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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New Year’s 2021/22
Music of Defiance December 27th, 2021It’s shaping up to be another depressing New Year’s Eve in 2021. Just when a glimmer of hope appeared on the horizon, a new mutation has reared its ugly head, and we seem to be back to where it all -
‘Sonic Madeleines’ and Musical Memory Triggers December 26th, 2021 “No sooner had the warm liquid mixed with the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary thing that was happening to me. An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses, something -
The Legends and Sounds of Amazonia
Heitor Villa-Lobos and Philip Glass December 26th, 2021The Amazon rainforest covers the majority of the Amazon basin in South America. Its region stretches over nine nations and thousands of indigenous territories, and it is said to represent over half of the planet’s remaining rainforests. Well over 30 -
On This Day
26 December: Donizetti’s Anna Bolena Was Premiered December 26th, 2021Anna Bolena: Act I Finale — Anna Netrebko (Met Opera) During an extended apprenticeship lasting the better part of a decade, Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) composed in the region of 30 operas. However, his national and international reputation was firmly established -
Hidden Gems for Christmas December 25th, 2021 Christmas is once again around corner, and hopefully we can spend some time with friends and family. For many people around the world it is a time of reflection, and a time to celebrate old family traditions or to create -
On This Day
25 December: Bach’s Magnificat BWV 243a Was Premiered December 25th, 2021Johann Sebastian Bach: Magnificat in E-flat Major, BWV 243a The church of St. Nicholas in Leipzig is named after the patron of travelers and merchants. Construction began around 1165, and originally the church featured twin towers. It was extended and -
Lieder for and about X-Mas December 24th, 2021 In the Lieder oeuvre of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Franz Schubert, we find a substantial variety of folksongs and folksy carols, but none of them are directly related to Christmas. For these famous composers, Christmas was squarely located in the -
Merry Christmas From Leipzig and Johann Sebastian Bach December 24th, 2021 Gottfried Vopelius (1645-1715) published his “Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch” (The new Leipzig hymnbook) in 1682. Vopelius was a Lutheran academic and hymn-writer, and he writes in the preface that the hymns are “compiled from the most beautiful and best songs; In