Like many of the Russian composers in the later 19th century, Victor Vladimirovich Ewald (1860–1935) had a day job. He completed his studies in St Petersburg in civil engineering and, in 1900, was a professor at the Faculty of Construction

In 1900, Grieg spent some time in Copenhagen, and he wrote to a friend, “although I am currently out of the country, my thoughts are only about Norway and Norwegians, about all our youthful pugnacity up there. Yes, it is

A little while ago, I wrote a blog on the 10 most beautiful piano trios and your response was overwhelming. Thank you so much for your encouraging comments, and also for suggesting additional works that should have been included. To

William Vincent Wallace (1812-1865) might not be a household name nowadays, but he was one of the major composers of Romantic English opera. And while his opera Maritana, which had a triumphant première at London’s Drury Lane Theatre on 15

“How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” the old joke goes. “Practice, practice, practice,” is the customary response. However, if you’re feeling lazy, there is another easier way you can visit: by watching films or TV shows that use Carnegie

One of my favourite quotes by Edvard Grieg reads, “Bach and Beethoven erected temples and churches on the heights. I only wanted to build dwellings for men where they might feel happy and at home.” It sounds a touch understated

The best conductors are often workaholics intensely devoted to their craft and career. So it’s no surprise that over the course of music history, quite a few conductors have died or suffered fatal injuries while on the podium. Today, we’re

From his earliest years to the concert tours in the year he died, Edvard Grieg performed as a pianist playing his own composition. He was a great pianist but not a virtuoso, and according to a biographer, “his intimate familiarity