As a mythological character, Hercules is one who has always captured our attention. Famed for his strength and for his adventures around the known world, he’s caught the attention of writers and musicians for centuries. The stories and feats of
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Blurring Society’s Lines
Ernesto Lecuona’s Danzas Afro-Cubanas November 30th, 2023Ernesto Lecuona (1896–1963), the foremost Cuban composer of the first half of the 20th century, straddled the pop and classical worlds. He was a composer of popular and film music and a classical musician, performing internationally as a pianist and -
On This Day
30 November: Charles-Valentin Alkan Was Born November 30th, 2023Charles-Valentin Alkan (1819-1888) was one of the most celebrated pianists of the nineteenth century, mentioned in the same breath as Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt. He was also a most unusual composer, “remarkable in both technique and imagination,” and compared -
Engelbert Humperdinck November 29th, 2023 Only one of Engelbert Humperdinck’s compositions may have entered the repertoire, but what a composition it is! Today we’re looking at the life and work of Engelbert Humperdinck, composer of the magical fairy tale opera “Hansel und Gretel.” Engelbert Humperdinck’s -
Winter Winds and Falling Snow November 29th, 2023 Composers are particularly adept at portraying the weather in music, the most obvious example being Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, with its summer breezes, autumn gales and icy cold. The piano is a versatile vehicle to create atmospheric, evocative music, from Chopin’s -
The Green Salamander of Love
Benjamin Britten’s The Prince of the Pagodas November 28th, 2023Benjamin Britten (1913–1976) first fell under the influence of Balinese music when he met the Canadian composer Colin McPhee (1900–1964) in New York in 1939. McPhee had just returned from 6 years in Bali and in 1940, wrote his highly -
On This Day
28 November: Johannes Brahms’ Horn Trio Was Premiered November 28th, 2023Composed in 1865 but drawing on a theme which Brahms had written twelve years earlier, the trio for natural horn with violin and piano first sounded on 28 November 1865 in Zürich with the composer at the piano. Nature, nostalgia -
On This Day
27 November: Korngold’s Symphony in F-sharp Major Was Premiered November 27th, 2023In 1959 the Greek/American conductor Dimitri Mitropoulos wrote: “All my life I have searched for the perfect modern work. In this symphony I have found it. I shall perform it the next season.” The work in question was Erich Wolfgang -
Twenty Quotes by Women Composers Throughout Classical Music History November 27th, 2023 Throughout classical music history, remarkable women have not only contributed their musical talents, but imparted wisdom through their words. In this article, we’ve gathered twenty thought-provoking quotations by women composers, offering a glimpse into both their struggles and their triumphs,