Can You Solve These Fiendish Composer Riddles?

Can you work out the name of the composer from a set of picture clues?

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F. Buencamino - Mayon Fantasia - Bryan

How well do you know the words to "A Whole New World" from Alladin

By Elizabeth Davis, ClassicFM London

As Disney’s Aladdin hits the stage in London’s West End, we've put together the ultimate test of Aladdin-fandom… 

image: http://assets8.classicfm.com/2016/20/aladdin-a-whole-new-world-quiz-1463430388-article-0.jpg

It's one of Disney’s best-loved films and the music, written by Alan Menken, is an iconic film score.

In fact Menken won the Oscar in 1993 for Best Music – and it was this song, written with Tim Rice, that got the song-writing duo a double-header at the Academy Awards – with the Oscar for Best Original Song as well.

But how well do *you* remember the words, street rat (as Jafar might say…)?

This is an Epic Fugue on a Theme by Lady Gaga

By Kyle Macdonald, ClassicFM London

A truly monstrous piece of counterpoint.

A bit of a Prelude

It's worth starting this off with a bit of a doff of our music geek cap to the pop superstar. The music video to Lady Gaga's 2009 hit Bad Romance begins with Johann Sebastian Bach's Fugue in B minor from the Well-tempered Clavier Book I:

And, err... Fugue

So Gaga is clearly someone who likes a bit of Baroque point-on-point action. It's therefore quite appropriate that a YouTube notesmith has taken the theme to her 'Bad Romance' and turned it into a brilliant Bach-inspired fugue. 

And the pop superstar was lovely enough to get in touch with us and tell us how much she liked this contrapuntal rendering of her melody.

So that's nice. 

Let's close with a brilliant 'orchestration' of this fugue, cunningly assembled by another YouTuber. 

Here's Prince Casually Owning George Gershwin's "Summertime" in Rehearsal

By Daniel Ross, ClassicFM London

We know Prince was a master of many genres, but this video shows more.

The multifaceted singer-songwriter was known for skipping merrily through a whole variety of genres, sometimes in a single song, but this intimate (for a stadium) soundcheck shows that he knew his way around a Gershwin number too.

“Follow me…”

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Twelve Mind-Widening Pieces Taking You Beyond Classical Music

By Sarah Neufeld, ClassicFM London

Sarah Neufeld knows all about pushing the boundaries of her instrument: as a violinist with Canadian indie rock titans Arcade Fire and equally as an experimental solo artist, she's become a torchbearer for expanding listeners' minds. So who better than her to provide us with a superb playlist of modern works that will rewire your brain a bit?

Here's what she's picked for you:

1. Some - Nils Frahm

2. Atomos XII - A Winged Victory For The Sullen



3. Never The Way She Was - Colin Stetson, Sarah Neufeld



4. Parry: Interruptions (Heart And Breath Nonet): VI French Guitars -yMusic, Bryce Dessner, Aaron Dessner, Richard Reed Parry



5. The Candlelight Vigil - Jóhann Jóhannsson



6. Harmonium - Max Richter



7. Part IV - Nico Muhly



8. High Above a Grey Green Sea - Colin Stetson



9. Nijùshichi - Sylvain Chauveau, Stéphane Garin



10. Where The Light Comes In - Sarah Neufeld



11. Ogives/Redisributed - Eluvium



12. Apreludes (In C Sharp Major) - Stars Of The Lid

Beethoven's Fifth Reworked in the Style of Chopin

It’s absolutely exquisite

By Joanna Peskett , Classic FM London

Trust us and take a listen - we reckon you’ll be converted by a bit of ‘Chophoven’.

image: http://assets8.classicfm.com/2015/08/chopin-beethoven-5-1425064667-article-0.png

We stumbled across this stunning arrangement of the exposition ofBeethoven’s famous 5th symphony, as you might hear it in a 19th century Parisian salon. This Beethoven/Chopin mix-up may be a touch surprising, but what’s not to like? 

Undoubtedly, the arrangement from YouTuber Syd R Duke has gone down a storm, but we still believe this is worthy of more views. One YouTuber commented, “It’s as if Beethoven and Chopin met in an alternate universe to create a lovechild.” We'll leave that image with you - but do take a listen to this gorgeous arrangement...

Read more at http://www.classicfm.com/composers/beethoven/news/symphony-5-style-of-chopin/#MRLMFpYjVVGmOZJg.99

Franz Schubert Symphony No.8 "Unfinished" D 759, Leonard Bernstein

11 Лунный свет Клод Дебюсси Claude Debussy: Claire de Lune

Hugo Strasser (Germany) - Evergreens Medley R.I.P.

Undoubtedly the Most Romantic Pieces of Classical Music ever Composed

By Daniel Ross, CLASSIC FM, London

Have a soppy and indulgent listen to the most romantic pieces of music imaginable - from anguished relationships to new-found love and most things inbetween.

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Want to hear the whole list? 

All of these works are available for you to hear, for flippin’ FREE and with a rather tempting Valentine’s Day offer, right now over at Composed.com.

image: http://assets.classicfm.com/2016/06/composed-romantic-music-banner-1455124445.jpg

Elgar - Salut d’Amour

If you have a moustache or are in any way British or emotionally repressed, all you have to do is stick this piece on the stereo, stand awkwardly in the corner and wait for the object of your desire to shower you with kisses. Guaranteed*. (*Not even slightly guaranteed.)

Puccini - O soave fanciulla, from La Bohème

Let Pavarotti do the talking. Singing. Whatever. Either way, Puccini does romance, anguished or joyful, better than most, and this aria is one of his most charged duets.

Rota - Love Theme, from Romeo and Juliet

So the story itself didn’t end all that well (whirlwind holiday romance goes insanely wrong, teens take drastic action etc), but the music inspired by Shakespeare’s most famous romance is so affecting, so purely emotional, that you’ll probably want to visit the apothecary as well (not really).

Mascagni - Intermezzo, from Cavalleria Rusticana

Oh, can’t you just feel it ruddy well oozing out of you? Romance, that is. Blimey, just one blast of this at full volume is guaranteed to melt absolutely anyone.

Handel - Ombra mai fù, from Serse

Simple, sweet, plaintive, innocent. This is the sound of love beginning, a perfect choice if you’re cooking for a date and want to appear both intelligent and emotionally accessible.

Rachmaninov - Symphony No. 2, 3rd movement

It’s sort of like the cooler, less famous cousin to Tchaikovsky’s super-slushy love theme from Romeo & Juliet. Stately, restrained and, when it finally lets go, absolutely shattering.

Puccini - O Mio Babbino Caro

Date advice: do not attempt to sing this song to your partner to make them like you more or to make up for a lack of Valentine’s Day presents. Leave it to Renée Fleming instead. Always leave it to Renée Fleming.

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The Most Epic Musical Sunrise Ever Written

By Classic FM London

Gig the sun stream in – and we think it doesn't get any better than this one…

Classical music is full of great rousing tunes for the morning – things to get you going and feeling good. But good-morning-music advocates More Music Breakfast and Yakult want to bring you an extra-special sunrise...

Composers from Haydn to Grieg and beyond have penned musical depictions of sunrises – but we think this is the most epic. It's the opening full orchestral fanfare to Richard Strauss's tone poem Also sprach Zarathustra .

It's a wonderfully evocative, dramatic piece that you can't help air-conduct.

So how does he do it?

It begins with a sustained double low C on tremolo double basses, contrabassoon and organ. The brass enter with that now iconic motif – a fifth rising to an octave. These first few notes form the natural overtone series (if we're getting technical) – and that's why these notes feel so natural and inevitable. The full orchestra enters with major, then minor chords, with the timpani pounding away. 

The motif is repeated but this time in the full chords. And minor turns to major as the sunlight streams through.

Then it's back to the low C before the brass enter for the final time – this time the orchestra erupts in the glorious major-key fanfare, ending on a long, stained major chord – full organ blazing – as the day has dawned.

Such a simple piece, but so iconic and effective, and used to such great effect in Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Now I need to hear it.

We'll leave you here in the very capable hands of Gustavo Dudamel to bring you into glorious sunshine this morning.

And if you've got time, the rest of the piece is pretty epic too…

Franz Liszt - Liebestraum - Love Dream

Edward Elgar - His Music and His Life

Edward Elgar was born on June 2, 1857 in Broadheath nearby Worcester/Great Britain.

Elgar, a son of a musician trader and storekeeper, studied music most through self-education and an incredible unique self-confidence. His first compositions have been published in 1883.

Two years later, Elgar became his father's successor as organist at their local church. In 1899 and the following century's turn remained as Elgar's most successful and productive period in life:

- Enigma Variations for Orchestra, opus 36;

- Oratorio Gerontius' Dream, opus 38.

Edward Elgar received innumerable ennoble praises from 1924's Master of the King's Music up to 1931's Baronet. Since Henry Purcell (1659-1695), no British classical composer had been feted and praised as much as Sir Edward Elgar.

He met his eventual demise on February 23, 1934 in Worcester.