Classical Musicians and Reviews

Now a subject very much in vogue due to the Harry Potter books, sorcerers or wizards have been a source of inspiration for many composers. Read interpretations from Dukas, Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Delibes, Stravinsky, Purcell, Gilbert and Sullivan, Adolph Adam and Rimsky-Korsakov, and Andrew Thomas.

Samhain was the Celtic precursor of Halloween and is popular today. The old festival celebrated the last harvest of the year and the nearness of the Otherworld. Samhain songs can be an enjoyable part of modern celebrations.

Includes embedded videos, text and translations, general remarks about each piece and specific listening guides. Learn to love Renaissance choral music (no prior knowledge required)!

Dogs are commonly called man's best friend. Maybe not so much wolves and foxes, but read about how composers have been inspired by these wonderful creatures - Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Janáĉek, Prokoviev, Charles Lecoq, Franz Reizenstein and George Crumb.

From crystal clear mountain tarns to the Caspian Sea, lakes have drawn mankind to both appreciate and fear their charms. Read how these composers have been inspired to write about them: Tchaikovsky, Vaughan Williams, Lyadov, Eric Coates, Ola Gjeilo, Alan Hovhaness, Thea Musgrave and Robert Farnon.

Man has been able to create fire for at least a million years. Read about how composers of classical music have written music inspired by fire, including Debussy, Beethoven, Manuel de Falla, Shostakovich, Haydn, Prokoviev, Handel and Stravinsky.

Do you want to play piano like Nodame, but are having trouble finding all the sheet music? Here is a collection of the featured piano music in the anime and live-action drama Nodame Cantabile.

The cornett, cornetto, or zink produces a lovely sound that often resembles the human voice. It has finger holes like a recorder and a mouthpiece like a trumpet. It's popular with early music fans.

Composers have found inspiration in ghostly matters and the psychological elements they inevitably throw up. Read how Stravinsky, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Britten, Schumann, Dvorak, Wagner, Strauss, Vaughan Williams, Gilbert & Sullivan and Adolphe Adam have set ghostly themes to music.

Many of us love Autumn's warm colours. They glow beautifully before they fall and nurture the earth. These composers have been inspired by Autumn: Tchaikovsky, Glazunov, Vivaldi, Rautavaara, Massenet, Britten, Milhaud, Piazzolla, Oliver Knussen, Thea Musgrave, Edward MacDowell and John Cage.

Souling in order to receive a soul cake is a tradition from the past that was a forerunner of trick-or-treating. The lovely "Soul Cake" song has been recorded by multiple artists.

To some gardeners, roses are indispensable. Combining exquisite flowers with gorgeous scent they can be hard to resist. And when looking for a name for a new rose, why not turn to the great composers for inspiration. Read about 8 composers and the roses that they have been named after.

A few classical music fun facts. Maybe they will spark an interest or maybe they are just a bit of trivia to lighten your moodl

Sergei Prokofiev was a major twentieth-century composer who has left us some beautiful music as a legacy. His compositions were often unusual for his time.

Lovely Christmas songs can be found in the early music genre and in the music of more recent times. Twelve of these songs are discussed and sung in this article.

Rigoletto is a popular opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi. In this article I discuss the opera's history, plot, and leading characters. I also include some of its lovely music.