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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Music & Language: An Analogy September 1st, 2021 I often describe music as a language; it is in my opinion the purest of all. As are its intentions and purpose. This is how I approach creating and performing music; as a means to exchange my ideas and feelings. -
Condemned by a Kiss: Stravinsky’s Le baiser de la fée August 31st, 2021 Stravinsky’s ballet Le baiser de la fée gives us the life of a child fated to a bad end by a desirous fairy. Composed in 1928 for Diaghilev and created for the prima ballerina Ida Rubinstein, the ballet tells of -
From Schumann to Tsitsaros
Humoresque Encounters August 30th, 2021In the early 19th century, the term “Humoreske” started to appear in popular periodicals. This period of history, known as Biedermeier in Central Europe, saw a great flourishing of artistic styles in literature, music, the visual arts and interior design. -
Inspired and Fertilized by Music V
Mann, Nguyen Tuan, Miró and Prix August 29th, 2021Thomas Mann (1875-1955) won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1929 for his highly symbolic, ironic and epic novels and novellas. A determined social critic, his writings provide biting insights into the psychology of the artist and the intellectual within -
The Self-Coached Musician August 29th, 2021 I’m not that interested in sport, but I did watch the Olympic cycling from Tokyo this year. I was surprised to discover that the Austrian cyclist Anna Kiesenhofer, who won the gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics women’s road race, -
Symphonies by Women Composers
Kaprálová, Beach, Auner, Mayer, Larsen, and Pavlova August 28th, 2021Vítězslava Kaprálová (1915-1940) was one of the most impressive and exciting musical voices at the beginning of the 20th century. She wrote her first compositions for piano solo at the age of nine, and graduated from Brno Conservatory with a -
Happiness in Love: Debussy’s L’isle Joyeuse August 28th, 2021 The Fêtes galante style was a term specifically created by the French Academy in the early 18th century to describe Watteau’s paintings of country or parkland parties. It was his way of giving his patrons what they wanted, namely, pictures -
What Does Music Do to You? August 27th, 2021 So, what does music do to you? I’m not asking how music makes you feel. I’m asking does music make you change your mind about the world. Does it help you appreciate life and give meaning to your existence? When