Brahms’s First Symphony… or Beethoven’s Tenth?
Johannes Brahms took nearly 20 years to complete his First Symphony. When it finally premiered in 1876, critics were ready with hot takes. Some hailed…
"Where words fail, music speaks."
Hans Christian Andersen
Musical Musings
The Salon: Classical Music’s Most Exclusive Stage
Before there were concert halls and recitals, there were salons—intimate, elite gatherings where music, art, and status collided. Hosted in grand homes by aristocratic women, salons weren’t just social events; they were launchpads for composers like Chopin and Liszt to get noticed by the right people. In this post, we uncover how salons shaped classical music from the inside out.
Read More » The Salon: Classical Music’s Most Exclusive Stage
When Art Travels: Puccini, Persia, and the Problem with Cultural Appropriation
From Persian tales to Italian opera, Turandot shows how stories—and cultures—travel. But in today’s world, not all cross-cultural inspiration is seen the same. Where’s the line between appreciation and appropriation?
Read More » When Art Travels: Puccini, Persia, and the Problem with Cultural Appropriation
When Composers Wrote Love Letters Through Music
A lot of composers didn’t just use their talent to write symphonies — they also used it to charm, celebrate, or comfort their wives. In…