In 1918, between his Flute Concerto and his third symphony, Carl Nielsen wrote one of his few tone poems: Pan og Syrinx (Pan and Syrinx). The nymph Syrinx, known for her chastity, and vowing, as a follower of the huntress
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Violet Gordon-Woodhouse: The Daring Harpsichordist In a Ménage à Cinq! January 27th, 2024
Violet Gordon-Woodhouse changed how listeners approached and appreciated Baroque music. She helped spur the revival of the harpsichord and Baroque Era composers, making a big contribution to the beginnings of the historical performance practice movement, which is still going strong - On This Day
27 January: Emmanuel Pahud Was Born January 27th, 2024Swiss flautist Emmanuel Pahud has been hailed as the finest flautist of his generation, “admired for the purity and subtlety of his tonal colours, his imaginative phrasing and his command of a broad range of styles.” Pahud auditioned for principal - On This Day
26 January: Jacqueline du Pré Was Born January 26th, 2024Cellist Jacqueline du Pré only began to perform publicly at the age of sixteen, “yet her musical genius was evident at a very early age and its special nature was defined by her rich emotional inner world, rather than her -
Mrs. Billington the Caricatured Singer January 26th, 2024
In the caricatures of James Gillray (1756–1815) in the early years of the 19th century, the soprano Mrs. Billington figures large. James Gillray started working as an apprentice to a lettering engraver and in 1778, was admitted to the Royal - Erik Satie’s Jack in the Box January 25th, 2024 In 1899, Erik Satie (1866–1925) wrote a little pantomime ballet for piano entitled Jack in the Box to a scenario by the illustrator Jules Depaquit, an artist who was his very good friend and known for his love of hoaxes.
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Is Classical Music Boring? We’re Sounding Off January 24th, 2024
Classical music is often thought of as stuffy, insufferable, and boring. But is it? We’d argue that it’s not. The stereotypes fail to recognize the depth, beauty, and transportive power of classical music. We’re ready to debunk the myth that - Elegies for One Lost at Sea
Aaron Copland’s Elegies for Hart Crane January 23rd, 2024The American poet Hart Crane committed suicide en route from Mexico to New York by uttering a brief ‘Goodbye, everybody!’ and jumping overboard from the steamship Orizaba. His body was not recovered. He was only 32 years old. At the -
Beethoven for Beginners: 13 Works to Make You Love Beethoven January 22nd, 2024
Ludwig van Beethoven was born in 1770 in Bonn, Germany. He would become one of the most important figures in the history of Western music. Here are some things you should know about him: He always had a troubled home