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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- Critical Ear with Sharpened Pen
The Voice of Reason – Jessica Duchen July 17th, 2016‘What is the need for music criticism?’ ‘Does writing for a blog differ from print?’ ‘Where’s the future of writing about music?’ These are just some of the questions whirling round my helmeted head as I cycle through Hyde Park -
Why We Owe “The Flying Dutchman” To A Dog July 16th, 2016 Robber, the giant Newfoundland dog, took to the pit with his master, Richard Wagner. The twentysomething conductor and composer had recently won a job as music director of the Riga opera, and his dog Robber frequently joined his master at -
How You Should Feel in the Key of B flat major July 15th, 2016 In our earlier series on C major and minor, G major and minor, and D major and minor, and A major and minor, E major and minor, B major and minor, F sharp major and minor, C sharp major and -
Old friends: reviving old repertoire July 14th, 2016 Revisiting music one learnt last month, last year, or 20 years ago can be a wonderful experience, like reacquainting oneself with an old friend, while also making a new friendship. Picking up a piece again after a long absence can -
A Selected Reading List for Pianists July 13th, 2016 Non-fiction Sleeping in Temples Out of Silence – Pianist’s Yearbook Susan Tomes Scottish pianist and acclaimed chamber musician (a former member of Florestan Trio), Susan Tomes writes sensitively and honestly about the exigencies of life as a pianist and performer -
Enrique Granados: Transcending Nationalism July 12th, 2016 Composers working at the turn of the 20th-century are frequently categorized as nationalists. And Spain produced three prominent composers that seemingly fit this narrow description. Isaac Albéniz composed vibrant piano works of Lisztian difficulty and Iberian color, while Manuel de - Minors of the Majors
Claude Debussy: L’enfant prodigue July 11th, 2016“Minors of the Majors” invites you to discover compositions by the great classical composers that for one reason or another have not reached the musical mainstream. Please enjoy, and keep listening! - Critical Ear with Sharpened Pen
Music Critics—Their Past and Future: An interview with John Terauds July 10th, 2016Founder of the website “Musical Toronto”, whose motto is—If You Think Classical Music is Dead, You Are Dead Wrong, John Terauds is a renaissance man and a bubbling hub of information, opinion, and insights. As a long time classical music
