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
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Frantisek Kotzwara February 21st, 2014František Kočvara (1730-1791), who thankfully changed his spelling to Frantisek Kotzwara after settling in London, originally hailed from Bohemia. He was a talented performer, equally versed on the viola, double bass, piano, violin, cello, oboe, flute, bassoon and cittern. He -
Opening Doors with Music February 20th, 2014 In his 2010 novel, The Elephant Keepers’ Children, Danish author Peter Høeg uses Schubert songs to very practical end. One of the major characters in the book is a sonic engineer – she creates mechanisms that operate through speech or -
More about Ernst Toch February 19th, 2014 Wait, what? This guy wrote film music as well as classical stuff? Pfft… Sound familiar? It’s interesting nowadays how film composers are often sneered at in relation to their more ‘serious’ counterparts. However, there was a whole generation of composers -
In touch with Sabine Meyer February 18th, 2014 Athena of the Clarinet ‘Destiny’ would probably be the best word to describe Sabine Meyer and her instrument: she started with piano and organ, but at eight, it became clear to her that clarinet is her true love. Her father, -
Musical Autograph Books February 18th, 2014 Starting in the 16th century with small albums created by fellow classmates and continuing into the 20th century with the rise of musical groupies (actually, this started much earlier), the autograph book is an interesting view into the relationship between -
Pierre de Manchicourt February 17th, 2014 Pierre de Manchicourt: O Virgo virginum In 1554, a remarkable wedding ceremony took place at Winchester Cathedral. The bride was described as “a faded little woman with red hair and no eyebrows.” That little woman was no other than Mary -
Why Music? February 16th, 2014 We who play music know that there are few experiences in life that are as fulfilling as making music. It is a powerful gift. We can touch people and be a positive influence on others and ourselves. The physician and -
Old St. Paul’s Cathedral February 16th, 2014 Thomas Morley: I know that my redeemer liveth For nearly 300 years, St. Paul’s Cathedral was the tallest building on the London skyline. The present cathedral with its majestic dome was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and built in the