Rediscover Raff for his 200th Birthday
Imagine this. Someone asks you to name a famous German composer. You might answer with any number of names including Beethoven, Bach, Brahms, Schumann, Mendelssohn, or Handel. Similarly, if someone…
Beethoven FAQs
Who would win the award for "best classical composer" is debatable, but there's no denying that Ludwig van Beethoven would win the "most famous" award (along with Mozart). His name…
10 Cool Rossini Facts
Gioachino Rossini is a name well-known in opera circles. Although the Italian composer did write many songs, chamber works, and piano pieces, his 39 operas are what propelled him to…
Ippolitov-Ivanov: A Classical One Hit Wonder
If you haven't heard of the composer Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov, there's a very good reason. Despite writing numerous operas, orchestral works, pieces for ensembles, and songs, most of his music is…
Classical Sleigh Ride Alternatives To Leroy Anderson
Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride is by far one of the most well-known and frequently played Christmas songs, having been named "most popular" by ASCAP in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and…
Top 20 Heart-Wrenching, Moving Classical Pieces
When it comes to beautiful classical music, there's a lot to choose from. From slow and melodic to fast and memorable, there's something out there for everyone. Only a select…
Why Do Orchestras Need Sheet Music and Soloists Don’t?
Whether you are an avid orchestral performance attendee or you go to the occasional concert or two, you have probably seen at least one concerto featuring a soloist. You may…
7 Interesting Facts About The Grieg Piano Concerto
This May, DU Lamont School of Music's Heidi Leathwood will join the Parker Symphony in performing Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor. It's one of the composer's most popular works…
Karelia Suite Captures The Spirit of Finland
Since the Karelia Suite was composed by Jean Sibelius, a Finnish composer, you can imagine he infused a lot of his homeland into the piece. What you may not know,…
Photo courtesy of The New York Times - http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/theater/reviews/audra-mcdonald-in-the-gershwins-porgy-and-bess-review.html
11 Amazing Facts About Porgy and Bess
Porgy and Bess is one of George Gershwin's best-known works (along with Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris). It is an English-language folk opera featuring a cast of…