Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Harnham Down is a lesser-known orchestral work that reflects his characteristic connection to the English countryside. The piece features a pastoral quality, drawing on elements of folk melody and simple harmonic language...

REPRINT SERIES Hugo Alfvén’s Midsommarvaka (Swedish Rhapsody No.1) is an orchestral work that draws on Swedish folk traditions and melodies. The piece captures the atmosphere of the Swedish midsummer celebration with its rhythmic vitality...

Stravinsky’s "Ode," is a short orchestral work composed in 1943 and subtitled “Elegiacal Chant in Three Parts.” This piece is dedicated to the memory of Natalie Koussevitzky and is structured in three movements—Eulogy, Eclogue,...

REPRINT SERIES Arthur Honegger’s Pacific 231 is a symphonic movement composed in 1923, inspired by the power and motion of a steam locomotive. Rather than merely imitating train sounds, Honegger structured the piece to evoke the sensation of...

Maurice Ravel's La Valse, M.72, is a symphonic poem composed between 1919 and 1920, originally conceived as a ballet. The piece is a vivid and complex tribute to the Viennese waltz, though it evolves into a chaotic and almost nightmarish deconstruction...

REPRINT SERIES Sibelius' Tempest Suite No.1, Op. 109 No.2 is a richly atmospheric orchestral work drawn from his incidental music for Shakespeare’s The Tempest. This suite captures the mystical and dramatic elements of the play, with evocative...

REPRINT SERIES Benjamin Arthur’s Two Jamaican Pieces for orchestra, comprising Jamaican Song and Jamaican Rumba, is a lively and colorful representation of Jamaican musical traditions. These pieces capture the rhythmic energy and melodic charm of...

REPRINT SERIES Sibelius' Suite No. 2, Op. 109 No. 3, "The Tempest", is part of his incidental music for Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, composed in 1925–1926. This second suite, distinct from the first, features a selection of movements that...

Ravel’s Pavane pour une infante défunte ("Pavane for a Dead Princess") was originally composed for solo piano in 1899 but was later orchestrated in 1910, giving the piece a richer, more atmospheric quality. In the orchestral version, Ravel...

Five Fragments, Op. 42 is a suite for small orchestra composed on June 9, 1935, by Dmitri Shostakovich. It was the only work, apart from film music, that he composed that year. He approached it as preparatory work for the composition of the final version...

Ravel's Le Tombeau de Couperin Suite M.68a was originally composed as a piano suite between 1914 and 1917 and later transcribed for orchestra. The piece pays homage to the French Baroque composer François Couperin, blending Baroque dance forms...

Bruno Maderna's Introduzione e Passacaglia is a striking orchestral work that showcases his deep engagement with serial techniques and expressive freedom. Composed in 1953, the piece reflects Maderna’s affinity for both rigorous structural...

Ravel's Shéhérazade, Ouverture de féerie is a fascinating early work that hints at the composer's later mastery of orchestral color and evocative storytelling. Written in 1898, this symphonic overture is inspired by the tales of the...

Stravinsky's Circus Polka for Orchestra, composed in 1942, was originally created for a ballet featuring elephants from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Commissioned by circus impresario George Balanchine, the piece humorously paired...

REPRINT SERIES Hugo Alfvén's "Vallflickans Dans" (The Shepherd’s Girl’s Dance) is one of the most celebrated excerpts from his ballet Bergakungen (The Mountain King), composed in 1916-1923. This orchestral piece captures the essence...

Stravinsky's Tango for Orchestra is a vivid re-imagining of his original 1940 piano composition, showcasing his signature neoclassical style within the framework of the popular Argentine dance. The piece retains the characteristic rhythm and melancholy...

Arthur Bliss's "Music for Strings" is a vibrant and expressive work composed in 1935, showcasing the composer’s mastery of string writing. The piece was commissioned for the 1935 Salzburg Festival and is structured in three movements: Prelude,...

REPRINT SERIES Grażyna Bacewicz's Music for Strings, Trumpets, and Percussion (1958) is a striking work of mid-20th-century modernism, blending rhythmic vitality, bold contrasts, and innovative textures. The piece features dynamic interplay between lush...