Latest article

archive-post-image
Ten Excerpts from Robert Schumann’s Love Letters to Clara
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
Read more

Spotlight

5966 Posts
  • Composers Like Beethoven: Eight Composers to Check Out Composers Like Beethoven: Eight Composers to Check Out
    The music of Ludwig van Beethoven has captivated generations of musicians and listeners. However, some classical music lovers are so enamored by Beethoven that they fail to appreciate Beethoven’s gifted colleagues. If we look at music history, we can find
  • 10 Pieces of Classical Music About Freedom 10 Pieces of Classical Music About Freedom
    Classical music has been used for political purposes countless times, both in oppressive regimes (like in Stalin’s Soviet Union and Nazi Germany) and in battles for self-determination and freedom (like in the Finnish independence movement). European revolutions have had classical
  • The Melodic Support: The Double Bass The Melodic Support: The Double Bass
    The lowest member of the string family is the double bass – its genetics place it closer to the viol than the violin in that it has sloping shoulders (see cello for a viola da gamba image), its body is
  • Masterworks Dedicated to Yehudi Menuhin Masterworks Dedicated to Yehudi Menuhin
    Ever since I was a little child, I listened to recordings by Yehudi Menuhin. In every single note that phenomenal violinist produced fantastic intensity and emotion. I remember listening to Bach’s Air on a G string, and I had never
  • Which Composers Were Gay? (And How Do We Know?) Which Composers Were Gay? (And How Do We Know?)
    The history of classical music spans centuries. Over that time, society has had very different ideas about sexual identities (when they verbalized them at all). It goes without saying that it’s unfair to look back in time and breezily apply