“I hope my reed makes it through the performance… It’s so hot in there, my tuning’s going to go out the window… This shirt’s so uncomfortable… And why, to top it all off, am I performing from memory?!” These can

The Curse of Promotion Felix Draeseke, Clarinet Sonata in B flat major, Op. 38 Felix Draeseke, Symphonia Tragica, Op. 40 Music is a fickle business! Having exceptional musical talents, composing a first work at age nine followed by an extensive

Fantasia Paul O’Dette, lute From Francesco da Milano “Il Divino” (2013) Released by Harmonia Mundi Francesco da Milano “Il Divino”: FantasiaFrancesco da Milano (dubbed “Il divino”) was celebrated as the pre-eminent composer of lute music in Renaissance Italy. He was

The current exhibition at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. “Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, 1909-1929: When Art Danced with Music” brings into focus one of the most productive eras in the arts, in which poetry, art, theater,

Can one cook an authentic Chinese meal without ever having had a taste of the cuisine? It would be safe to say that the above would prove extremely tricky. As with most other things in life, it is hard to

Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Sonata Op. 2, No. 1 Piano Sonatas Op. 2 No. 2 Piano Sonatas Op. 2, No. 3 Historians and scholars habitually divided Beethoven’s life and work into three periods, a concept that originated with Johann Aloys

Beethoven’s love life is a mystery. He wrote a series of passionate letters — a total of 10 pages written in pencil — to a woman, his “Immortal Beloved.” These heartbreaking letters were found after Beethoven’s death. To this day

Giuseppe Verdi: Messa da Requiem, “Agnus Dei” In psychology, empathic accuracy refers to how precisely a person can infer the thoughts and feelings of another person. Contrary to popular urban myth, women do not seem to possess superior empathic abilities