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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Destination Rome March 30th, 2018 The city of Rome is a city of ancient forums and modern traffic, fabulous fountains and busy markets, solemn churches and resonant spaces. It’s a walking city and all of history seems to have happened here. -
Anatoly Lunacharsky：More than the saviour of Sergei Prokofiev March 29th, 2018 Sergei Prokofiev, one of the greatest composers of Russia, would never forget that day after the Revolution. He left Russia with the official blessing and warning of the Soviet Minister Anatoly Lunacharsky: “You are running away from events, and these -
Full Steam Ahead
Musical Train Journeys March 28th, 2018Life is a journey, and truth be told, when it comes to transportation I much prefer trains to airplanes. -
Honey and Rue March 27th, 2018 The American soprano Kathleen Battle read the words of the poet Toni Morrison and commissioned Morrison and the composer André Previn for a song cycle. Seeing the names of those three people in one sentence tells you from the beginning -
The Melodic Pleasures of Jacqueline Leung March 26th, 2018 A different kind of album came to our attention the other day – a new recording by Hong Kong pianist Jacqueline Leung, In Sunshine or In Shadow. Instead of the usual compilation of the usual stalwarts of the piano world, -
At the Center of the Musical Universe
Robert and Clara Schumann March 26th, 2018Robert Schumann, Clara Schumann, and Johannes Brahms are surely the most famous love triangle in the history of Western music. Details of the courtship, ensuing legal troubles and the eventual marriage between Robert and Clara are well known. -
Flower Waltzes March 25th, 2018 Dancing and flowers seem to go together – the beautiful flowers moving gently in the breeze and the dancers weaving their way around the floor. -
Be More Amateur March 25th, 2018 The self-help/life coaching section of my local bookshop is full of books on how to learn from the professionals – think like a pro, act like a pro, be more pro. We are encouraged to draw inspiration from successful professionals