5 Famous Beethoven Piano Works You Should Listen To
Beethoven is a particularly interesting composer as his life spanned both the Classical and Romantic movements. In his relatively short and troubled life, Beethoven composed … Read more
CLASSICAL
7 Beautiful Pieces of Classical Music Inspired by FairyTales
Classical Music Inspired by FairyTales 1. ‘Der Erlkönig’ by Franz Schubert (D.328) This is one of the most terrifying songs that Schubert ever wrote. It … Read more
St. Louis Symphony: From Choral Ensemble to Orchestra
The St. Louis Symphony, the second oldest symphonic orchestra in the United States, will begin its 136th season, Sept. 18, 2015, at its home base … Read more
Happy Birthday to Mildred J. Hill, the Composer of ‘Happy Birthday’
The song, Happy Birthday to You, is sung thousands of times every day and millions of times each year. It is that simple ditty of … Read more
The Legacy of Jacques Offenbach (1819–1880)
According to Richard Traubner in Operetta: A Theatrical History, Isaac Juda Eberst took the name Offenbach from a German city. He gave the name Jakob to … Read more
Pipe Organ History at Westminster Abbey
Pipe organs have been part of the majestic history of Westminster Abbey for hundreds of years. The current organ, made by the organ builders of … Read more
6 Signs You Have What it Takes to Become a Professional Musician
If you ask a professional musician what their career is like, they will more often than not explain that their job is much more demanding … Read more
Seven Reasons Why You Should Date a Classical Musician
The contemporary dating scene might, at times, resemble TS Eliot’s wasteland or, worse, a post-apocalyptic landscape punctuated by primeval beings who shy away from light. Apps like … Read more
Wine, Women and Music: Six interesting facts about the Waltz
Whether you agree with Graf, or simply enjoy twirling or, like Wagner, you have the deepest admiration for Johann Strauss II’s Wein, Weib und Gesang, … Read more
“The last Romantic Composer:” seven interesting Facts about Rachmaninoff
Described as a “six and a half foot scowl” by Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Rachmaninoff (born April 1st, 1873) rose to fame at age 18 with … Read more
The Great Piano Scam | Joyce Hatto Documentary
Many scandalous stories have rattled the world of classical music over and the ‘Great Piano Scam’ is perhaps one of the most interesting. The celebrated … Read more
Bösendorfer: the Story of Vienna’s Imperial Piano
Bösendorfer is the name of a company in Vienna, Austria, that has been manufacturing pianos since the early 19th century. Each piano is carefully handcrafted … Read more
Medieval Tritone Superstitions Proved Popular in 19th-Century Music
Out of all the musical intervals, the one that has been steeped in ominous superstitions since the Middle Ages is the tritone. This augmented fourth … Read more
10 Composers with a Criminal History
The first is that the vast majority of famous composers who committed crimes almost certainly got away with it. Until the mid-19th century, the criminal … Read more
Six Questions You Shouldn’t Ask An Opera Singer
Opera singers, like anyone doing a job in the public eye, get asked a lot of questions. Audience members and fans are keen to find … Read more