by Barry Lenson | Sep 24, 2026 | Uncategorized
Niccolò Paganini (1782–1840) was an Italian violinist and composer whose astonishing technique reshaped the possibilities of string playing and helped define the image of the virtuoso in the Romantic era. Born in Genoa, he showed prodigious talent early on, studying...
by Barry Lenson | Jul 1, 2026 | Uncategorized
Francisco Tárrega (1852–1909) stands as one of the foundational figures of the modern classical guitar. Born in Villarreal, Spain, he showed early musical promise despite a childhood accident that impaired his vision. His family encouraged his studies, sending him to...
by Barry Lenson | May 6, 2026 | Jean-Baptiste Lully, Uncategorized
It might surprise you to learn that Jean‑Baptiste Lully (1632–1687), one of the towering figures in French music, was born in Italy. Lully was the brilliant, sharp‑witted architect of French Baroque music and the dominant musical force at the court of Louis XIV. Born...
by Barry Lenson | Jan 21, 2026 | Uncategorized
Charles Edward Ives (1874–1954) was an American composer whose bold, forward‑looking musical imagination set him far ahead of his time. Raised in Danbury, Connecticut, he absorbed an adventurous approach to sound from his father, George Ives—a bandmaster who...
by Barry Lenson | Dec 3, 2025 | Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Uncategorized, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Johann Sebastian Bach had several sons who became composers: Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach, and Johann Christian Bach. It was remarkable that he had so many sons who became composers, and even more remarkable that...
by Barry Lenson | Nov 14, 2025 | Alessandro Marcello, Uncategorized
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) might be the most well-known Italian composer of the Baroque period, but he was certainly not the only great Italian composer of the era. We invite you to meet his contemporary Alessandro Marcello (1673-1747), another Italian master whose...
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