Johann Strauss II’s waltz, An der schönen, blauen Danube (By the Beautiful Blue Danube or The Blue Danube), was only a mild success at its premiere at the concert of the Wiener Männergesang-Verein (Vienna Men’s Choral Association) on 15 February

Edvard Grieg met Hans Christian Andersen in Copenhagen in 1864, when the writer and poet already enjoyed considerable fame in many parts of Europe for his stories, novels, and poetry. The two artists enjoyed a close kinship as both were

TONALi in Hamburg is a great example of how German institutions are not only active in conserving and maintaining the traditional aspect of classical music, but they are also keenly innovative. The lines between the ‘underground stream’ and ‘the institutional’

The 83 Romances by Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) include some of his finest and most memorable music. They are part of the Russian contribution to the great 19th-century stream of Romantic songs, and the composer cultivated the musical garden he inherited

Considered one of the best pianists in the world, Jean-Yves Thibaudet has the rare ability to combine poetic musical sensibilities with dazzling technical prowess. As the New York Times writes, “…every note he fashions is a pearl… the joy, brilliance

Recently, I embarked on a river cruise with an exclusive focus on Mozart. It was one of the most gratifying and stimulating yet serene journeys I have ever encountered. Credit goes to the tour company, which was meticulous in curating

Meaghan Williams, an accomplished double bass musician based in Vancouver, is the soloist on the recent LP release Placentia Bay: Summer of 1941. The LP is named after the double-bass concerto written by Canadian composer and bassist Mark Haney. This