2023 happens to be the centenary of the publication of Erik Satie’s Sports et divertissements, a suite of 21 humoristic piano pieces depicting various sports and leisure activities. The music is accompanied by amusing text and corresponding illustrations and is

Olga Rudge is most often remembered today for being poet Ezra Pound’s mistress. But she also was important in the classical music world: she helped to spark the twentieth-century revival of Vivaldi! Here are thirteen fascinating facts about the life

Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826) was suffering from the advanced effects of tuberculosis when he received a letter from the impresario Charles Kemble in London on 18 August 1824. The letter issued an invitation to come to London and compose

I came across this phrase on Twitter, to describe doing short bursts of practicing, rather than long stretches. This may seem counter-intuitive: surely we should be practicing for long stretches of time to see noticeable progress? It’s a myth, which

Johann Baptist Malfatti, Elder von Monteregio was an Italian/Austrian doctor famous for being one of Beethoven’s physicians. Beethoven first made his acquaintance in 1809 and seemed to have consulted him several times in 1810. Early in 1810 he also met

The hurdy gurdy is a musical instrument that dates back to medieval times, across history it had its ups and downs in popularity, but one of the golden eras was the Baroque period, specially the XVIII century, but… What exactly

Giuseppe Tartini, born 8 April 1692 in Pirano, then part of the Venetian Republic but today part of Slovenia, was proclaimed “the finest musician in the world.” His work as a violinist, composer, and teacher was enthusiastically admired, and in

Olivier Messiaen is widely regarded as one of the most important composers of the 20th century, known for his unique approach to harmony, rhythm, and melody. His music is challenging for any performer, but there are some pianists who have