From Film Scores to Gershwin
This Week on MusicOfTheDay.co.uk | 5–11 July
A new week brings another fascinating collection of composers, spanning more than 400 years of musical history.
From Japanese video game music and early twentieth-century symphonies to pioneering women composers and one of America’s greatest musical voices, there’s plenty to discover over the coming week.
This Week’s Composers
5 July – Kenji Ito
Best known for his memorable video game soundtracks, Kenji Ito’s music has captivated gamers for decades with its energy, melody and emotional depth.
6 July – Émile Jaques-Dalcroze
A composer and educator whose innovative approach to rhythm and movement transformed music education around the world.
7 July – Gustav Mahler
One of history’s greatest symphonists, Mahler’s music explores the biggest human emotions, from joy and love to loss and transcendence.
8 July – Vatroslav Lisinski
A Croatian composer remembered as a pioneer of his country’s national musical identity and composer of the first Croatian opera.
9 July – Elisabeth Lutyens
One of Britain’s most important twentieth-century composers, whose bold and uncompromising style helped shape modern British classical music.
10 July – Phoebe Palmer Knapp
An American composer whose hymn tune Blessed Assurance remains one of the most widely sung in the English-speaking world.
11 July – George Gershwin
Blending jazz with classical music like few before him, Gershwin created timeless works including Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris.
Listening Themes This Week
This week’s music explores:
- Epic orchestral writing
- Video game music
- Music education and rhythm
- National identity in music
- Sacred and hymn traditions
- Jazz meets classical
One of my favourite contrasts this week is hearing Mahler’s vast symphonic landscapes alongside Gershwin’s irresistible blend of jazz and classical traditions.
Question of the Week
Which composer would you be most curious to discover?
Perhaps Mahler’s emotional symphonies, Gershwin’s jazz-inspired classics, or maybe an unfamiliar name like Elisabeth Lutyens or Vatroslav Lisinski?
One composer. One piece. Every day.