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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When the Hero isn’t Quite Heroic
The Clueless Heroes in Classical Operas August 4th, 2022Throughout most of the opera, there are certain tropes that repeat and repeat: the heroine will die of some wasting disease (La Bohéme, La Traviata, etc.), the hero will save the day (Die Zauberflöte), and so on. There are some -
Musicians and Artists: Alwyn and Frith August 3rd, 2022 William Alwyn: Derby Day Commissioned by the BBC to replace a performance of his Second Piano Concerto, British composer William Alwyn wrote a lively overture that was only after the fact linked to a work of art. Alwyn agreed that -
On This Day
2 August: Pietro Mascagni Died August 2nd, 2022Pietro Mascagni wrote fifteen operas, an operetta, several orchestral and vocal works, and also songs and piano music. However, he will always be remembered for his 1890 masterpiece Cavalleria Rusticana. Considered the first verismo opera, Cavalleria Rusticana mirrored the Italian -
Vivi Vassileva August 1st, 2022 ‘We Need To Always Search For More’ Vivi Vassileva Performs Jacob Gade’s Tango Jalousie Hailing from Hof in southeast Germany, percussionist Vivi Vassileva grew up in a family of Bulgarian musicians and has been described as ‘hold[ing] an exceptional musicality -
Nickname Symphonies by Joseph Haydn August 1st, 2022 Over the last couple of days, I have conducted a little musical experiment. I noticed that 35 out of 106 Symphonies by Joseph Haydn carry a nickname of sorts. There is a “Bear,” a “Queen,” a “Philosopher,” a “Surprise,” a -
On This Day
1 August: Alice Sara Ott Was Born August 1st, 2022Alice Sara Ott has been described as one of the most fascinating artists of her generation. Equipped with impressive technique and sensitive musicality, her poetic piano playing is praised for its perfection and intensity. Following her debut release on Deutsche -
Maene-Viñoly Concert Grand Piano
“Ergonomic Keyboard” July 31st, 2022The most valuable violins in the world sport colorful nicknames that disclose the providence of ownership or describe the sound quality or shape of the instrument. We just have to think of the “Molitor Stradivari,” the “Virgin Stradivari,” or the -
Learning from the Master: An Interview With Roger Nichols July 31st, 2022 One of the most wonderful experiences in the world is to sit with the master of a subject and listen to their discourse. That’s what our recent conversation with Roger Nichols was like. This master of French music has made