Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina’s (1525-1594) fame in music history is unmatched. While most of his predecessors and contemporaries faded from view, Palestrina maintained his prestige at an ever higher level for 200 years after his death. As Lawrence B. Porter
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“The Father of Haydn’s Style” In 2025, we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the passing of the highly influential Italian composer Giovanni Battista Sammartini (1700-1775). Sammartini was one of the foremost composers of the 18th century and a key figure
“Inspiration is an awakening” One of the most important and influential composers in the history of opera, Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) produced works of emotional depth, melodic beauty, and rich orchestration. Bringing a new level of realism and expressiveness to the
“The music is beautiful, but too clever and old fashioned for the theatre” The above quote originates in a letter from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to his father Leopold. Mozart was in Naples in 1770 and had just seen a performance
“The time we pass on earth is not worth the effort” The Italian violinist and composer Giovanni Battista Viotti (1755-1824), born on 12 May 1755 at Fontanetto da Po in Piedmont, Italy, was probably the most influential violinist between Tartini
“Subtle Colours and Responsibility to the Audience” Baritone Andrè Schuen found his way to singing, in his own words, ‘quite late on’. Growing up playing the cello in his small hometown of La Val, nestled in Northern Italy at the
‘Music is… a Source of Good for the World’ Young Italian pianist Filippo Gorini has already performed in some of the world’s most prestigious venues, including the Berlin Konzerthaus, Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, and Wigmore Hall in London. Filippo rose
Finding the Heart of Early Music Based in London, Italian pianist Margherita Torretta has given concerts from Asia to the USA, Australia, and all over Europe. Her renown as an interpreter of Baroque and Classical keyboard works, in particular, Scarlatti,