October, 2018

51 Posts
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Classical Music and Wine
“Either Give Me More Wine or Leave Me Alone”
In Greek mythology, Dionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine. The god is usually depicted riding in a chariot leading a procession of exotic beasts, wild female followers and bearded satyrs. Dionysus also functions as the
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Fluent Fingers
“Today, much more than in the past, no one can hope to play well who does not use his fingers correctly,”C. P. E. Bach. From our earliest time at the piano, we are taught a “5-finger position”, which follows the
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Cello Concerto Overview: The Ought to Haves Part I
Musicians through the ages have had a keen sense of responsibility to the music of composers of their time. We are fortunate there were cellists who inspired composers to write new works for the instrument, (Rostropovich inspired both Prokofiev and
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On This Day
6 October: Szymanowski’s Violin Concerto No. 2 Was Premiered
The legendary violinist Paweł Kochański maintained a lifelong personal friendship and working relationship with the composer Karol Szymanowski. Both were active in a movement known as “Young Poland,” which sought to promote modernist attitudes in Warsaw. Originating during a period
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BEETHOVEN, L. van: Flute Works, Vol. 1
3 Duets, WoO 27: No. 1 in C Major (arr. Kazunori Seo for flute and bassoon) I. Allegro commodo From BEETHOVEN, L. van: Flute Works, Vol. 1 (2018) Released by Naxos Beethoven: 3 Duets, WoO 27: No. 1 in C
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The Toccata in the 20th Century
Ottorino Respighi was a master of looking to the past for inspiration while, at the same time, producing music that was truly modern. We would expect a work entitled Toccata to be like the toccatas we know from the past:
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Music Through Words
The Concert Pianist by Conrad Williams
Philip Morahan is a British concert pianist. A once-great pianist, lauded by critics and adored by audiences, at 52 he can no longer play the piano. Marooned by performance anxiety, it seems that the sacrifices he has made in the
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At the Center of the Musical Universe
Giacomo Meyerbeer II
Giacomo Meyerbeer completed his opera Le Prophète in 1849. Based on the Anabaptist seizure of power in the 16th century, it details the elevation of John of Leyden as “the Prophet,” and culminates in a final cataclysm when John and
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