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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Red Roses!
Richard Strauss and Lotti Speyer April 22nd, 2014During the summer of 1883, the nineteen-year-old Richard Strauss (1864-1949) spent a short ten-day holiday at the little spa of Heilbrunn. Located between Bad Tölz and the Kochelsee in Bavaria, the natural thermal springs and forested rolling hills had long -
The Supernatural in Music
VI Possessed by the Demon: Exposed Virtuosity April 20th, 2014Performers with extraordinary talent were often accused of having made a pact with the devil to achieve their seemingly un-human abilities. We’ve already seen the temptation of Tartini. This accusation has been levelled against performers from violinist Nicolò Paganini in -
How Czech is Czech?
Antonin Dvořák: Symphony No. 6 in D major, Op. 60 April 19th, 2014Like practically every composer working in the nineteenth century — regardless of their origin or nationality — Antonin Dvořák (1841-1904) was profoundly nationalist in many respects. In fact, he was expressively patriotic regarding Czech rights within the German dominated Habsburg -
Walking Around Art
Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition April 17th, 2014Modest Mussorgsky’s piano work Pictures at an Exhibition take us on a tour around an art gallery of the work of the Russian artist and architect Viktor Hartmann. The seemingly passive title might be clearer if we look at the -
Pietro Antonio Locatelli April 17th, 2014 The Paganini of the 18th CenturyThe violinist Pietro Antonio Locatelli (1695-1764) was widely known as the “Paganini of the eighteenth century.” As a performer Locatelli systematically explored the uncharted regions of the instrument, including left-hand extensions, double and triple stops, -
Visions of Arcadia in Music, Art and Literature III April 14th, 2014 In Germany, in the early years of the 20th century, with rapid industrialization and growing urban populations, we see a return to, and a longing for, the simpler past of rural life, in opposition to the fast-paced life of the -
“Crème de Menthe Variations” April 14th, 2014 Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Contemporary young composers of classical music are frequently taken to task for placing marketability and profit orientation above artistic integrity and compositional skill. In reality, however, placing the emphasis on the profitability of -
Leo Marillier April 13th, 2014 Leo Marillier is one of today’s most exciting young violinists. An active soloist, chamber musician and recording artist, he currently combines his busy schedule with study at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. We got in touch with