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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Sixteen of the Best Violin and Viola Duets June 24th, 2024 Composers have been writing duets for violin and viola for generations. Today, we’re sharing some of our favorite examples from the genre. From the classical elegance of Haydn and Mozart, to the rich Romanticism of composers like Spohr and Kalliwoda, -
15 Pieces of Classical Music About Outer Space June 22nd, 2024 Many pieces of classical music are famous for their massive scale. Maybe that’s why so many composers have written classical music about the vast expanse of outer space. Today, we’re looking at fifteen pieces of classical music inspired by other -
At the Piano With Carl Maria von Weber June 22nd, 2024 Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826) was a crucial figure in the development of German Romantic opera. In fact, Der Freischütz was hugely popular and regarded as the first German opera ever. However, Weber was also busy in other fields, as -
Debussy for Beginners
10 Pieces to Make You Love Debussy June 19th, 2024Debussy was born in 1862 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, a suburb of Paris. Over the course of his career, he became one of the twentieth century’s great musical revolutionaries. Debussy’s music is known for its impressionistic style and French identity. Debussy is -
Unique Concertos III
Works by Milhaud, Fleck, Van de Vate, O’Boyle, and Adams June 17th, 2024Let’s continue to explore more concertos for unique instruments. Darius Milhaud: Concerto for Percussion and Small Orchestra Darius Milhaud writes, “I have always been very interested in percussion problems. In the Choéphores and in L’homme et son désir I used -
The Paderewski Prize for American Composers June 16th, 2024 On exceedingly rare occasions, people with real talent and poise are drafted into political service. Such was the case with the pianist and composer Ignacy Jan Paderewski, who became the prime minister and foreign minister of Poland in 1919. He -
Mozart and Death and Klezmer and Healing June 16th, 2024 Filip Runesson’s Hur länge ska hon vara död? (after W.A. Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor, K. 626) Mozart and Death, but not the way you think about it. Swedish musician Filip Runesson took Mozart’s Requiem and rearranged it in klezmer -
Listening to the Clouds June 15th, 2024 When outside wandering, how often do you just sit and look up? You can hear birds, and the wind, and perhaps the passing traffic, but have you tried to hear the clouds? Many composers also look up for inspiration and