Jean-Philippe Rameau, born in Dijon and baptised on 25 September 1683, was France’s leading 18th-century composer. In his lifetime, however, he was primarily known as a music theorist. His 1722 Treatise on Harmony, establishing the development of a fundamental bass,

Many composers and listeners have a twisted fascination with dark themes like sin, death, punishment, and hell. Today, we’re looking at ten pieces of classical music about hell and seeing how classical composers have crafted vivid musical depictions of the

A couple of years ago, Interlude published a blog on the 10 most beautiful piano quartets. Once again, featuring just 10 works in that particular genre is simply not enough. So, we decided to present a follow-up, highlighting 10 more

Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky was a giant of late nineteenth century Russian music. To show their appreciation for his artistry, many of his colleagues dedicated works to him, especially after his early and unexpected death in November of 1893. Today, we’re

Fire has endless contradictory connotations, from the agony of flesh burns to the heat of romantic passion to the comforting domestic warmth of hearth and home. Fire is also a universal symbol of both destruction and renewal. Maybe that’s why

At one point, Mexico was known as New Spain. In fact, it was a colony of the Kingdom of Spain for over 300 years, and the colonial masters rather brutally ruled their subjects. In the end, a Catholic priest in

The 83 Romances by Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) include some of his finest and most memorable music. They are part of the Russian contribution to the great 19th-century stream of Romantic songs, and the composer cultivated the musical garden he inherited

Classical music composers have always been drawn to the inspiration present in the natural world, and many have gotten close to it by gardening themselves or even writing music about gardens. Today, we’re looking at ten pieces of classical music