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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Dante Alighieri (1265-1321)
“Father of the Italian language” July 9th, 2021The poet, writer and philosopher Dante Alighieri—who died in Ravenna 700 years ago—is widely considered one of the most influential creative minds in Western culture. His “Divine Comedy” is not only one of the most important poems of the Middle -
Hiroyuki Fujikake
“Aqua Rhythms” July 8th, 2021Throughout human consciousness, the great rivers of this world have spiritually highlighted the paradoxical relationship between eternity and change. As metaphors for life itself, they simultaneously underscore all that is timeless and ephemeral in human experience and existence. Because rivers -
Stealing and Re-Imagining
‘Landscapes’ by Doug Thomas July 8th, 2021Most composers (and artists and writers too) steal from others. They learn their craft by copying; studying the works of others who’ve gone before them offers important insights into the nuts and bolts of the music (structure, harmony, texture etc) -
Keeping it Simple: Holst’s St Paul’s Suite July 7th, 2021 Named not for the cathedral but for the girls’ school in Hammersmith where he was music master for nearly 30 years, the St Paul’s Suite by Gustav Holst provided the students with a beautiful piece that was all their own. -
Tomaso Albinoni July 6th, 2021 “The Professional Dilettante” There is hardly a collection of recorded Baroque favorites that does not include the “Adagio in G minor” by Tomaso Albinoni (1671-1751). Although that world-famous composition is attributed to Albinoni, it was actually the creation of the -
Forgotten Pianists: Jorge Bolet July 5th, 2021 To say that Jorge Bolet (1914 – 1990) is “forgotten” may not be entirely correct, but he is certainly one of the most underrated pianists of the 20th century. Born in Havana, Bolet gave his first public performance at 9 -
Death Brings Success July 5th, 2021 It seems that the human ear needs time to accommodate and accept the new, the different and the strange. Actually, all senses seem to need some sort of reflection and acceptance from the heart, and the brain. A mid-life adult -
The Music of Poetry
Friedrich Hebbel: “Beautiful Hedwig” July 4th, 2021Friedrich Hebbel wrote his poem “Schön Hedwig” in 1838 as a protest reaction against “Griseldis,” a play in blank verse by Friedrich Halm that enjoyed huge success in Vienna. Halm’s play is set in Arthurian England, with the eponymous heroine