For some composers, the piano is a difficult instrument for which to compose. As one writer said, it’s more like a piece of ‘finely tuned machinery’ than a subtle instrument like the voice. For Danish composer Bent Sørensen (b. 1958),

Adam Schoenberg’s Finding Rothko Inspired by Mark Rothko’s color-field paintings Faced with a commission by the IRIS orchestra, American composer Adam Schoenberg (b. 1980) sought inspiration in the museums of Manhattan. He started with the Museum of Modern Art and

If Italian Baroque music had a gift for conversation, Baldassare Galuppi (1706–1785) would be one of its most charming talkers. He is often remembered today as an opera composer, but that misses out on something intimate and quietly revolutionary. And

Today, we’re going back in time to hear ten of the earliest and oldest classical music recordings of all time. Long before streaming services, records, or radio, engineers were experimenting with ways to preserve sound on fragile wax cylinders. The

Thomas Hewitt Jones’ anthem of kindness and connection still resonates six years after lockdown. Originally composed during the UK Covid lockdown in 2020, Can You Hear Me? by award-winning British composer Thomas Hewitt Jones still has the power to resonate

Muzio Clementi (1752–1832) may not always get the recognition of Mozart or Beethoven, but to pianists, his stature is beyond dispute. Often called the “Father of the Pianoforte,” Clementi transformed the early keyboard sonata from a simple dance or exercise

Throughout music history, music critics have often elevated (or eviscerated) a composer’s reputation. Sometimes critics and composers have found themselves in public feuds. Other times, the composer and critic in question became unlikely friends. Today, we’re looking at four of