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 Arts and Music in the Early 20th Century October 14th, 2011 Eric Satie Parade (1917) Gymnopédies (1893) In their respective fields, Paul Cézanne and Claude Debussy influenced the artists of the early 20th century, which found their counterparts in intellectual circles formed around writers and poets such as Stéphane Mallarmé, Guillaume -
Fascinating Beats of Taiwan October 10th, 2011 Taiwan is a fascinating place. In 1949, the Republic of China lost Mainland China in the Chinese Civil War to the Communist Party of China and resettled its government in Taiwan. It brought not only its followers, but also a -
Franz Schubert’s Illness: The Melancholy of an Autumnal Sunset October 7th, 2011 “I am the most unhappy and miserable person in this world… my health will never improve, and in such despair, things will only become worse instead of better…” – Franz Schubert Austrian Composer Franz Schubert (1797-1828) is enshrined as the -
“Thank Brazilian pianists” September 30th, 2011 Recently, in Sao Paulo, I lived through a perfect example of the surreal music scene in Brazil. It was a wintry Sunday afternoon. We went to Sala Sao Paulo, the concert hall home to the Sao Paulo State Symphony Orchestra -
Roger Quilter September 30th, 2011 Roger Quilter (1877-1953) was an English composer known primarily for his elegant and distinguished art songs. He has composed more than 100 of them throughout his career, in addition to his choral, instrumental, and stage works. -
“The Secret Passage”
Felix Mendelssohn and Delphine von Schauroth September 30th, 2011Felix Mendelssohn Song without words Book 1, Op 19No. 6 Andante sostenuto in G minor “Venezianisches Gondellied” (Venetian Boat Song) No. 1 (1830) Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor Op. 25 (1830-31) On his way to Italy, Felix Mendelssohn -
Grigory Sokolov September 23rd, 2011 Aix-en-Provence 17th August 2011 On the 3rd of August, I saw Sokolov live at the 31st International Piano Festival of La Roque d’Anthéron. What a delightful concert it was! I have heard a plethora of superlatives about the playing of -
Orchestra in the mall September 23rd, 2011 It is Proms season again. But I am not going to describe any of those splendid concerts staged at the Royal Albert Hall. I just want to talk about a free live concert held on June 21 by the BBC