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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16 June: Spohr’s Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra No. 1 Was Premiered June 16th, 2022When it comes to collaborations between clarinetists and composer we quickly think of Mozart and Stadler, Weber and Baermann, and Brahms and Mühlfeld. In my opinion, these pairing should also include Louis Spohr and Johann Simon Hermstedt. Hermstedt was born -
From Tragedy to Art: Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection” June 15th, 2022 The Birth of Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony When he started work on his second symphony, Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) started with a funerary idea. After a performance of Carl Maria von Weber’s comic opera Die drei Pintos, which Mahler had completed from -
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15 June: Edvard Grieg Was Born June 15th, 2022Bergen is Norway’s second-largest city, picturesquely located on the west coast of the country. It is known as “the city of seven mountains,” and the birthplace of Edvard Hagerup Grieg. He was born on 15 June 1843 to Alexander Grieg -
Sixty Years of Weeping: Dowland’s Flow My Tears June 14th, 2022 The English composer John Dowland (1563-1626) wanted to be lutenist to the English court. Unfortunately, the difficulties in England between Protestants (the court) and Catholics, made Dowland’s desire difficult to achieve, as he had converted to Catholicism while traveling in -
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14 June: Lang Lang Was Born June 14th, 2022There can be no denying the fact that Lang Lang is China’s first crossover classical superstar pianist. He has conquered the classical world with dazzling technique and charisma, “displaying flair and great communicative power.” He has played for presidents, on -
An Interview With Samantha Ege June 13th, 2022 Dr. Ege discusses her life, her work, and her wonderful new album which reintroduces audiences to the works of women whose artistic genius and beauty has suffered undue neglect for too long. Dr. Samantha Ege is a pianist, scholar, and -
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13 June: Weber’s Clarinet Concerto No. 1 Was Premiered June 13th, 2022Carl Maria von Weber garnered international fame by composing Der Freischütz (The Marksman), the first German Romantic opera in 1821. However, his compositional acumen had long been established before he made his name as an opera composer. In fact, his -
The Violin in Your Pocket June 12th, 2022 One of the most exquisite of the stringed instruments were the little violins that were designed, it is thought, to fit in a pocket. Its name, pochette, is French for ‘small pocket.’ Intended for adults, despite their compact size, these