Blogs

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How Clara Schumann’s Father Taught Her Piano
Friedrich Wieck (1785-1873) is best-known as Clara Wieck Schumann’s litigious father, the man who did everything he could to keep his daughter from marrying Robert Schumann. However, he was also a well-respected piano teacher. Despite the fact that he only
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Johannes Brahms and Johann Strauss II: Behind Their Unlikely Friendship
Classical musicians often put music into boxes. Sonatas and symphonies are considered Serious with a capital S, whereas waltzes and dance music are often dismissed as mere light trifles. So it may come as a surprise to find out that
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Dmitri Shostakovich’s Three Fascinating Wives
Composer Dmitri Shostakovich had a tumultuous professional life, surviving discouragement and denunciation by the Soviet government over a period of decades. He also had a tumultuous personal life. He was married three times to three very different women: Nina Varzar,
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Father and Son in Concert
Jean-Jacques and Alexandre Kantorow interpret Brahms
First aired on 24 May 2024, the Arte Concert “Jean-Jacques and Alexandre Kantorow interpret Brahms,” performed with the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, showcases a remarkable father-son collaboration. The father sets the tone conducting Camille Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 2, and
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Social Media Day
Hashtags, Hype, and Zero Chill
It’s Social Media Day on June 30, so everybody gets ready to pop the digital champagne! In its short life, social media has redefined how people interact, communicate, and share with family, friends, and the world. This is the day
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Twelve of the Best Violin Sonatas by Women
When you ask music lovers to name their favourite violin sonatas, they’ll likely mention works by Beethoven, Brahms, Franck, or Ravel. But venture just a little bit further outside the established canon, and you will find fascinating and deeply moving
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The Piano Sonatas by Robert Schumann
Passionate Complexity in Romantic Form
Robert Schumann’s solo piano music is primarily remembered and celebrated for its shorter character pieces. Carnaval and Kreisleriana beautifully encapsulate his gift for miniature forms and programmatic imagery. While revered by musicologists and pianists for their emotional depth and innovative
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Six Composers With Paralysing Stage Fright – And How They Dealt With It
Stage fright: it’s the bane of most every performing musicians’ existence. And when we say most every, we really do mean most every. In fact, many of the greatest figures in classical music history struggled with stage fright in one
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