Baton Music

'The Carnival of Venice' is a popular Italian folk tune associated with the words "My hat, it has three corners." It was heard in Venice by the virtuoso violinist Nicolo Paganini and made famous in hi...

The Carnival of Venice is a popular Italian folk tune associated with the words "My hat, it has three corners." It was heard in Venice by the virtuoso violinist Nicolo Paganini and made famous in his...

'Künstlerleben' (Artist's Life) op. 316 is a waltz written by Johann Strauss jr. in 1867, following closely on the success of the popular 'The Blue Danube' waltz. The waltz was presented at the 'Hespe...

Künstlerleben (Artist's Life) op. 316 is a waltz written by Johann Strauss jr. in 1867, following closely on the success of the popular "The Blue Danube" waltz. The waltz was presented at the "Hesperu...

'Carmen' is probably the most famous opera in the whole opera-repertoire, although its premiere in 1875 was a great disappointment. The chorus 'Vivat! Vivat le Torero!' is sung in the second act of th...

Carmen is probably the most famous opera in the whole opera-repertoire, although its premiere in 1875 was a great disappointment. The chorus "Vivat! Vivat le Toréro!" is sung in the second act of the...

The oratorio "Mors et Vita" (Death and Life) is the continuation of "The Redemption" and was the second of a proposed trilogy of oratorios written on commission by Charles Gounod for the Birmingham Fe...

Rimsky-Korsakov wrote his "Fantasia on Serbian Themes" (also known as the "Serbian Fantasy") in 1867. Mily Balakirev conducted the first performance of this piece in May of that year. The "Fantasy" wa...

'Die Afrikanerin', is a Viennese quadrille which Johann Strauss based on the themes from Meyerbeer's opera 'L'Africaine'. It was first heard in the Vienna Volksgarten on 7 July 1865 during a musical n...

'Die Afrikanerin', is a Viennese quadrille which Johann Strauss based on the themes from Meyerbeer's opera 'L'Africaine'. It was first heard in the Vienna Volksgarten on 7 July 1865 during a musical n...

Pablo de Sarasate's 'Zigeunerweisen' (Gypsy Airs) for Violin and Orchestra was written in 1878 and premiered during the same year in Leipzig. It is based on themes of the Roma people, specifically the...

Pablo de Sarasate's "Zigeunerweisen" (Gypsy Airs) for Violin and Orchestra was written in 1878 and premiered during the same year in Leipzig. It is based on themes of the Roma people, specifically the...

With Les Pêcheurs des Perles Bizet first made his mark in 1863. Set in ancient Ceylon, this tale of friendship, love and betrayal has been performed more and more often in opera houses around the worl...

With Les Pêcheurs des Perles Bizet first made his mark in 1863. Set in ancient Ceylon, this tale of friendship, love and betrayal has been performed more and more often in opera houses around the worl...

Verdi composed 'Un Ballo in Maschera' for the San Carlo Theatre in Naples where it was to have been staged during the 1858 carnival season. The libretto told the true story of the liberal King Gustavu...

The "Stabat Mater" is the best known work of Giovanni Pergolesi's. It was commissioned by the "Confraternità dei Cavalieri di San Luigi di Palazzo" who presented an annual Good Friday meditation in ho...

'Rienzi, der Letzte der Tribunen' (WWV 49) (Rienzi, the Last of the Tribunes) is an early opera by Richard Wagner in five acts, with the libretto written by the composer after Bulwer-Lytton's novel of...

'Ollantay' is one of the last scores of his nationalistic period of the Argentin composer Alberto Ginastera. The imagery for the music comes from the 'Popol Vuh', or Council Book, an assemblage of May...

Ollantay is one of the last scores of his nationalistic period of the Argentin composer Alverto Ginastera. The imagery for the music comes from the "Popol Vuh", or Council Book, an assemblage of Mayan...

Classical composers who have used csardas themes in their works include Emmerich Kalman, Franz Liszt, Johannes Brahms, Leo Delibes, Johann Strauss, Pablo de Sarasate, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and othe...

Classical composers who have used csárdás themes in their works include Emmerich Kálmán, Franz Liszt, Johannes Brahms, Léo Delibes, Johann Strauss, Pablo de Sarasate, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and othe...