For many years people believed that Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) had died from tuberculosis. Not only was he known for his chronic coughs, breathlessness and haemotypsis (coughing out blood), ‘tuberculosis’ was also cited as the cause of death on his death

Have you ever heard of Enrico Carella and Massimiliano Marchetti? There is really no reason why these names should be particularly memorable, except for the fact that these two knuckleheads deliberately set fire to one of the most famous opera

“I hope my reed makes it through the performance… It’s so hot in there, my tuning’s going to go out the window… This shirt’s so uncomfortable… And why, to top it all off, am I performing from memory?!” These can

The Curse of Promotion Felix Draeseke, Clarinet Sonata in B flat major, Op. 38 Felix Draeseke, Symphonia Tragica, Op. 40 Music is a fickle business! Having exceptional musical talents, composing a first work at age nine followed by an extensive

The current exhibition at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. “Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, 1909-1929: When Art Danced with Music” brings into focus one of the most productive eras in the arts, in which poetry, art, theater,

Can one cook an authentic Chinese meal without ever having had a taste of the cuisine? It would be safe to say that the above would prove extremely tricky. As with most other things in life, it is hard to

Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Sonata Op. 2, No. 1 Piano Sonatas Op. 2 No. 2 Piano Sonatas Op. 2, No. 3 Historians and scholars habitually divided Beethoven’s life and work into three periods, a concept that originated with Johann Aloys