December, 2025

117 Posts
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The Most Memorable Composer Christmases: Chopin, Schumann, and More
Christmas is always an emotionally charged time of year. It can be everything from a season of hearty celebration to crushing loneliness. Today, we’re looking at five emotional, memorable Christmases from the lives of the great composers: Wagner, Chopin, Tchaikovsky,
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Santa, Please Help!
Credit: NPR Classical
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The Other Kinds of Nuts
We’re working our way into that time of year – you can get ambushed around every corner by The Nutcracker. Either as a standing figure occupying a store window or audibly with audio in the store. Tchaikovsky – he’s everywhere!
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Harmony in the Heart of Christmas
John Rutter’s Timeless Carols
For choral musicians, Christmas is an especially joyous time, as it is filled with the warmth of singing beloved carols and sacred works that celebrate the spirit of the season. That shared experience of harmonising in festive concerts creates a
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Philosopher and Composer: Gurdjieff Played by Hayk Melikyan
George Ivanovich Gurdjieff (c. 1866-1949) was more than a composer. His life as a philosopher, mystic, spiritual teacher, and movement teacher was an important part of early 20th-century philosophical inspiration. He taught that people are not conscious of themselves and
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The Opera with the Body Count: GNO’s Tosca
As an homage to their long-time designer Nikos S. Petropoulos, Greek National Opera staged a revival of his 1998 Tosca. Set in 1944 Rome, the opera opened as if it were a film, with the opening credits running on a
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Seven Best Piano Concertos Dedicated to Women
Dedications in the classical music world are often treated as footnotes. But they shouldn’t be: composer’s dedications can say a lot about the dedicatee, the work itself, and even the composer. Today, we’re looking at seven piano concertos dedicated to
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Krystian Zimerman in Tokyo – Preludes & Co
It has become increasingly rare to hear Krystian Zimerman live – and to listen to him in person is always something to remember. This winter in Japan, Zimerman ventured into a rather experimental programme, featuring Schubert Impromptus Op. 90, Debussy
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