Sometimes musical compositions aren’t the only creative works that composers leave behind. Some wrote memoirs (or works such as letters or diaries that can be collected and read as memoirs). These pieces of writing often provide fascinating insights into composers’

Over the past few weeks, rehearsals have been well underway for the chamber opera Hidden Lovers, composed by Janet Oates. Opening the Tête-à-Tête opera festival at the Cockpit Theatre in London, the opera’s musical forces consist of a string trio,

Franz Xaver Mozart, the son of the great composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, had a long-term love affair with a wealthy married woman named Josephine von Baroni-Cavalcabò. Josephine was a talented musician, and Franz taught her daughter Julie. Julie went on

It’s 18 September, and we all know what that means! Yes, it’s National First Love Day, a day dedicated to that fizzy, butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling of your very first crush. It’s a day to toast those heart-pounding moments that tasted like

Johann Strauss II, known as the Waltz King, is one of the most famous composers of all time. His wife, Henrietta (Jetty) Treffz, was an integral inspiration behind her husband’s music, including the famous Blue Danube waltz. There isn’t much

Saddle up, folks, because every September 17, the world tips its cowboy hat to International Country Music Day! It’s a day to crank up the twang, strum a guitar, and celebrate the heart and soul of country music. Now, some

Elfrida Andrée is one of the most remarkable women composers of the nineteenth century. She campaigned to become the first professional woman organist in Sweden, paving the way for countless women after her. But she didn’t stop there: she also

Born in December 1851, Eugenie Schumann was the seventh of Robert and Clara Schumann’s eight children. In 1920, she wrote a memoir about her life and family. It offers priceless insight into the genius of her mother and their entire