Over the centuries, many of history’s most important women composers were forced to publish under male pseudonyms. Across the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, dozens of women composers adopted masculine or gender-neutral identities so their work would be reviewed
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Mélanie Bonis August 1st, 2011 Fantaisie, Op.72 “Septuor” (1906) Suite en Trio Op.59 (1903) Ballade, Op.27 Mélanie “Mel” Bonis (1858 – 1937) was a prolific French composer who wrote more than three hundred pieces, including works for piano solo and four hands, chamber and choral -
Reaching for the ideal July 31st, 2011 Reflections on the Advanced Cultural Leadership Program I have always been called ‘an idealist’ – pursuing beauty in the world and striving for the brightest side of the human soul. Some of my friends said that it is almost impossible -
The One-Armed Swordsman
Paul Wittgenstein and Ravel’s Left Hand Piano Concerto July 30th, 2011“The One-Armed Swordsman” (Dubei dao “獨臂刀”) is an old Chinese film depicting the life of a swordsman of the Golden Sword School. During a ferocious fight, the swordsman’s right arm tragically gets cut off, ending his career as a swordsman. -
Valse-Scherzo of Lust
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Yosif Kotek July 29th, 2011Yosif Kotek with Tchaikovsky The interaction between teacher and student, at its most fundamental level, might be described as the attempt to forge a meaningful relationship to the past. This relationship depends on the extent to which it takes traditions -
Li-Wei Qin July 15th, 2011 “Li-Wei is the most gifted young cellist I have heard. Aside from an extraordinary technical fluency, he has a musical intelligence and sensitivity which is breathtaking both for its maturity and profound vision” – Paul Cutts, The Strad “Li-Wei is -
The Classical Age in Music and the Arts July 12th, 2011 In the middle of the 18th century the last shadows of the Baroque faded into the more intimate, colorful and pastoral Rococo period. All of the art forms, particularly those in painting and music, emphasize the “artificial” disguised as the -
Quintet of Discontent
César Franck and Augusta Holmès July 11th, 2011The actress Madam Félicité Saillot Desmousseaux, better remembered as the dutiful wife of César Franck (1822-1890), greeted the arrival of her husband’s Piano Quintet in F minor with public condemnation, fiery scorn and a deeply professed hatred. Surprisingly, the same -
Pinnock’s smile: baroque music at its best July 8th, 2011 There is an illuminating – if difficult to verify – account that, during the French Revolution, the harpsichords of the Paris Conservatoire were dismantled and used for firewood. Such stories are, sadly, recurring themes in times of instability: proud intellectuals