Czech composer Leoš Janáček is best remembered today for his operas Jenůfa and The Cunning Little Vixen. As it turns out, his marriage was just as dramatic as any of his operas. In 1876, he began teaching piano to his

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 started in the 18th century with Gluck and then Haydn. Next, we’ll advance

Russian pianist Youri Egorov (1954–1988) was one of the most brilliant and tragic figures in twentieth-century classical music. As a young man, he won prizes at major competitions before shocking the music world with his disappearance and eventual defection. He

Many classical music lovers are at least vaguely familiar with the name Lili Boulanger. In 1913, she became the first woman to win the prestigious Prix de Rome prize offered by the Paris Conservatoire. Boulanger shattered that particular glass ceiling.

From the Renaissance to the Romantic Era, royal patronage was vital in shaping the course of classical music history. Many of the great composers owed their success to their relationships with kings, queens, and courts, whether it was Domenico Scarlatti

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

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

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