Talks on Western Classical Music

Stuart-Liff Collection Library: Thursday, 3rd September at 4.00 pm

Beethoven: Symphony No. 7

In this series of talks on Western classical music, Dr. Cavas Bilimoria takes listeners through musical concepts, the lives of composers and their famous works, interspersed with examples from recorded music. The first talk this month focuses on Beethoven's Symphony No. 7.

Premiered in 1813 at Vienna, Beethoven admitted that this symphony was one of his best works. When he began composing it, Napoleon was planning his campaign against Russia. Although this symphony has its own unique personality, Beethoven carried over certain aspects of his fifth and sixth symphonies into it. It is said that the premiere was a great success, especially for the second movement which had to be encored.[

Stuart-Liff Collection Library: Thursday, 17th September at 4.00 pm

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3

The second talk of the series by Dr. Cavas Bilimoria this month will focus on Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3.

Composed and premiered in 1909, this piece has gained a reputation of being one of the most challenging piano concertos in the standard classical piano repertoire, known for its herculean technical demands and titanic scale where the soloist plays almost non-stop for the entire 45 minutes. Rachmaninoff himself was the soloist the first time this work was played in 1909 in New York City.

An NCPA Presentation

Entry free on a first come, first served basis.