Composers have always been inspired by trains, and it’s easy to understand why: the rhythmic chugging of steam engines, the sweeping landscapes viewed from a train window, and the sense of adventure and nostalgia associated with rail travel… All of

The two concertos for piano and orchestra by Franz Liszt belong to the standard concerto repertoire. A serious challenge for every pianist, they have been audience favourites for well over one hundred years. As a critic wrote, “these concertos are

In a previous blog entitled “Beethoven (Concert) Overtures,” we examined the eleven overtures that Beethoven wrote for a variety of occasions and under different circumstances. We noted that the four overtures for various performances and versions of his opera Leonore/Fidelio

The Piano Quartet genre has enticed and inspired many of history’s greatest composers. In my two previous blogs, we have truly listened to some incredible music, ranging from Mozart to Mahler and from Beethoven to Bartók. We are always so

Continuing on with our story of the Danube River in Music, as mentioned before, it wasn’t only Johann Strauss II who chose to immortalise the river in music. In his two collections of love songs, the Liebeslieder Waltzes, Opp. 52

As we celebrate Camille Saint-Saëns’ birthday on 9 October 1835, we remember a musical genius and the leader of the French musical renaissance during the later part of the 19th century. He composed in virtually every musical genre available to

Today we’re looking at pieces of classical music inspired by the sea. We’ll be listening to the work of composers who made musical waves, capturing the sea’s tranquility and its tumult. Anchors aweigh! Ludwig van Beethoven: Calm Sea and Prosperous

The summer is a time for balloons – children’s balloons in the park, adult balloon flights in the sky, or as a part of a day’s adventure at the theme park. Historically, their beginnings are associated with the great experiments