Michael AllenSep 24, 2017Farnaby's ConceitThe Fitzwilliam Virginal Book comprises nearly 300 works composed for keyboard by notable English court composers from the time of Queen...
Michael AllenSep 15, 2017Breaking up the RomanceToo soon? I'm having too much fun with these titles. I promised to talk about the decision to transpose this movement of Robert...
Michael AllenSep 14, 2017More advice on RomanceOne of the things I appreciated about teaching was that I learned things about my own playing by observing and articulating ideas to...
Michael AllenSep 13, 2017Schumann Romances...orchestrated for brass. I've loved Robert Schumann's Opus 94 Romances since the 80's. I heard them first on a cello recital, and then...
Michael AllenSep 12, 2017Limoges - The Big NewsSadly, only a few of the sketches by Victor Hartmann that inspired Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition have survived. We must rely on...
Michael AllenSep 8, 2017Mussorgsky's PicturesI'm always surprised that some still believe that Maurice Ravel's orchestration of Pictures at an Exhibition is the 'original
Michael AllenSep 2, 2017Keeping the trombones out of the pubI usually carry around a small notebook that has only one purpose - it is used to write down new project ideas when I hear them (or think...
Michael AllenSep 1, 2017Little Red Riding HoodI've been a big fan of Rachmaninoff's music for many years, but arranging his music for brass presents, in some cases, insurmountable...