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On This Day
8 January: Arcangelo Corelli Died
The remarkable boom in music publishing around 1700 forever secured and spread the reputation of Arcangelo Corelli. His op. 1 was issued in 39 known editions between 1681 and 1790, and that does not include collective editions of opp. 1-4
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Why Does Classical Music Make Us So Emotional?
Have you ever found yourself awed by a symphony? Have you ever been moved to tears by a delicate cascade of notes in a piano concerto? Have you ever wondered why this music makes me feel so emotional? Classical music
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The Avant-Garde of 1760s London
Carl Friedrich Abel’s Symphony in D Major, WKO 41
English musician and historian Charles Burney, in his History of Music, vol. 2 (1782), credited three people with being the style leaders of the day: Felice Giardini, the director of the Italian opera theatre; J.C. Bach (London Bach), and Carl
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On This Day
5 January: Maurizio Pollini Was Born
The literary critic and cultural commentator Edward Said observed that “such complete satisfaction as offered by Maurizio Pollini’s consummately undemonstrative but unpretentious performances is very rarely found.” Pollini was able to conjure an infinite variety of tonal shades and inflections
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On This Day
4 January: Boris Berezovsky Was Born
Pianist Boris Berezovsky, born on 4 January 1969 in Moscow, has been described as “a player of dazzling virtuosity and formidable power.” Winner of the 1990 International Tchaikovsky Competition, he has established himself as a virtuoso pianist and a gifted
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Sound and Feeling – ‘Emotional’ Dynamics
“Dynamics” in music refers to the variation in loudness or intensity of sound. The use of dynamics adds depth, emotion, and expressiveness to the music, and the term encompasses a wide spectrum of volume levels, from the softest pianissimo to
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On This Day
3 January: Donizetti’s Don Pasquale Was Premiered
The opera buffa Don Pasquale, which was first staged on 3 January 1843 by the Théâtre-Italien at the Salle Ventadour, was an instant success. No wonder, as it was introduced by four of the most celebrated singers of the day,
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Hélène de Montgeroult: Did This Great Composer Avoid the Guillotine By Playing Piano?
The French Revolution was the dramatic backdrop to countless extraordinary life stories. Pianist and composer Hélène de Montgeroult had one of the most interesting. Over the course of her life, she faced political turmoil, violence, and unspeakable loss, but persevered
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