One of the greatest conductors of the 20th century, Bruno Walter [Schlesinger] detested routine performances and always strove to present a work as if it were receiving its world premiere. He held major positions in Europe and the United States,

In the vast universe of music competitions, the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, held once every four years, is among the most prestigious events of its kind. Winners and runners-up receive substantial cash prizes, plus concert tours at world-famous venues.

In all my years of learning the piano and going to the opera as a young student, I never came across Jean-Philippe Rameau‘s music. This seems surprising, since Rameau made important contributions to keyboard music, and his collection of solo

Over 300 years ago, in 1716, the great French harpsichordist François Couperin published his famous treatise L’Art de Toucher le Clavecin (The Art of Playing the Harpsichord). It is, by all accounts, the main Baroque text on playing the instrument,

At the age of only 20, Henry Purcell composed a collection of ensemble pieces titled Fantazias. They represent, according to Mark Steinberg, the “final hurrah for consort music, ensembles no longer fashionable at the time of these works.” Written during

The exceptional French pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard is frequently described as a brilliant musician and an extraordinary visionary. And while he is a celebrated interpreter of the standard repertoire, he is also a key figure in contemporary music. Aimard entered the

For today’s brain teaser, let’s turn to Antonín Dvořák. What opera of his features a happy ending but is entirely missing the traditional love interest? The answer is The Devil and Kate, a comic opera to a libretto by Adolf

When Hollywood is looking for star power in terms of piano playing, they call Jean-Yves Thibaudet. His renowned poetic interpretation and technical brilliance, paired with personal charm and cinematic flair, have made him one of the premier pianists for the