Blogs

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Developing From Stereotype to Reality
Joaquín Turina’s Mujeres españolas I, II and Mujeres de Sevilla
Spanish composer Joaquín Turina (1882–1949) invoked the magic of the women of Spain in three sets of piano music, his Mujeres españolas, Series 1, Op. 17, of 1916; Mujeres españolas, Series 2, Op. 73, in 1932; and finally, Mujeres de
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The Widows of Prokofiev and Stravinsky: What Happened to Them?
Sergei Prokofiev and Igor Stravinsky are two of the most influential figures of the 20th century. Their compositions continue to captivate audiences today, and stories about their life and work have become legendary. However, there’s another lesser-known narrative that deserves
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Welcome to the Year of the Wood Dragon
Gong Hei Fat Choy
Ever since the hit series Game of Thrones pillaged across television screens, audiences around the world have found a new perspective on the dragon. In Western mythologies, dragons often guard treasures, fly through the skies, and breathe fire. Generally, they
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In Praise of the Hobbyist Musician
Many people play musical instruments as a hobby. For some, this is a serious pursuit (in which case, the word “hobby” is perhaps a misnomer; “passion” may be more appropriate); for others, it’s a pleasurable activity which slots into their
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Eight of the Greatest American Women Composers
The history of American classical music is dominated by names like Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, Samuel Barber, and others. However, not all of the composers who contributed to American classical music have been men! On the contrary, many
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Leopold Godowsky (1870-1938): Trikontameron
Working in the 14th century, the Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio (1313–1375) compiled a collection of novellas entitled Decameron, sometimes nicknamed the “Human Comedy.” The work is set in Italy during the time of the Black Death, when a group of
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Music of Royalty
Frederick Lewis and His Not-to-Be Wife Wilhelmine of Prussia
Friedrich Ludwig (1707-51), Electoral Prince of Hanover but better known as Frederick Lewis or Frederick Prince of Wales, grew up at the German court in Hanover. His father, King George II, had already moved to England in 1714, and he
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For the Love of Music
A few weeks ago, I met the parent of one of my former piano students at an event. I was pleased to hear that the student (we’ll call her Jane) was now studying English Literature at one of the UK’s
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