Login
Musical Openings
Share
- Details
- Transcript
- Audio
- Downloads
- Extra Reading
The hammerblow introduction to Beethoven’s ‘Eroica’ Symphony and the iconic four-note opening motif of the 5th Symphony, the unresolved start of Wagner’s Tristan & Isolde, the sensuously meandering melody that begins Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, and the identical fanfare that opens both Monteverdi’s opera Orfeo and his 1610 Vespers.
This lecture looks at how composers of all periods have risen to the challenge of how to write a memorable musical opening sentence.
Download Transcript
Part of:
This event was on Thu, 19 Sep 2019
Support Gresham
Gresham College has offered an outstanding education to the public free of charge for over 400 years. Today, Gresham plays an important role in fostering a love of learning and a greater understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Your donation will help to widen our reach and to broaden our audience, allowing more people to benefit from a high-quality education from some of the brightest minds.
