Throughout history, classical composers have written pieces based on all kinds of stories; but only one composer has ever undertaken the daunting task of telling 1001 stories in a single composition. While most composers would never dare to attempt the assimilation of such a wide range of stories into a single piece of music, Nikolai […]
Audacious, informal, and energetic, Brooklyn Rider performs music that is not only cross-cultural but also cross-genre. The string quartet is named after the city in which it is based – quite fitting, considering the fact that Brooklyn is most famous for its vibrant multicultural background. On Monday, February 16th, the quartet gave a relaxed concert […]
Dartmouth College is one of the coolest educational institutions on the face of the earth, and it never ceases to amaze me. On January 15th, Philip Glass simply strolled into my Ethnomusicology class, holding a hot cup of coffee, and began speaking with us as if we were a group of old friends. Whenever he […]
Giuseppi Verdi was the shining star of the Romantic Era, and was best known for his operas. However, Verdi’s Requiem is not an opera; rather, it is a piece written for orchestra, chorus, and four solo singers: a male tenor, a male baritone, a female soprano, and a female mezzo-soprano. It has seven movements, one […]
July 27th - five days ago - was the birthday of two very important musicians: Enrique Granados and Ernst von Dohnanyi. Forgive me for not writing this article five days ago, but as they say, ”the best laid plans of mice and men go oft awry.”
Enrique Granados (1867 - 1916) was a Spanish composer who was […]
Mahler is undoubtedly one of my favorite composers. Fueled by my interest in his work, I researched his life and his music, and wrote the following biography. Understanding the life and personality of a musician almost always allows you to better enjoy his music. After writing the following, my love for Mahler’s music only increased.
In […]