The Classical Music Minute

DescriptionPaganini was an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist, and composer renowned for his virtuosic skills and innovative compositions. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactPaganini's "Caprice No. 1" for solo violin is a dazzling display of virtuosity, composed in 1805. Its intricate arpeggios, rapid scales, and double stops push the limits of violin technique. Despite its technical demands, it captivates listeners with its lyrical beauty and remains a cornerstone of the violin repertoire.__________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

DescriptionMozart, the legendary composer, was a fascinating figure with a multitude of odd traits. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactMozart's Piano Concerto No. 17 in G major, composed in 1784, showcases his mastery of melody and form. Its buoyant and elegant character, coupled with intricate piano passages, captivates listeners. The concerto's rich interplay between soloist and orchestra reflects Mozart's unparalleled ability to balance virtuosity with emotional depth.__________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

DescriptionHow did Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” come to be? Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun Fact"The Rite of Spring," composed by Igor Stravinsky, had its notorious premiere on May 29, 1913, at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, France. The ballet was choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky and produced by Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. The premiere caused a sensation, with its avant-garde music and controversial choreography leading to a riot among the audience. Despite the initial uproar, "The Rite of Spring" has since become recognized as one of the most influential and groundbreaking works of the 20th century.__________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

Recently, I chatted with author Sophia Lambton about her book, "The Callas Imprint: A Centennial Biography". If you are a fan of Callas, which I am, this book offers you a deep dive into her life, born from extensive research, debunking popular theories and offering an authentic portrayal. Twelve years in the making "The Callas Imprint" reaps never-before-seen correspondence and archival documents worldwide—closing in on the self-contradictions of Callas, her attitudes and habits with empathic scrutiny. It swivels readers through the singer's on- and offstage scenes and flux of fears and dreams... the double life of all performers. Please enjoy!To order on Amazon, visit.Maria Callas sings Puccini: Tosca - 'Vissi d'Arte' at Covent Garden 1964  c/o Warner Classics[Maria Callas' final appearance on the operatic stage was in Tosca ​at Covent Garden's 1965 Royal Gala. ​​​For many opera lovers, Maria Callas and Tosca's Vissi d'Arte ​are inseparable. "I lived for art; I lived for love" became La Divina's cri de coeur, ​​​​her swansong, the perfect expression of her own triumphs and tragedies. This unrivaled recording is from that legendary Zeffirelli production in  1964 and is one of just many jewels in the Maria Callas Live edition.] __________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

DescriptionWhat were the origins of the sliding trombone? Take a minute to get the scoop!Listen to "The Blue Bells of Scotland" by Arthur Pryor c/o YouTubeFun FactOne of the most famous and iconic pieces for the trombone, often featuring the sliding trombone (also known as the tenor trombone), is "The Blue Bells of Scotland" by Arthur Pryor. This piece is a virtuosic solo originally composed for trombone and piano, showcasing the technical capabilities and lyrical qualities of the instrument. It has become a standard in the repertoire for trombonists and is frequently performed in both solo and ensemble settings.__________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

DescriptionRecently released, an extraordinary film entitled, "Maestro," about the cultural icon Leonard Bernstein. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactLeonard Bernstein (1918-1990) was a renowned American composer, conductor, and pianist, famed for his versatility and influence in classical music. He conducted the New York Philharmonic, composed iconic works like "West Side Story," and educated audiences through his engaging television lectures. His legacy endures as a towering figure in music history.__________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

DescriptionWhat is the story of the harp? Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactOne of the most renowned harp pieces is Claude Debussy's "Danses sacrée et profane." Composed in 1904, it seamlessly blends sacred and profane themes, showcasing the harp's ethereal qualities. Its evocative melodies and lush harmonies captivate audiences, making it a staple of the harp repertoire worldwide.__________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

DescriptionWhy is the French Horn so difficult to play? Take a minute to get the scoop!Listen to: Elgar - Cello Concerto - Sheku Kanneh-Mason [BBC Proms 2019]Fun FactMozart's horn concertos are some of the most famous and beloved pieces in the horn repertoire, and they are frequently performed by horn players around the world. For instance, his Horn Concerto No. 1 in D major, K. 412/514, is a delightful classical composition from 1782. It's a playful piece with three movements: an Allegro, a Romanza, and a Rondo. The concerto showcases the French horn's agility and virtuosity, making it a beloved staple in the horn repertoire.__________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

DescriptionNinety Years ago Sir Edward Elgar passed away. Throughout his life he was plagued by illness. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThe last major work composed by Sir Edward Elgar was his Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85. Elgar completed the concerto in 1919, and it was premiered in London in 1919 by the cellist Felix Salmond. The concerto is known for its emotional depth and expressive melodies, and it has become one of the most popular and frequently performed cello concertos in the repertoire. Elgar also composed a few smaller works after the Cello Concerto, including the Severn Suite for brass band, Op. 87, which was completed in 1930.__________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

DescriptionDid you know that Charlie Chaplin was not only an actor but composer as well? Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactChaplin was awarded three Oscars. At the very first Academy Awards, in 1929, he was given a special statue for The Circus, and in 1972, 20 years after his exile from the US amid dubious claims he was a communist, he returned to receive an honorary Oscar and a 12-minute standing ovation. But the only Oscar he won as a nominee was for Limelight in 1973 – for best score (the 1952 film only screened theatrically in Los Angeles in 1972, at which point it became eligible for Academy Award consideration). __________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

DescriptionI would like to dedicate this episode to Seiji Ozawa, who passed away at the age of 88 on February 6th, 2024.Fun FactAfter graduating from the Seijo Junior High School in 1950, Ozawa broke two fingers in a rugby game. Hideo Saito, his teacher at the Toho Gakuen School of Music, brought him to a performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5, ultimately shifting his musical focus from piano performance to conducting. __________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

DescriptionLa bohème in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactGiacomo Puccini's opera "La Bohème," premiered in 1896, derives from Henri Murger's novel "Scènes de la vie de bohème." It portrays the lives of struggling young artists in 19th-century Paris. Puccini's emotive score and Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica's libretto capture the essence of love, poverty, and artistic pursuits.__________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

DescriptionThe Marriage of Figaro in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun Fact"The Marriage of Figaro," composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, premiered in 1786 as a comic opera. Based on a play by Pierre Beaumarchais, it explores complex relationships, love, and class struggles. Mozart's masterful music and Lorenzo Da Ponte's libretto create a timeless masterpiece that remains a cornerstone of operatic repertoire.__________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

DescriptionA Brief History of the Piano. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactWolfgang Amadeus Mozart's love for the piano began in early childhood under the guidance of his father, Leopold Mozart, who recognized his son's prodigious talent. At the age of three, Mozart showed an innate affinity for the instrument, demonstrating remarkable dexterity and an exceptional ear for melody. His fascination with the piano deepened as he grew, leading him to become a virtuoso performer and a prolific composer for the instrument, contributing significantly to the classical piano repertoire.__________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

DescriptionA Brief History of the Concerto. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactRenowned for his innovative approach, Vivaldi crafted hundreds of concertos, particularly for the violin. His pioneering use of ritornello structure, a recurring thematic passage shared between soloist and orchestra, became a hallmark of the Baroque concerto. Vivaldi's exploration of virtuosic solo passages showcased technical prowess and expressive depth, influencing the evolution of the solo concerto. __________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

DescriptionThe Baroque Era in 60 seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactHandel, a Baroque maestro, personifies the era's grandeur through his majestic compositions. His music, like the famous "Messiah," showcases elaborate ornamentation, dramatic dynamics, and emotional intensity. Handel's works epitomize Baroque extravagance, employing intricate counterpoint and lavish orchestration, making him a quintessential figure of this ornate musical epoch.__________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

DescriptionEver wondered where the Metronome came from? Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactMass manufacturing of clockwork metronomes made the devices increasingly cost effective and accessible, so that the periodical Music declared in 1897 that “A METRONOME SHOULD BE ON EVERY PIANO.” This push for the metronome stood in stark contrast to many composers’ attitude and aesthetic, with Brahms saying, “good friends have talked me into putting [metronome marks] there, for I myself have never believed that my blood and a mechanical instrument go well together.”__________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

DescriptionJoseph Haydn's The Creation was inspired by Handel's Messiah and Milton’s Paradise Lost. Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThe first of the oratorio’s three parts begins with “Representation of Chaos,” an orchestral prelude that uses stark chords and shifting harmonies to portray the formlessness and disorder that preceded the Creation. The six days of creation occupy the remainder of the first and all of the second part, with each day introduced in recitative by the archangels Raphael (bass), Uriel (tenor), and Gabriel (soprano).__________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

DescriptionBach’s Christmas Oratorio was a huge hit at the time. But did you know that most of it was cobbled together from previous writings? Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactThe Christmas Oratorio is in six parts, each of them being intended for performance on one of the major feast days of the Christmas period. The first part - for Christmas Day - describes the Birth of Jesus, the second - for 26 December - the annunciation to the shepherds, the third - 27 December - the adoration of the shepherds, the fourth - New Year's Day - the circumcision and naming of Jesus, the fifth - for the first Sunday after New Year - the journey of the Magi, and the sixth - for Epiphany - the adoration of the Magi.__________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show

Description‘Tis the season for some great music, including Handel’s Messiah! What were the origins of this fantastic work? Take a minute to get the scoop!Fun FactHandel composed Messiah in just 24 days without getting much sleep and or eating much food. While writing the ‘Hallelujah’ chorus Handel’s servant discovered him with tears in his eyes, and he exclaimed, “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself seated on His throne, with His company of Angels.”__________________________________________________________________About Steven, HostSteven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.__________________________________________________________________You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️__________________________________________________________________Got a topic? Pop me an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 🤔Support the show