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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Preludes for Piano December 6th, 2017 There is a great tradition of prelude writing which stretches back to J S Bach, and beyond to the Renaissance, when musicians would use an improvisatory Praeludium (Prelude) as an opportunity to warm up fingers and check the instrument’s tuning -
Ring Bells! Sing Songs!: The Musical II December 5th, 2017 The musical changed during WWII – the themes were less fantastical, the stories were set in more realistic backgrounds, and the international exposure that so many people had during the war made its appearance on the stage. -
The Lighter Side of Music
French Cabaret December 4th, 2017If you were looking for dinner and a song during the Second Empire in France—basically during the reign of Napoleon III from 1852-1870—the Parisian café-concert was the place to be. Providing a combination of food and entertainment that included strolling -
Dmitri Hvorostovsky (1962-2017)
Elvis of Opera December 3rd, 2017Affectionately known as “Dima” to his family and closest friends, Dmitri Hvorostovsky commanded the operatic stage with his smoldering good looks and one of the most distinctive voices of his time. His velvety yet dark-grained baritone timbre, seamless legato and -
Silly Symphonies, Loony Tunes, and Merrie Melodies
Classical Music in Animation I December 3rd, 2017Early in his animation career, Walt Disney discovered the importance of using music in his cartoons – his first animation with his new character, Mickey Mouse, was also the first animation to have synchronized sound. The steamboat chugs, Mickey sings, -
Changing the Vocabulary December 3rd, 2017 The way we interact with students, and the language we use with which to communicate with them, can have a profound effect on how our students react to our teaching and their own attitude to music making. Young people in -
Mapping the Musical Genome
The Mozart Family December 2nd, 2017The name “Mozart” is almost universally associated with the musical genius of Wolfgang Amadeus. However, Wolfie was not the only Mozart with significant musical talent, just take a quick look at his father. Johann Georg Leopold Mozart (1719-1787) was a -
Sasha Cooke December 1st, 2017 ‘Be open to those surprises’ Having just starred in the world premiere of Nico Mulhy’s new opera Marnie at English National Opera, American soprano Sasha Cooke speaks to me on one of her rare days off.