From Hymns to The Beatles
This Week on MusicOfTheDay.co.uk | 14–20 June
This week’s composers showcase the extraordinary variety of music that can emerge from different cultures, traditions and centuries.
From Danish Romanticism and English hymn writing to French sacred music, revolutionary twentieth-century modernism, The Beatles, and one of opera’s greatest masters of comedy, there is something for every musical taste.
It is also a week filled with musical innovation. Several of these composers transformed the musical landscape in ways that are still felt today.
This Week’s Composers
14 June – Frederik Rung
A Danish composer and conductor whose work contributed significantly to nineteenth-century Scandinavian musical life.
15 June – John Ellerton
An English hymn writer whose texts continue to be sung in churches around the world today, including The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended.
16 June – Maurice Duruflé
French composer and organist celebrated for his beautiful and deeply moving Requiem, blending Gregorian chant with rich twentieth-century harmonies.
17 June – Igor Stravinsky
One of the most influential composers of the twentieth century. Works such as The Rite of Spring challenged audiences and changed the course of classical music.
18 June – Paul McCartney
Singer, songwriter and founding member of The Beatles. His songwriting helped define modern popular music and continues to inspire musicians worldwide.
19 June – Marjan Kozina
Slovenian composer whose music often reflected his country’s culture, history and national identity.
20 June – Jacques Offenbach
Master of comic opera whose wit, melody and theatrical flair delighted nineteenth-century audiences. His famous Can-Can remains instantly recognisable today.
Listening Themes This Week
This week’s music explores:
- Sacred music and hymn writing
- National identity in music
- Musical revolution and innovation
- Opera and musical theatre
- Twentieth-century orchestral music
- Popular songwriting at its finest
A fascinating comparison can be made between Igor Stravinsky and Paul McCartney. While their musical languages could hardly be more different, both transformed the expectations of their audiences and left a lasting impact on future generations of musicians.
Classroom Question
Which of this week’s musicians had the greatest influence on music?
- Paul McCartney
- Igor Stravinsky
- Jacques Offenbach
- Maurice Duruflé
Can influence be measured by popularity, innovation, longevity, or something else entirely?
June Reading Comprehension Resources
The June composer reading comprehension pack continues this week with seven more fascinating musicians.
Each day includes:
- A composer biography
- Comprehension questions
- Vocabulary and inference activities
- Answer sheets
- QR codes linking directly to listening examples
Ideal for KS2, KS3, cover lessons, tutor time and music enrichment.
June Composers – Daily Music Reading Comprehension (Ages 8+)
One composer. One piece. Every day.