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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In Praise of the Fat One!
Ignaz Schuppanzigh December 25th, 2013Teaching must be one of the most hazardous professions worldwide. And I am not necessarily talking about public schools in Angola, Los Angeles or the Bronx. Nor am I talking about bulletproof glass, metal detectors or semi-automatic weapons. There are -
Salle Pleyel December 24th, 2013 Once upon a time, the life of a traveling piano virtuoso was a veritable nightmare. Performers traveled long days and dark nights in rickety horse-drawn coaches over slippery roads and muddy fields. If they could afford the luxury, they spent -
Ernst Toch December 23rd, 2013 Corrected by MozartCan you imagine one of the most astonishingly gifted musical prodigies of all times being forced to study music in secret? It happened to Ernst Toch, whose father — a Jewish processed-leather dealer in Vienna — did everything -
Christmas at King’s December 22nd, 2013 For many people across the world, tuning in to the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College, Cambridge on Christmas Eve signals the arrival of Christmas. The sound of a solo treble intoning ‘Once in Royal David’s City’ -
In touch with Gary Hoffman:
Unforgettable Cello Sound December 22nd, 2013Gary, I’ll never forget hearing you for the first time. We were both in Janos Starker’s class in the 1970’s and your sound blew me away. I must say I wondered if I would be up to snuff with such -
In touch with ZRI December 22nd, 2013 Playing the Brahms Clarinet Quintet interspersed with gypsy folk may seem odd – but this is what the band ZRI lives for. There is a method in their madness, and speaking to accordion player Jon Banks gave me an insight -
Top Five Tracks to welcome the New Year December 21st, 2013 In one form or another — regardless of culture, nationality or creed — New Year’s celebrations have several elements in common. Among the most popular are dancing, singing, drinking, a sense of spiritual renewal and, of course, fireworks! To celebrate -
Folk Music of the Future December 20th, 2013 When we think of folk music, we often think of music that is far removed from what we do in daily life. So how do you modernize something that is considered to exist almost out of time – we rarely