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Behind the music

List of News Articles

  1. Making a splash: water music beyond Handel

    6 January 2025

    We take a look at musical depictions of water, from trickling burns to the wide expanse of the ocean, to see what lurks below the surface.
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  2. The trumpet concerto

    23 December 2024

    Our series on the concerto finally turns its attention to the brass family, and there are many more for trumpet than you might expect.
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  3. The waltz goes international

    25 November 2024

    We look at what happened when composers outside Austria turned their hands to the waltz ...
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  4. The story behind Silent Night and other carols

    18 November 2024

    The history of Christmas carols is long and surprisingly varied - we look at a few of them.
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  5. The search for Beethoven's successor

    4 November 2024

    Beethoven died in 1827. Who would be worthy to take on his mantle?
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  6. Why is there so little classical Christmas music?

    28 October 2024

    Where are all the Christmas classics from the great composers?
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  7. Three Swedish composers: Bellman (in the middle, in 18th century dress) is playing the cittern, with formal photographs of Berwald to his left and Atterberg to his right

    Not just Eurovision: an introduction to Swedish music

    7 October 2024

    Wherein we challenge you to think past 'Waterloo' and 'Mamma mia' ...
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  8. Max Mandel plays the viola, concentrating hard on the sheet music. He wears a black suit and tie.

    The viola concerto

    23 September 2024

    Our examination of the concerto continues with the viola, whose potential as a solo instrument was long unrecognised.
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  9. Three pictures: a man leans forward, his elbows on some sheet music; a man with a large belly, wearing a black carnival mask; a caricature sketch of a man in a wig

    Pulcinella and the dangers of (mis)attribution

    16 September 2024

    Stravinsky's ballet Pulcinella is based on music by Pergolesi. Or is it?
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  10. Two Black men (the first an 18th century gentleman, the second in a formal Edwardian suit) and a black woman in profile

    The first Black composers

    9 September 2024

    To celebrate Black History Month, we look at the early history of Black composers, from Joseph Boulogne to Samuel Taylor-Coleridge.
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  11. Three women: one in a high wig and flowers in her hair, another sitting in profile, and (in a drawing) standing in a group as part of a stage production

    Mozart and the Weber sisters

    2 September 2024

    We look at Mozart's close relationship with the children of the Weber family.
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  12. A man plays the cello, his bow on the string

    The cello concerto

    26 August 2024

    In a new series for 2024/25, who better than the SCO players to guide us through the best concertos for their instrument?
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