New Releases Apr. 8: Instrument Spotlights
Deep dives into contemporary violin repertoire, recent trombone works, and not-so-recent concertos for lute, as well as an album-length survey of preludes and chamber arrangements of beloved Stephen Sondheim touchstones.
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From 17th Century Spectacle to Contemporary Classics, a First Look at Chicago’s Fall Opera Season
Whether you’re new to opera or consider yourself a connoisseur, there’s something for everyone to enjoy this fall in Chicago. Here are four operas we are excited to see in the coming months.
We tested earbuds ranging from $9.99 to $999.95 to find the best pair for listening to classical music. Here’s what we found.
Earbuds, earphones, in-ear monitors. There are a lot of products that allow you to listen to music on the go. But what makes them different and which ones are the best for your needs?
“I Remember Lenny” | On Bernstein’s 99th Birthday, Carl Grapentine Reflects on the Man and His Music
I grew up with Leonard Bernstein. No, I didn’t live anywhere near Lawrence, Massachusetts where he was born August 25, 1918. And he was more than thirty years older than I. But as a child growing up in the 1950s, I was the perfect age to enjoy The Mickey Mouse Club and Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts. I was 8 ...
This Gorgeous Piano Nocturne by Chopin Might Be Even Better Arranged for Violin
Chopin wrote his Nocturne Op. 9, No. 2 in E-flat major between 1830 and 1832 and the piece was first published in 1833. The Nocturne Op. 9, No. 2 is one of the most popular of Chopin’s 21 nocturnes as evidenced by the number of arrangements made for other instruments. Karol Lipiński made the first arrangement during Chopin’s lifetime for ...
Video: Watch This Young Pianist Play Ridiculously Hard Works by Chopin… Blindfolded!
Frédéric Chopin’s Étude Op. 10, No. 4 and Prelude Op. 28, No. 16 are notorious for being among the composer’s most challenging works to play. And when pianist Aldric Gozon learned these two pieces, he didn’t stop at getting the notes right – he played both blindfolded. Chopin wrote Étude Op. 10, No. 4 in 1830 as part of his ...
Your Guide to Chopin’s Nocturnes
Learn about some of Chopin's signature compositions: his most important nocturnes.
Playlist: Your Guide to Chopin’s Orchestral Works
Though Chopin did not compose many works for piano and orchestra — just six! — he kept them in his concert repertoire throughout his career.
This Breakdance Duet to Chopin’s ‘Fantaisie-Impromptu’ Will Send You Spinning
When Frédéric Chopin composed his Fantaisie-Impromptu, he probably didn’t expect for the work to serve as the music for a breakdance duet. But at Arabesque 2014, an international ballet competition hosted by the Perm Ballet Opera Theatre, one entry in the “modern choreography” category used Fantaisie-Impromptu for just that purpose. Fantaisie-Impromptu was written in 1834, but it wasn’t published until ...
Hear These Uncovered Piano Masterworks from Haiti
Haitian composer Ludovic Lamothe has been nicknamed the “Black Chopin” because of his virtuosic writing for the piano. Lamothe is scarcely the only composer from Haiti to compose incredible keyboard works. For centuries, Haitian composers have brought African, French, and Spanish influences together to create pieces – particularly for piano – that reflect the island nation’s cultural identity. Many of ...
Hear Astor Piazzolla’s Tango Take on Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons’
Unlike Vivaldi’s concertos, Piazzolla’s Four Seasons wasn’t originally intended to be a series.
