Talks on Western Classical Music

Stuart-Liff Collection Library: Thursday, 20th March at 4.00 pm

Beethoven: Symphony No. 7

In the second talk in this series on Western classical music, Dr. Cavas Bilimoria explores Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7. The composer started writing it in 1811 in the Bohemian town of Teplice, where he had travelled to improve his health. A beloved work among audiences and critics alike, it is the rhythmic vitality and its irresistible forward momentum that makes this symphony exceptional.

Stuart-Liff Collection Library: Thursday, 10th April at 4.00 pm

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

In this series of talks on Western classical music, Dr. Cavas Bilimoria takes listeners through musical concepts, the lives of composers and their famous works, interspersed with examples from recorded music. The first talk this month will dive into Vivaldi’s beloved work, The Four Seasons. The composition comprises four violin concertos—accompanied by a string orchestra and a harpsichord—each a musical expression of a season of the year. The birdsong of spring makes way for a harsh winter in this work of great elegance.

Stuart-Liff Collection Library: Thursday, 24th April at 4.00 pm

Tchaikovsky: Serenade for strings

This talk, the second in the series in April by Dr. Cavas Bilimoria, explores Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s timeless Swan Lake, one of the best-known ballets across the world. It follows the story of Princess Odette, who is turned into a swan under an evil spell, which can only be broken if the one who has never loved before vows his eternal love to her. With exquisite charm, the composition became the defining work of the Russian ballet tradition. 

An NCPA Presentation

Entry free on a first-come-first-served basis.