The harp is one of the oldest forms of string instruments, with multiple birthplaces and a long presence throughout the history of music, from ancient civilisations to the present day. Yet despite this long lineage, it is not as commonly

Twenty-five years ago, on 3 February 2001, the Polish parliament enacted legislation for the protection of Chopin’s cultural heritage, writing the name of this legendary composer directly into national law. Following the decree, the Fryderyk Chopin Institute (Narodowy Instytut Fryderyka

We tend to think of classical masterpieces as fixed monuments: works that arrived fully formed and have remained unchanged ever since. In reality, many of the most famous classical works had rocky premieres, played before confused audiences, or were outright

After losing his right arm in a teenage hunting accident, Géza Zichy became one of the first professional one-handed concert pianists. His international career would take him to the capitals of Europe, earning praise from critics and audiences alike, while

From intimate Classical Era salon instruments to modern concert grands, the piano has continually grown alongside composers’ ambitions and builders’ ingenuity. While most concert halls are designed for instruments around nine feet long, a handful of piano makers have pushed

We often imagine the great masterpieces of classical music as being the result of years of painstaking labour. But history tells a more complicated story. Some of the most enduring works in the classical repertoire were written at astonishing speed:

In many respects, Cage and Feldman stand among the most important composers shaping the musical thinking of the twenty-first century. Together, they were central figures of what came to be known as the New York School. If their music is

Franz Liszt is remembered today as one of the most revolutionary pianists in history, but his influence extended far beyond his own performances and compositions. During his decades teaching in Weimar, Rome, and Budapest, Liszt trained an extraordinary circle of