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Frederick Delius (Born on January 29, 1862) and his Rhapsodic Concertos
The name Frederick Delius (1862-1934) conjures misty landscapes, long-breathed melodies, and music that gently drifts rather than argues. He is usually associated with orchestral tone poems, such as On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring or Brigg Fair. Frederick Delius is not
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The Fifteen Most-FAQs About Chopin: Early Death, George Sand, and More
Frédéric Chopin is one of the most beloved composers in history, and judging by Google searches, the Internet has lots of questions about him. Was he Polish or French? What did he actually look like? Did he ever marry George
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The Quiet Art of Reynaldo Hahn (Died on January 28, 1947)
Piano Music from the Belle Époque
Reynaldo Hahn (1874–1947) is widely known for his French mélodies, beautiful art songs that capture emotion with elegance and subtlety. Yet Hahn’s piano music, though less famous, is equally revealing of his artistry. Across solo pieces, cycles, waltzes, and sonatinas, Hahn
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The Tragedy and Trauma of Ravel’s Military Service
Nowadays, when we think of Maurice Ravel, we usually picture the elegance of Boléro, not the mud and chaos of the Western Front. But World War I had a major impact on Maurice Ravel’s life and music. The Franco-Prussian War,
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Édouard Lalo (Born on January 27, 1823)
One Concerto and Four Cellists
On 27 January, we celebrate the birthday of Édouard Lalo, a French composer who may not enjoy the instant name recognition of Saint-Saëns or Fauré, but whose music leaves a lasting impression once you encounter it. Lalo had a gift
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Anna Caroline de Belleville-Oury: The Forgotten Pianist Admired by the Great Composers
You likely have no idea who Anna Caroline de Belleville-Oury is. However, many of the great composers did. Beethoven enjoyed hearing her play. Carl Czerny recognised her as one of the students who made him famous. Chopin dedicated a waltz
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Jacqueline du Pré (Born on January 26, 1945)
Beyond Elgar
When Jacqueline du Pré (1945-1987) stepped into a recording studio in August 1965 to record Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85, with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir John Barbirolli, the world first fully sensed the emotional
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The 12 Best Olympic Figure Skating Routines to Classical Music
If you love classical music, chances are you might be interested in figure skating, given the prominent role the art plays in the sport. For over a hundred years, skaters have skated to music, oftentimes classical music. Although the International
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