The piano was invented at the turn of the eighteenth century by a craftsman from Padua, Italy, named Bartolomeo Cristofori. Decades later, German instrument builder Gottfried Silbermann picked up where Cristofori left off – refining the design, championing the instrument

History is full of talented women whose achievements have been overshadowed or forgotten. But few stories are as remarkable as that of Maria Antonia, Electress of Saxony, and her granddaughter Princess Amalie – two women composers who flourished at the

For many artists, being an artist is not merely a profession. It is an essential part of their identity. A musician does not necessarily stop thinking of themselves as a musician when they leave the concert platform; a painter remains

It’s well known that Johann Sebastian Bach had 20 children. Several of his sons became accomplished composers in their own right. But what about the next generation? Wilhelm Friedrich Ernst Bach (1759–1845) was the grandson of Johann Sebastian – and

In Part 1 of this series, we looked at four composers who lived and worked with significant disabilities. Here are four more – spanning three centuries and five countries, with disabilities ranging from chronic pain to hearing loss to impacts

Some of the most celebrated composers in classical music history lived and worked with significant disabilities. From physical injuries to chronic illness to mental health struggles, these composers created enduring work under circumstances that would have ended many careers. Here

Every decade of the 19th century had a pianist who, more than the others, clicked with audiences. This list isn’t about who wrote the greatest music for the instrument. (If it were, Chopin would be on the list, despite the

On 20 February 1724, Handel’s three-act opera Giulio Cesare (in full, Giulio Cesare in Egitto) received its premiere at the King’s Theatre in London. Exactly 125 years earlier, the same city had witnessed another great drama about Caesar: Shakespeare’s celebrated