The love story between Robert and Clara Schumann is often regarded as one of the most romantic in classical music history. Happily for historians, many of their love letters survive. They document their inner thoughts and emotions, as well as
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From Scientist to Symphonist
Borodin’s 3 Symphonies April 21st, 2023Alexander Borodin (1833–1887). Like many of his fellow composers in mid-century St Petersburg, had a professional career and a side career. Professionally, Borodin was Professor of Chemistry at the Medico-Surgical Academy, and in his spare time, was a composer. This -
On this Day
20 April: Villa-Lobos’ Symphony No. 12 Was Premiered April 20th, 2023Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) celebrated his seventieth birthday in the Alrae Hotel in New York City on 5 March 1957. The New York Times published a glowing editorial in his honor on 4 March. “Heitor-Villa-Lobos, Brazil’s most famous composer and one -
Are Performers Also Composers? April 20th, 2023 Throughout history, there has been no shortage of composers who were also brilliant performers. Even away from the obvious examples such as Mozart, Chopin, or Liszt, other composers such as Schumann, Ravel, or Richard Strauss had a prodigious talent for -
The Turbulent Life of Composer Germaine Tailleferre April 19th, 2023 Germaine Tailleferre is a composer who often flies under the radar for a number of reasons. She was a woman, and women composers have historically faced a harsher battle for recognition. She was part of a larger group of composers -
On This Day
19 April: Gluck’s Iphigénie en Aulide Was Premiered April 19th, 2023Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787), working at the Habsburg court in Vienna and at the Parisian stage, completely reformed operatic traditions. At a time when virtuoso singers dominated the operatic stage, Gluck set out to return opera to its origins by -
On This Day
18 April: Grigory Sokolov Was Born April 18th, 2023For a good many commentators, Grigory Sokolov is the “greatest living pianist.” And while such statements can be endlessly debated, Sokolov has certainly reached cult status among pianists and audiences. His colleague Daniil Trifonov exclaims, “Sokolov is a musical figure -
Frederic Mompou and his Musica Callada April 18th, 2023 Frederic Mompou’s music exists in the liminal space between ancient and modern. Nowhere is this more true than his Musica Callada (which roughly translates as ‘Music of Silence’). In many ways, it is his most radically modern work, yet its -
Piano Repertoire
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart April 17th, 2023I need to start this blog with a disclaimer. When I titled this article “Piano Repertoire” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, I was well aware that Mozart didn’t perform and compose music for what we identify as a modern piano today.