The twentieth century was the first century in which pianists’ careers intersected with mass media. Perhaps as a result, greatness and influence during this period are inseparable from pianists’ public images. Therefore, this is not a ranking of pianists by

Have you ever heard of Sigurd Jorsalfar, one of the most renowned kings in Norwegian history? He was the first European king to lead a crusade, and he was part of the last relatively peaceful reign in Norway in the

Sports fans wear the shirts of their idols, and classical music has never entirely escaped the cult of personality either. Few classical musicians in modern times, with the possible exception of Liberace, have embraced celebrity quite as enthusiastically as Lang

Few works in the piano repertoire have achieved the YouTube popularity of Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto. What’s striking about the concerto’s YouTube dominance isn’t just the raw view counts; it’s also which performances are generating them. Alongside historic audio of

During the twentieth century, the composition of classical music became an unexpected but vital means of political resistance. As fascist and totalitarian regimes spread across Europe, composers faced censorship, persecution, exile, and, in some cases, death. But rather than retreating

Classical music history is often seen as dignified and serious – all powdered wigs, solemn portraits, and stuffy concert halls. But scratch the surface, and the past turns out to be far stranger. Behind some of the most revered composers

Born on 13 June 1974 in Paris, the French-Swiss cellist Ophélie Gaillard has over thirty albums to her credit. She has recorded in a variety of styles and genres, all acclaimed for their richness and technical brilliance. Renowned for her

Wikipedia is famous for its rabbit holes: interesting links that lead to other interesting links that lead to other interesting links, and so on. From bizarre musical superstitions to wild concert disasters, Wikipedia is full of fascinating lists, spreadsheets, and