Wolfgang Birtel

Joseph-Hector Fiocco (1703-1741) is regarded as one of the most important Belgian composers of the late Baroque era.The Allegro in G major originally was a movement from Fiocco's Harpsichord Suites (P...

The concertos by Oskar Rieding (1840-1918) are among the 'classics' of the teaching literature. In particular, the Concerto in B minor is one of the most frequently played student concertos for violin...

Born in the village of Brand in the Upper Palatinate, Max Reger (1873 1916) was taught by the renowned music theoretician Hugo Riemann. After finishing his studies and working as a freelance performer...

Karol Szymanowski (1882-1932) is regarded as one of the most important Polish composers since Chopin. He received his formative musical training in Warsaw where he lived for many years and was also di...

This edition of the Violin Concerto in A minor is tailored to today's common style of violin playing as well as historically informed performance practice. Two violin parts are arranged, according to...

'Alt Wiener Tanzweisen' [Old Viennesse dance tunes] are pretty miniatures, vibrant and catchy (the second one with a slightly elegiac colouring), but all have melodic charm and musical elegance. And w...

Originally composed for piano solo, Rubinstein's 'Melody' Op. 3/1 is the best-known work written by the Russian composer. Thanks to the simple, yet tender melody and its expressive harmony, the name o...

Maurice Ravel's melancholy popular 'Pavane for a Dead Princess' composed in 1899 was originally written for piano before he arranged it for orchestra in 1910. Though dedicated to a real princess, the...

A 'Last Night of the Proms' without this march - unthinkable! 'Pomp and Circumstance Military March No. 1' with its middle section, the hymn-like 'Land of Hope and Glory' by Edward Elgar (1857-1934),...

The 19th century was not only the era of great forms, monumental symphonies and melodious sonatas, no, the Romantic composers proved to be versatile and highly imaginative on the field of little music...

A wedding without a famous wedding march - unimaginable! Wagner's 'Bridal Chorus' from 'Lohengrin' and Mendelssohn's 'Wedding March' from the incidental music of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' vie for th...

The music world became aware of Erik Satie (1866-1925) with a bang: when his ballet 'Parade' was premiered on May 18, 1817, it caused a scandal. The production, which also involved Sergei Djagilew wit...