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Famous Music from the Romantic Period
Part 1 (c.1820â1900)
Oboe Concerto Es-Dur III
by Vincenzo Bellini (1801â1835)
The Oboe Concerto in E-flat major stands as the only surviving concerto by Vincenzo Bellini and offers a rare glimpse into his early instrumental writing. Composed around 1823, while he was still a student, the work already reveals the lyrical sensitivity that would later define his operatic masterpieces.
Although Bellini would become famous for his operas, his instrumental output remained relatively limited. The concerto typically lasts between seven and eight minutes, balancing elegance with clarity and allowing the oboeâs warm, almost vocal character to shine.
The Thieving Magpie
by Gioachino Rossini (1792â1868)
La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie) is an opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini, with a libretto by Giovanni Gherardini. The story was inspired by the French play La pie voleuse by ThĂ©odore Baudouin d’Aubigny and Louis-Charles Caigniez. Combining comic charm with serious dramatic moments, the work belongs to the genre of opera semiseria, where humor and tension exist side by side.
The opera premiered on 31 May 1817 at La Scala. Over time, Rossini continued to refine the score for new productions. Nearly five decades later, in 1866, he revisited the opera once more for a performance in Paris.
Waltz of the Flowers
by P. I. Tchaikovsky (1840â1893)
The Waltz of the Flowers is one of the most cherished pieces from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovskyâs ballet The Nutcracker, appearing in the second act and serving as the grand finale of the Nutcracker Suite. Tchaikovsky described the ballet to his colleagues as âfantastic,â filled with playful scenes such as a march for tin soldiers and, of course, a waltz for the flowers.
Renowned for its sweeping melodies and graceful orchestration, the waltz has delighted audiences worldwide. Its versatility has inspired numerous arrangements for different instruments and ensembles. The piece has also made a mark in popular culture, most famously in Walt Disneyâs 1940 film Fantasia, where it was brought to life with vivid, imaginative animation.
The Blue Danube
by Johann Strauss II (1825â1899)
The Blue Danube (âBy the Beautiful Blue Danube,â Op. 314) is a waltz by Johann Strauss II, composed in 1866. Its premiere took place on 15 February 1867 at a concert of the Wiener MĂ€nnergesang-Verein (Vienna Menâs Choral Association).
Originally written with lyrics by the associationâs poet Joseph Weyl, Strauss later arranged the piece as a purely orchestral waltz for the 1867 Paris Worldâs Fair. This instrumental version quickly became the most celebrated and widely performed form of the work.
Following its success in Paris, The Blue Danube spread rapidly across Europe and beyond, securing its place as one of the most iconic and enduring pieces in the classical repertoire.