnificent Seven’ (Elmer Bernstein, 1960)

Is there a more, um, magnificent theme for a western? You can almost smell the gun smoke and hear the horses in Bernstein’s masterful use of rousing strings and syncopated horns in the iconic main title. The propulsive score is a necessary tonic to the film’s slow-moving action, and indeed, Bernstein said, “I remember being very excited when I found that opening rhythm. It was like a surge of energy.”

12. ‘Chariots of Fire’ (Vangelis, 1981)

Director Hugh Hudson resolved not to use a traditional orchestral score for this 1924-set drama, instead choosing electronic composer Vangelis to lend the film a modern sensibility and exuberance. The resulting synthesizer-driven music is a fine complement to the ambient national anthems, Gilbert and Sullivan snippets and English hymns. Cue the slo-mo!

13. ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (John Williams, 1981)

Williams offered Steven Spielberg two melodies for Indiana Jones’ main theme, which at the director’s behest he combined into the now-familiar trumpet fanfare with a strings-and-horn bridge. Notable too is the segue from the sublimely romantic “Marion’s Theme” to the screeching strings and ominous low horns of “The Crate,” evoking the villains of the 1930s serials the film emulates. Grab your whip for “The Raiders March.”

14. ‘Gone With the Wind’ (Max Steiner, 1939)

The grandeur of Steiner’s score instantly conjures the old South, for good or ill. Producer David O. Selznick insisted he incorporate contemporaneous music, including Stephen Foster tunes and “Dixie,” to anchor the film in the Civil War era. But it’s this romantic and magisterial melody that puts you on the lawn at Tara.

15. ‘South Pacific’ (Richard Rodgers, 1958)

The only musical on this list, it spawned the showtune classics “There Is Nothing Like a Dame,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair” and, perhaps most famously, “Some Enchanted Evening.” But the most enchanting of the bunch just might be “This Nearly Was Mine.” Listen to Giorgio Tozzi’s gorgeous bass, dubbing for actor Rossano Brazzi.

16. ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ series (Klaus Badelt/Hans Zimmer/Geoff Zanelli, 2003-17)

Products of Zimmer’s Remote Control film score company, these soundtracks sound like a sampler from any number of action movies. But they are fun! The bombastic anthems, rollicking chanteys and thundering choruses offer a pleasurable assault on the senses. Here’s Zimmer’s organ-infused “The Kraken” from Dead Man’s Chest.

17. ‘Jurassic Park’ (John Williams, 1993)

With the film’s signature theme, Williams sought to capture the “awesome beauty and sublimity of the dinosaurs in nature,” which he accomplished admirably. But as we know, things don’t stay pastoral for long in this world. For the most harrowing scenes (kids in the kitchen!) he borrowed his own technique from Jaws — the menacing four-note sequence that ups the intensity to 11. Let’s lower our stress level with that main theme.

18. ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (Dario Marianelli, 2005)

Beethoven’s early piano sonatas became “a point of reference” for this elegant score, Marianelli has said, and the gentle, romantic tone is in good hands with pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Before filming began, Marianelli composed several pieces for the actors to play onscreen, which helped inform the rest of the music. “Dawn” opens the film.

19. ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ (Erich Korngold, 1938)

Korngold originally turned down this project because, as an opera composer, he thought it had too much action! But the Nazis’ invasion of his home country of Austria compelled him to remain in the United States and stick to it, with fortuitous results. The swashbuckling score, with its Wagnerian flourishes and regal splendor, propelled Korngold to the top ranks of movie composers. “March of the Merry Men” puts a fine sword point on it.

20. ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ (Elmer Bernstein, 1962)

The Magnificent Seven composer took a far different approach to this tender story, grounding it in “the magic of a child’s world” with the high registers of the piano, flute, bells and harp. That nostalgic music-box quality, contrasted with this dark and foreboding “Ewell’s Hatred,” perfectly expresses the tensions of the 1930s South.

21. ‘Breakfast at Tiffany's’ (Henry Mancini, 1961)

You had us at “Moon River,” Henry. Legend has it that star Audrey Hepburn saved this classic from being cut by the producers, who called it “dead weight.” The melody (in infinite variations) weaves itself in and out of Mancini’s jazzy, lounge-inflected score, providing a poignant counterpart. Here is Hepburn’s version.

22. ‘Apollo 13’ (James Horner, 1995)

The patriotic drum cadence and trumpet fanfare that open the main title give way to a more reverent melody that speaks to the lofty goals of space exploration, before “Master Alarm” ratchets up the anxiety with heart-pounding drums and horn crescendos. You can see the sweat on Tom Hanks’ brow! Breathe a sigh of relief with the triumphant “Re-Entry and Splashdown.”

23. ‘Ben Hur’ (Miklos Rozsa, 1959)

In this massive score (befitting a 212-minute epic), Rosza carved out distinct themes for each group — Roman (strident and percussive), Macedonian (sinister and disquieting), Jewish (melancholy and minor key) and Christian (stirring and major key). The classic chariot race has no musical accompaniment, but listen to the triumphant “Parade of the Charioteers.”

24. ‘Last of the Mohicans’ (Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman, 1992)

Director Michael Mann changed his mind on the music so many times that original composer Jones’ electronic score had to be refashioned for traditional orchestra at the 11th hour, with Edelman brought in to augment minor scenes. Mann was so besotted with Scottish folkie Dougie MacLean’s “The Gael” that he requested it be adapted into the main theme, “Promentory.” His instincts were right, as its hypnotic fiddle befits the Gaelic influence on early American music.

25. ‘North by Northwest’ (Bernard Herrmann, 1959)

You’ll never look at Mount Rushmore again without hearing Herrmann’s distinctly nonmelodic but dynamic score, one of seven he composed for Alfred Hitchcock. He used the Spanish fandango with its heavy reliance on percussion (castanets and even hand-clapping) for the clashing rhythms that set the tone for the chaos thrust upon unwitting adman Roger Thornhill.

From an early age, many of us have experienced playing the recorder in all of its majesty during music classes in school. While many enjoy the recorder for its sometimes comical sounds, it still is a serious instrument. Enjoy this list of knockout hits featuring the recorder. You might wonder, “Was the recorder my favorite instrument along?”

Classical legacy

Antonio Vivaldi: Recorder Concerto RV 443

Maurice Steger is the bad boy of the recorder world. With more than 35 solo albums, and guest appearances on many others, he takes the recorder to heights that many previously thought were not possible. His performance of Antonio Vivaldi’s Recorder Concerto displays his skill and precision.

A popular instrument of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, the recorder was first documented during the Middle Ages in Europe. It is a member of the woodwind family. Recorders are largely used in music education now, but famous composers such as Claudio Monteverdi, Jean-Baptiste Lully and Johann Sebastian Bach wrote for the instrument.

The recorder has a diverse list of noted performers besides Steger. Mid-20th-century virtuosos Hans-Martin Linde and Frans Brüggen helped revive the instrument’s popularity. Contemporary performers Erik Bosgraaf and Dorothee Oberlinger push the instrument into the modern soundscape while also upholding its historical roots.

Enjoy Oberlinger performing a work by J.S. Bach:

J.S. Bach: Sonata in E minor

Here are other examples of the recorder in classical music.

Giovanni Maria Trabaci: Gagliarda Seconda detta La Scabrosetta

Written for keyboard or four instruments, Trabaci’s “Gagliarda Seconda detta La Scabrosetta” is most often orchestrated for a recorder ensemble. Here it is performed by the Royal Wind Music with 13 musicians on Renaissance recorders.

G. Ph. Telemann: Recorder Concerto in C major

Telemann was a self-taught German Baroque composer. He wrote many concertos for the recorder and his Concerto in C major displays how the instrument blends flawlessly with a Baroque chamber orchestra.

Beyond classical

While the recorder is often considered as an “old” instrument, it has made its way into pop culture and modern compositions. Rock groups such as Jefferson Airplane, the Beatles and the Barenaked Ladies have used the recorder in their songs. Here other popular modern uses of the recorder that showcase the versatility of the instrument.

All the Madmen — David Bowie

From The Man Who Sold the World album, “All the Madmen” uses the recorder as a welcomed contrast to the standard rock instrumentation. After an acoustic guitar and vocal intro, a group of recorders enter with a cool countermelody in response to David Bowie’s lyrics. The recorder continues to pop up during the piece’s psychedelic interludes.

Your Move — Yes

Progressive rock band Yes, like many other bands during the same time, wrote tracks of multiple distinct movements. “Your Move” is the first movement to the longer song, “I’ve Seen All Good People.” In that first movement, duel recorders enter in harmony during the third verse at the 1:11 minute mark.

Stairway to Heaven — Led Zeppelin

The bass guitarist of Led Zeppelin, John Paul Jones, also played the recorder for tracks featured on the band’s untitled fourth studio album. “Stairway to Heaven” is considered the best track on that record, and the recorder opens the piece with the acoustic guitar in a lovely folkish melody.

The recorder is much more than just a tool to teach early music. It is a long-lived instrument that is impressively nimble and can produce a rich sound. If the recorder is good enough for Led Zeppelin and J.S Bach, its good enough for all of us.

We asked listeners to tell us their favorite chamber music pieces. Here are the top 20 vote-getters.

20. Nielsen: Woodwind Quintet

This work embodies a conversation, with composer Carl Nielsen putting in his program notes that he "attempted to render the characters of the various instruments. At one moment they are all talking at once, at another they are quite alone."

LISTEN — Nielsen: Wind Quintet I. Allegro ben moderato

19. Mozart: Gran Partita

W.A. Mozart's Serenade No. 10, more commonly known as "Gran Partita," showcases his ability to masterfully combine different themes and textures. Scored for twelve winds and string bass, this is the work in the movie Amadeus that convinced Antonio Salieri that Mozart was the voice of God.

LISTEN — Serenade No. 10 "Gran Partita": IV. Adagio

18. Haydn: String Quartet Op. 76, No. 3 "Emperor"

One of Haydn's most famous quartets, the second movement features the melody from "God Save Emperor Francis," which is now used in the German national anthem. This melody will easily get stuck in your head, in the best way possible.

LISTEN — String Quartet Op. 76 No. 3 "Emperor" II. Poco adagio, cantabile

17. Grieg: String Quartet

Edvard Grieg is able to create a thick texture and soaring melodies in his String Quartet. An important piece to bridge the quartets of Beethoven to those of Debussy, the composer Franz Liszt said "it is a long time since I have encountered a new composition, especially a string quartet, which has intrigued me as greatly as this distinctive and admirable work by Grieg."

LISTEN — String Quartet No. 1: I. Un poco andante

16. Schubert: String Quintet

This work is considered one of Franz Schubert's best, and one of his last before his untimely death. The addition of a second cello creates a depth in the lower register that is haunting and lush. It's no wonder why this is considered one of the greatest chamber works of all time.

LISTEN — String Quintet in C Major: I. Allegro ma non troppo

15. Schumann: Piano Quintet in Eb major

Robert Schumann's Piano Quintet is considered one of the works to revolutionize the form, making it a staple of the Romantic Era. He dedicated the work to his wife and fellow composer, Clara Schumann, who was the pianist for its premiere.

LISTEN — Piano Quintet: II. In modo d'una marcia. Un poco largamente

14. Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time

Olivier Messiaen wrote this piece while he was a prisoner of war in a German camp. First performed by fellow prisoners, the work draws from a passage in the Book of Revelations and is now considered one of his most important works.

LISTEN — Quartet for the End of Time: I. Liturgie de cristal

13. Debussy: Sonata for flute, viola, and harp

Although Debussy is known for being a very impressionist composer, he actually looked to the styling of French Baroque music for his sonata for flute, viola and harp. The result is a beautiful painting of sounds, some structured and intentional, while others are more abstract.

LISTEN — Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp: II. Interlude; Tempo di minuetto

12. Brahms: Trio for Violin, Horn, and Piano in Eb major

Johannes Brahms wrote this piece to commemorate the death of his mother, exploring his grief through the four movements. He is able to express the different ways in which this emotion can be felt, with the second movement recalling happier memories of days gone by.

LISTEN — Horn Trio: I. Andante - poco piu animato

11. Tchaikovsky: String Quartet No. 1

The second movement of Pyotr Tchaikovsky's String Quartet No. 1 has become famous in its own right — it's melancholic sounds are said to have brought author Leo Tolstoy to tears, and the melody was used as the basis for the tune "On the Isle of May."

LISTEN — String Quartet No. 1: II. Andante cantabile

10. Schubert: String Quartet No. 14 "Death and the Maiden"

The "Death and the Maiden" quartet is one of Franz Schubert's most famous works. It was written after he suffered a major illness and realized he was dying. All movements are written in a minor key, driving home the urgency and fear of death as well as highlighting the few respites in major motifs.

LISTEN — String Quartet No. 14 "Death and the Maiden" Andante con moto

9. Janáček: String Quartet No. 2 "Intimate Letters"

Leos Janáček wrote his String Quartet No. 2 as a sort of manifesto on love to a woman 38 years younger than him. They exchanged over 700 letters through his life, and this work was meant as a testament to their relationship. The result is a work filled with passion and longing.

LISTEN — String Quartet No. 2 "Intimate Letters" III. Moderato

8. Mendelssohn: Octet

Felix Mendelssohn was 16 when he wrote this work as a gift for a friend. You can hear his youthful excitement and brilliance throughout the work, but especially in the first movement. It's melodic swells highlight his brilliance and promise as a composer.

LISTEN — String Octet: I. Allegro moderato, ma con fuoco

7. Dvořák: Serenade for Winds

Antonin Dvořák's Serenade for Winds evokes the Rococo style, combining the worlds of aristocracy and common folk. It's easy to picture yourself walking around a Baroque castle while listening to this regal piece.

LISTEN — Serenade for Winds: I. Moderato, quasi marcia

6. Debussy: String Quartet

The only string quartet Claude Debussy ever wrote marks a true departure from classical harmony to a more freeing view of composing. Composer Pierre Boulez even said that Debussy freed chamber music from "rigid structure, frozen rhetoric and rigid aesthetics" with this work. Listen to how the second movement utilizes pizzicato and strumming.

LISTEN — String Quartet: II. Assez vif et bien rythme

5. Ravel: String Quartet

Like Debussy, Maurice Ravel only wrote one string quartet. It is greatly influenced by Debussy's, but blazes a new path in a different way. Even so, listen to how the second movement utilizes pizzicato and strumming just like Debussy's. Instead of rejecting traditional forms, Ravel works within them to create a quartet that has stood the test of time.

LISTEN — String Quartet: II. Assez vif. Tres rythme

4. Mozart: Clarinet Quintet in A major

One of the best-known and earlier pieces written for clarinet, W.A. Mozart's Clarinet Quintet was written for the clarinetist Anton Stadler. Their working relationship produced another work for clarinet — Mozart's Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra — and changed the history of the instrument forever.

LISTEN — Clarinet Quintet: II. Larghetto

3. Beethoven: Piano Trio No. 7 "Archduke"

The composer was the pianist at the premiere of his "Archduke" piano trio, and it was one of his final performances due to his increasing deafness. The work is written beautifully for piano, violin and cello, with each instrument trading off the melody seamlessly.

LISTEN — Piano Trio No. 7 "Archduke": I. Allegro moderato

2. Schubert: Piano Quintet in A major, "Trout Quintet"

Franz Schubert's "Trout Quintet" gets its name from the fourth movement, which is based on variations of his lied by the same name. Its childish playfulness and textures make this work a lasting classic in the chamber music repertoire.

LISTEN — "Trout Quintet": IV. Thema with Variations; Andante

1. Dvořák: String Quartet No. 12 "American"

It's no wonder Antonin Dvořák's "American" quartet topped our list — it embodies his compositional style from his stay in America, where he encountered musical influences from all across the country. You can hear hints of folk music, spirituals, and indigenous melodies, all tied together in a magical bow. Although Dvořák only lived in the U.S. for a few years, he captured the spirit of American classical music and influenced it for years to come.

LISTEN — String Quartet No. 12 "American": I. Allegro ma non troppo

You can hear all of these works, and more on our new Chamber Music stream. Is your favorite one missing from this list? Let us know!

The concert band is a familiar part of many Americans' educational experience. Whether you played in the band, had friends who played, or simply knew of all the kids who headed to the far corner of the school at 10th period, you have probably heard of band and maybe some of its instruments.

But while you might know famous composers' names from throughout classical music history, you might be less familiar with band composers. Here are just a few of the important names in band history.

John Philip Sousa is, for many, the primary encounter with concert bands in the wild. He has been called the March King because he contributed more than 100 marches to the band literature. His The Stars and Stripes Forever is an American classic, and he was a powerful force in creating a concert band culture in the United States through the Marine Band and his touring band. As his music would suggest, Sousa was a fun-loving, patriotic guy. His band also played as a volunteer baseball team, challenging all of the local teams on their tours.

It should be noted that depending on when you participated in band, certain composers' names will stand out as favorites. This list aims to include voices who have impacted or are impacting the tradition of composition for band, and is not to be read as a list of the "top 10" composers. Art is subjective, after all! There are countless composers not mentioned here whose works are educational and longtime favorites for bands worldwide, including popular names in the field such as John Barnes Chance, Alfred Reed, Ron Nelson and Robert W. Smith.

What this list also highlights is an incredible need for diversity in published composers.

Percy Grainger (1882-1961)

This man was truly devoted to the wind band. An Australian by birth, Grainger was instrumental in revitalizing a worldwide interest in British folk music. He's famous for having hiked around Great Britain with an early recording device strapped to his back. He would walk into pubs, buy the locals a round of drinks and ask them to sing a song. He recorded these informal performances and then transcribed them directly onto sheet music, with all of the rhythmic bumps or off-key harmonies that were captured. The resulting collection of folk tunes became the band standard Lincolnshire Posy. His other notable works include Children's March: Over the Hills and Far Away and Colonial Song (aka Australian Up-Country Tune).

Alex Shapiro (1962- )

Alex Shapiro is a seriously accomplished composer whose band works often include electronic audio tracks as a layer of sound otherwise unachievable for an acoustic ensemble. She was trained at Juilliard and the Manhattan School of Music under Ursula Mamlok and John Corigliano, but left the East Coast to score a documentary in California. There, while composing for other films, her passion for activism took off, and she served on the board and as vice president of the Southern California ACLU and as president of the board of directors of the American Composers Forum. She composes for a variety of instrumentations and ensembles, and is passionate about achieving greater composer diversity in the band world.

Karel Husa (1921-2016)

Husa's breadth of work covers everything from ballet to chamber music to vocal and orchestral works, and he won the 1969 Pulitzer Prize for his String Quartet No. 3. But his most famous work was for concert band. Music for Prague 1968 was written after the Czech-born composer listened to a BBC Radio broadcast as the Soviet Union crushed the Prague Spring movement. Husa had since emigrated to the United States, but as he listened to the report of the event, he was deeply moved. Much of his work was influenced by other modern Czech composers, and Prague was only his second work for band, so he decided he would write it the same way he would compose for an orchestra. That decision was revolutionary, and the composer's embrace of the band as an ensemble that could achieve great professional musicality was as important in the 1960s as it is today.

Joseph Schwantner (1943- )

Between Husa and Schwantner, concert band writing became a serious artistic force in the late 20th century. Schwantner's … and the mountains rising nowhere revitalized the possibilities of band tonality and texture. He applied progressive motivic development, aleatoric writing effects and massive use of the percussion section (46 different instruments!) to create a standard for advanced ensembles. His other works for concert band are also highly regarded and include From a Dark Millennium, In evening's stillness … and Luminosity.

Julius Fucik (1872-1916)

Known as the "Bohemian Sousa," Fucik wrote extensively for concert band, which at the time meant a lot of military marches. He was a Czech composer and studied under Antonin Dvorak before becoming the conductor of several regimental bands and later his personal ensemble. In addition to hundreds of marches, he wrote polkas and waltzes. He combined styles, too, as heard in his famous Florentiner March. His other well-known piece is the Entry of the Gladiators, which became synonymous with circus clowns.

David Maslanka (1943-2017)

Maslanka was one of the biggest names in American composition — especially for band. His love of Bach contributed to a sound that is distinctly his own, with massive brass power chords and wild woodwind flurries, as well as simply mournful, poignant solo lines showing up in nearly all of his work. He wrote 10 symphonies, eight of which were for concert band, and more than 40 other pieces for concert band, as well as chamber, orchestral and solo works. Some of his most notable pieces include Mother Earth, Give Us This Day, Symphony No. 4 and countless others. His piece Angel of Mercy earned him an honorary doctorate from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn.

Vincent Persichetti (1915-1987)

The works of Persichetti, who has 14 classics in the band repertoire to his name, are often a band student's first introduction to contemporary classical music. As a composition professor at Juilliard, he taught Philip Glass, Toshi Ichiyanagi, Einojuhani Rautavaara and other contemporary composers. He first explored the styles of Bela Bartok, Igor Stravinsky and Aaron Copland before developing his own voice. His Divertimento, Symphony No. 6 and A Lincoln Address are among his most notable works.

Julie Giroux (1961- )

Giroux is an incredibly well-rounded powerhouse composer. Her first work was published when she was only 9, and she hasn't stopped since. An established band composer even in college, she moved to Los Angeles and within three hours was hired by Bill Conti to orchestra his score for the TV miniseries North and South. When she won her first of three Emmys, she was the first woman and youngest person to win the award. She has more than 100 film, video game and TV credits. But for the concert hall, she has composed more works for band than any other instrumentation. She is a highly sought-after guest clinician and advocate for school bands.

Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

Holst's First and Second Suites are staples in the band repertoire. His British background is an audible influence in his work, and he was a part of England's folk-song revival, which influenced a great deal of band music. A trombonist, pianist, music educator and composer, he was a believer in music for the people. Additionally, his is some of the best writing for the euphonium, a typically band-only instrument that he also employed in his most famous orchestral work, The Planets. His daughter, Imogen Holst (1907-1984), became a strong conductor, educator and composer, too, and advocated for her father's work.

Frank Ticheli (1958- )

It is hard to find a band student within the past 20 years who made it through the experience without playing something by Ticheli. His works are influential to young musicians because he treats the young band like a serious musical force. His music pushes students to work on blend, intonation and phrasing in a way that many composers disregard as impossible. His arrangements of American folk songs in concert settings are especially popular in schools. His notable works include Shenandoah, Blue Shades, Cajun Folk Songs,, Vesuvius and Angels in the Architecture.

Bonus: Frederick Fennell (1914-2004)

We would be remiss not to mention the Eastman Wind Ensemble's founder and inventor of the modern wind ensemble. Fennell decided to decrease the concert band's size for a clearer and more controlled sound, reducing each instrument's numbers to its orchestral size (one performer per part) while retaining the full band scoring. To promote the new group, he sent out a call for scores, to which Vincent Persichetti, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Percy Grainger quickly responded. Like his Tanglewood classmate Leonard Bernstein, Fennell is responsible for producing many recordings that have been used as the standard for decades, including a now-legendary series for Mercury Living Presence. He was a sought-after guest conductor for the world's finest bands, including the Dallas Winds, and was the founding director of the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra, which is generally regarded to be the best band in the world.

Honorable Mention: Paul Hindemith (1895-1963)

Finally, an honorable mention goes to Paul Hindemith. He composed two cornerstone pieces of the band repertoire were composed by Hindemith: his Symphony in B-flat and his Symphonic Metamorphosis, which was an arrangement of his orchestral work based on the music of Carl Maria von Weber.

Ella Harpstead is a former classical intern for American Public Media and Minnesota Public Radio who is majoring in music composition at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. She's also the pep band director and a leader of Musika Nova, and has served as euphonium section leader in the St. Olaf Band and as a director of the school's Valhalla Band.

While movie music buffs can debate whether John Williams' Star Wars score is truly the greatest film score of all time, the composer has certainly created the most recognizable musical universe ever to accompany a motion picture. The familiarity and resonance of the score has grown with each new installment of the series, and Williams has continued to develop new themes for the expanding cast of characters having adventures a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.

In this exploration of the musical world of Star Wars, we're tracing Williams' classical influences.

A trend-setting throwback

One of the reasons Star Wars made such an impact was that in a decade marked by stark, intellectually ambitious science fiction films—including George Lucas's own THX-1138 (1971)—Star Wars was a shamelessly sweeping throwback to space operas in the Buck Rogers mode.

Part and parcel of Lucas's approach was to commission a grand symphonic score, rather than an experimental electronic soundtrack. In his mid-40s, Williams was already an experienced film composer. Juilliard-trained, he'd worked with such legends as Bernard Herrmann and won two Academy Awards—including one for his still-iconic score for Steven Spielberg's Jaws, the movie that's credited for establishing the summer blockbuster genre.

It wasn't Williams's job, then, to break new aesthetic ground. In fact, it was precisely in the nature of his assignment that he produce a score harking back to the swashbuckling classics Lucas grew up with. His triumph, with Star Wars, was to deploy that musical vocabulary with an unprecedented power and sweep—a sweep that grew with each of the film's two sequels, and then with the three prequels Lucas directed 20 years later.

Wagner: The original franchise king

The ultimate influence on Williams's vision for Star Wars was Richard Wagner, whose Ring cycle combines a wealth of musical ideas that would inform Williams's work. Daringly dissonant and boldly dramatic for its time, Wagner's four-opera cycle was the original "cinematic" composition, its lurid Romantic vocabulary providing the basic toolbox for a century's worth of film composers.

The idea Williams is best-known for copping from Wagner—via many other opera and film composers—is the device of the leitmotif: a distinctive musical "voice" for each major character, a melody and arrangement that can be adapted in various ways to complement the evolving story.

Where the ordinary filmgoer most conspicuously hears Wagner in Star Wars, is in the brass-laden theme for Darth Vader and his evil Empire—which is distinctively reminiscent of Wagner's music for his majestic Valkyries.

Tchaikovsky: Instrumental color

You don't necessarily think Nutcracker Suite when you think Star Wars—but it's more appropriate than you might realize that The Force Awakens was released during the Christmas season. Tchaikovsky was a master of orchestral color, and when you listen to his score for the "coffee" interlude next to Williams's Jawa theme, you're reminded that Clara's magical sojourn was the original trip to a galaxy far, far away.

The grandly Romantic theme from Swan Lake is also echoed in Williams's love theme for Han and Leia, from The Empire Strikes Back. Whether or not Williams was explicitly thinking about a dying swan as he penned this elegiac music, he was certainly going for that feeling that a curtain (of stars?) is about to fall.

Holst: Journey into space

Other than the composers shot into orbit by Stanley Kubrick in 2001 (Ligeti, Khachaturian, both of the Strausses)—and the composers literally shot into orbit on Voyager II (Bach, Mozart, Beethoven)—there's no composer in the classical repertoire who's more closely associated with outer space than Gustav Holst. The Planets has been mined for any number of sci-fi spectaculars, and Mars in particular has been a favorite of film composers including Williams, whose stormtroopers march to a distinctly Martian beat.

Korngold: Movie master

Of all Williams's borrowings, there's none more notorious than his nod to Erich Korngold—right out of the gate, no less. As many listeners have noted, the main Star Wars theme (technically, Luke Skywalker's theme) bears more than a passing resemblance to Korngold's theme for Kings Row (1942).

Whether you'd go so far as to call this a "cinematic swipe," it's no shocker that Williams looked to channel Korngold, whose music for classic films like The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) and The Sea Hawk (1940) is clearly the immediate template from which Williams was working with Star Wars and his other best-known film scores.

Kings Row, ironically, is a hard-edged drama about dark secrets in a small town. One of its stars was none other than Ronald Reagan, who would go on as President to appropriate the terms "Star Wars" (for his proposed missile defense system) and "evil empire" (for the Soviet Union).

Stravinsky: Uncanny Rite

Stravinsky's influence on Star Wars might have come by way of Fantasia, where his instantly infamous Rite of Spring was used to soundtrack a desiccated landscape where dinosaurs marched to their deaths. As C-3PO and R2-D2 survey the barren sands of Tatooine, classical music fans must have wondered when a young Twi'lek was going to dance herself to death.

Orff: Sing a song of Sith

Believe it or not, when it came time to score the Star Wars prequels, there was one classical monster hit that just about every film composer except for Williams had plundered. That's Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, whose O Fortuna choir has been cribbed for seemingly every movie that culminates in a supernatural apocalypse. When it came time for Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi to duel to the death with Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace, Williams knew who to call.

Elgar: A New Hope and Glory

The theme that soundtracks the Throne Room procession (sorry for the spoiler) in the original Star Wars movie is a perfect example of Williams's special talent for creating music that's simultaneously new and old. Thanks to Williams's gift for melody and tone, you probably don't think about your high school graduation when Luke and Han are walking down the aisle—but listening to Williams's music for this scene next to Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance march makes clear that Williams knew whose arrangement to crib when he wanted to evoke the feeling of a formal award ceremony.

An original alchemy

Although Williams owes debts to all these composers—and many more—every composer stands on the shoulders of giants. Williams's homages may have been a bit more direct than some other composers', but the bottom line is that his mastery of melody and deftness of tone make the Star Wars scores a signal achievement in the history of cinema. Just as Lucas knew to hit the books (specifically, Joseph Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces), so did Williams; together, the two reinvigorated ancient tropes with freshness and verve.

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As instruments, human voices are uniquely capable of combining to create sounds ranging from the soaring glory of Samuel Barber’s Agnus Dei to the raw power of Verdi’s Requiem, while expanding and interpreting the poetry of the piece being sung. Listen to these 10 great works and and experience that whole spectrum of sound!

Spem in Alium (Thomas Tallis): Tallis’ transcendent harmonies just bespeak Renaissance. This remarkable 40-voice motet (actually, eight groups of 5-part mini-choirs in one), composed about 1570, creates a halo of sound that envelops you. Listen to the music moving through the choirs before all 40 voices join, then recede again.

Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied (Johann Sebastian Bach): This three-movement motet based on three Psalms divides eight voices into two four-part choirs. But enough math. It’s speculated that Bach composed it in about 1727 as a choral exercise for his students in Leipzig. Indeed, it is exceedingly difficult to sing — although not to listen to.

Requiem (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart): Did the young genius write this masterpiece for his funeral? It was, as it happens, his last work, composed on his deathbed in 1791 and left unfinished. Composer Franz Xavier Süssmayr “completed” it the next year — it’s unclear whether he relied on the “scraps of notes” supposedly given to him by Mozart’s widow, Constanze, who had a financial interest in seeing the work completed.

Missa Solemnis (Ludwig van Beethoven): Beethoven regarded this as his greatest work, even more than the Ninth Symphony, composed around the same time in 1824. This “Solemn Mass” has moments of resplendent life, especially the second movement (“Gloria”). The requirements of a full orchestra, sizable chorus and challenging vocal and instrumental solos mean that it is rarely performed by amateur ensembles.

Requiem (Giuseppe Verdi): All the drama of an opera, all the sublimity of a mass for the dead: This isn’t your standard requiem. Early critics called it “an opera in ecclestiastical robes,” but they agreed that the music displayed invention and beauty. You’ll perk up at the roar of “Dies Irae” (9:48) — Day of Wrath indeed! — which countless movies and TV shows have employed to create an atmosphere of terror.

All-Night Vigil (Sergei Rachmaninoff): This piece, composed in 1915, was one of Rachmaninoff’s favorite works; he requested its “Nunc Dimittis” (beginning at the 13:38 mark) be sung at his funeral. Listen as the basses descend to an almost impossible low B-flat at the end of that movement. Much of this prayerlike work is based on ancient chant, reflecting the traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church, but there are also soaring, complex harmonies (11 parts in the seventh movement!).

Carmina Burana (Carl Orff): A devotee of the “total theater” concept in which art overwhelms the senses, Orff found the perfect vehicle in a collection of medieval poems whose title translates roughly as “secular songs for soloists and choruses, accompanied by instruments and magical images.” The thundering “O Fortuna,” which opens and closes this 1937 work, is so familiar and indelible, you might not even need this reminder.

Serenade to Music (Ralph Vaughan Williams): This tribute to conductor Henry Wood (and, of course, to music) incorporates lyrics adapted from the “music of the spheres” scene in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. Conceived for 16 soloists when it was written in 1938, Vaughn Williams later created various arrangements for ensembles that lacked enough of the requisite singers.

“Agnus Dei” (Samuel Barber): The composer’s 1967 choral arrangement of his famous Adagio for Strings, composed in 1936, just might pack more of an emotional punch than the original. The ethereal voices take the piece into a new dimension, “bringing to the surface the work’s sense of spirituality,” in one memorable description.  

“And the Swallow” (Caroline Shaw): The composer, the youngest recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for music, has said the Syrian refugee crisis inspired her to write this 2017 piece. To underscore the theme, Shaw turned to Psalm 84, which references the building of a nest and the yearning for home — and the music dips and soars as the titular bird.