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
Latest article
Spotlight
-
Beyond the Silver Screen
The Concert Music of John Williams October 2nd, 2022I’ve never made a secret of the fact that John Williams is my favourite film composer. With over 100 film scores to his credit, he has composed some of the most popular, recognizable and critically acclaimed film scores in cinematic -
Anne Gastinel October 1st, 2022 ‘Life Is a Constant Inspiration’ Anne Gastinel and Claire Désert Play Chopin French cellist Anne Gastinel is one of the foremost cellists of her generation. Hailing from southeastern France, she entered Lyon’s conservatoire to study when she was just 11 -
Domestic Animal of the Year 2022: Donkey October 1st, 2022 The German group Bündnis Mensch & Tier (Alliance for Humans and Animals) has chosen its Pet of the Year: The Donkey. The group points out all the benefits of the alliance between donkeys and humans and closes with the thought: -
On This Day
1 October: Vladimir Horowitz Was Born October 1st, 2022On his Russian tour in 1912, the fabled pianist Josef Hofmann performed twenty-one consecutive recitals, with each program different and no single work repeated. Since his recitals were sold out weeks ahead of time, the eight-year-old Vladimir Horowitz snuck into -
Dance, Dance, Dance: The Branle September 30th, 2022 The Branle was a group dance, performed by couples in a line or in a circle. The name of the dance comes from the French verb ‘branler’, meaning to shake, sway, or wobble because of the sideways steps. After the -
On This Day
30 September: David Oistrakh Was Born September 30th, 2022A good many commentators consider David Oistrakh as one of the preeminent violinists of the 20th century. Said to represent “the ideal violinist, combining fingers of steel with a heart of gold,” Oistrakh made playing the violin look easy. His -
Brett Dean’s The Lost Art of Letter Writing September 29th, 2022 In his 2009 violin concerto, composer Brett Dean looked at an art form that is not only being lost in today’s world but being replaced with something that gives a different level of satisfaction: the letter. The Lost Art of -
How Influence Carries
Perilous Night From Cage to Johns to Crumb September 28th, 2022In 1944, John Cage wrote a work for prepared piano that reached beyond the sound into emotion. The Perilous Night takes its title from Arthurian legend, where the knight Gawain, in the Marvelous Castel, encounters a bed on ruby wheels