Featured content

Learn the rules like a pro
“Learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist.” Attributed to Pablo Picasso, painter
Vaughan Williams on an authentic performance of Bach
Vaughan Williams gave a broadcast talk on Bach entitled “Bach the Great Bourgeois.” It was later published in The Listener. …
The origin of the interval
Plays in the Jacobean period (16th century England) were divided into acts to enable the theatre company to manage the …
Beethoven as a boy
In his Beethoven: Biography of a Genius, Marek provides an insight into Beethoven as a boy: The boy was looking …
Spontaneity and art
Alexander Gow, musician in the band Oh Mercy on spontaneity of artistic creation: [Spontaneity is] when art is expression, and …
Delius on the role of music
“The chief reason for the degeneration of present-day music lies in the fact that people want to get physical sensations …
Rafal Blechacz on interpretation
Most of all, I give myself plenty of time to get familiar with the composition, to “grow into” its concepts. …
Beethoven and the spider
Xaver Schydner von Wartensee, in the early days of meeting Beethoven, was curious about a tale he had heard about …
An artist’s job is not for small talk
Nora Guthrie, Woody's daughter, once told me a story about a reception she was at where Bob Dylan was in …
The Jankó Keyboard
The Hungarian mathematician, Paul von Jankó developed an alternate layout to the traditional piano keyboard. In July 1888, upon seeing …
It must be worth the effort
Martinu on creating beautiful music: “It must be beautiful, or it wouldn’t be worth the effort.” Cited in: Calum MacDonald, …
Art is a crucial, dangerous operation
If a man teaches composition in a university, how can he not be a composer? He has worked hard, learned …
Nietzche on Art
“We have art in order not to die of the truth.“ Friedrich Nietzsche, notebook from the Spring-Summer of 1888, 16 …
A Swan (Ein Schwan) (Grieg)
Title: A Swan (Ein Schwan), op. 25, no.2 Composer: Edvard Grieg Arranger: Greg Smith Instrumentation: Cello and piano Product medium: …
Brahms’ ladies choir
Brahms formed a Ladies Choir of about fifty singers: “Fix oder Nix” was the motto he coined for them – …

By Greg