Backstage

Although elements of classical music have been around for a thousand years, the rules and structures of the genre, as we know it today, were set around the 16th century. Until the beginning of the 20th century it enjoyed great popularity across all sections of society - only recently has its popularity decreased (with the emergence of jazz, rock'n'roll and other forms of popular music). If you're a newcomer to the field of classical music, or don't know where to start with this broad genre, the following pieces will provide you with a good start. Unfortunately we cannot cover all the styles and periods in classical music here, but if you want to dig a little deeper, go to the classical page on we7...

Verdi: Requiem

Tullio Serafinc

Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) requiem was composed for novelist Alessandro Manzoni, whose death in 1873 moved the composer greatly. After his death, Verdi wrote of Manzoni "Now all is over! And with him ends...the greatest of our glories." The Requiem was not intended for the church, but for the concert hall, giving the composer more freedom when setting the text. It was first performed in Milan, on the anniversary of Manzoni's death. The work itself employs vigorous rhythms, melodies and dramatic contrasts, thus emphasizing the powerful emotions in the text. The funereal piece explores Verdi's feelings of loss, sorrow and human desire but also mercy and forgiveness.

Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Fantasia...

John Williams

Concierto de Aranjuez is the most popular and recognizable of Joaquin Rodrigo's (1901-1999) works. Composed in 1939 it was premiered in 1940 when Rodrigo returned to Madrid, following the Spanish Civil War. Underlying the references to the Spanish folk tradition is the combination of the small voice of the classical guitar and the might of the full orchestra. Yet neither is ever overshadowed by the other with the listener being left with the impression that the combination is quite natural.

Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue / An American...

Leonard Bernstein & Leonard Bernstein

George Gershwin (1898-1937) was noted for his combination of blues, jazz and ragtime with the mood of the Russian concerto (his family were Russian émigrés). Rhapsody in Blue was composed in 1925. As he had never orchestrated before, he had to learn how to do so to fulfil the commission for this piece. Whilst some suspected it as being derivative of Debussy, others have pointed to its originality and highly personalized style.

Metamorphosis

Philip Glass

Although many describe Philip Glass (b.1937) as a minimalist (like Riley) he describes himself as a Classicist, having studied Bach and Beethoven. One of the most influential - and prolific - composers of the late 20th century, he is also noted for his many film scores. Metamorphosis was composed as a solo piano piece in five sections. The third and fourth sections were composed for a theatrical adaptation of the Kafka novel of the same name. The first two, Glass composed for the 1988 documentary 'The Thin Blue Line'. The fifth section concludes the preceding four sections, grouping them together.

Beethoven: Cello Sonatas, Op.5, Nos.1 & 2

Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax

In Berlin 1796, Beethoven (1770-1827) composed a number of important works, including these Cello Sonatas. The composition of Cello Sonatas bore no similarities to the works of Beethoven's contemporaries, such as Hayden or Mozart. The density of the material as well as Beethoven's ability to increase his range in the tonic make the sonatas unparalleled in their time. Beethoven has been noted for dedicating some of his works to influential and powerful figures of his time, with the hope of being rewarded. Thus, the cello sonatas were dedicated to the King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm II (in return he was given a gold snuff box with twenty Franc gold pieces).

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No.1-6

La Stravaganza (Hamburg)/Siegbert Rampe

The Brandenburg Concertos were composed in 1721 and dedicated to Ludwig of Brandenburg (possibly as a sweetener to help with a job application). Thought to contain some of J S Bach's (1685-1750) most brilliant counterpoint, the pieces display a variety of styles indicating that they were not conceived as part of a set. Nevertheless, they all share commonality in displaying Bach's talent for adopting new styles.

Shostakovich: Symphonies No.5 & 10

Hallé conducted by Stanislaw Skrowaczewski

Symphony No.5 is one of the classics of the 20th century, and is frequently performed by orchestras all over the world - this performance comes from the Hallé Orchestra, conducted by Stanislaw Skrowaczewski. To place the Symphony No.5 in context, they were composed in 1930s Soviet Russia at the time of the show trials and expulsions of Stalin's political opponents (real and imagined) - Shostakovich (1906-1975) himself was under immense political pressure. For first time listeners, Symphonies No.5 & 10 are a great introduction to the world of Shostakovich - Symphony No.10 is widely believed to be the greatest of Shostakovich's works, certainly for dramatic impact.

Borodin: String Quartet & Sextet

The Lindsays

For Alexander Borodin's (1833-1887) first string quartet (composed in 1873) he strived to produce something identifiably Russian, rather than follow the prevailing German trends. However, he was not a subscriber to his contemporary's brand of Russian nationalism. Thus, String Quartets No.1, composed throughout the 1870s, contained Slavic elements but kept a predominantly German tone. The second quartet followed in 1881 and is more uniform in atmosphere and expression than the first, abandoning the changes in mood of the first.

Terry Riley: In C

Terry Riley

Terry Riley (b.1935) is one of the foremost pioneers of the minimalist genre in classical music. He introduced, along with others (such as Steve Reich), the use of delays and tape loops into classical music. Throughout all his works, but particularly with In C, he is noted for deconstructing the western classical tradition, emphasizing the importance of the group over the individual. Often cited as the first example of minimalism, In C was composed in 1964 and consisted of 53 short, numbered phrases. Performances of the piece have no set duration and some have lasted up to several hours. The number of musicians performing the piece can also vary (there have been performances of the piece by 124 musicians, although Riley recommends 35). The work was strongly influenced by the composer's interest in Indian classical traditions and Gamelan music. In C, and other works by the composer, influenced many rock and pop musicians, most notably Pete Townsend of The Who (its minimalist patterns can be heard in the gated-organ effect on the introduction to 'Won't Get Fooled Again').