Blogs

archive-post-image
Music History in Limericks I
A set of short anonymous poems in Boston’s Musical Herald did a poetical job of setting out the history in limericks, along with unique rhyming spellings. We’ll start with Gluck: An ancient musician named GluckThe manner Italian forsuckHe fought with
Read more
archive-post-image
Eight of the Greatest Composer-Interpreter Relationships in Classical Music History
A surprising number of great composers owe their reputations to a particular performer who first championed their music. These partnerships – whether rooted in romance, platonic friendship, sheer admiration, or some mix of all three – helped to shape the
Read more
archive-post-image
Neo-Romantic String Quintets: Paul Caro
Polish composer Paul Caro (1859–1914) came from a background in the metals industry: his grandfather had started an iron and wool trading company, his father was the founder of the Hermina ironworks, he and his two brothers worked in the
Read more
archive-post-image
Three Piano Sonatas That Beethoven Wrote as a Child Prodigy
Before Ludwig van Beethoven became one of the greatest composers in history, he was a child prodigy pianist from Bonn, Germany. Born into a musical family, his father helped train him as a musician…but also subjected him to horrific abuse.
Read more
archive-post-image
Ten of Richard Wagner’s Most Scandalous Controversies
Few composers in history have left behind a legacy as massive and scandal-ridden as Richard Wagner. Today, he is remembered for revolutionising opera with works like Tristan und Isolde, Parsifal, and the Ring Cycle. But offstage, Wagner’s life was a
Read more
archive-post-image
Reviving the Venetian Sound: Inside the Venice Baroque Orchestra
For nearly three decades, the Venice Baroque Orchestra has stood as one of the leading ambassadors of historically informed performance. Founded in 1997 by Andrea Marcon, the orchestra’s artistic DNA remains inseparable from his vision. A scholar, harpsichordist, and conductor deeply immersed
Read more
archive-post-image
England’s Classical Music Legacy: Composers & History
There does not seem to be a country which likes classical music more than England and the United Kingdom. It hosts some of the most well-known concert venues — such as the Royal Albert Hall, the Barbican and Southbank centres
Read more
archive-post-image
What does Yunchan Lim really think about talent, practice, and success?
Since his win at the 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Korean pianist Yunchan Lim has become one of the most talked-about young musicians in the world. Despite his sudden superstar status, his public persona is somewhat enigmatic. He is
Read more