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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Arnold Böcklin (1827-1901)
“Nothing in Art Is Created Without Effort” April 5th, 2021The Swiss symbolist painter Arnold Böcklin (1827-1901), who died 120 years ago, was a controversial figure during his lifetime. Considered one of the founders of Symbolism, and highly influential for the development of Surrealism, Böcklin achieved enormous fame in German-speaking -
The Music of Poetry
Wilhelm Müller: “Winterreise” April 4th, 2021On 15 December 1822, Wilhelm Müller wrote a letter to the composer Bernhard Klein. Klein had set a number of poems from “Die schöne Müllerin,” and Müller thanked him for “the musical animation of my verses.” Müller writes, “My songs -
Everything Is Connected April 4th, 2021 My son is a professional chef who has been working in fine dining in London for 6 years. He lived with me during the UK lockdown, and in addition to enjoying his beautiful, inventive and flavoursome cooking, I learnt some -
Discover Margaret Bonds April 3rd, 2021 Because my mouthIs wide with laughterAnd my throatIt is deep with songYou do not thinkI suffer afterI have held my painSo long?Because my mouthIs wide with laughterYou do not hearMy inner cry?Because my feetAre gay with dancingYou do not knowI -
What Makes a Masterpiece? April 2nd, 2021 While I much prefer the term ‘work of genius’ over masterpiece, it looks like we are still stuck with this word stemming from c. 1600 to define, well, a masterpiece. In an exhibition happening now until June 14, 2021, at -
Sigismond Thalberg April 2nd, 2021 “Thalberg is the finest pianist in the world” 150 years ago, on 27 April 1871, the musical world mourned the passing of one of the most distinguished virtuoso pianists of the 19th century. Sigismond Thalberg (1812-1871) was greatly admired for -
Most Fun Classical Songs and Popular Tunes for Easter April 1st, 2021 Pandemics come and pandemics go, but Easter will surely return every year. For many Christians around the world this is the most important holiday of the year. It commemorates the Passion of Christ, starting with the Last Supper and culminating -
Camille Thomas April 1st, 2021 “Everything in the World is an Inspiration” I talk to young Franco-Belgian cellist Camille Thomas mid-hotel quarantine for a concerto appearance in Seoul, giving the Asian premiere of a piece written for her in 2018 by Fazıl Say about the