Swiss-born composer Ernest Bloch spent much of his life in America, composing work heavily influenced by his Jewish upbringing. From Jewish Life is a perfect example of this compositional style, a three movement suite that contains folksong references and much modal material. The opening four note motif heard in Prayer is a direct quote used at the Hymn of Petition, sung in a traditional…
De Falla's infamous masterpiece El amor brujo is a ballet that immerses us in Andalusian Gypsy folklore and musical tradition. The narrative follows a young woman, Candela, who is married to one man but in love with another, Carmelo. Following the death of her husband she is haunted by his ghost, eventually resorting to the dark arts to relieve herself of torment.…
Tchaikovsky’s piano cycle The Seasons was commissioned by the editor of the Saint Petersburg journal Nouvellist, to be published in monthly instalments throughout the year of 1876. As a means to supplement his income, Tchaikovsky did not devote his most serious compositional efforts to this suite, however he was in fine compositional form, having recently premiered both Swan Lake and his first Piano…
