For as long as composers have been writing music, they’ve been inspired by the mystery, mood, and mythology of the night. We’ve gathered ten pieces of classical music about the night that explore themes associated with the hours after dark,
Latest article
Spotlight
-
The Magic of Amateur Musicians February 14th, 2013 We professionals rarely, if ever read through music for fun. We are too busy preparing music. I avoid sight-reading, if I can. I am a professional musician after all! I take pride in preparation, precision and perfection. I delve beyond -
In touch with Matthew Tommasini February 13th, 2013 Matthew Tommasini recalled how emerging young pianist Haochen Zhang suggested to composer Bright Sheng at The Intimacy of Creativity – The Bright Sheng Partnership: Composers Meet Performers in Hong Kong last year that maybe he should cut his music piece -
A Life Misunderstood February 13th, 2013 Robert Schumann (1810 – 1856) is widely regarded as cornerstone to Germany’s romantic era. Not only was he an accomplished composer, he also inaugurated and published for Die Neue Zeitschrift für Musik (the New Journal for Music), one of the -
Let the Sunshine in!
Wagner and Bellini February 12th, 2013By 1834, Richard Wagner was not only honing his musical and dramatic skills, he was also starting to express himself in a series of essays. In his article Die Deutsche Oper (German Opera), published in Laube’s Zeitung für die elegante -
Wedding on the Eiffel Tower February 12th, 2013 Hot on the heels of the shocking notoriety achieved with Parade, Jean Cocteau went to work on a surrealist spectacle entitled The Wedding Party on the Eiffel Tower. He described it as a sort of secret marriage between Ancient Greek -
Martin Fröst February 11th, 2013 Martin Fröst is one of the world’s most highly-acclaimed clarinettists, well-known for his huge versatility. Concerto appearances, chamber music, conducting: he is highly respected across all these fields, in addition to being a proponent of commissioning new works for the -
Waltzing Mathilde
Wagner and Mathilde Wesendonck February 8th, 20135 Gedichte fur eine Frauenstimme, Op. 91, “Wesendonck-Lieder” The beautiful and talented poet and playwright Agnes Mathilde Luckemeyer married the silk merchant Otto Wesendonck in 1848. The couple moved to Zurich and Otto, having done extremely well in his profession, -
“Le Grand Combat”
Witold Lutosławski January 31st, 20133 Poems by Henri Michaux Although Witold Lutosławski experimented with serial and post-serial techniques, he always found the results rather unsatisfactory. This was particularly true of compositions utilizing the human voice. Awkward intervals and highly complex rhythms demanded a high