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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Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and His Circle of Friends II September 4th, 2022 The lawyer Nikolay Kondratyev (1832-1887) was first introduced to Tchaikovsky in 1864 at the estate of Prince Aleksey Golitsyn. They became fast friends in 1870, when the Kondratyev family moved to Moscow for the winter. Tchaikovsky was a frequent guest -
On This Day
4 September: Edvard Grieg Died September 4th, 2022During his time in Leipzig, Edvard Grieg suffered from pleurisy, a condition in which the two large, thin layers of tissue that separate the lungs from the chest wall, becomes inflamed. According to medical reports, therapeutic pneumothorax of the left -
The One Who Got Away
The Story of Apollo and Daphne September 3rd, 2022The story of Apollo and Daphne is upsetting to the modern psyche. She is pursued and to escape her pursuer, would rather become non-human than acquiesce. Or, you can view it from a different angle: despite being the ideal god, -
What’s Better Than One Violin, Viola, and Cello? TWO! String Sextets September 3rd, 2022 The combination of two violins, two violas, and two cellos is a lush and almost orchestral sound. Most musicians I know relish the opportunity to play string sextets. Even so, these works are not played as often as other chamber -
Dance, Dance, Dance: The Pavan and Galliard September 2nd, 2022 We saw in the Baroque dance suite that the dances were in pairs: Allemande–Courente and then Sarabande–Gigue. Those dances had tempos of slow/fast and this continues with our next pair, the Pavane and Galliard. The Pavan came from Italy and -
Food and Meals as the Cue in Operas September 1st, 2022 Meals and food in operas can be dramatic turning points – let’s look at how they can help us understand the character more deeply or provide the push for the action. At the very end of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, the -
Andrey Gugnin September 1st, 2022 Playing Is ‘Your Reflection Of Your Soul’ Andrey Gugnin Plays Chopin’s Sonata No. 3 Russian pianist Andrey Gugnin has toured all over the world, performing across Europe, America and Australia, and makes his Hong Kong debut on 16 September, giving -
On This Day
1 September: Seiji Ozawa Was Born September 1st, 2022The iconic Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa is internationally known for his energetic conducting style and his advocacy of modern composers. He attributes his involved podium style to his first conducting teacher, Saito, and to the language barrier he feels he