In classical music, the Romantic Era lasted from around 1810 to around 1910. That century gave us some of the most famous symphonies in the repertoire. Nineteenth-century composers like Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Dvořák, Schubert, Mahler, Rachmaninoff, and others elevated the symphony
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What the Well-Dressed Barber Wears August 16th, 2023 In looking at costuming for Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia, we found some interesting 19th-century interpretations of Figaro himself. In a production at the Théâtre Royal Italien in 1844, the artist and designer Alexandre Lacauchie put the serenading barber in -
Hedda Gabler: Manuscript on fire!
Johan Svendsen and Sarah Levett August 15th, 2023The play Hedda Gabler, written by the great Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen premiered in 1891. It details Hedda’s struggles as a newlywed with an existence she finds devoid of excitement and enchantment. She is the daughter of an aristocratic general -
Are Mozart’s Earliest Works Any Good? Listen To Them Here August 14th, 2023 Every music lover knows that Mozart was one of the most extraordinary prodigies in the history of music: he began composing when he was only five years old! But have you ever sat down and listened to these early works? -
On This Day
13 August: Jules Massenet Died August 13th, 2023By the death of Jules Massenet on 13 August, writes a correspondence for the Musical Times “France loses her most popular and most famous composer.” Contemporary critical assessment was rather less complimentary. “Massenet’s prolonged and widespread success,” according to Fuller -
The Music of Poetry
Johannes Brahms: Liebeslieder Waltzes Op. 52 August 13th, 2023While Johannes Brahms had rightfully hoped of gaining the conductorship of the Hamburg Philharmonic, the post was given to the baritone Julius Stockhausen instead. Dejected and disappointed, Brahms made his first visit to Vienna in the autumn of 1862, staying -
Children’s Operas in the 2000s August 13th, 2023 In my last article, I introduced six Children’s operas written in the 1900s. Children’s operas are often made for children or young people, but they also appeal to adult audiences. In this article, I share eight more children’s operas that -
Five of the Angriest Classical Music Feuds August 12th, 2023 Artistic types are famous for their big personalities and the beef and rivalries that result. Over the centuries, classical composers have had more than their fair share of tiffs. Today we’re looking at the stories and personalities behind five of -
On This Day
12 August: John Cage Died August 12th, 2023One of the most influential composers in the second half of the twentieth century, John Cage (1912-1992) was a leading figure of the post-war avant-garde. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, he