Ludwig van Beethoven was born in 1770 in Bonn, Germany. He would become one of the most important figures in the history of Western music. Here are some things you should know about him: He always had a troubled home

A film by Jeff Buchanan “When he plays it is as if the keys of the piano were brushed by the wings of angels.” George Sand Author of ‘Winter in Majorca’ Composer Frédéric Chopin and authoress George Sand stayed on

In 2024, we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Frank Martin (1890-1974). One of the foremost Swiss composers of the 20th century, Martin was a highly versatile and eclectic composer who spoke with an authentic personal voice that

One of the most frustrating things when it comes to learning about women composers from the Renaissance is that we know they existed, but all of their biographies are very bare-bones. When it comes to these mysterious, super-talented women, we

When it comes to music, few genres have stood the test of time like classical music. It has enthralled audiences for centuries and pulled millions into its orbit. But why has it been so consistently popular? What’s so attractive about

With his character “Manon,” Jules Massenet created a portrait of the eternal feminine. As has been pointed out, this male view of seductive womankind “the generous, ambitious, pleasure-loving good-time girl who delivers the goods and expires of nothing so much

Known for her even temperament and light, brilliant style of playing, Anne Queffélec has received international acclaim for her performances of French music and the keyboard works of Bach, Scarlatti, and Mozart. Queffélec is equally comfortable with the music of

Something entirely inconceivable took place on 16 January 1938. On that day, Benny Goodman invaded Carnegie Hall, the citadel of American high culture. The “King of Swing” brought his own band, including Harry James on trumpet, Lionel Hampton on vibraphone