Unlike today, where composers can receive or pitch for commissions from individuals, companies, or foundations, the options for funding during the Baroque Era were considerably narrower. It’s worth ...

Igor Stravinsky, equally famous for composing some of the most extraordinary Russian ballets, offered considerable compliments towards Tchaikovsky’s ballets, especially Sleeping Beauty. Stravinsky ...

For tens of thousands of people, going to a gig or concert is a passion. For others, the very idea of standing in a crowd of 10,000 jiggling fans listening to a band or orchestra is appalling. For ...

In a recent article, I gave a broad account of the evolution of the violin with a particular focus on the work of the Cremona luthiers. At the head of this revolutionary group of innovators was the ...

The influence of W.A. Mozart across all areas of culture has been colossal, from the Baby Mozart Project through to contemporary song. You can hardly pass through a day without encountering the music ...

Two exhibits from the collection stand out to me as particularly striking and provocative pieces of art. The first is called Blossom by Sanford Biggers and dates back to 2007. Here the piano appears ...

Nationalism can be considered to refer to music that embraces some traditional elements such as that of folk songs or typical dance forms. It can also include aspects of culture that specifically ...

The 19 th Century witnessed some of the most extreme musical developments in Western history. Everything appeared to be expanding. Orchestras commonly numbered a hundred performers, the duration of ...

Like many prodigies before him, Verdi showed obvious musical talent and interest from a young age. Neither of his parents was particularly musically skilled. His Mother was a spinner and his father a ...

It’s not unreasonable to imagine that classical and folk music are completely separate genres. Never the twain shall meet, however, folk music has played a central role in Western Classical Music for ...

When it comes to accurately measuring the impact Ludwig van Beethoven had on the musical world, numerous academic tomes deal with this in an appropriate level of detail. In a nutshell, Beethoven’s ...

Tracing the evolution of any instrument is rewarding, informative, and enlightening. It may be particularly so if you have ever played or are interested in learning to play this instrument. Of all the ...