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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Martha Graham: Picasso of Dance February 14th, 2016 Recognized as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century, Martha Graham created a movement language based upon the expressive capacity of the human body. Throughout a long and illustrious career, Graham created 181 dance compositions that crossed artistic -
The Great Women Artists Who Shaped Music XVII: Felicja Blumental February 13th, 2016 Polish-Brazilian pianist Felicja Blumental was one of the few women who attained a solo career as a pianist in the early 20th century. Born in Poland in 1908, she was a brilliant artist whose probing interpretations exhibited Brazilian flair in -
A Girl named Gucki!
Ernst Krenek and Anna Mahler February 12th, 2016At times, it can be rather traumatic to be the son or daughter of a celebrity couple. Take for example Anna Justine Mahler, second child of Gustav Mahler and his wife Alma Schindler. Anna was born in 1904, and her -
The Chinese Hero February 11th, 2016 Europeans had been importing porcelain, silk and lacquer goods from China and Japan ever since the 17th century. At the dawn of the 18th century, European craftsmen and designers were actively imitating Oriental designs, creating their own fanciful versions of -
Johannes Brahms: Sonata for Violin and Piano No 2 in A major, Op. 100 February 10th, 2016 The Hungarian violinist, composer, conductor and educator Joseph Joachim (1831-1907) was one of the most influential musical personalities of his time. At the tender age of 12, with Mendelssohn conducting, he performed the Beethoven violin concerto in London, and later -
Should I Be Standing Now? February 9th, 2016 A standing ovation is a form of applause where members of a seated audience stand up while applauding after extraordinary performances of particularly high acclaim. In Ancient Rome returning military commanders (such as Marcus Licinius Crassus after his defeat of -
Minors of the Majors
Hector Berlioz: 9 Melodies, Op. 2 February 8th, 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! -
In Touch with Olivia Jageurs and the 15 Second Harp Project February 7th, 2016 In some ways there has never been a more difficult time to be a composer. Funding cuts, an over-saturated market and classical music’s waning cultural significance mean that finding a compositional voice and a place for that voice is perhaps