In classical music, the Romantic Era lasted from around 1810 to around 1910. That century gave us some of the most famous symphonies in the repertoire. Nineteenth-century composers like Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Dvořák, Schubert, Mahler, Rachmaninoff, and others elevated the symphony
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Sergei Rachmaninoff
Transcriptions and Arrangements May 22nd, 2023The process of adapting a piece of music for a scoring other than that of the original dates back for centuries. For one, by fashioning transcriptions and arrangements of orchestral works or operas, the public gained access to the latest -
22 May: “Sherlock Holmes Day” May 22nd, 2023 Sherlock Holmes, the fictional detective of great observational and deductive powers, is probably the best-known sleuth in the world. The invention of British author Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes sprang to life in 1887 and is supposedly modeled on Joseph Bell, -
Musicians and Artists: Haydn, the Duke of Alba, and Goya May 21st, 2023 What was the music held by the Duke in Goya’s “José Álvarez de Toledo”? Around 1795, the Spanish painter Goya painted a picture of his patron, Don José Álvarez de Toledo Osorio y Gonzaga, 11th Marquess of Villafranca, Grandee of -
Intermission Sessions
‘There isn’t a ‘wrong’ way to be mindful’ May 21st, 2023United by their passion to share the benefits of yoga and mindfulness with the wider musical world, Intermission is the brainchild of violinists Elena Urioste and Melissa White, both wonderful musicians in their own right who, in 2017, teamed up -
What’s the Most Expensive Cello in the World – And Where Is It? May 20th, 2023 Have you ever wondered what the most expensive cello in the world is, and what its story might be? Today we’re taking a look at the history of the Duport Stradivarius…and why we don’t even know for sure where it -
Les Femmes “Compositeurs”
Orchestral Compositions by French Romantic Women Composers May 20th, 2023The Paris Conservatoire opened its doors in 1795, and it was open to students of both sexes. However, theoretical classes like harmony, counterpoint, and fugue, and composition remained exclusively in the domain of men. A scholar writes, “Young women still -
On This Day
20 May: Paul Lewis was Born May 20th, 2023Pianist Paul Lewis is credited with an “uncommon sensitivity and musical intelligence, with a discerning balance between vivid moment-by-moment characterization and long-range structural command.” Without doubt, Lewis is internationally recognized as one of the leading musicians of his generation. Yet, -
New Music 550 Years Later: The Leuven Chansonnier May 19th, 2023 In 2015, a 15th-century parchment book of songs was discovered and in the book were 12 previously unknown songs. All were given without attribution but modern scholars examining them have discovered links with works of many of the greatest composers