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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Forgotten Pianists: Ignace Tiegerman June 12th, 2017 Driven from Europe not by politics but by his health, the Polish pianist Ignace Tiegerman (1893-1968) moved to Cairo in 1931 to help his asthma. He became the centre of piano education in Cairo for the next thirty years. -
Game—Set—Match!
Suzanne Lenglen and Jeux June 11th, 2017Who really knows what inspires the creative mind? It might be a painting of a moonlit lake, a craggy alpine peak, or the ferocious ocean pounding the rocky shores of a remote island. Of course, there is the ever-popular poem -
Henri Matisse and the Music of Color June 11th, 2017 Music was always part of Henri Matisse’s (1869-1954) life. He played the violin on a daily basis, reflecting the rigorous structure and precise technique which corresponded to his artistic methods. It also provided him with an escape and source of -
Operatic Disasters II June 10th, 2017 One of the biggest dangers to the wellbeing of operatic theatres throughout history has been fire! As one critic rightly said, “Scenery, stucco, seats and curtains were all highly inflammable. Add to those the wooden structure of the building and -
Musicians and Artists: Carlos Chávez and Diego Rivera June 9th, 2017 Two of the greatest of Mexico’s artists, composer and pianist Carlos Chávez and painter and muralist Diego Rivera created a ballet on an unlikely subject: Caballos de vapor (Horsepower, or H.P.). The subject however, was close to both artists’ hearts: -
Johann Wenzel Anton Stamitz June 8th, 2017 300th Birthday In June 1717, the Bohemian settlement of Německý Brod recorded the birth of Johann Wenzel Anton Stamitz (1717-57). Son of the town organist, Johann received his early education at a Jesuit grammar school—known for its excellence in music -
Sounds of Silence: thoughts on John Cage’s 4’33” June 6th, 2017 The other day I was talking about John Cage’s infamous work 4’33” with one of my students, while giving the student an overview of music history. When we got to 20th century music, it was the student, not me, who -
Forgotten Pianists: Arthur De Greef June 5th, 2017 Belgian composer and pianist Arthur De Greef (1862-1940) was a child prodigy, winning his first piano competiion at age 11, even if it was only a local one. This led him to the Brussels Conservatory where he continued in the