The love story between Robert and Clara Schumann is often regarded as one of the most romantic in classical music history. Happily for historians, many of their love letters survive. They document their inner thoughts and emotions, as well as
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Benny Goodman Invaded Carnegie Hall
16 January 1938 January 16th, 2024Something entirely inconceivable took place on 16 January 1938. On that day, Benny Goodman invaded Carnegie Hall, the citadel of American high culture. The “King of Swing” brought his own band, including Harry James on trumpet, Lionel Hampton on vibraphone -
Mythical Animals
Robert Sierra’s Carnaval January 16th, 2024Puerto Rican composer Robert Sierra created a Carnaval of animals, and all come from the land of myths: Gargoyles, Sphinxes, Unicorns, Dragons, and The Phoenix. We start up on the roof, where the gargoyles live – their mysterious and somewhat -
Piano vs. Harpsichord: How Did Pianos Beat Harpsichords in Popularity? January 15th, 2024 Two of the most iconic keyboard instruments in the history of music are the piano and the harpsichord. Of course, at first glance, they share important similarities. They look alike: both have keyboards, both come in a case and have -
On This Day
14 January: Mariss Jansons Was Born January 14th, 2024Latvian-born conductor Mariss Jansons (1943-2019) is habitually ranked among the world’s greatest and best conductors, bringing perfectionism, versatility, intensity, and passion to the stage. He was known for his rigorously prepared performances, always looking behind the notes to find what -
Legendary Cellists Christina Walevska and Ennio Bolognini January 14th, 2024 Walevska Cellist Extraordinary film of her life as a young cellist Two cellists you may not know were widely admired in the Twentieth Century. Christine Walevska (B 1945) had a scintillating tone with a gorgeous vibrato and was thought of -
Mikhail Ėmmanuilovich Goldstein
A Fabulous Musical Jester January 14th, 2024Mikhail Ėmmanuilovich Goldstein (1917-1989) was a Ukrainian-born composer, violinist, conductor, musicologist, and teacher. Born into a family of mathematicians, he received his first violin lessons at the age of four and, one year later, made his recital debut. Mind you, -
Classical Music With Cannons January 13th, 2024 Over the centuries, classical music composers have come up with many creative ways to up the ante when it comes to spectacle. One of the loudest ways they’ve done so is by incorporating cannons in their music, lending a new -
Sir Stephen Hough
The Composer January 13th, 2024One of the most distinctive artists of his generation, Sir Stephen Hough combines an international career as a pianist with those of composer, writer, and painter. The first classical performer to be awarded a MacArthur Fellowship (2001), Hough is a