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“Resurrection” in Classical Music
Biber to Penderecki
The Christian festival of Easter is sometimes called “Resurrection Sunday.” It is at the heart of Christian belief that Jesus Christ was killed on the cross, but after three days came back to life. I think different branches of Christianity
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Artist Suzanne Valadon, Why Was She Satie’s One True Love?
She was composer Erik Satie’s one true love. But artist Suzanne Valadon was so much more than that. Here are thirteen facts you may not know about Suzanne Valadon: 1. She was born Marie-Clémentine Valadon in Haute-Vienne, France, in 1865.
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On This Day
6 April: Dvořák’s Symphony No. 4 Was Premiered
In 1874, Antonin Dvořák (1841-1904) submitted an application for an artist’s stipend from the Austrian government for poor but talented students. Hoping to supplement the meager income from his job as an organist at St. Adalbert, Dvořák first obtained a
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Hallelujah for Easter
Handel Messiah Part II
Listening to a performance of Handel’s Messiah has long been an Easter tradition in many parts of the world. It is undoubtedly one of the composer’s most popular and enduring works, as it features three distinct parts: the Prophecy of
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On This Day
5 April: Herbert von Karajan Was Born
Herbert von Karajan is frequently hailed as the greatest living conductor of orchestral music. And while his conducting method is one of total authority and power, many critics have praised his emphasis on the perfection of sound, “note-perfect expressions of
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Song and Mime: The World of Cantomimes
Building on the French mime tradition, traditionally done with white face and in white Pierrot dress, 19th-century mime Georges Wague expanded this to include song. Predating modern lipsynching by nearly a century, ‘cantomimes’ were created with a singer and instrumentalists
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On This Day
4 April: Vladimir Jurowski Was Born
For conductor Vladimir Mikhailovich Jurowski, born on 4 April 1972, classical music is not simply an article of consumption. “The Arts should oblige people to think and ask questions and maybe fundamentally change people’s perceptions. It doesn’t mean we give
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Challenging Transcriptions of Famous Melodies
Very recently, I attended a recital by a rather well known pianist. After the programme proper had concluded, it was time for the encore ritual. Audience members were clapping furiously, cheering, standing up from their seats, and demanding that the
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