Klaus Döring's Classical Music/Klaus Döring's Klassische Musik

The James Last story commences on April 17th, 1929. He was born in Bremen, the third son for Louis and Martha Last, and christened Hans. His father, a post-office worker, was a keen amateur musician, competent on both drums and bandoneon. The brothers Last, Robert, Werner and young Hans, enjoyed their game of street football and so father Louis was pleased when all three expressed more than just an passing interest in music. By the age of nine, young Hans could play "Hanschen Klein", a German folk song in the piano, but his first music teacher, a lady, claimed at the age of ten he was totally unmusical. A year or so later with tutor number two, a gentleman, things started to happen. At the age of fourteen Hans was off to military school in Frankfurt where he studied brass, piano and tuba. Hans' parents were pleased with the appointment. It was hoped that he would emerge from the school as classically trained conductor. After passing his first exam, the school was bombed a...

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975) was a Russian composer and pianist and was one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century. Life and Music  Despite Shostakovich's exceptional talent, it was not until he was nine that he received his first formal piano lessons from his mother, a professional pianist.  In 1919, composer Alexander Glazunov considered the young Shostakovich ready to begin his studies at the Petrograd Conservatory, where he was director.  The 19-year-old Shostakovich produced a First Symphony that is an astonishing act of creative prodigy.  In 1936, Stalin attended a performance of Shostakovich's operatic grotesquerie, Lady Macbeth of the Mtensk District. Dismayed by its lack of positivist flag-saving, the state newspaper, Pravda, slated this "bedlam of noise".  With the gun of the Soviet regime pointed at his head - and Stalin's finger effectively on the trigger - Shostakovich knew he had to produce a surefire winner.  The Fifth Sympho...

  Famous figures share what his music means to them, in 250 words Exclusive by ClassicFM London (C) 2020 Beethoven in 250 words.  Picture: Getty / PA / DG Beethoven fans and aficionados give us 250 words – no more, no fewer – on the great composer, as the world marks the 250th anniversary of his birth. 16 December 2020 marks the 250th anniversary of great composer  Ludwig van Beethoven ’s birth. We’ve invited music lovers and Beethoven devotees to give us 250 well-chosen words of their own to sum up what the great composer means to them. Here’s to you, LVB... Read more: Join us for Classic FM’s Big Beethoven Celebration, on the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth > ‘Our Prometheus’ – Stephen Fry, actor and writer Stephen Fry on Beethoven.  Picture: Getty You can have the sunniness of  Mozart , but very often he seems to be painting a world that is only sunny and ordered and loveable. With  Beethoven , however, even though he’s nearly always op...