The solo violin has long been acknowledged as the perfect instrument to express emotions like love, longing, heartbreak, rapture, and romance. The Romantic era lasted from the early nineteenth century to the early twentieth century and produced numerous works that
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Theodor Leschetizky June 8th, 2021 “No life without art, no art without life” Theodor Leschetizky (1830–1915) is one of the most illustrious and supremely towering figures in the history of the piano. In fact, his student Annette Hullah suggested that Leschetizky “was the best piano -
The Best Performances
“Nessun dorma” by Giacomo Puccini June 7th, 2021Talk about a strange story. Calaf is one of three suitors for the hand of the prickly Princess Turandot. Her suitors must solve three riddles, with any single wrong answer resulting in execution. Calaf manages to solve all three riddles -
Impressionism, a Three-Part Series: In Europe June 7th, 2021 The following article is the second of a three-part series on impressionism around the world; in France, in Europe and in our Modern World. In these articles, I explore the genre of impressionism. Born in France, it is known to -
The Music of Poetry
Friedrich Hebbel: “Ich und Du” June 6th, 2021The poet and dramatist Friedrich Hebbel (1813-1863) grew up in abject poverty and struggled with severe health issues throughout his life. From personal experience and meticulous observations he concluded that life is “a struggle between the individual and the universe.” -
Never Stop Learning June 6th, 2021 “I am a beginner. I am always learning”Fou Ts’ong (from an interview with British journalist Jessica Duchen) Frédéric Chopin: Mazurka No. 13 in A Minor, Op. 17, No. 4 (Fou Ts’ong, piano) This wonderfully humble quote from Fou Ts’ong, the -
For the Love of More Musical PUNS June 5th, 2021 Musicians and music lovers enjoy musical puns. Who doesn’t need a laugh these days? I thought why not expand on some of the puns colleagues have shared with me, of course omitting the ubiquitous viola jokes! (Special thanks to prolific -
Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684–1721)
“Fêtes galantes” June 5th, 2021Antoine Watteau (1684–1721), who died 300 years ago at the young age of 37, was one of the most original and brilliant artists of the eighteen-century. Rising from an obscure provincial background he achieved fame in the French capital, and -
Discover Influential Latin American Composers of the 20th Century I June 4th, 2021 Latin American music is one of the exciting topics among musicians these days. However, a lot of Latin American composers remain undiscovered. We cannot truly explore such diverse styles of Latin American music without knowing more composers. This article discusses