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
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Musical Giants of the 20th Century: Double Bass Players January 15th, 2017 A conversation about giants could not leave out the double bass and we have three wonderful players to introduce you to, if you have not encountered them before. Born in Russia in 1874 Serge Koussevitzky was primarily known as the -
Thoughts from a concert reviewer’s desk January 14th, 2017 There was a time, not so long ago and at least within my living memory, when critics were regarded as significant arbiters of taste and culture who could, seemingly, make or break a career with one well-aimed stroke of their -
“The Orchestra is my Instrument”
Georges Prêtre (1924-2017) January 13th, 2017He was described as a “sound wizard and a musician with an unparalleled intensity.” And after seven decades of working with top orchestras, high-octane performers and cutting-edge composers, the French conductor Georges Prêtre has died at the age of 92. -
Composers and their Poets: Amy Beach January 13th, 2017 American composer Amy Beach (1867-1944) was both a composer and an accomplished pianist with an extensive international career. She wrote about 117 art songs, some of which she also wrote the words. She wrote in a very European idiom and -
Niels Gade January 12th, 2017 200th Birthday Celebration In terms of Scandinavian musical superstars, Finland has Sibelius, Norway has Grieg, and Denmark has Carl Nielsen! However, the most important figure in nineteenth century Danish music was the composer, conductor, organist, violinist, teacher, and administrator Niels -
Unsung Concertos
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Piano Concerto in C major January 11th, 2017The reputation of Ralph Vaughan Williams as the most important English composer of his generation squarely rests on his compositions for the operatic stage and the Concert Hall. These theatrical dramas and orchestral essays characteristically reference the landscapes, myths and -
Another Casualty of War
Alexandrov Ensemble January 10th, 2017Flying is supposed to be the safest form of transportation; at least that’s what statistics will tell you. In very recent memory, a crash in South America has received lots of media coverage because it carried a first division Brazilian -
Manuscripts and Technology
An Interview with Nicholas Kitchen of the Borromeo Quartet January 10th, 2017Founded in 1989 by students at the Curtis Institute for Music, the Borromeo Quartet has grown over the last decades into a quartet of power and assurance. Of interest in the past few years have been their explorations of the