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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On This Day
29 May: Erich Wolfgang Korngold Was Born May 29th, 2022Erich Wolfgang Korngold, possibly the most phenomenal musical prodigy of all time was born in Brünn, currently Brno, on 29 May 1897 to Julius Korngold and Josefine née Witrowsky. His older brother was named Hans Robert, with their middle names -
Norma Fisher At The BBC
Rediscovering a Lost Piano Star May 28th, 2022The classical music world has been given a wonderful opportunity to rediscover the brilliant British pianist Norma Fisher, now internationally renowned as one of the finest piano teachers in the world, who enjoyed a sparkling career as a concert pianist -
From Quartet to Orchestra to the World
Barber’s Agnus Dei May 28th, 2022In 1936, American composer Samuel Barber (1910-1981) composed his only string quartet. Its Molto allegro and appassionato first movement carries more than a little of the strength of Beethoven’s own first string quartet, Op. 18, No. 1. It’s the three-note -
On This Day
28 May: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Was Born May 28th, 2022Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, born on 28 May 1925 in Berlin, is widely considered one of the greatest singers of the century. In fact, the French press dubbed him “Le miracle Fischer-Dieskau,” and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf called him “a born god who has -
More Than a Double Quartet: The Joy of the String Octet May 27th, 2022 The string quartet, made up of 2 violins, viola, and a cello, was one of the great developments of musical genre. With these three instrumental sounds, an entire world of music was created. One writer compared it to four intellectuals -
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27 May: Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 Was Premiered May 27th, 2022Gustav Mahler conducted the premier performance of his 6th Symphony on 27 May 1906 at the Saalbau Concert Hall in Essen. It was conceived and composed during a period of great personal happiness and professional success. In 1902 he had -
How to Improve Your Sight Reading May 26th, 2022 While it’s true that good sight readers often have a solid technique to back themselves up, sight reading is a skill that needs care and attention in its own right. The method to improving sight reading is a long journey, -
On This Day
26 May: Magdalena Kožená Was Born May 26th, 2022Czech mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená, today also known as Lady Rattle, was born in Brno on 26 May 1973. Her father was a mathematician and her mother a biologist, and Magdalena sang in the Children’s and Youth choir attached to the