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
Latest article
Spotlight
-
Nicknamed Compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach March 6th, 2023 Johann Sebastian Bach was known as a strict disciplinarian, and apparently he never really got on well with his students. During his early professional days in Arnstadt, Bach got into a fight with a student after he called him a -
On This Day
5 March: Sergei Prokofiev Died March 5th, 2023Sergei Prokofiev’s death on 5 March 1953, only about one hour before the passing of Joseph Stalin, went almost unnoticed in the press. In fact, his death went unreported for some days. Sovetskaya Muzyka finally carried his obituary in the -
Neo-Classicism as the Avant-Garde
Stravinsky’s Jeu de cartes March 5th, 2023Igor Stravinsky (1892–1971) was commissioned by Lincoln Kirstein’s American Ballet in 1935 for a work, completed in 1936 and it was staged in 1937. The work, Jeu de cartes (The Card Game), was choreographed by George Balanchine. The work, a -
Edvard Grieg and His Circle of Friends March 5th, 2023 Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) was the foremost Scandinavian composer of his generation. He was a celebrated figure on the European musical stage, and highly esteemed by Liszt, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky. Influenced by the late-Romantic spirit he was a master of the -
Oliver Knussen – Beguiling and Beautiful March 4th, 2023 Oliver Knussen (1952-2018) is regarded as one of the foremost British composers of recent times. Renowned for music ‘characterised by its crystalline concision, complexity and richness’ (Faber), Knussen wrote works that challenge the ear yet invite us on a journey; -
On This Day
4 March: Antonio Vivaldi Was Born March 4th, 2023The city of Venice underwent a fundamental transformation towards the end of the 17th century. For centuries Venice had wielded considerable economic powers based on the manufacturing of textiles and from trade with Europe and Asia. Gradually, however, culture became -
Mendelssohn and His Place in Music History March 3rd, 2023 No one dies at a favourable time, needless to say, but Felix Mendelssohn’s timing was particularly unfortunate. 1847 was one year before revolution would sweep across Europe, and so Mendelssohn would have his legacy formed in a post-revolutionary context. His -
On This Day
3 March: Brahms’ “Alto Rhapsody” Was Premiered March 3rd, 2023For well over 20 years, Johannes Brahms (1833-1896) seriously considered writing an opera. In 1869, encouraged by the conductor Hermann Levi and the engraver Julius Allgeyer, Brahms initially contemplated, more or less seriously, operatic settings of Méhul’s Uthal, the heroic