The love story between Robert and Clara Schumann is often regarded as one of the most romantic in classical music history. Happily for historians, many of their love letters survive. They document their inner thoughts and emotions, as well as
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Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
A Legacy of Innovation and Vision May 31st, 2025At the time of his death on 31 May 1809, Joseph Haydn was a cultural hero, venerated as the first of the three “Viennese Classics.” He started his career in the traditional patronage system of the late Austrian Baroque and -
Niccolò Paganini’s Devilish Genius
10 Tracks that Conjure his Violin Sorcery May 27th, 2025In the 19th-century concert hall, Niccolò Paganini emerged like a figure plucked from a dark fairy tale. His tall, gaunt frame was cloaked in black, with his long jet-black hair trailing like a shadow. He moved with quiet intensity, and -
Ten of the Best Nocturnes by Women Composers May 25th, 2025 Nocturnes in classical music are known for their dreamy moods and quiet introspection. The most famous were written by canonical composers like John Field, Chopin, and Debussy. However, many women composers outside the traditional canon have also crafted stunning nocturnes, -
Richard Wagner’s Secret Keys
The Story of His Piano Music May 22nd, 2025When we think of Richard Wagner, born on 22 May 1813, we envision grand operas, mythic tales, and orchestral splendour. Works like The Ring Cycle, Tristan and Isolde, or Lohengrin thrived in the theatre, where he could blend music, drama, -
Oboe and Harp Mastery
Dedicated to Heinz and Ursula Holliger May 21st, 2025Heinz Holliger, born on 21 May 1939, achieved worldwide fame as an oboist, performing and recording some of the earworm pieces from the Baroque and Classical periods. Yet, as he explained on the occasion of his 80th birthday, “composing has -
Ten Sublime Mélodies by Gabriel Fauré May 12th, 2025 Gabriel Fauré’s mélodies represent a pinnacle of French art song, distinguished by their lyrical refinement, harmonic subtlety, and profound sensitivity to poetic texts. Fauré’s vocal compositions number over 100, and they demonstrate a melodic inventiveness that balances emotional expressivity with -
Playlist: A Beginner’s Guide to Messiaen April 26th, 2025 I’ve always felt Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992) was something of a “Marmite composer”: you either love his music or you don’t. It’s not the easiest music to listen to. I remember playing one of the movements from Messiaen’s extraordinary Vingt Regards -
10 Pieces of Classical Music About Childhood April 21st, 2025 Classical music sometimes has a reputation of being solely for elderly people. If that’s true (spoiler alert: it’s not), it’s certainly strange how many pieces of classical music are about childhood and youth. Today we’re looking at classical music inspired