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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7 January: Francis Poulenc Was Born January 7th, 2022Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) was one of the most original and sincere voices of the 20th century. His music and personality mirror the often-conflicting nature of humanity. Simultaneously earthy and refined, a promiscuous homosexual who fathered a daughter late in his -
Introduction to a Podcast: A Musician Who Can’t Tolerate Sound; My Story January 7th, 2022 It’s no secret that our world is becoming toxically noisy. People like to make a lot of noise. In fact, for some musicians, producing a huge sound is a goal in itself. But at what cost? Like overuse syndromes, the -
Benjamin Britten: Songs from the Chinese January 6th, 2022 Benjamin Britten was working on the full-length ballet The Prince of the Pagodas when he wrote to Edith Sitwell that he was “on the threshold of a new musical world.” This project, slated for Covent Garden, was set aside for -
The Practice Playground January 6th, 2022 “Do outrageous things in practising” – Leon Fleischer Practicing is the musician’s training and, like the successful sportsperson, a musician needs to ensure their training is structured, thoughtful and intelligent. The notion that musicians spend hours and hours practicing is -
Mozart and the Stuttering Dim-Witted Judge January 5th, 2022 Mozart operas are filled with commedia dell’arte stock characters, scenarios and situations that provide the framework for jokes, buffoonery, and just plain silliness! Some famous stock characters of the commedia include a pair of young people suffering from a wildly -
On This Day
5 January: Ravel’s Concerto for the Left Hand Was Premiered January 5th, 2022The promising career of pianist Paul Wittgenstein (1887-1961), older brother of the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein was seemingly cut short by events of World War I. Paul had given his debut recital in December of 1913, an event that was enthusiastically -
The Disappearance of Musical Forms January 4th, 2022 It is commonly believed that creating with no constraints is what is most fruitful; what the artist seeks; ultimate freedom in his creative choices. Contrary to this belief, what is often more productive — and tends to breed creativity and -
On This Day
4 January: Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Was Born January 4th, 2022The Baroque composer Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736) was a leading figure in the rise of Italian comic opera. The crown of his achievement, according to the 19th century, however, was his Stabat Mater, composed “in a devotional frenzy on his