As part of our mission to advance knowledge of and appreciation for classical music, All Classical Radio recently launched a new resource for those curious to learn more about this beloved genre: the Classical Music Glossary.

In this glossary, we comb through commonly used terminology and historical timelines to help you feel more confident about and connected to the music you love.

Today’s blog post is a sneak peek into this new resource. Keep reading to learn more about music terms that provide a basic understanding of what classical music is, how it’s talked about, and how it’s organized.

Classical Music

In Western culture, classical music means music rooted in long-established European sacred and secular traditions. The term “classical” is meant to distinguish the musical genre from popular music.

When referring to classical music, it is important to differentiate between classical with a lowercase “c” and Classical with an uppercase “C.” The lowercase “c” generally refers to the definition above. An uppercase “C” refers to the Classical Era of music, which lasted from approximately 1750 to 1820, featuring composers such as Mozart and Haydn.

Piece / Work vs. Song

Movement

A movement is an independent section within a larger composition. A symphony, for example, often contains four movements, each with its own character, speed, and dynamic level.

Opus

Opus is derived from Latin, meaning “work.” An opus is a composition or set of compositions. A composer’s opus is numbered either in order of the date it was written or in order of the date it was published (or sometimes a combination of the two). For example, a composer’s works may be numbered in order of the date they were written while the composer was living, while pieces discovered posthumously may continue by publication date.

Key

The key is the group of notes that form the harmonic foundation of a piece of music and belong to one scale (a specific sequence of notes). Notes that travel outside the key or scale may create tension or dissonance in the music.

Melody & Harmony

Theme

Motif

If you enjoyed this post and would like to dive deeper, be sure to check out the Classical Music Glossary!

Art Song, a genre of classical music written for voice and piano accompaniment, became increasingly popular in the 19th century for three primary reasons:

1. Thanks to advancements in technology and production, more people than ever could afford to bring the keyboard instrument into their homes.
2. A growing, musically literate middle class craved music that could be performed at home or in more intimate settings than the concert hall.
3. The 19th century was also a reawakening of emotional expression across all art forms, not least music and poetry.

Let’s take a dive into some examples of Lieder that helped epitomize this fusion of poetry and music, ultimately elevating both art forms.

“Erlkönig” (Elf King) by Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind?
Who rides so late through the night and wind?
Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind:
It is the father with his child.
Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm,
He has the boy in his arms;
Er fasst ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm.
he holds him safely, he keeps him warm.

– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (trans. Richard Wigmore)

We can’t discuss Lieder without considering the composer who catapulted the genre into popularity. Franz Schubert’s 600+ songs laid the groundwork for Lieder to flourish in the 19^th century through his sensitive text-setting and his addition of “voice” to his piano accompaniments. He was a voracious reader and sought to elevate the poets of his time through music, including Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Schubert admired the writer and set over 70 of his poems to music.

Goethe is seen as the start of a new era in German poetry, leading the way with verses full of personal expression and embracing all the elements now associated with the Romantic Era: nature, fantasy, love, and longing.

Schubert wrote the fantastical song “Erlkönig” (Elf King) at just 18 years old, inspired by Goethe’s great ballad poem of the same name. Goethe based his poem on a Danish tale of the “Ellerkrone” (Elf Woman), a figure of death. In the song, Schubert uses a relentless piano accompaniment not only to illustrate the horse’s galloping but also to convey the poem’s ominous mood. Goethe’s poem is recited by four different characters: the narrator, the young boy, the father, and the Elf King. Schubert writes each with their own vocal style, and the pace of the piano only slows at the story’s horrific ending.

Read the whole poem with English translation here.

Dichterliebe (A Poet’s Love) by Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Im wunderschönen Monat Mai,
In the wondrous month of May,
Als alle Knospen sprangen,
When all the buds burst into bloom,
Da ist in meinem Herzen
Then it was that in my heart
Die Liebe aufgegangen.
Love began to burgeon.

– Heinrich Heine (trans. Richard Stokes)

In the generation following Schubert, composers such as Robert Schumann took up the torch in the development of Lieder, leaning into the piano’s full expression as an equal participant in the song’s storytelling. Schumann also had a love of poetry from an early age and seemed intuitively able to elevate the words of German poets through music.

Schumann’s song cycle, Dichterliebe (A Poet’s Love), remains one of his most influential pieces of music. A song cycle, an emerging genre in the 19^th century, takes the idea of an Art Song and expands it into a musical novella. Song cycles consist of a group of individual art songs that are narratively connected and performed together as a multi-movement work. To some, the song cycle symbolizes the ultimate synthesis of music and poetry.

For Dichterliebe, Schumann chose 16 poems from Heinrich Heine’s Lyrisches Intermezzo, a collection of 66 songs following an intimate emotional journey of love and heartbreak. Heine’s poetry is known for its bittersweet quality, exploring the discord between idealism and reality.

Read the English translations of all songs from this cycle here.

“Nachtwanderer” (Night Wanderer) by Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel (1805-1847)

Ich wandre durch die stille Nacht,
I wander through the quiet night,
Da schleicht der Mond so heimlich sacht
the moon floats so secretly and gently,
Oft aus der dunklen Wolkenhülle,
often emerging from a dark cover of clouds.
Und hin und her im Tal,
And here and there in the valley,
Erwacht die Nachtigall
a nightingale awakens
Dann wieder alles grau und stille.
but then all is gray and still again.

– Joseph von Eichendorff (trans. Emily Ezust)

Women composers of the 19^th century were barred from access to the same educational institutions and career opportunities as their male counterparts. Consequently, they often turned to writing music that could be enjoyed in intimate salon settings—a perfect setting for Lieder—rather than a public concert hall. However, despite their exclusion from public acknowledgement, women composers such as Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel (sister of Felix Mendelssohn) played a pivotal role in the development of Lieder.

Hensel hosted a weekly salon at her home in Berlin, which became a cultural hub in its own right. At these salons, performances of both her own works and those of other artists would take place. And like many of her songwriting contemporaries, Hensel gravitated towards well-known poets of the time, as seen in her song “Nachtwanderer” (Night Wanderer), which sets evocative poetry by Joseph von Eichendorff.

In “Nachtwanderer,” Hensel not only conjures the poetry’s nocturnal setting through expressive piano accompaniment but also fuses the voice and piano parts together so that they are nearly one and the same. The pianist isn’t supporting the vocalist’s poetic expression; rather, it’s an equal “voice” in bringing Eichendorff’s words to life.

Read Eichendorff’s poem in its entirety with English translation here.

“Feldeinsamkeit” (Alone in Fields) by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Ich ruhe still im hohen grünen Gras
I rest at peace in tall green grass
Und sende lange meinen Blick nach oben,
And gaze steadily aloft,
Von Grillen rings umschwirrt ohn’ Unterlaß,
Surrounded by unceasing crickets,
Von Himmelsbläue wundersam umwoben.
Wondrously interwoven with blue sky.

– Hermann Allmers (trans. Richard Stokes)

Johannes Brahms is undeniably one of the most beloved composers of the 19^th century, though his orchestral music has long overshadowed his contributions to Art Song. Nonetheless, he holds a pivotal role in the history of the genre. His musical style seamlessly carried over into his songs, including his expansive, elastic phrasing and harmonic richness.

Unlike Schubert, Schumann, and Hensel, Brahms typically favored lesser-known poets when composing Lieder. He also had a keen interest in folksong, evident in both his songwriting and instrumental works. The poetry of Hermann Allmers didn’t enjoy the same compositional frenzy as many of his German contemporaries; however, Brahms’ setting of his poem “Feldeinsamkeit” (Alone in Fields) is nothing short of exquisite.

 In “Feldeinsamkeit,” Brahms doesn’t use the piano as a character in the story but rather to evoke the serenity of the narrator’s surroundings. Through a seemingly simple accompaniment, Brahms brings to life the gentle breeze against soft grass, the drifting white clouds, and the profound sense of peace expressed in Allmers’ poem.

Read the whole poem with English translation here.

“Auch kleine Dinge…” (Even Small Things…) by Hugo Wolf (1860-1903)

Auch kleine Dinge können uns entzücken,
Even small things can delight us,
Auch kleine Dinge können teuer sein.
Even small things can be precious.
Bedenkt, wie gern wir uns mit Perlen schmücken;
Think how gladly we deck ourselves with pearls;
Sie werden schwer bezahlt und sind nur klein.
They fetch a great price but are only small.

– Paul Heyse (trans. Richard Stokes)

Hugo Wolf referred to his Lieder as “poems for voice and piano,” and viewed song composition as poetic translation. As the turn of the century approached, composers increasingly turned to large-scale works as a testament to their legacy. In Wolf’s case, however, he took his inclination for songwriting and made it into large, dramatic works for the concert hall by creating hefty song collections organized by the poetry they used.

One such work, Italienisches Liederbuch (Italian Songbook), is a substantial collection of 46 Lieder setting poems from Paul Heyse’s anthology of Italian folk poems translated into German. Heyse, a Novel Prize-winning writer, was known not only for his own writings but also for his translations of writings and folk songs written in languages other than German.

The first song featured in Wolf’s Italienisches Liederbuch, “Auch kleine Dinge…” (Even Small Things…), is a rispetto—an eight-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme (ABABCCDD). In keeping with the poem’s spirit of appreciating the “small things,” Wolf keeps the interwoven voice and piano parts restrained and delicate while maintaining sincere emotional expression.

Read the poem in its entirety with English translation here.

Keep Celebrating Poetry Month

• Seven Instrumental Pieces Inspired by Poetry
• What is Art Song?
• Amy Beach: Poetry and the Piano

Emilie Mayer (1812-1883)

Emilie Mayer was one of the most prolific German composers of her time, and yet her name rarely appears on concert programs today. Mayer took piano lessons from an early age. Though she had few examples to draw on as a woman, she decided, as a young adult, to pursue composition as a professional career.

Because women were barred from professional studies at most institutions, Mayer sought musical tutoring through private study. One of her most impactful mentors was composer Carl Loewe. Ultimately settling in Berlin, Mayer produced hundreds of well-regarded symphonies, chamber music, songs, and more. At first, she published her works under the name E. Mayer; however, once she began using her full name, Emilie Mayer, responses to her music became more critical.

Nonetheless, her career blossomed as she refused to relinquish her ambition. Her music was performed across Europe. Unfortunately, following her death, there was no one to carry on her legacy, and her music fell into obscurity.

Luise Adolpha Le Beau (1850-1927)

Like Emilie Mayer, German composer Luise Adolpha Le Beau showed musical ability from an early age while learning to play the piano. She began composing during childhood, and as a concert pianist, she made her professional debut at 18. For a short period of time, Le Beau studied with Clara Schumann. Shortly after, she moved to Munich to study with Josef Rheinberger.

As a composer, Le Beau wrote a wide range of works, including orchestral music, operas, choral works, songs, piano solos, and chamber pieces. Unfortunately, because of her gender, Le Beau’s works were often met with skepticism, and career opportunities proved hard to come by. In her autobiography, she wrote, “It is difficult to come to terms with such circumstances when one has dedicated her entire life to a profession, but one must be satisfied with the consciousness of having helped to build the temple of art according to one’s best knowledge and with honest intentions.” As she fought to have her music performed, Le Beau championed equal opportunities for young female musicians.

Guadalupe Olmedo (1853-1889)

Guadalupe Olmedo was a Mexican composer whose musical trajectory paved the way for future women in the region. Olmedo showed exceptional potential on the piano from a young age. When she was only 12 years old, the ruler of the (short-lived) Mexican Empire requested a performance by the young pianist at the National Palace.

In 1875, Olmedo became the first woman composer to graduate from Mexico’s National Conservatory of Music. As she continued writing music, she was largely drawn to works for piano, voice, or small ensembles. In 1887, Olmedo married composer (and her former teacher) Melesio Morales, and it seemed as though she had a bright future ahead of her. Unfortunately, Olmedo died in 1889 at just 35, leaving the world to wonder what more she could have accomplished.

Henriette Renié (1875-1956)

French composer Henriette Renié is best remembered as a virtuoso harpist, though her accomplishments as a composer should not be overlooked. Renié began studying the harp at such a young age that her father had to engineer extensions for the instrument to help her reach the pedals. She began her performance career at 11, after winning first prize for harp at the Paris Conservatory.

As a composer, Renié wrote almost exclusively for the harp (or music that prominently featured the harp). In doing so, she helped elevate the instrument’s status and establish the harp as a solo concert instrument. As a respected teacher, Renié codified a method for playing the harp, called Méthode complete de harpe (Complete Method for Harp), which is still used today. She was never granted a professorship at the Paris Conservatory, but many of her students attended the institution where she had begun her professional trajectory.

Charlotte Sohy (1887-1955)

Charlotte Sohy was a French composer who was incredibly influential during her lifetime but has since fallen into relative obscurity. Sohy completed her formal training at the Schola Cantorum, where she studied under Vincent d’Indy. While at the Schola Cantorum, she met her future husband, composer Marcel Labey. The couple enjoyed an unusually fruitful, collaborative relationship (for the time) – they both worked as musical professionals, while raising seven children, and frequently contributed to and advocated for each other’s compositions.

Sohy published 35 works, including a symphony inspired by World War I, an opera, chamber music, songs, and more. To avoid prejudice due to her sex, Sohy used her grandfather’s name, Charles Sohy, as a pseudonym.

Fun fact – Sohy’s cousin was fellow composer Louis Durey. Durey was a member of Les Six, a group of six composers who rebelled against the Romanticism and Impressionism that peaked around the turn of the 20^th century. Sohy herself was friends with composers Mel Bonis and Nadia Boulanger.

Madeleine Dring (1923-1977)

Madeleine Dring was an English composer, actress, singer, and pianist. Born into a creative family, Dring won a scholarship to study violin and piano at the Royal College of Music at just 10 years old. She continued her education there through her teens, studying composition under Herbert Howells and Ralph Vaughan Williams. While music proved to be a creative outlet for Dring from an early age, she also had a deep love of theatre and concurrently studied drama and mime.

As a composer, Dring often intertwined her love of music and theater, writing incidental music and songs for stage works that she would also perform in. She wrote many pieces for her husband, Roger Lord, who was principal oboist of the London Symphony Orchestra. She was known for her sense of wit, which regularly made its way into her scores. Unfortunately, following her death, much of Dring’s unpublished music has not been found.

Keep Learning

If you enjoyed this post, check out a few more from the Arts Blog celebrating the lives of women composers:

• Women We Love to Play On Air: 2025 Edition
• Women We Love to Play On Air: 2024 Edition
• Women We Love to Play On Air: 2023 Edition
• María García’s Five “Must Hear” Women Composers

Robert Schumann & Clara Wieck

Robert and Clara first met 13 years before their marriage. When Clara was just 8 years old—and already a virtuoso on the piano herself—the teenaged Robert began taking piano lessons with Clara’s father. Over the next several years, the two musicians grew to know each other well. In time, friendship turned into love. Robert and Clara’s courtship was long and not without challenges. Clara’s father vehemently opposed the match, and only after suing him were they finally able to make things official.

As a wedding gift, Robert compiled 26 songs into a collection called “Myrtles,” named after the herb associated with the Ancient Greek goddess, Aphrodite. Myrtle was also traditionally included in German bridal bouquets.

Ludwig van Beethoven & his “Immortal Beloved”

During the summer of 1812, Ludwig van Beethoven penned a letter that would unleash decades, if not centuries, of debate. The letter’s recipient was notably referred to as “Immortal Beloved,” though no actual name was ever used. The document was never sent and only discovered after the composer’s death. We may never know who Beethoven intended to bestow such sweet words, but the mystery around this romantic gesture is tantalizing…

Gustav Mahler & Alma Schindler

Did you know that Gustav Mahler was not only a composer of massive symphonic works but also a hopeless romantic? The courtship of Mahler and the promising young composer and socialite, Alma Schindler, was quick and passionate. The two met at a dinner party, and Mahler was immediately infatuated with “the most beautiful woman in Vienna.” Within weeks of meeting, the couple was married in an intimate private ceremony.

Around the same time of the couple’s marriage, Mahler was working on his fifth symphony. The fourth movement, called “Adagietto,” may be one of the most romantic pieces of orchestral music ever written. No text accompanies this piece, yet it still contains an exquisite level of poetic expression. Gustav even sent Alma the score to this movement as a love letter, for what communicates affection more completely than music, especially for a composer?

Benjamin Britten & Peter Pears

The relationship between Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears is one for the ages. The two met through a mutual friend and remained together for nearly 40 years, until Britten’s death. While they could never publicly acknowledge their romantic relationship – they managed to build a rich and fulfilling life together. Letter writing was a regular form of communication. Britten and Pears left behind hundreds of handwritten documents as part of their romantic legacy. As a professional singer, Pears also became something of a muse for Britten and inspired many of the composer’s best-known works.

Leoš Janáček & Kamila Stösslová

Leoš Janáček was 63 years old when we first met a 25-year-old woman named Kamila Stösslová. Janáček quickly became enamored with Kamila, obsessively writing to her on a regular basis and incorporating visions of her into his music. She was reportedly flattered by the composer’s affection. The problem, however, was that both Janáček and Stösslová were already married… to other people!

Kamila remained loyal to her husband, while remaining in touch with Leoš. He, on the other hand, would use his yearning for his unattainable love interest to fuel his writing. Over the next decade, Stösslová inspired some of his most famous pieces of music.

Thank you to CREO Chocolate

LOVE STORY and all of the handcrafted programming on All Classical Radio is made possible by listener support.

This special program is generously sponsored by CREO Chocolate. An award-winning small-batch chocolate factory and tasting room in the Lloyd district of Portland, Oregon, CREO Chocolate sources their beans directly from small farmers and craft with detailed attention to bring out interesting flavors. They offer high-quality products and tasting experiences.

Learn more at creochocolate.com.

This blog post was written in collaboration with All Classical’s Winter/Spring 2025 intern, Andrew Jenks.

When you tune in this month, here are some of the ways we are celebrating Black musicians:

• THURSDAYS @ THREE – On the January 29th live broadcast, Portland Opera previewed their upcoming production of The Majesty of the Spiritual, an opera highlighting the history of the Spiritual and its influence on American musical genres of all types.

• SUNDAY BRUNCH – On Sunday, February 1st, Kate Remington featured a full menu of music by Black composers and by composers influenced by Black and African culture.

• ON AIR – On Monday, February 2nd, your favorite All Classical hosts presented music by Joseph Bologne, Valerie Coleman, Florence Price, William Grant Still, and more.

• FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR – On Friday, February 6th, Warren Black and Christa Wessel hosted a fun-filled show featuring music by composer, pianist, and native Portlander Phil Moore.

• CLUB MOD – Each Saturday in February, Andrea Murray will feature works about or inspired by Black history. Listen on demand in the audio archive.

• THE SCORE – On February 28th, Edmund Stone presents an episode titled “Stars of Black Cinema,” including Michael B. Jordan in Sinners, Viola Davis in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and more. Listen on demand at thescore.org.

• THE CONCERT HALL – On February 28th, John Pitman’s Saturday evening program will feature music by trailblazing Black composer Florence Price. Listen on demand in the audio archive following the broadcast.

As we celebrate Black History Month and the influence and achievements of Black voices in America, we’d love to highlight five extraordinary musical artists whose works you will hear on All Classical Radio.

Harry T. Burleigh (1866-1949)

Harry Thacker Burleigh is often overlooked as a formative American composer; however, his influence on the works of those who knew him is immeasurable. Burleigh was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, and, through early exposure to music and his family’s lineage, he learned about African American spirituals. The melodies sung by his enslaved ancestors would become his most significant source of inspiration.

Burleigh received a scholarship to study at the National Conservatory of Music, where he became acquainted with Antonín Dvorák, the Conservatory’s director at the time. Dvorák was fascinated by Burleigh’s seemingly endless knowledge of spirituals and famously wrote themes based on these songs in his “New World” Symphony.  

As a composer, Burleigh wrote hundreds of arrangements of spirituals, including “Deep River,” in addition to original songs. His works have forever enriched American classical music and have lifted the spiritual from its horrific past into the light of the concert hall.

James P. Johnson (1894-1955)

James P. Johnson spent much of his childhood in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where he learned the piano and absorbed the musical influences around him. After his family moved to Manhattan’s San Juan Hill neighborhood when Johnson was a teenager, the young musician began formal study and was exposed to everything from ragtime to Eurocentric classical music. He studied classical repertoire and compositional techniques with Bruto Gianni, who also taught Scott Joplin.

By the 1920s, Johnson had become one of the most significant pianists in New York. He pioneered the Harlem Stride, an improvisational style of jazz piano involving the left hand “striding” large distances up and down the keyboard, made famous in works such as “Caroline Shout” and “Charleston.”

Throughout his career, Johnson constantly sought out a wide variety of skilled musicians to learn from. He explored ways to redefine American classical music through his symphonies, concertos, and other large-scale works.

Julia Perry (1924-1979)

Born in Lexington, Kentucky, Julia Perry studied violin, piano, and singing from an early age. She went on to earn both her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Westminster Choir College. As an emerging composer and conductor, Perry sought additional training in Europe from Luigi Dallapiccola and Nadia Boulanger.

Early on in her career, Perry was heavily influenced by her Western classical education while still drawing on African American influences, including Spirituals and the blues. However, as the climate around race shifted in the late 1950s and early 1960s, her works became more outwardly expressive of her own experience as a Black woman. She also became bolder in calling out injustices she witnessed.

At 46 years old, Perry suffered a debilitating stroke that paralyzed her right side and made her unable to speak. She taught herself to write with her left hand so she could keep composing. Perry was an incredibly prolific composer; however, much of her work was lost after her death or has yet to be published. Additionally, many of her post-stroke manuscripts have left her advocates unable to read her writing confidently.

Michael Abels (b. 1962)

Michael Abels is a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer known for reworking classical styles by adapting popular mediums. Abels grew up in South Dakota and took piano lessons from a young age. After studying at the University of Southern California and the California Institute for the Arts, Abels established himself as a leading composer of orchestral music.  

Abels is best known for his film scores, including the Oscar-winning Get Out, as well as the Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Omar, based on the life of Omar Ibn Said, which he co-composed with Rhiannon Giddens.

In addition to his ever-growing body of work, Abels is the co-founder of the Composers Diversity Collective, an advocacy group that increases the visibility of composers of color in film, gaming, and streaming media.

Jasmine Barnes (b. 1991)

Emmy Award-winning composer and vocalist Jasmine Barnes grew up in Baltimore, where she had access to a wide range of arts programs for young people—something she cites as essential to her ability to pursue a career in music. She has since exploded onto the classical music scene. Barnes’ music is performed worldwide, and she has collaborated with many extraordinary artists, including Lawrence Brownlee, Will Liverman, and Joshua Conyers.

As a composer, Barnes specializes in vocal music, with five operas (currently) under her belt, as well as choral works, chamber music, and art songs. In 2023, she received a Capital Emmy Award for the PBS documentary “Dreamer,” which featured her career and music.

Barnes was one of All Classical Radio’s 2021 Composers in Residence. Her work, Taking Names, was featured on the station’s inaugural album, Amplify, as part of the Recording Inclusivity Initiative. In addition to All Classical, Barnes has held residencies at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, American Lyric Theater, and Chautauqua Opera.

Keep Learning

Check out these posts from the Arts Blog highlighting the lives of Black musical artists:

• Six Black Composers You Need to Know
• Meet Seven Black Contemporary Composers on All Classical’s Airwaves
• Nine Black Women Who Changed Opera Forever
• Profile: William Grant Still
• Profile: William Levi Dawson

All Classical Radio’s Festival of Carols returns once more with four days of cherished seasonal music from cultures around the world, curated to lift your spirit and warm your heart. Each December, our Program Director, John Pitman, selects twelve pieces from our extensive Festival of Carols library for a deep dive into their origins. Over the past several years, we’ve explored holiday classics on the Arts Blog, such as “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” “O Tannenbaum,” and “Silent Night.” We’ve also expanded our exploration of carols to cover several centuries, origins, languages, and even holidays beyond Christmas. This year, we’re covering carols written as far back as the 12^th century, as recently as the 1960s, in addition to a beloved Hanukkah tune.  

Be sure to tune in to our 2025 Festival of Carols on All Classical Radio from December 22^nd-25^th! Learn more about All Classical Radio’s Holiday Programming.

The Little Drummer Boy

Written in 1941 by American composer Katherine Davis, The Little Drummer Boy was initially titled “Carol of the Drum.” Inspired by the French carol, Patapan, Davis’s Christmastime tune also evokes the sound of a drum in celebration of Jesus’s birth. As a music educator, Davis wrote many of her compositions for choirs at the schools where she taught, including The Little Drummer Boy. A decade later, the Trapp Family Singers (yes, the same family immortalised in The Sound of Music) recorded the carol to widespread acclaim. In 1958, a successful recording by the Harry Simeone Chorale brought Davis’s song to households around the world.

Adam lay ybounden

The words of the English carol, Adam lay ybounden (Adam was bound), come from an anonymous source of the 15th century. No contemporary musical setting survives. The poetry recounts the Fall of Man from the Book of Genesis, though it ends on a positive note: “Blessed be the time that apple taken was! Therefore we may singen Deo gratias!” Many English composers have written their own versions of the carol, including Peter Warlock, John Ireland, and Benjamin Britten. We are going to listen to Boris Ord’s 1955 version, which has since been a staple of the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols at King’s College, Cambridge. Ord was a beloved choir director at the institution from 1929-57.

Tune in to All Classical Radio on Wednesday, December 24^th at 7:00 AM PT to listen to this year’s live broadcast of A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College, Cambridge.

Jul, jul, strålande jul

Known as “Christmas, Christmas, glorious Christmas” in English, this Swedish carol is one of the best-known seasonal songs in Scandinavia. Written by composer Gustaf Nordqvist in 1921, with lyrics by priest and author Edvard Evers, Jul, jul, strålande jul describes a wintry white Christmas and the opportunity for peace that this season brings. The graceful lilt of the melody beautifully accompanies Evers’s poetry, evoking images of silent, snow-filled evenings. Originally composed as a piece for solo voice, this carol has since been arranged for various choral ensembles, both accompanied by instruments and a cappella.

Follow along with an English translation of the Swedish poetry here.

I Wonder as I Wander

Attributed to American composer John Jacob Niles, I Wonder as I Wander is based on a song fragment Niles heard while traveling through Appalachian North Carolina in 1933. Niles devoted his musical career to collecting and transcribing folk songs, in addition to researching folk instruments. In an unpublished autobiography, the composer noted the following about his experience encountering a little girl named Annie Morgan singing:

“[Annie] sang the first three lines of the verse of ‘I Wonder As I Wander.’ At twenty-five cents a performance, I tried to get her to sing all the song. After eight tries, all of which are carefully recorded in my notes, I had only three lines of verse, a garbled fragment of melodic material—and a magnificent idea.”

Niles published I Wonder as I Wander in his collection of Songs of the Hill-Folk.

Maoz Tzur

Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages) is a well-known Hebrew liturgical poem sung during Hanukkah celebrations. The text, dating from as early as the 12^th century, tells a brief history of the Jewish people and all they have overcome. While we don’t know its original musical setting, the hymn is now most commonly associated with a melody from a 15th-century German folksong. As to the poem’s author, historians speculate that the first letters of the first five stanzas form an acrostic of the author’s name, Mordechai, though we don’t know much more than that.

In the recording below, you’ll hear Maoz Tzur sung in both Hebrew and then in English.

I Saw Three Ships

I Saw Three Ships is a traditional English Christmas carol from the 17th century. The joyful, dancelike melody is paired with perplexing lyrics that tell of the arrival of three ships in (landlocked) Bethlehem, leading many to wonder what event this carol may be referring to. One theory holds that these were the ships that transported the relics of the Magi to the Cathedral of Cologne in the 12th century. Another theory is that the ships represent the camels (or desert ships, if you will) carrying the Magi through the desert to visit the baby Jesus. The original text has undergone several variations over the centuries, so it’s possible that something was quite literally lost in translation.

Lulajże Jezuniu

Lulajże Jezuniu, one of Poland’s most famous Christmas carols, translates to “Hush, little Jesus.” In fact, the word “Lulajże” specifically refers to rocking a child to sleep, which conveys the carol’s overall tone. This tender, loving lullaby humanizes the relationship between Mary and the baby Jesus — it’s simply a mother rocking her newborn to sleep. Although not officially confirmed, many believe the carol dates to the 17th century. If the melody sounds familiar, it may be because Chopin references it in the slow section of Scherzo No. 1 in b minor, Op. 20.

You will find an English translation of the Polish poetry here.

O Jesulein süss, o Jesulein mild!

O Little One sweet, O Little One mild is a short and sweet 17th-century carol from Germany with anonymous origins. The carol was first arranged by Samuel Scheidt and later by J. S. Bach, who preserved Scheidt’s melody but elaborated on the harmonization in a style more typical of the Baroque era. The gentle, rocking melody evokes peaceful imagery of worshiping at the crib of the baby Jesus, a common theme in sacred music for the season.

Follow along with an English translation of the German text here.

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

A carol with many musical settings, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day is based on the poem, “Christmas Bells,” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Longfellow wrote the piece on Christmas Day 1863 amid the horrors of the American Civil War, an event reflected in the poem’s narrative. While some stanzas acknowledge the despair felt throughout the country, the final verse ends on a hopeful note: “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep / God is not dead, nor doth He sleep / The Wrong shall fail / The Right prevail / With peace on earth, goodwill to men.”

Below, you will hear a musical arrangement of the carol by English composer and choirmaster Sir Philip Ledger. You can read Longfellow’s poem in its entirety here.

There Is No Rose of Such Virtue

Also written as “Ther is no rose of swych vertu,” this Medieval English Christmas Carol has anonymous origins dating from around 1420. The reference to Mary as a rose was a common association during the Middle Ages, appearing in several hymns and carols, including Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen (Lo, How a Rose E’er-Blooming).

You are likely to hear several different versions of this carol. Several composers have taken the original text and arranged the music, including John Joubert and Benjamin Britten. We’d like to highlight the original version with the 15th-century melody. As you listen, you’ll hear the singers return to the first phrase, “There is no rose of such virtue as is the rose that bare Jesu,” multiple times. Using the first verse of a carol as the refrain was common for the time.

I Sing of a Maiden

I Sing of a Maiden also comes from the hand of an anonymous English 15th-century author. While we know that the poem was intended to be sung, no musical setting from the period has survived. The poetry celebrates the Annunciation and imminent birth of Jesus, with an overarching tone of introspection and grace. Many composers have set modernized versions of this Medieval text to music, including Gustav Holst, Benjamin Britten, John Rutter, and Peter Warlock. We will listen to a setting by Patrick Hadley, written in 1936, that beautifully pairs with the meditative mood of the poetry.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Created in the early ‘60s by songwriting duo Gloria Shayne (Baker) & Noel Regney, who were also married at the time, Do You Hear What I Hear? was composed during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The lyrics, inspired by the Nativity story, took on an additional meaning amid the threat of nuclear war, with the final stanza stating, “Pray for peace, people everywhere.” Do You Hear What I Hear? was originally recorded by the Harry Simeone Chorale (the same group that helped popularize The Little Drummer Boy). Bing Crosby released a solo version a year later, making the song a massive success. Currently, there is no shortage of arrangements of the carol in a wide variety of musical styles.

Fun fact – Shayne and Regney also wrote the popular children’s tune, “Rain, Rain, Go Away.”

Keep the Celebration Going

Read about more favorites from the Festival of Carols in previous years’ editions of “The Stories of Twelve Carols”:

• 2024 Stories, including Patapan and Gabriel’s Message
• 2023 Stories, including Still, still, still and While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
• 2022 Stories, including O Holy Night and In the Bleak Mid-Winter
• 2021 Stories, including The Carol of the Bells and O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
• 2020 Stories, including The Holly and the Ivy and The Coventry Carol
• 2019 Stories, including Joy to the World and Silent Night

Tune in to All Classical Radio starting December 22^nd to hear your favorites played on air, and learn about the full scope of our 2025 holiday programming here. Happy listening!

Today, we’re going to take a trip down memory lane and appreciate the muses that inspired some of the best composers of their era.

Beethoven and the everyday hero

A man who needs no introduction, Beethoven is regarded as one of the most influential composers of all time. His Symphony No. 3, commonly known as the “Eroica” Symphony, has been considered the point at which Western classical music began to transition into the Romantic Era. Part of what made Symphony No. 3 so revolutionary was the first inklings of what would later be called programmatic music. Unlike typical compositions from the Classical Era, programmatic music is a type of instrumental music that tells a story. Famous examples are Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture or Berlioz’s Symphony Fantastique.

The Eroica Symphony didn’t yet have a cohesive story to tell, but rather communicated a feeling, an idea that stirred the audience to think of triumph and freedom. In the beginning, Beethoven was inspired by Napoleon Bonaparte. To many, Napoleon embodied the sentiments of democracy and justice that permeated the French Revolution. Considering himself a “free spirit,” Beethoven felt a kinship with Napoleon that fueled his composition. However, upon hearing that Napoleon had crowned himself Emperor of France, the furious Beethoven cried out, “So he is no more than a common mortal! Now, too, he will tread under foot all the rights of Man…” He promptly scratched out his dedication and renamed the symphony in honor of the everyday hero.

Robert Schumann and the incomparable Clara Schumann

Clara Schumann was one of the most distinguished musicians of the Romantic Period. An incredible pianist, teacher, and composer, she also inspired a flurry of compositions. Felix Mendelssohn, Franz Liszt, and Johannes Brahms all dedicated works to her. When she met her future husband, Robert Schumann, Clara had already made a name for herself touring across Europe. Robert was one of her father’s piano students, and throughout the years, he developed an affection for Clara that resulted in the frequent exchange of love letters.

Once her father caught wind of their affair, he promptly kicked Robert to the curb and sent Clara on tour to separate the young lovers. Despite many attempts by Robert to win him over, Clara’s father continued to refuse to consent to their marriage. In the end, the case went to court, where the judge ruled in favor of the couple. They were married in September of 1840, the day before Clara’s 21^st birthday. The following year, Robert wrote his fourth symphony and dedicated it to Clara, although it was later revised and rededicated to their mutual friend, violinist Joseph Joachim. While one might feel confused by the change, Clara had gone on record to say she strongly preferred the second version.

Richard Wagner and his gift to Cosima Wagner

Richard Wagner was an imposing figure credited with revolutionizing opera and changing theatre as we know it. One would be forgiven for believing this titan of history was more myth than man. However, he was hounded by many romantic debacles throughout his life. These failed relationships culminated in his invitation to Cosima von Bülow and her husband, Hans von Bülow, to Wagner’s home in Switzerland. Cosima, the daughter of pianist and fellow composer, Franz Liszt, arrived a few days before her husband. Thus started a love affair that would persist for the rest of Wagner’s life.

The then-married Wagner did not publicly pursue Cosima, but they continued seeing each other in secret. She even gave birth to two of his illegitimate daughters. In the end, Cosima divorced Hans in 1863, shortly after the death of Wagner’s first wife. She promptly moved in with Wagner, followed by their children. In 1869, he composed Siegfried Idyll as a gift to Cosima in celebration of the birth of their son. The sweet, tender piece was first performed Christmas morning on the stairs of their villa, letting Cosima awaken to its opening melody.

Edward and Alice Elgar’s guessing game

On the evening of October 21^st, 1898, an exhausted and exasperated Edward Elgar sat down at his piano. He had hoped that playing would help raise his spirits, but little did he know he would stumble upon the melody that would inspire one of the greatest pieces of the 19^th century. During his mindless playing, his wife, Alice, exclaimed, “Edward, that’s a good tune.” Awakened from his daydream, he played the tune again and saw potential.

In the coming weeks, Elgar would manipulate and shift the melody to imitate his friends, family, and neighbors. Alice listened, endlessly entertained, and tried to guess who he was mimicking. These moments between them would become the groundwork for his orchestral work, Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36, more commonly called the “Enigma Variations.” Elgar dedicated the work “to my friends pictured within” and prefaced each of the 14 variations with the initials, name, or nickname of the friend depicted.

More Musical Relationships to Explore

• Love Stories – A More Intimate Look
• Musical Friendships
• Cats In Classical Music

José White Lafitte (1836-1918)

Born in Cuba, violinist and composer José White Lafitte showed signs of musical talent from a young age. At 19 years old, White Lafitte performed the violin publicly for the first time with American pianist Louis Moreau Gottschalk. The performance’s success led to White Lafitte’s enrollment at the Paris Conservatory, where he won the First Grand Prize for Violin within his first year of study.

White Lafitte went on to enjoy a fruitful career as a touring performer, composer, and educator. Fun fact: one of his students was George Enescu.

For over a decade, White Lafitte worked as the director of the Imperial Conservatory in Rio de Janeiro, as well as the court composer of Emperor Pedro II. As a composer, his works often feature the violin and elegantly straddle the traditions of the romantic era with musical features from his homeland.

Carlos Chávez (1899-1978)

The prolific career of Mexican composer and conductor Carlos Chávez spanned over 50 years. Appreciated as one of the most influential musical figures in Mexican history, Chávez created a distinct sound world that honored his home country. His emergence into adulthood coincided with the end of the Mexican Revolution in 1921, after which a new cultural nationalism emerged that made a significant impression on the young composer.

Chávez wrote over 200 works, from ballets and symphonies to pieces for piano and small ensemble. As a conductor, he led nearly every major orchestra in the U.S., Latin America, and Europe. However, perhaps his most significant impact was his advocacy for increased access to the arts in Mexico. As founder and head of the Orquesta Sinfónica de México (OSM), Chávez organized concerts for workers and children. He even took the orchestra out to rural Mexican provinces, bringing classical music to many audiences for the first time.

José Pablo Moncayo (1912-1958)

Speaking of Carlos Chávez, the illustrious composer taught our next subject, José Pablo Moncayo, at the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City. Moncayo was a pianist and percussionist, though he is best remembered today as a conductor rather than a composer. His orchestral piece, Huapango, is a popular choice for the concert hall. Along with three other Mexican composers, Moncayo formed the “Group of Four” to foster a nationalist school of Mexican music, similar to France’s “Les Six” and Russia’s “The Five.” He championed idioms from Mexican folk music in his works and sought to incorporate these sounds into the Classical vernacular.

Fun fact: Moncayo was invited to study composition with Aaron Copland at Tanglewood during the summer of 1942.

Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000)

Argentinian composer Carlos Guastavino showed talent for the piano from an early age. A self-proclaimed lover of melody and song, Guastavino would write hundreds of songs over the course of his career (many of which have not been published), leading admirers to claim him as “The Argentine Schubert.” He was devoted to tonal harmony and traditional musical forms amid the rise of experimental musical styles in the mid-20^th century, and he was inspired by the folk music of Argentina. Guastavino felt that simple, memorable melodies were the way to a listener’s heart.

Guastavino set words by León Benarós to music in over 60 songs and maintained a long, collaborative friendship with the poet. In addition to art song, Guastavino also wrote works for orchestra, piano, and guitar.

Violeta Parra (1917-1967)

Violeta Parra was a highly influential Chilean composer, singer-songwriter, and artist. Her father taught her and her siblings to sing and play the guitar from a young age. Unsurprisingly, Parra took to songwriting right away with passion. She was particularly inspired by Chilean folk music, which led her to co-create a new musical genre—Nueva canción chilena (“Chilean New Song”), merging native folk music with themes of social justice. Parra endeavored to keep the traditions of Chile, especially those from rural regions, alive for future generations.

Recognized as the “Mother of Latin American Folk,” Parra mastered the art of storytelling through her songs. Parra’s work as a folk musician also proved that the boundaries between classical and popular music are artificial, with recordings of her music by classical artists such as Elīna Garanča and Yo-Yo Ma.

José Elizondo (b. 1972)

Composer José Elizondo was born in Mexico and currently resides in the U.S. He holds degrees in Music and Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); he also studied music at Harvard University. Elizondo has built a dual career for himself as both a composer and an engineer—his engineering work focuses on speech-recognition technology, combining his interests in computer science, linguistics, natural language processing, and artificial intelligence.

As a composer, Elizondo has become best known for his compositions written for cello despite never learning how to play the string instrument. While studying music in college, Elizondo was introduced to the cello after hearing a performance by Carlos Prieto and becoming immensely inspired by the musician. Elizondo’s music is regularly performed by distinguished artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Allison Eldredge, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, and many more. Elizondo prides himself on writing music that is joyful, heartfelt, and accessible to all audiences.

Discover More

Check out these posts from the Arts Blog to continue learning about Hispanic composers we love to play on air:

• Five Composers You Need to Know for National Hispanic Heritage Month (2024)
• Hispanic Composers in America (2021)

Root Chakra

Located at the base of the spine, the root chakra is linked to grounding, safety, and emotional security. When blocked, it can cause feelings of insecurity in our basic needs and our well-being. Physical issues that arise may be arthritis or blockages of the bladder and colon.

The root chakra is stimulated by the lowest solfeggio frequency, 396 Hz . In combination with meditation, reflection, and self-care, this tone removes blockages and lets the energy flow freely.

Sacral Chakra

The sacral chakra is below the navel and is stimulated by the frequency of 417 Hz. We link this energy point to creativity, pleasure, and sexuality. It also has deep ties with our emotional expression. A blockage here can manifest feelings of social insecurity, as well as illnesses within the urinary tract and lower back. To unblock the chakra, partake in creative expression, like dancing, painting, or creating, while listening to the frequency of 417 Hz.

Solar Plexus Chakra

Situated above the navel, the solar plexus chakra represents our personal power. When open, it is the seat of confidence, self-esteem, and self-discipline. This chakra determines how we move through the world and our ability to assert ourselves. When blocked, digestive issues are often the resulting consequence. Problems like stomach ulcers, heartburn, indigestion, and eating disorders stem from the solar plexus.

To help unblock the chakra, listen to the frequency of 528 Hz while doing activities that foster discipline. Core workouts or energetic yoga practices are great exercises, but be sure to check in with yourself and connect to what is best for you.

Heart Chakra

As the name suggests, the fourth chakra is over the heart. This energy point is all about finding peace, compassion, and forgiveness. When blocked, diseases of the heart and asthma can manifest. But, most often, people with a blocked heart chakra are likely to be people pleasers and put the needs of others before their own. To unblock the energy point, listen to tones at 639 Hz during meditative practices.

Throat Chakra

The throat chakra is located over the voice box and relates to the frequency of 741 Hz. You’d be right in assuming this chakra is heavily involved with our ability to communicate. Blockages can lead to behaviors such as lying, gossiping, and miscommunication. When open, this energy point helps us to express ourselves with authenticity and empathy.

Chanting, singing, and other vocalizations stimulate the point and allow energy to flow. Some added benefits of unblocking this chakra are emotional detox, and pain relief.

Third Eye Chakra

The third eye is the source of our intuition and spiritual sight. Linked with the frequency of 852 Hz, this tone balances the energy in the middle of the forehead. The benefits are deep relaxation and increased perception. People with blockages in the third eye can appear to be “know-it-alls,” and can suffer from chronic headaches or poor vision.

To boost the flow of energy, listen to 852 Hz while practicing meditation or visualization. Some people have also reported the benefits of keeping a dream journal.

Crown Chakra

The final of the seven chakras is the crown chakra. This energy point is at the crown of the head and connects to our highest form of consciousness. Many consider it the chakra of enlightenment. When it’s open, it allows all the other energy points in the body to flow more easily.

To stimulate this point, deep reflection and honesty are required. The most powerful tone, 963 Hz, helps with feelings of well-being, mental clarity, and a positive outlook on life. When you’re not sure exactly what is misaligned within the body, listening to this frequency is recommended to help pinpoint where your emotions are getting stuck.

Curious to learn more about music and healing? Here are some other posts we think you’d enjoy from All Classical’s Arts Blog:

• Healing Notes: Stories of Reflection and Inspiration
• Music and the Brain: Music and Memory

Teresa Carreño (1853-1917)

Known as the “valkyrie of the piano,” Teresa Carreño was a Venezuelan concert pianist, singer, and composer. Born in Caracas, Carreño and her family moved to New York when the musician was still a child in response to growing political instability. Spending time in both New York and Paris during her upbringing, Carreño was able to pursue an international musical career. She became one of the first female pianists to tour the United States, quickly becoming a role model for subsequent generations of American woman musicians. As a composer, Carreño wrote around 80 works, many of which were for the piano and performed herself in concert.

Fun fact: In 1863, when Carreño was still a child, she performed for Abraham Lincoln at the White House. Decades later, in 1916, she returned to the White House to perform for Woodrow Wilson.

Fernande Decruck (1896-1954)

French composer and organist Fernande Decruck made her gift for music known early on in life. Having won several prestigious accolades by her teens, Decruck entered the Paris Conservatory, where she excelled in composition and piano studies. As she began to make her mark as a working professional, Decruck spent a period of time touring throughout the United States, giving impressive concerts on the organ where she would improvise for the audience. This period in the U.S. also proved fruitful for composing, resulting in many new works for piano and organ, as well as her first works for saxophone—Decruck’s husband, Maurice, played the instrument and successfully earned a position playing with the New York Philharmonic.

After returning to France, Decruck continued to devote her life to music: composing, performing, and teaching. Despite her successful career, her legacy fell into obscurity following her death and has only recently begun gaining attention once more.

Grażyna Bacewicz (1909-1969)

Grażyna Bacewicz was a Polish-Lithuanian violinist, pianist, and composer who created a unique path for herself (at least for a woman at the time) by pursuing performance and composition on relatively equal terms. Having studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris, Bacewicz would go on to premiere many of her own works in concert. The bulk of her catalog consisted of chamber music works, particularly music written for strings. She became well-known and appreciated in her native Poland but had a harder time breaking down barriers on the international stage. Unfortunately, for the last 15 years of her life, Bacewicz was forced to retire from performing and focus exclusively on composition because of injuries suffered from a car accident.

Fun fact: In addition to writing music, Bacewicz also wrote novels and short stories.

Joan Tower (b. 1938)

Trailblazing American composer Joan Tower’s career has spanned more than sixty years, making a significant mark on the world of classical music in the States and beyond. When asked about her musical voice, Tower has responded, “My music is about rhythm, predominantly, the rhythm of ideas. And it’s also organic, and it has a large-scale narrative…  It’s also very important for me to be clear: I don’t think my music ever gets complicated enough that you don’t hear everything.”

In 2020, Tower was chosen as “Composer of the Year” by Musical America, and in 2019, the League of American Orchestras awarded her its highest honor, the Gold Baton. She currently serves as the Asher B. Edelman Professor in the Arts at Bard College, where she has taught since 1972. All Classical Radio listeners likely know Tower best for Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman, which is dedicated to women who take risks and who are adventurous.

Victoria Yagling (1946-2011)

Born into a family of artists and intellectuals, Victoria Yagling was a Russian cellist and composer who made a name for herself as a major force in the USSR. Unfortunately, she would have to wait until 1990 to break beyond her native barriers when she was able to emigrate to Finland. While continuing to compose, Yagling also taught cello at the Jean Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. Unsurprisingly, her works for the string instrument have become the most prominent part of Yagling’s compositional legacy. Stylistically, her music embodies a Romantic essence unmistakably born out of the influence of her fellow Russian predecessors, Prokofiev and Shostakovich.

Errollyn Wallen (b. 1958)

Errollyn Wallen CBE is a Belize-born British composer who recently became the first Black woman to be appointed Master of the King’s Music, an honor that endorses her exceptional musical contributions. Wallen’s works have also been performed at the BBC Proms, the 2012 Paralympic Games, and the late Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilees. As an emerging composer in the 1980s, Wallen struggled with breaking down barriers for women in the field, especially women of color. Consequently, she co-founded, along with other female composers, musicians, and administrators, the organization Women in Music, promoting works by underrepresented voices in the field.

As a composer, Wallen has written over 20 operas in addition to a large catalog of works for orchestra and chamber ensemble.

Reena Esmail (b. 1983)

Based in Los Angeles, Indian-American composer Reena Esmail connects the worlds of Indian and Western classical soundscapes in her music. With a focus on works for orchestra, chamber ensemble, and choir, Esmail uses her music to address humanity in art and create a sense of belonging and inclusivity among its listeners. After earning degrees from both The Julliard School and Yale School of Music, she subsequently sought a return to her cultural roots and attained a Fulbright-Nehru grant to study Hindustani music in India.

Esmail is the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s 2020-2025 Swan Family Artist in Residence. She also currently serves as Artistic Director of Shastra, an organization that fosters cross-cultural dialogue between Western music and the music of India. In 2022, Esmail’s life and career were featured on an episode of the PBS Great Performances series, “Now Hear This.”

Naomi LaViolette

Naomi LaViolette is an American composer, pianist, and singer-songwriter whose music is influenced not only by her classical education but also by her study of jazz, folk songs, soul, pop, and gospel. As a singer, Naomi attributes songwriting in her early 20s as a way to process strong emotions and experiences. With four albums of original music under her belt and many more singles, Naomi writes songs filled “with the stories, emotions, celebrations, and struggles of what it means to be human.”

LaViolette is based in Portland, OR, and has collaborated with several local organizations. Since 2004, she has been the pianist for the Oregon Repertory Singers, in addition to working with the Oregon Symphony as a songwriter and arranger for The Lullaby Project. Her work with Saving His Music, a project preserving the music of a talented pianist suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, received prominent coverage both locally and across the country.

Keep Learning

If you enjoyed this post, check out a few more from the Arts Blog celebrating the lives of women composers:

• Women We Love to Play On Air: 2024 Edition
• Women We Love to Play On Air: 2023 Edition
• María García’s Five “Must Hear” Women Composers