Happy St. Patrick’s Day Weekend to all! In the spirit of this American/Irish holiday, I’ve chose a fun minor scale sequence from an American Celtic Punk band called the Dropkick Murphy’s. This group rose to fame by writing music for…
Purcell – Rondo in D Minor Sequence
This sequence is based on the first melody from Henry Purcell‘s Rondeau in D minor, from his Abdelazer suite. Unless you are a baroque music buff, you are more likely to know this melody as the theme from Benjamin Britten‘s Young Persons Guide…
Shostakovich – Festive Overture Sequence 1
This piece starts with a regal fanfare before launches into an exhilarating second section that is built around the melody featured in this sequence. This piece has grown to be one of my favorite overtures, and is yet another reason…
Mendelssohn – Lobgesang Sequence
This sequence is based on the main theme from Felix Mendelssohn‘s Symphony No. 2 Lobgesang . Up until about a month ago I had never heard this piece, and I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to perform it last week. The…
Bach – Little Fugue Sequence
I think I knew what a fugue was in high school, but the genius and beauty of Bach Fugues finally hit me when I was in my first year at UCLA. I remember my theory professor Dr. Carlson sharing some recordings from…
Vulfpeck – Dean Town Sequence 1
Vulpeck is an American Funk band that formed in 2011 while the core members were students at University of Michigan’s school of music. The band has gone on to release four fantastic albums, multiple EPs, and now tours the world…
Berlioz – Symphony Fantastique Sequence 1
This sequence is based on the old melody known as the Dies Irae, as it appears at the end of the 5th movement of Hector Berlioz’s Symphony Fantastique. The Dies Irae has been used in many orchestral works, but Berlioz brings it to…
Strauss – Don Juan Sequence 1
This sequence is based on the big unison Horn call from Richard Strauss’ tone poem Don Juan. Strauss wrote this piece in 1888 when he was only 24, and its success launched his remarkable career as a composer. When I…
Mussorgsky – Pictures at an Exhibition Promenade Sequence
This sequence is based on the Promenade theme from Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. The piece was originally written for solo piano and became an orchestral masterwork thanks to the brilliant orchestration of Maurice Ravel. This place has a special place in…