As a mythological character, Hercules is one who has always captured our attention. Famed for his strength and for his adventures around the known world, he’s caught the attention of writers and musicians for centuries. The stories and feats of
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The Music of Poetry
Roald Dahl: Macabre Verse September 13th, 2023Roald Dahl, born on 13 September 1916 in Cardiff, has been called “one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century.” From Sophie’s adventures in the BFG and James’ journey into the Giant Peach, to Matilda’s bravery and -
On This Day
13 September: Nobuyuki Tsujii Was Born September 13th, 2023The 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition became a huge catalyst for Chinese pride when Haochen Zhang, one of the youngest winners in the history of the competition, was declared a Gold Medallist. For much of the enthusiastic crowd, it -
Berlioz in Life and Pictures September 12th, 2023 The last time we looked at a man with distinctive hair, we were looking at the representations of Beethoven. Now we can look at another B composer, Hector Berlioz (1803-1869). His hair was also a defining part of his imagery -
Khatia Buniatishvili: Top 5 Performances of the Controversial Pianist September 11th, 2023 Khatia Buniatishvili is a shining star of the online piano world. Her videos have racked up millions upon millions of views; every month, 1.5 million listeners tune into her performances on Spotify; and our 2021 article about her is one -
Violin Masterworks Inspired by Joseph Szigeti September 10th, 2023 The Hungarian violinist Joseph Szigeti (1892-1973) carried the nickname “The Scholarly Virtuoso.” That nickname is hardly surprising as Szigeti authored a number of books. Among them, we find a pedagogical treatise addressing technical challenges and innovations in twentieth-century repertoire, and -
Six of the Best Romantic Era Piano Sonatas by Women Composers September 9th, 2023 The Romantic Era: it was a time of drama, high emotion, and relentless social upheaval. And over the course of the nineteenth century, more women than ever before were allowed to find their creative voices. Today we’re looking at six -
The Child Prodigies of Classical Music
From Mendelssohn to Korngold September 9th, 2023This is the concluding episode in the series featuring music written by child prodigies. Felix Mendelssohn Before Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) reached the tender age of sixteen, he already had more than 150 surviving compositions to his name. Mendelssohn did not -
Michelangelo’s “David”
Unveiled in Florence on 8 September September 8th, 2023Created between 1501 and 1504, Michelangelo’s “David” is perhaps the most famous statue in Florence, if not in the world. When it was finished, “no other artwork, modern or ancient, Greek or Latin, is equal to it in any respect,