In a ranking of madcap artists and composers, Erik Satie would almost certainly take first prize. His whacky eccentricities, tied to the subconscious world of chimera and dream, are surely the essence of French decadence. As we approach his birthday
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It seems like everyone in the music world has opinions about the music of John Cage. Some people love his work, while others loathe it. Regardless of how you feel, it’s always a great idea to learn more about any
All beginnings are difficult, but you have to start somewhere. This might well have been the motto for Guntram, the first opera by Richard Strauss. Or, as the composer himself declared, “all of Guntram is a prelude.” Working on the
As this article is being written around the Christmas period, and the Christian churches are filled with festive religious music, let’s have a better look at the different types of sacred music, their composers, and how they have evolved over
Born in Stockholm, Sweden, on 9 May 1955, Anne Sofie von Otter is one of the finest singers of her generation. Internationally recognised as a concert and recital singer of exceptional gifts, von Otter has built an incomparable catalogue of
The flute is one of the best-loved instruments in band and orchestra, and it’s easy to understand why. It is incredibly versatile, can play an exceptionally wide range of notes, and plays a starring role in classical music, jazz, and
The Staatsoper in Berlin saw one of the most elaborate and spectacular productions of 20th-century opera on 5 May 1930. Christophe Colomb to a libretto by Paul Claudel and with music by Darius Milhaud features more than 30 characters in
Franz Schubert’s final chamber work, the String Quintet in C Major (D. 956) is regarded as one of the greatest compositions in all of chamber music. The “sublime” second movement has long been viewed as the essence of coming to