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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“Song to the Moon” by Antonín Dvořák May 24th, 2021Antonín Dvořák wrote some of the most memorable melodies in all of music. And from the very beginning he wanted to be known as an opera composer. Since he was active during a time when Czech national opera was being -
Art and Music: Warhol and Grundman May 23rd, 2021 Taking the ideas of painter Andy Warhol (1928-1987) as his inspiration, Spanish composer Jorge Grundman (b. 1961) also used his own experience in Spanish pop music to create Warhol in Springtime. The composer wrote that: ‘The work’s name is in -
On Taking, and Giving Advice, for Musicians May 23rd, 2021 Musicians, especially young musicians, are bombarded with advice over the course of their career, especially in those early, fledgling years. Most advice will come from teachers, but also from peers, colleagues, friends, promoters, agents and critics. Knowing how to take -
Only Cello With Valérie Aimard May 22nd, 2021 We’ve caught up with French cellist Valérie Aimard before, first to talk about her Cello Kids program and then about her work as a …… Mime. In her other life, she’s a professor of cello at the Conservatoire Maurice Ravel -
Customized Perfection: Schubert’s Trout Quintet May 22nd, 2021 Franz Schubert (1797-1828) met the singer Johann Michael Vogl (1768-1840) in March 1817 at the house of a mutual friend, Franz von Schober. Schober was an Austrian poet and writer and supplied Schubert with the libretto for his opera Alfonso -
Composers of the Zodiac
Tropic of Gemini May 21st, 2021Between 21 May and 21 June, the sun transits the constellation of Gemini. This third astrological sign represents the twins Castor and Pollux. In Greek and Roman mythology, they are twin half-brothers. Their mother was Leda, but they had different -
Piano Music in the Key of B-Flat Major May 20th, 2021 There’s a special nobility to B-flat Major. Open and expressive, it’s regarded as an uplifting key, full of hope and aspiration. The first movements of Bach’s Partita No.1, and Schubert’s final piano sonata share this openness and nobility. Meanwhile, Beethoven’s -
Ludwig van Beethoven
Most Beloved Piano Favourites May 19th, 2021The piano was Ludwig van Beethoven’s favourite instrument. He was a virtuoso at the keyboard, and his compositions for piano “became a vehicle for experimenting not only with the fundamental aspects and techniques of music, but also a means of