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Frances Gershwin: George Gershwin’s Famous Singing Sister
Say the phrase “the Gershwin siblings” and any music lover immediately thinks of George and Ira Gershwin, two brothers famous for co-writing some of the most famous songs in the Great American Songbook. But George and Ira also had a
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The Kingdom of Music: A Féerie
A féerie was a French theatrical genre and, as a ‘fairy play’ combined music, dance, mime, and acrobatics, in a fantasy plot set off by spectacular scenery and stage effects. Some critics noted that the visuals, with the transformational scene
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How the Weber Sisters Became Mozart’s Wife, Family, and Muses
Mozart fell in love with one. Another one caused a scandal by moving in with him before they were married. Yet another premiered the role of The Queen of the Night in his opera The Magic Flute. And one helped
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Living the Modern Life: John Alden Carpenter’s Ballet Skyscrapers
In 1926, the Metropolitan Opera staged the world premiere of the American composer John Alden Carpenter’s 1924 ballet Skyscrapers. This was in February, at the height of the season and it was a triple-bill evening: Gianni Schicchi with Giuseppe De
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What Is Musique Concrète?
What exactly is musique concrète and what has it done to the musical world? For starters, it would have not existed if it were not for two important influences; visual arts and philosophy — the Dadaists’ approach to making art
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Grieg Piano Concerto: What are the Best Recordings?
From its unforgettable opening timpani solo to its extravagant ending that showcases the full glory of the symphony orchestra, to all of the dazzling solo piano writing in between, the Grieg piano concerto is an indispensable part of the classical
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Music Presenters: When They Make Overwhelming Requests of Musicians
Some presenters will make overwhelming requests of musicians. A fancy top-notch gallery in New York recently held an opening of a new exhibit with live music. A gallery curator in another city had loved it enough to want to replicate
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An Homage to Ryuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away on March 28, 2023. Just a little while ago. If he had been battling cancer for many years now, we all wished he had more time to create and gift the world with his talent. During
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