We all know Bess’ song from Porgy and Bess: ‘Summertime, and the Livin’ is Easy’. We decided to do a survey of what other composers thought about summer and were surprised at the very different moods and modes composers used
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Commissioning Atrocities January 26th, 2015 The Kronos Quartet is famous for commissioning works that cover the widest possible range of musical and experimental genres. The founder David Harrington once explained, “I’ve always wanted the string quartet to be vital, and energetic, and alive, and cool, -
A Universe of Delight
Alexander Scriabin and Natalya Sekerina January 25th, 2015Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915) was short of stature and stood just over five feet tall. For a period of time he joined the military, but was mercilessly ridiculed and bullied because he was “small, effeminate and weak.” Commentators have suggested, “Like -
A Key to the Brahms Sound
J. B. Streicher & Sohn No. 8105 January 24th, 2015Buying a piano for home use is a highly personal choice. It depends on a number of variables, including instrument style, brand, color and shape. Generally speaking, however, we look for instruments within a certain budget range, and one that -
A Fresh Perspective into Ensemble Playing January 22nd, 2015 The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao recently presented a nine-screen multi-channel video installation by the young Icelandic performance artist Ragnar Kjartansson, who is known for featuring music in his works. Bliss, his 12-hour work starring a live performance of a scene from -
Friends in Music January 20th, 2015 English composer Edward Elgar used to create musical puzzles and then challenge his wife to solve them. He would create little piano pieces depicting various friends and Alice Elgar had to figure out who he was depicting. -
“Power Poses” Musician Style
“Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are” January 19th, 2015When you walk out onto the stage for a performance, audition, competition or jury do your thoughts go wild with self-doubt or do you exude confidence? Do you slink into your seat and look down at the instrument or do -
The Royal Academy of Music January 18th, 2015 If you walk from Baker Street along Marylebone Road, you are greeted with hoards of tourists stampeding their way towards Madame Tussaud’s to gape at the wax models within. However, if you dare to push past the crowds and wander -
The Music that fuelled Occupy Hong Kong January 15th, 2015 Before the last of the Occupy Movement protest sites were removed in Hong Kong, the city’s financial district was awash with brightly colored tents, yellow umbrellas and banners of all shapes and sizes. The most striking was possibly the Lennon