During the twentieth century, the composition of classical music became an unexpected but vital means of political resistance. As fascist and totalitarian regimes spread across Europe, composers faced censorship, persecution, exile, and, in some cases, death. But rather than retreating

Classical music history is often seen as dignified and serious – all powdered wigs, solemn portraits, and stuffy concert halls. But scratch the surface, and the past turns out to be far stranger. Behind some of the most revered composers

Wikipedia is famous for its rabbit holes: interesting links that lead to other interesting links that lead to other interesting links, and so on. From bizarre musical superstitions to wild concert disasters, Wikipedia is full of fascinating lists, spreadsheets, and

Musical notation is a fascinating and multifaceted thing. In previous articles, we’ve explored the beguiling ambiguity of graphic scores and the quirky potential of performance directions as exemplified in the works of Erik Satie. Today, we explore so-called “text scores”

Many modern listeners are fascinated by the love triangle of Robert Schumann, Clara Schumann, and Johannes Brahms. If Interlude’s analytics are anything to go by, so are you! This musical trio has been sparking fascination for generations, so much so

Classical musicians and listeners tend to take it for granted that great pianists have two working hands. But some of the most remarkable piano careers of the past two centuries were built under radically different circumstances. From the nineteenth century

Few composer biographies contain as much romanticised mythology as Frédéric Chopin. Over time, selective anecdotes, early biographies, and nineteenth-century ideals of the “suffering artist” have hardened into familiar clichés: the frail invalid, the melancholic recluse, the salon dilettante undone by

The twentieth century transformed the role of conductor from timekeeper into a powerful cultural figure: not just an orchestra leader, but an authority figure that loomed increasingly large in mass media and pop culture. (Think Stokowski’s silhouette in Fantasia.) As