In classical music, the Romantic Era lasted from around 1810 to around 1910. That century gave us some of the most famous symphonies in the repertoire. Nineteenth-century composers like Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Dvořák, Schubert, Mahler, Rachmaninoff, and others elevated the symphony
Latest article
Spotlight
-
Pierre Henry (1927-2017)
“The Father of Modern Music” July 13th, 2017A substantial number of classical music lovers have probably never heard the term “musique concrète.” It was coined by the French experimental musician and composer Pierre Schaeffer in 1948, and describes electroacoustic music that uses natural sounds—not electronically generated tones—as -
Listening to the Past without A Record Player July 12th, 2017 Before the advent of the phonograph in 1877, it wasn’t possible for people to play sound that had been recorded. The phonograph (a portmanteau word created from two Greek roots: (phone, “sound” or “voice” and graphē, “writing”) was preceded by -
A special relationship
Thoughts on teachers and pupils July 11th, 2017Music is the only field of study that requires regular and extended one-to-one interaction between student and teacher. The student-teacher relationship is a very special one, based on mutual trust and respect. Young students are often hungry for knowledge and -
Astor Piazzolla July 10th, 2017 Tango Revolution Without the shadow of a doubt, Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) is the single most important figure in the history of the tango! While Carlos Gardel and Ángel Villoldo are credited with creating the “tango canción”—a subgenre that realistically reflected -
Forgotten Pianists: Magda Tagliaferro July 10th, 2017 Magda Tagliaferro (1893-1986) was born in Brazil to French parents and learned piano from her father, who had studied at the Paris Conservatoire with Raoul Pugno. With the encouragement of Pablo Casals, Magda also attended the Paris Conservatoire, entering it -
The Road Home July 9th, 2017 I have performed in Asia many times with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra as well as with other orchestras. However, our CSO tour to China this past March was also a deeply meaningful personal journey for me. Our CSO tour lasted -
Muses and Musings
Salon Pauline Viardot July 8th, 2017Pauline Viardot (1821-1910) was one of the most celebrated mezzo-sopranos of her time! During a remarkable career spanning almost a quarter of a century, she performed on the most prestigious stages around the world, and her distinguished interpretations decisively shaped -
Ending with a Crash and Series of Tinkles: Andy Akiho’s Ricochet July 7th, 2017 Andy Akiho’s new concerto, Ricochet, takes the idea of rhythm and makes it the center point of his whole piece. The piece opens with an extensive violin solo, but not a cadenza in the way that we’ve come to expect