The viola may be the less flashy sibling of the violin, but in the hands of these seven great women composers, the viola truly shines as a solo instrument. From the bold modernism of Marga Richter and Peggy Glanville-Hicks to
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Animals in Musical Society: The Caricatures of J.J. Grandville February 21st, 2021 Jean-Jacques or J.J. Grandville, the pseudonym of Jean Ignace Isidore Gérard (1803-1847), looked at the world around him and saw it as a vast human comedy that, for him, could be played out with animals. The collection that made his -
Keyboard Circus Tricks “Ain’t Got Nothing to Do With Music-Making” February 21st, 2021 The quote in the title is from celebrated pianist Leon Fleisher, who died in August 2020 at the age of 92. In the many tributes to him, his wisdom and good sense, as a musician and a human being, and -
In Memoriam
Armando “Chick” Corea (1941-2021) February 20th, 2021Long before we needed childish simplifications and social media overhype to describe the musical explorations of different musical style and genres, there was Chick Corea (1941-2021). To him, musical styles and genres were not restrictive constructs, but an invitation for -
More Conducting Fathers and Sons February 20th, 2021 It’s almost uncanny how many musicians follow in their parents’ footsteps and conducting is no exception! Here are three legendary families. Leopold and Walter Damrosch One of America’s leading and most influential musicians, Walter came from a historically musical family. -
Composers of the Zodiac
Tropic of Pisces February 19th, 2021The deadliest creature in Greek mythology was a monstrous serpentine giant called “Typhon.” That vile creature challenged the god Zeus for supremacy of the cosmos, but was eventually defeated and buried underneath Mount Etna. During that cataclysmic battle, Typhon was -
Flowers in Piano Music February 18th, 2021 Nature is a rich source of inspiration for composers, and flowers and blossoms have inspired some really lovely piano music, often miniatures or intimate salon pieces celebrating the beauty of flowers, nodding buds, heady aromas, and delicate petals. Debussy: Bruyères -
The Orchestra in Hollywood February 17th, 2021 What do dinosaurs, an extra-terrestrial and a killer shark all have in common? The answer: well, apart from at-times-questionable prosthetics, they all share a soundtracks featuring sumptuous orchestral scores, in this case, from the modern master of movie music John -
Welcoming Spring: Delius’ Four Old English Lyrics February 16th, 2021 During the war years of 1915 and 1916, Delius looked to older poets for a cheering series. His collection of Old English Lyrics took the poetry of William Shakespeare, and his contemporaries, Ben Jonson, Thomas Nashe, and Robert Herrick, as