The love story between Robert and Clara Schumann is often regarded as one of the most romantic in classical music history. Happily for historians, many of their love letters survive. They document their inner thoughts and emotions, as well as
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Approaching the Music Drama
Wagner, Weber and Marschner January 29th, 2013Richard Wagner consistently downplayed the significance of his musical education. Undoubtedly, he was very keen to cultivate the notion of the untutored genius, just as Ludwig van Beethoven had done. However, as we saw in our last episode, his first -
2013: Here’s to Lutosławski! January 28th, 2013 Dance Preludes When you’re asked to think of a twentieth-century composer who uses imaginative textures and sounds, who do you think of? Ravel? Boulez? What about folk melodies – who springs to mind then? Bartok, or maybe Vaughan-Williams? And an -
Promoting Culture or Vanity Projects? January 24th, 2013 It was recently reported that Hunan province is going to build its very own “Sydney Opera House”, which is due to be completed in 2015. The designer is the renowned architect Zaha Hadid, who also designed the Guangzhou Opera House, -
Parade! January 22nd, 2013 The Parisian café-concert established itself during the Second Empire as a standard diversion of the urban bourgeoisie and working class by providing a combination of dinner and song. Offering entertainment provided by strolling entertainers singing drinking-songs, along with refreshments at -
A Case of Narcissistic Personality Disorder?
Wagner, Minna Planer and Jessie Laussot January 21st, 2013Christoph Columbus (1835) One certainly could not fault Richard Wagner for being persistent, but one has to question his judgment regarding his pursuit of Minna Planer. Minna did everything in her power to get rid of him! She fled from -
The Musical Knight from Italy – Riccardo Muti January 14th, 2013 ‘I am the ultimate outsider,’ conductor Riccardo Muti told Norman Lebrecht in a BBC interview. After hearing their conversation, I had an image of Muti, wearing shiny armor, riding on a horse, and conquering the world with the sword of -
Bring in the Clowns!
Poulenc Sonata for Clarinet and Piano January 14th, 2013Sonata for clarinet and piano (FP 184) Francis Poulenc Francis Poulenc Clarinet Sonata The French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, boxing manager, playwright and filmmaker Jean Cocteau magnanimously announced in 1918, that his principal goal was the elimination of all foreign -
Beethoven’s Shadow!
Richard Wagner January 12th, 2013At the tender age of 13 and accompanied by his mother, young Richard made his first journey to the city of Prague. They visited his two sisters who were employed as singers at the National Opera. The vibrant cultural and