classical Archives • JohnKuvinka.com

Records and How to Enjoy Them

John Kuvinka — Sun, 29 Apr 2018 21:47:22 +0000

Every so often we feel the need to take on a new, expensive hobby. For me, vinyl records filled that position recently. I’ve been into music since a young age, obviously. And I’ve always heard that the sound of vinyl records is much better than CDs and MP3s. But, until recently I’ve never really given them a serious shot. Having started to build my music […]

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Music: What I Like and Why

John Kuvinka — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 14:00:32 +0000

Anyone who knows me knows that music is a big part of my background. Unfortunately, it’s taken a back burner in the recent years of my life. But, even though I don’t compose like I used to, music is still an important part of me. It’s something that I’ve shared with my father from a young age and it’s gotten me through some tough times. Toward my […]

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Puccini’s Turandot

John Kuvinka — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 23:00:02 +0000

Turandot is truly a masterful work and should be, I’d say, on the list of favorites of any opera fan. This piece, as well as any full opera, would be best suited for someone who is versed in classical and opera pretty well already. Otherwise, some of the slower scenes may get a little disinteresting, especially if the listener isn’t familiar with the libretto or […]

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Tchaikovsky’s Slavonic March

John Kuvinka — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 22:53:44 +0000

The Slavonic March came about after the conflict between Serbia and Turkey in 1876. In June of that year a number of Slavs who rebelled against the Ottoman Empire in support of Russia and Austria were killed by the Turks, resulting in Serbia’s declaration of war against Turkey. Russia, feeling sympathy for Serbia and seeing its people as fellow Slavs, sent volunteers and aid to […]

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Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis

John Kuvinka — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 22:48:19 +0000

The Solemn Mass was one of Beethoven’s favorite compositions of his own. It was written from 1819 to 1823, around the time of his Symphony No. 9, and was premiered in St. Petersburg on April 7th, 1824. The work was dedicated to Archduke Rudolph of Austria, in light of his new appointment as Archbishop of Olmütz. Rudolph was a friend and student of Beethoven to […]

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Beethoven’s Violin Concerto

John Kuvinka — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 22:45:45 +0000

The only published violin concerto written by Beethoven, this piece says all that can be said by the violin and the orchestra, so what’s the need for more than one? The concerto was written in 1806 and premiered in Vienna on December 23rd of the same year, being dedicated to a skilled violinist of the time, Franz Clement. Although it was not well received, the […]

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