Leonora von Stosch Speyer is a particularly fascinating figure in the history of classical music. Not only was she a celebrated violin soloist, but also a noted patroness of many composers in the early 1900s. She also became a celebrated

Robert and Clara Schumann were never going to be a normal couple. She was one of the greatest pianists in Europe, and he was one of the greatest composers. From the beginning, their love story was a turbulent one. Clara’s

In addition to writing about classical music for this site and my blog, The Cross-Eyed Pianist, I am a publicist/PR working with a number of musicians and music organisations. I have no formal training for this role, but I spend

In this entry, we’re sharing more of the history behind Tchaikovsky’s heir. To sum up the story so far, in late 1883, Tchaikovsky’s young niece Tatyana came to the composer for help when she became pregnant out of wedlock. Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Tchaikovsky never had children. He was a gay man, and his only marriage fell apart within weeks. His wife would go on to have children with other men that legally he could have claimed as his own, but he

Víkingur Ólafsson has become one of the most identifiable classical pianists of his generation. His artistic personality is restrained, studious, rather austere, and extremely Icelandic. Today, we’re looking at his seven most-viewed performances on YouTube, which feature repertoire from Bach

The rise of air travel over the past century has proven transformative for touring artists, completely rewriting what an international career as a singer, pianist, violinist, or conductor looks like. But that same technology has also led to some of

“All these years, I’ve been trying to convince people that music is not there to please them; it’s there to disturb them.” Pierre Boulez, composer and conductor A powerful quote, capturing Pierre Boulez’s radical philosophy towards art and sound. He