orchestral

Émile Waldteufel (Dec. 9, 1837 - Feb. 12,1915) was a French conductor, pianist, and composer. Born in to a musical family, he studied music first with his father, and then at the Conservatoire de Paris. He went on to become the court pianist for Empress Eugenie, and he also led the state orchestra. Regarding his body of work, Waldteufel is known for composing dance pieces, particularly waltzes. His most well known is Les Patineurs (The Ice Skaters). Continue reading →

Erich Wolfgang Korngold (May 29, 1897 - Nov. 29, 1957) was an Austrian born composer, conductor, and a child prodigy. The son of a music critic, Korngold was playing piano alongside his father at age five, and was writing his own music by age seven. Gustav Mahler said that Korngold was a "musical genius", and suggested he study with Alexander von Zemlinsky. Richard Strauss spoke very highly of him as well. Korngold went on to compose many movie scores, operas, and orchestral works. Continue reading →

Leó Weiner (April 16, 1885 - Sept. 13, 1960) was born in to a Jewish family in Budapest, and ended up being one of the leading Hungarian music educators the first half of the twentieth century. He started piano lessons as a boy with his brother, and later studied at the Academy of Music in Budapest. While he was there, he won numerous prizes, and eventually went on to be a professor at the Academy, teaching theory, composition, and chamber music. Some of his notable students include cellist János Starker, conductors Fritz Reiner and George Solti, and pianist György Sebők. Continue reading →

Many people are acquainted with Debussy's La Mer, but not so many with Paul Gilson's work of the same name, composed a decade before Debussy's. Paul Gilson (June 15, 1865 - April 3,1942) was born in Brussels, and was an organist and choir director. At the Brussels Conservatory he studied harmony and counterpoint, and won a Prix de Rome for a cantata he wrote. Continue reading →