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
Latest article
Spotlight
-
Fireworks à la Chopin April 25th, 2015 You know the drill. As soon as the piano recital proper has finished, audience members—spontaneously or paid to do so—will furiously applaud in order to entice the artist to play additional pieces. Encores originated spontaneously but over time became so -
More Muzzles for Classical Music! April 24th, 2015 The connection between classical music and political activism of one sort or another is hardly new. When Beethoven disapproved of Napoleon’s shenanigans, he promptly changed the dedication of his Eroica symphony to “the memory of a great hero.” Verdi’s chorus -
Elīna Garanča
The Consummate Opera Star April 23rd, 2015Mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča’s appearance at the Guangzhou Opera House’s Five Year Anniversary concert marks her first appearance in Asia and she told us how excited she was to make this trip, particularly as she was looking forward to meeting China’s -
A musical portrait of unrequited love April 23rd, 2015 Béla Bartók and Stefi Geyer She had deep blue eyes and blonde hair that she wore in two small buns on either side of her head. Extraordinarily talented, Stefi Geyer started her musical training at age three and gave her -
Prague Spring : Jan Hanuš April 22nd, 2015 In political terms, “Prague Spring” refers to a brief period during 1968 when the government of Czechoslovakia led by Alexander Dubček was trying to lessen Moscow’s influence on the nation’s affairs. On 5 April 1968, Dubček introduced a program of -
Scott Ordway April 21st, 2015 Scott Ordway would be what you would call an all-rounded musician. As a composer, a conductor, and a faculty member at the Curtis Institute of Music, Ordway is constantly in touch with different aspects of music, from studying and conducting -
Adam Diegel
The New Practical Tenor April 21st, 2015We were speaking with tenor Adam Diegel as he was in the area to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Guangzhou Opera House. We asked him a few questions about how he got into opera, what he would suggest for -
War and Music: Waterloo I April 21st, 2015 It’s difficult, 200 hundred years later, to imagine how much Europe was frightened by Napoleon’s return to power in March 1815. Before being sent to exile in Elba, Napoleon’s army had conquered most of Europe, creating an Empire that stretched