Articles

3135 Posts
archive-post-image
On This Day
31 March: Heinrich Neuhaus Was Born
The pianist and pedagogue Heinrich Gustav Neuhaus was one of the most celebrated artists of his generation. His playing was described as “tempestuous,” and at the height of his powers, his technique was considered faultless. As a teacher he shaped
Read more
archive-post-image
Charles Villiers Stanford
“Heaven must be in me before I can be in heaven” As a composer, Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) might not be a household name, but he is remembered as a teacher of several generations of British composers at the RCM
Read more
archive-post-image
The Turkish Five
In all the numbered composer groups, such as Les Six or The Five, one you rarely hear about were the Turkish Five. The five, Ahmet Adnan Saygun (1907-1991), Ulvi Cemal Erkin (1906-1972), Cemal Reşit Rey (1904-1985), Hasan Ferit Alnar (1906-1978),
Read more
archive-post-image
It’s Such a Load to Learn the Modes!
Learning scales is an essential step on the road to develop our playing. Once we learn the fingerings, we should be able to spontaneously play the scales that appear in the music even on sight. Learning all the modes can
Read more
archive-post-image
Nurturing the Musical Brain
The musical — and to the extent, the artistic — brain needs to be continuously nurtured. Indeed, no other art form can have such an impact on the brain and how it perceives sounds. This nourishment and development should be
Read more
archive-post-image
Siegfried Wagner: The Tragic Fate of Richard Wagner’s Composer Son
The life of Siegfried Wagner – son of Richard Wagner and grandson of Franz Liszt – touches on a wide range of questions that classical musicians are still wrestling with today. Questions like: How does it affect an artist’s life
Read more
archive-post-image
Twenty Trivia Questions About Classical Music
Need some trivia questions about classical music? We’ve got you covered! Today we’re looking at the history of classical music for trivia inspiration. Learn about everything from a composer who murdered his wife, to a Venetian orchestra of talented orphans,
Read more
archive-post-image
Heino Eller (1887-1970)
Father of Modern Estonian Music
There is nothing I like better than getting to know and explore lesser-known classical music and composers. Of course, notoriety and fame are completely relative, but I haven’t been exposed to the vast musical universes outside the conventional mainstream. Have
Read more