The late 19th century “War of the Romantics” pitted “absolute music,” like that of Brahms that was about nothing but itself, against “programmatic music” like that of Wagner that supported a narrative ...

Musical storytelling is on my mind this month as the London Philharmonic Orchestra performs Liquid Interface, my first large-scale exploration of musical narrative in the form of a “water symphony”.

The great outdoors has always been a muse for artists, writers and musicians alike. From birdsong at dawn to the drama of a thunderstorm, nature offers endless rhythms, melodies and moods. The Yakima ...