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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Sound and Feeling – ‘Emotional’ Dynamics January 4th, 2024 “Dynamics” in music refers to the variation in loudness or intensity of sound. The use of dynamics adds depth, emotion, and expressiveness to the music, and the term encompasses a wide spectrum of volume levels, from the softest pianissimo to -
On This Day
3 January: Donizetti’s Don Pasquale Was Premiered January 3rd, 2024The opera buffa Don Pasquale, which was first staged on 3 January 1843 by the Théâtre-Italien at the Salle Ventadour, was an instant success. No wonder, as it was introduced by four of the most celebrated singers of the day, -
Hélène de Montgeroult: Did This Great Composer Avoid the Guillotine By Playing Piano? January 3rd, 2024 The French Revolution was the dramatic backdrop to countless extraordinary life stories. Pianist and composer Hélène de Montgeroult had one of the most interesting. Over the course of her life, she faced political turmoil, violence, and unspeakable loss, but persevered -
Tiffany Poon January 3rd, 2024 ‘Expand Our Experience Of Music Beyond What We Might Expect’ Arranging an interview over Zoom with a musician based in New York brings with it certain assumptions: mostly that the background of the meeting will be punctuated by car horns, -
On This Day
2 January: Mily Balakirev Was Born January 2nd, 2024Mily Balakirev, born on 2 January 1837 in Nizhny Novgorod, is primarily remembered as the founder of the “Russian Five” and the Free School in St. Petersburg. He famously instilled a sense of nationalistic pride in the music of Russia, -
A National Mexican Symphonic Poem
Silvestre Revueltas’ Sensemayá January 2nd, 2024Although we generally associate the symphonic poem with Liszt and mainly German composers, it also popped up in other countries, one of the most interesting being Mexico. Silvestre Revueltas (1899–1940) had a distinguished career as a conductor, principally as assistant -
Mozart for Beginners: Ten Pieces to Make You Love Mozart January 1st, 2024 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg in current-day Austria on 27 January 1756. He was one of the most talented prodigies in the history of music, and he grew up to become one of the most beloved and influential -
A Happy and Peaceful 2024 January 1st, 2024 As we welcome 2024, societal friendship and harmony are once again nowhere to be found. Hostilities, violence, intimidation, and wars are overrunning the planet on a virulent wave of entitlement and righteousness. In her poem “The Rock Cries out to