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The Poetry And Power Of Pianist Alessio Bax
From delicate Bach to thundering Rachmaninoff, hear the young pianist perform in the APM studio.
(18 November)
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When Is A Duet Actually A Duet?
Do you have to have two living musical partners for a collaboration to be successful? New projects pairing living artists with long-dead icons raise some spectral possibilities.
(18 November)
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The Dog Ate My Page Turner
Fridays are funnier with a classical cartoon at noon, from Deceptive Cadence.
(18 November)
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The Subspecies Of Pianists, Or, What Jerry Lee Lewis And Beethoven Share
In a new book, pianist, composer and author Stuart Isacoff proposes an aural taxonomy of pianists.
(18 November)
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Around The Classical Internet: November 11, 2011
Stage managing as an iPhone game, risky cellos and a record-breaking violin: all the news that's fit to link.
(18 November)
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And Then There Were Three: Universal Will Buy EMI
The storied label's recorded music and publishing arms will be divided and sold, trimming the number of major record labels to just three: Sony, Universal and Warner.
(18 November)
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Aaron Copland's Forgotten Score Re-Emerges
Quiet City was music that Aaron Copland wrote for playwright Irwin Shaw. Shaw's play of the same name was a flop, and Copland's original score was never published. Now, there's an encore to this story.
(18 November)
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Hilary Hahn Revives The Classical Encore
The Grammy-winning musician isn't looking for applause — she's trying to get composers to write more encores, short pieces of music that are a centuries-old staple for classical violinists.
(18 November)
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Five Musicians Who Are Fun To Follow On Twitter
There are loads of fascinating classical music discussions taking place on this social media mainstay. We point you to some of our favorite 140-character conversationalists.
(18 November)
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Angela Gheorghiu's Callas Comparisons
One of today's reigning opera divas needn't rely on a long-gone legend to help sell records.
(18 November)
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John Eliot Gardiner's Historic Beethoven At Carnegie Hall
One of the world's top original instruments ensembles, the Revolutionary and Romantic Orchestra, plays Beethoven by the book.
(18 November)
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Earthy Elizabethan Elegance From William Byrd
No historical fakery: Here's the real music of the Elizabethan era.
(18 November)
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Talk Like An Opera Geek: Managing Mezzos, Altos And Contraltos
Learn to love our low-voiced lady opera singers who get to play everything from royalty to rivals.
(18 November)
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Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile And Stuart Duncan: Tiny Desk Concert
The genre-bending cellist heads a dream team of string players in music that borrows from bluegrass.
(18 November)
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Turkey, Cranberries And Composers At The Table
Commentator Miles Hoffman invites an eclectic group of long-gone composers to Thanksgiving dinner.
(18 November)
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The 6 Days Of Christmas Puzzler
Had enough of the holidays already? Enjoy 50% less stress with our Six Days Of Christmas classical quiz.
(20 December)
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Robert Kyr's 'Songs' From A Desert Monastery
Each year, Oregon-based composer Robert Kyr travels to a secluded northern New Mexico monastery to compose. NPR's John Burnett has been following the progress of his latest composition, Songs of the Soul.
(16 December)
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Best Musical Moment Of 2010: Jennifer Higdon's Unsung Heroes
Earlier this year, Higdon's Violin Concerto earned her a Pulitzer Prize. It was a surprising event that gave the composer a chance to reflect on the many friends and colleagues who helped her over the years.
(10 December)
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Best Musical Moments Of 2010: Joyce DiDonato's Matchless Mahler
The award-winning mezzo-soprano makes plenty of moving music on her own, but her most profound musical experience this year had nothing to do with opera. Instead, came in the form of Gustav Mahler's "resurrection" Symphony.
(7 December)
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What Was Your Favorite Musical Moment Of 2010?
As the year winds down, tell us the story of your best musical moment of 2010. It could be a concert, a recording you bought or made yourself, a neighbor kid's impromptu piano recital, or even a street musician? What music moved you the most?
(6 December)
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Dutch Composer Louis Andriessen Wins Grawemeyer Award
The adventuresome composer has earned $100,000 for his fourth opera, La Comedia, based on Dante's Divine Comedy.
(6 December)
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'Epic Mickey' Takes Disney's Mouse Into A Video Game 'Wasteland'
Mickey Mouse is headed for a new adventure on the Nintendo Wii. It's called Epic Mickey and the company hope that the title will make their main mouse a star in the world of video games.
(5 December)
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Small Labels, Superman Symphony Dominate Classical Grammy Nominations
Independent labels such as Naxos, Harmonia Mundi and Dorian, have earned more than 20 Grammy nods, edging out major, legacy labels like RCA, EMI and Sony. Michael Daugherty's 'Metropolis Symphony' (on Naxos) is at the top with five nominations.
(5 December)
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New Government Retraining Program For Unemployed Pianists
Fridays are funnier with a classical cartoon at noon, from Deceptive Cadence.
(5 December)
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Reversal of Fortune: Tchaikovsky's 'Eugene Onegin'
Tchaikovsky felt the story of Pushkin's Eugene Onegin so deeply that it led him to both enter an ill-fated marriage -- and write an opera.
(4 December)
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The Story of 'Eugene Onegin'
The story of Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin.
(4 December)
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Ludwig's Links: What News Would Beethoven Follow This Week? Dec. 3, 2010
The week in classical music news. The scandal involving Russian conductor Mikhail Pletnev seems to have drawn to a close -- and orchestras are still struggling financially.
(4 December)
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Amid Unrest, Juarez Symphony Orchestra Plays On
The Juarez Symphony has the misfortune of being located in Mexico's most violent city. But the orchestra is thriving amidst rampant crime. The audience has remained loyal through the five years since the Juarez Symphony's founding.
(3 December)
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Composers Find New Playgrounds In Video Games
Jim Dooley says scoring Disney's game 'Epic Mickey' was challenging in a whole new way.
(2 December)
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When A Man Sings Like A Woman: A Countertenor Convergence
In classical music, when you're a guy who sings high, you're called a countertenor. Three excellent practitioners of the art form -- Andreas Scholl, Bejun Mehta and Philippe Jaroussky -- each have brand new CDs.
(2 December)
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Top 10 Classical Albums Of 2010
From soaring sopranos to quirky choirs and bracing new works, hear 10 of this year's best recordings, chosen by Tom Huizenga at NPR's classical blog, Deceptive Cadence.
(2 December)
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The Story Of 'Tamerlano'
Handel composed Tamerlano for a premiere at London's King's Theatre in 1724. The opera is in three acts and is loosely based on the historic conflict between Bajazet, a Turkish sultan, and the Tartar conqueror Timur.
(26 November)
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Robert Spano, Champion Of New Music
This season, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra celebrates the 10th anniversary of its music director, Robert Spano, who has established a reputation as an advocate for new music.
(26 November)
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Ludwig's Links: What Would Beethoven Read This Week? Nov. 26, 2010
We round up the week in classical music news.
(26 November)
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If Bach Were A Barista
Friday's are funnier with a classical cartoon at noon on Deceptive Cadence.
(26 November)
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Semi-Historical Drama: Handel's 'Tamerlano'
Placido Domingo takes on his 126th role, as Bajazet in Handel's taut drama, Tamerlano.
(26 November)
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Composers In The Kitchen: Gioachino Rossini's Haute Cuisine
Though Rossini mainly composed comic operas, he didn't fool around when it came to food. He considered eating one of life's most admirable occupations.
(25 November)
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Composers In The Kitchen: Paganini's Meat Lovers' Ravioli
The great violin virtuoso had a few food issues in his life, including being deprived of meals as a kid, and of his teeth as an adult. He made up for it with this bold, meaty pasta dish.
(25 November)
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Composers In The Kitchen: Arnold Schoenberg's Birthday Smorgasbord
Fleeing the Nazi threat, the infamous father of 12-tone music finds himself with a birthday feast, a few new friends and some fresh worries in Los Angeles. Try a recipe for chocolate raisin cake, one of the many desserts at Schoenberg's party.
(23 November)
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A Bel Canto Banquet: The Thanksgiving Culinary Classical Quiz
Opera is often about romance and revenge, but even lovers and scoundrels have to eat. Test your knowledge of music -- and your taste buds -- with these delectable, food-focused excerpts from the operatic stage.
(23 November)
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A Bel Canto Banquet: The Thanksgiving Culinary Classical Quiz
Opera is often about romance and revenge, even lovers and scoundrels have to eat. Test your knowledge of music -- and your taste buds -- with these delectable, food-focused excerpts from the operatic stage.
(23 November)
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Composers In The Kitchen: Ned Rorem's Cherry Clafouti
The intrepid American composer and author has spent a lot of time in Paris. Perhaps that's where he discovered the recipe for clafouti aux cerises, the traditional country dessert from the Limousin region of France.
(22 November)
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A Mother's Desperate Act: 'Margaret Garner'
Toni Morrison wrote the libretto for this opera, based on a real-life story about an enslaved woman who killed her daughter rather than let her be returned to slavery. Hear the entire opera, composed by Richard Danielpour.
(20 November)
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Composers In The Kitchen: Alban Berg's Military Meals
Alban Berg's finely tuned palate suffered during his time in the Austrian army, but he found ways to compensate -- like sneaking off to restaurants in the Viennese suburbs.
(20 November)
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Ludwig's Links: What Would Beethoven Read This Week?
It's not just the Detroit Symphony that's in dire straits -- orchestras everywhere are tightening their belts. And some interesting new operas are premiering this week. We bring you the latest from around the web.
(20 November)
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The Lost Symphonies Of Joseph Haydn
Fridays are funnier with a 'classical cartoon at noon' from Deceptive Cadence.
(19 November)
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Introducing The 2035 Chopin Piano Competition Winner?
Fridays are funnier with a 'classical cartoon at noon' from Deceptive Cadence.
(19 November)
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Composers In The Kitchen: Gustav Mahler's Just Dessert
The great symphonist survived on an ascetic diet for much of his life, but his sister's traditional Viennese apricot dumplings were one of his many small indulgences.
(18 November)
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Composers In The Kitchen: Risotto Giuseppe Verdi Style
The king of opera was humble about his music, but not so when the subject was cooking risotto. Read Henri-Paul Pelleprat's risotto recipe dedicated to Giuseppe Verdi.
(17 November)
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Janus: A Trio With An Eclectic Twist
The Brooklyn-based harp, flute, viola ensemble isn't afraid to throw a banjo or electronics into its chamber music mix. The debut CD features works by a variety of young composers.
(16 November)
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Classical Lost And Found: Jack Gallagher's Technicolor Scores
Hear the brilliantly orchestrated works of Jack Gallagher, an American composer whose music should be better known.
(15 November)
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Without An Angel Donor, The Detroit Symphony Orchestra Could Go Dark
A multi-million dollar budget deficit -- and proposed cuts to balance the budget -- have the musicians striking. And the fight could go on for a long time, which presents an economic hardship for both management and the musicians.
(13 November)
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Hauschka Gets The Most Out Of 88 Keys
German pianist Volker Bertelmann, aka Hauschka, makes music with his "prepared piano," wresting disruptive sounds from its 88 keys by outfitting the strings or mallets with objects such as ping-pong balls, aluminum foil and leather.
(13 November)
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Ludwig's Links: What News Would Beethoven Follow? Nov. 12, 2010
We recap the week in classical music, including the death of Polish composer Henryk Gorecki.
(12 November)
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Without An Angel Donor, The Detroit Symphony Orchestra Could Go Dark
A $9 million deficit -- and proposed cuts to balance the budget -- have the musicians striking. And the fight could go on for a long time, which presents an economic hardship for both management and the musicians.
(12 November)
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Henryk Gorecki, Composer Of 'Symphony Of Sorrowful Songs,' Dies At Age 76
The Polish composer enjoyed enormous success after a 1992 recording of his haunting Symphony No. 3 became a surprise hit around the world. Hear an interview with Gorecki and excerpts of his music.
(12 November)
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Tilting at Windmills: Massenet's 'Don Quichotte'
Massenet's Don Quichotte is one of several operas based on Miguel Cervantes' 17th-century novel, in which the self-proclaimed knight-errant travels the world righting wrongs.
(12 November)
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The Lost Symphonies Of Joseph Haydn
Fridays are funnier with a 'classical cartoon at noon' from Deceptive Cadence.
(12 November)
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Buglers, Veterans And The Lonely Yet Comforting Sound Of Taps
Performance Today's Fred Child tells the story of the military tune called taps, and talks with Sgt. Major Woodrow English, retired trumpeter and bugler for the U.S. Army Band.
(11 November)
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A Thrilling Ride With Boston's Discovery Ensemble
The 26-year-old Courtney Lewis leads a young orchestra in powerful performances of music by Beethoven and Martinu at the WGBH Studio.
(11 November)
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Matt Haimovitz And His Wayward Cello
The classical cellist has meandered in many musical directions. He and his band of eight cellists have just released a new CD of jazz standards in fresh, new arrangements.
(11 November)
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Buglers, Veterans And The Lonely Yet Comforting Sound Of 'Taps'
Performance Today's Fred Child tells the story of the military tune called "Taps," and talks with Sgt. Major Woodrow English, retired trumpeter and bugler for the U.S. Army Band.
(11 November)
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Shirley Verrett, Opera Singer Of Dramatic Intensity, Is Dead At 79
The famed singer had it all, according to critics -- voice, intelligence, musicianship, beauty, stage presence. She thrilled audiences with her compelling performances in mezzo-soprano and soprano roles throughout the 1960s and 70s.
(10 November)
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Out Of The Concert Hall, Into The Street: Random Acts Of Classical Music
Spontaneous performances in public places, or flash concerts, have grown increasingly popular in the past year, as classical musicians look for a way to revive the music and reach a wider audience.
(10 November)
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Get To Know A Critic: Alex Ross
The New Yorker's classical music critic answers questions about his job and his daily routine.
(9 November)
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Matt Haimovitz And His Wayward Cello
The classical cellist has meandered in many musical directions. He and his band of eight cellists has just released a new CD of jazz standards in fresh, new arrangements.
(9 November)
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Placido Domingo: The Spellbinding Voice Of A Titan Tenor
To find out just what makes Domingo so compelling as Otello, the warrior who suspects his wife has been unfaithful, we turn to some of his fans: singer and composer Rufus Wainwright, former music critic Tim Page and opera star Renee Fleming.
(8 November)
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Hilliard Ensemble: Improvising With Jan Garbarek
A choral group known for its early-music repertoire and a saxophonist steeped in the art of improvisation may not be the most likely musical partners. But the Hilliard Ensemble and Jan Garbarek have worked together since 1993. Officium Novum is their latest collaboration.
(7 November)
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Ludwig's Links: What News Would Beethoven Follow? Nov. 5, 2010
Find out who's in the red, who's in the black, and what unlikely musician got a record deal this week on the classical web.
(5 November)
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Missed Opportunity For The Fall TV Season, Circa 1735
Fridays are funnier with a 'classical cartoon at noon' from Deceptive Cadence.
(5 November)
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Co-Starring with 'Carmen': Bizet's 'The Pearl Fishers'
The Pearl Fishers, which includes a lovely tenor/baritone duet, shows that there's more to Georges Bizet's music than 'Carmen'. This production comes from Covent Garden, where the opera hasn't been performed in 90 years.
(5 November)
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Nicholas Cords Invites Debussy To Dinner
The Brooklyn Rider violist finds an affinity with Claude Debussy's wide-spread artistic milieu. Like the French composer, Cords and his group have cast a wide net and drawn inspiration from as many sources as possible.
(5 November)
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Jason Vieaux's Dinner With The (Decidedly Not) Dead
Bach might be too boring. And Beethoven too deaf. Neither of these composers are the right fit for guitarist Jason Vieaux's ideal "dinner with the dead," so he picked a composer very much alive -- the 101-year-old Elliott Carter.
(4 November)
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Why Fritz Wunderlich Ist So Wunderbar
A new live recording by the great German lyric tenor has caught the ear of one adoring fan. Hear an example of Wunderlich's clear, firm, easily projected tone in an aria by Mozart.
(4 November)
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Dinner With The Dead: Missy Mazzoli Meets Mozart
The young composer has been called "Brooklyn's post-millennial Mozart," so it's no surprise who she picks as her dinner date. Wolfgang Amadeus would come well-dressed and in good humor.
(4 November)
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Dinner With The Dead: Simon Rattle Shares Humor With Haydn
The Berlin Philharmonic conductor has a soft spot in his heart for Josef Haydn, who could provide plenty of laughs if the two could share a meal together.
(3 November)
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Dinner With The Dead: Jennifer Higdon's Date With Beethoven
The Pulitzer Prize-winning composer would like a few tips from Beethoven, like knowing how he struggled with turning rewrites and sketches into masterworks.
(3 November)
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Building A Career On Barber, The Enigmatic American
To begin her recording career, conductor Marin Alsop was asked to record all of Samuel Barber's orchestral music. She quickly discovered that there's much more to the composer's music than his famed Adagio for Strings.
(2 November)
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Rendezvous With The Dead: Nicholas McGegan Invites Handel To Dinner
What dead composer would you resurrect for a dinner date? Conductor Nicholas McGegan wants to meet and gossip with George Frideric Handel.
(2 November)
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Dinner With The Dead: Nicholas McGegan's Handel Hesitations
What dead composer would you resurrect for a dinner date? Conductor Nicholas McGegan wants to meet and gossip with George Frideric Handel.
(2 November)
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Dinner With The Dead: Questioning Composers From The Great Beyond
What if you could bring back your favorite composer from the dead, for a cozy, one-on-one dinner? This week, along with some of today's prominent living musicians, you're invited to tell us about your undead dining companion.
(1 November)
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Ghosts In The Machine: A Haunted Mix
Ghosts in the Machine-- where NPR Music staffers and station partners observe the holiday by assembling a chilling collection of songs about ghosts, hauntings and otherwise disembodied and discombobulated spirits.
(30 October)
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Ludwig's Links: What News Would Beethoven Follow? Oct. 29, 2010
Labor strife in Detroit, divas in love and a disturbing donkey in China. Read about these and more classical happenings around the Web.
(29 October)
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Recycled Brilliance: Rossini's 'Sigismondo'
In this rarely revived opera, Rossini reuses many of his own tunes, but modern audiences have embraced it. This production, from Rossini's hometown, places the main character in a mental ward, where he is tormented with visions of the wife he sentenced to death.
(29 October)
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Putting A Face On Classical Music
Fridays are funnier with a "classical cartoon at noon" at Deceptive Cadence.
(29 October)
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Banks Test New Foreclosure Tactics
Fridays are funnier with a "classical cartoon at noon" at Deceptive Cadence.
(29 October)
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Bone-Chillers And Blood-Curdlers: The 'Deceptive Cadence' Halloween Puzzler
Halloween is all about "treats" and "tricks." Test your knowledge of creepy classics by taking this interactive quiz. If you dare.
(28 October)
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A Common Thread: Music Of Spain And Mexico
When Spain invaded the Americas in the 15th century, the cultural collision caused reverberations on both sides of the Atlantic. A new recording by Jordi Savall and Tembembe Ensamble Continuo turns an ear to the musical results of that clash.
(27 October)
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Hey, Sir DJ: Simon Rattle Picks Favorites From A 30-Year Recording Career
He says he'd rather pick other artists' records, but we pinned Simon Rattle down to choose five of his own favorites made over a fruitful three decades at EMI Classics with the Berlin Philharmonic and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
(27 October)
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Dudamel Beware: 3-Year-Old Conducts Beethoven's 5th
How young do we want our symphony orchestra conductors? Watch a video of a toddler who exhibits a remarkably expressive stick technique in Beethoven's 5th.
(27 October)
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Classical Lost And Found: Mendelssohn Clones Write Killer Concertos
Wilhelm Taubert and Jacob Rosenhain were friends with Felix Mendelssohn. And like their better known contemporary, they were excellent pianists who wrote sparkling concertos to show off their own abilities. Hear excerpts from these forgotten works.
(27 October)
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Concierto: A Latin Twist On Classical Music
Estas loco, Beethoven! WDAV Classical Public Radio explores the classical heritage of Spain and the Americas in its new classical stream, Concierto. Listen to an energizing mix of Latin-heritage composers and artists, curated in Spanish and English.
(26 October)
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Ancient And A Cappella: Stile Antico Serenades NPR Offices
The choral group Stile Antico usually sings in the wide open spaces of giant churches. Yet their pristine and warms tones sounded pretty awesome when they gathered at NPR's offices for a Tiny Desk Concert. Watch the video.
(25 October)
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Stile Antico: Tiny Desk Concert
There's nothing particularly funny about most 16th-century choral music, but the young members of the a cappella ensemble Stile Antico cracked themselves up the entire time they sound checked for this Tiny Desk Concert. But when the cameras started rolling, they were all business. Watch the 12-person ensemble perform in the NPR Music offices.
(25 October)
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Moonlight, Lullabies And Barn Owls: New Classical CDs
From Spanish lullabies and moonlit nights, to the fluttering wings of a persistent little barn owl, NPR Music's Tom Huizenga and host Guy Raz spin a mellow mix of new releases.
(24 October)
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Ludwig's Links: What Would Beethoven Read Online? Oct. 22, 2010
Conductors are getting younger, and musicians are still striking -- but the big news is the Chopin competition. Find out what's happening on the classical web.
(23 October)
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Putting A Face On Classical Music
Fridays are funnier with a "classical cartoon at noon" at Deceptive Cadence.
(22 October)
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Unparalleled Dysfunction: Strauss' 'Elektra'
Strauss's lurid yet sumptuous one-act opera tells the story of Elektra and her decidedly dysfuntional family -- her murdered father Agamemnon, her frantic sister Chrysothemis and their homicidal mother, Klytaemnestra.
(22 October)
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The Story Of Elektra
Strauss's sumptuous one-act opera tells the lurid story of a young woman and her homicidal family.
(22 October)
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Putting A Face On Classical Music
Friday's are funnier with a "classical cartoon at noon" at Deceptive Cadence.
(22 October)
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