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History, analysis and commentary about western classical music

Analysis and commentary of significant works
The links below are to detailed analyses on this website

Luciano Berio
Sinfonia (Third movement)

Nigel Butterley
An Introduction to his music

Edward Elgar
Variations on an Original Theme ("Enigma")

Richard Wagner
Der Ring des Nibelungen [The Ring of the Nibelung]: An Introduction

Richard Wagner
Orchestral Interludes in Das Rheingold [The Rhine Gold]

Richard Wagner
Mixed motives in Die Walküre [The Valkyries] and Tristan und Isolde [Tristan and Isolde]

Richard Wagner
The Tristan Chord

Twentieth Century Music
An Introduction

Short video and written analyses
The links below are to analyses on YouTube and PDF documents on this website

BACH

Two-Part Invention No 15 in B minor BWV 786 (YouTube)
Two-Part Invention No 15 in B minor BWV 786 (PDF)

Capriccio from Partita No 2 in C minor BWV 826 (YouTube)
Capriccio from Partita No 2 in C minor BWV 826 (PDF)

Prelude in C major BWV 846 (YouTube)
Prelude in C major BWV 846 (PDF)

Fugue in C major BWV 846 (YouTube)
Fugue in C major BWV 846 (PDF)

Prelude in C minor BWV 847 (YouTube)
Prelude in C minor BWV 847 (PDF)

Fugue in C minor BWV 847 (YouTube)
Fugue in C minor BWV 847 (PDF)

Prelude in D major BWV 850 (YouTube)
Prelude in D major BWV 850 (PDF)

Fugue in D major BWV 850 (YouTube)
Fugue in D major BWV 850 (PDF)

Prelude in G sharp minor BWV 863 (YouTube)
Prelude in G sharp minor BWV 863 (PDF)

Fugue in G sharp minor BWV 863 (YouTube)
Fugue in G sharp minor BWV 863 (PDF)

Fugue in D major BWV 874 (YouTube)
Fugue in D major BWV 874 (PDF)

Prelude in D minor BWV 875 (YouTube)
Prelude in D minor BWV 875 (PDF)

Fugue in D minor BWV 875 (YouTube)
Fugue in D minor BWV 875 (PDF)

Prelude in C minor BWV 999 (YouTube)
Prelude in C minor BWV 999 (PDF)

Violin Concerto in A minor BWV 1041 (YouTube)
Violin Concerto in A minor BWV 1041 (PDF)

Air from Orchestral Suite No 3 in D major BWV 1068 (YouTube)
Air from Orchestral Suite No 3 in D major BWV 1068 (PDF)

BARTOK

Mikrokosmos No 140 Free Variations (YouTube)
Mikrokosmos No 140 Free Variations (PDF)

BEETHOVEN

Piano Sonata No 8 Op 13 ("Pathetique") 2nd movement (YouTube)
Piano Sonata No 8 Op 13 ("Pathetique") 2nd movement (PDF)

Violin Sonata No 5 Op 24 ("Spring") 1st movement (YouTube)
Violin Sonata No 5 Op 24 ("Spring") 1st movement (PDF)

Meeresstille und Glückliche Fahrt [Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage] Op 112 (YouTube)

BRAHMS

Symphony No 3 Op 90 Third movement (YouTube)
Symphony No 3 Op 90 Third movement (PDF)

CHOPIN

Etude Op 10 No 6 in E flat minor (YouTube)
Etude Op 10 No 6 in E flat minor (PDF)

Etude Op 10 No 12 in C minor ("Revolutionary Etude") (YouTube)
Etude Op 10 No 12 in C minor ("Revolutionary Etude") (PDF)

Prelude Op 28 No 4 in E minor (YouTube)
Prelude Op 28 No 4 in E minor (PDF)

DEBUSSY

Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune Part 1 (YouTube)
Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune Part 2 (YouTube)
Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune Part 3 (YouTube)

ELGAR

Nimrod from Enigma Variations (YouTube)
Nimrod from Enigma Variations (PDF)

Lux Aeterna (A choral setting of Nimrod from Enigma Variations) (YouTube)

HANDEL

I Know That My Redeemer Liveth from Messiah (YouTube)
I Know That My Redeemer Liveth from Messiah (PDF)

MESSIAEN

Ile de feu 1 [Island of Fire] (YouTube)

MOZART

Exsultate Jubilate K165 1st movement (YouTube)
Exsultate Jubilate K165 1st movement (PDF)

Symphony No 25 in G minor K183 1st movement (YouTube)
Symphony No 25 in G minor K183 1st movement (PDF)

Piano Sonata No 8 in D major K311 1st movement (YouTube)
Piano Sonata No 8 in D major K311 1st movement (PDF)

Sonata for Four Hands in D major K381 1st movement (YouTube)
Sonata for Four Hands in D major K381 1st movement (PDF)

Piano Sonata No 14 in C minor K457 1st movement (YouTube)
Piano Sonata No 14 in C minor K457 1st movement (PDF)

Adagio in C minor K546 (YouTube)
Adagio in C minor K546 (PDF)

Lacrimosa from Requiem K626 (YouTube)
Lacrimosa from Requiem K626 (PDF)

SIBELIUS

Finlandia (YouTube)

TCHAIKOVSKY

Symphony No 6 ("Pathetique") 4th movement (YouTube)

WAGNER

Orchestral interludes in Das Rheingold (YouTube)

Wotan's Farewell from Act 3 of Die Walküre Part 1 (YouTube)
Wotan's Farewell from Act 3 of Die Walküre Part 2 (YouTube)

Prelude to Tristan und Isolde (YouTube)
Prelude to Tristan und Isolde (PDF)

Prize Song from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (YouTube)
Prize Song from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (PDF)

WEBERN

Entflieht auf leichten Kähnen (YouTube)