Leo Marillier is one of today’s most exciting young violinists. An active soloist, chamber musician and recording artist, he currently combines his busy schedule with study at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. We got in touch with

Pierre de Manchicourt: O Virgo virginum In 1554, a remarkable wedding ceremony took place at Winchester Cathedral. The bride was described as “a faded little woman with red hair and no eyebrows.” That little woman was no other than Mary

From the Diary of a Hermit At one time or another, Charles-Valentin Alkan (1813-1888) was mentioned in the same breath with Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt and even compared with Hector Berlioz. Not only was Alkan — he was born

Classical or jazz? That is the question – Quatuor Ébène ‘We are so jetlag!’ said Mathieu Herzog, viola player from Quatuor Ébène. Great, I thought. In front of me were four handsome Frenchmen, who studied extensively with the Ysaye Quartet

Curious Matters of the Heart André Ernest Modeste GrétryString Quartet in D major, Op. 3, No. 4 Zemire et Azor: Air de Ballet It is hardly uncommon for relatives and friends — generally called heirs — to squabble over the

The Prince of Harp Tall, charming, intelligent were words that came to my mind when I first met French harpist Xavier de Maistre for a recording session at a radio station. Xavier shines through his beautiful playing, eloquence, and polite

“Solenne Païdassi has won the Baltic International Violin Competition. {…} She won because of her very intimate style of interpretation and her spontaneous, unprompted joy in playing music. She also demonstrated richness of sound and wide dynamics from subtle piano

Fantaisie, Op.72 “Septuor” (1906) Suite en Trio Op.59 (1903) Ballade, Op.27 Mélanie “Mel” Bonis (1858 – 1937) was a prolific French composer who wrote more than three hundred pieces, including works for piano solo and four hands, chamber and choral