F-sharp major: “Triumph over difficulty, free sigh of relief uttered when hurdles are surmounted; echo of a soul which has fiercely struggled and finally conquered lies in all uses of this key”. – Christian Shubart Ideen zu einer Aesthetik der

You probably will have heard at least something on this list already, perhaps without even realising. The clarinet has a chameleon-like ability to change styles at the drop of a hat, and while there might not be many solo clarinet

There’s a special nobility to B-flat Major. Open and expressive, it’s regarded as an uplifting key, full of hope and aspiration. The first movements of Bach’s Partita No.1, and Schubert’s final piano sonata share this openness and nobility. Meanwhile, Beethoven’s

The piano was Ludwig van Beethoven’s favourite instrument. He was a virtuoso at the keyboard, and his compositions for piano “became a vehicle for experimenting not only with the fundamental aspects and techniques of music, but also a means of

“It is no coincidence that the literature of ‘original compositions’ for four hands is limited to this period….its true master is Schubert.” Quoted from Theodor Adorno’s article, “Four Hands, Once Again.” Music for piano four hands came to popularity almost

The clarinet often feels a bit left out when sitting next to its windy friends in the orchestra. There they all are, the flute, oboe, and bassoon, sitting high and mighty, all firm fixtures in the group when the new

Why does one choose a piece of music over another? The best cello pieces ever written are, for me, the ones that I return to over and over that always seem to offer new insights and emotions. The greatest repertoire

When I was a little girl, my parents took me to the Cathedral in Hong Kong. I just loved that huge space that seemed to have so many memories. But what was really fascinating was the fact that it was