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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Tournedos à la Rossini July 5th, 2013 Today, we remember Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) as the most prominent composer of Italian opera in the first half of the 19th century. But, when he was a young man growing up in Bologna he was simply known as “La Grassa,” -
In touch with Charles Dutoit July 2nd, 2013 When I heard that Charles Dutoit is performing at the Guangzhou Opera House in July, a wave of nostalgia swept over me – I decided to reminisce about my summer at the Canton International Summer Music Academy in Guangzhou, seven -
The Cowherd’s Tower
Paul Hindemith and Gertrud Rottenberg I June 30th, 2013Paul Hindemith: String Quartet No. 3 in C major, Op. 16 The attentive and regular reader of my “In Love” column has surely come to understand that when it comes to musicians, artists and composers, love might not be the -
A Vision of Eternity
Schubert’s String Quintet June 29th, 2013Franz SchubertString Quintet in C major, Op. 163, D. 956(Stern, Casals, Tortelier, Schneider, Katims) (1956) In the autumn of 1822, Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828), a quiet, shy, gentle and introverted man of short stature, contracted syphilis. Affectionately called “Schwammerl,” a -
“Strangolapreti” June 28th, 2013 Giovanni Pierluigi Palestrina: Stabat Mater Picturesquely located in a glacial valley on the southern foothills of the Alps, the small town of Trento — also known as Trient — played a pivotal role in deciding the fate of the Roman -
The Frailty of a Genius: Frederic Chopin June 27th, 2013 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 -
The Old World just exploded!
Hindemith and Brahms June 26th, 2013Paul Hindemith was a precocious musical talent. Whatever he touched, he almost instantaneously mastered. He started violin lessons at an early age and was admitted to the Frankfurt Conservatory at age 12. He soon became an accomplished performer on several -
Rise of the Phoenix: La Fenice June 24th, 2013 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