October, 2013

28 Posts
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Matthias Goerne
German baritone Matthias Goerne (b.1967) is one of the most celebrated singers of his generation. Since studying with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, he has become one of the world’s foremost song recitalists, and since his début as Papageno at
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Music and the Arts in 19th and 20th Century Russia II
In last month’s article I focused on the relationships between musicians, artists and writers in 19th century Russia, which foreshadowed the even more drastic changes of the beginning of the 20th century. Not only would the artists and painters, associated
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Vincenzo Galilei: Reshaping the Sonic Universe
Vincenzo Galilei: Duo tutti di fantasia We all know that Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) is commonly known as the “Father of modern observational astronomy,” the “Father of Modern Physics,” and the “Father of Modern Science.” But did you know that his
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Finding a way in:
Messiaen’s Turangalîla-Symphonie
Who’s going to write it? How long’s it going to be? For how many people? These are just a few of the questions that are asked when a new work is commissioned. What, then, do you get when these constraints
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From Russia with a Cello
Britten, Shostakovich, Rostropovich
In 1935, Benjamin Britten spoke rather despairingly of the musical scene in the 20th century. “The real musicians are so few & far between, aren’t they? Apart from Berg, Stravinsky, Schoenberg and Bridge one is a bit stumped for names,
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In touch with Simon Trpčeski:
The Macedonian Hero
Simon and I met in our teens, before he became known to the world as ‘Trpčeski’. As a person, he is full of joy, warmth and sincerity; as a pianist, he is natural, charismatic and phenomenal. Wherever he appears, he
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Cello Concerto – Elgar / Tchaikovsky / Dvořák
Antonín Dvořák Klid (Silent Woods), Op. 68, No. 5, B. 182 Jean-Guihen Queyras, cello BBC Symphony Orchestra Jin Belohlavek, conductor From Cello Concerto – Elgar / Tchaikovsky / Dvořák (2013) Released by Harmonia Mundi Dvořák: Klid (Silent Woods), Op. 68,
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Daphnis et Chloé vs Diaghilev et Ravel –
a match made in hell?
Daphnis et Chloé For all its charm and wonder, Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé wasn’t a bump-free production from either side of the fence… It’s perhaps most well-known for its two orchestral suites, using music directly from the ballet itself. The
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