Strauss's Don Juan
The first time I heard Don Juan live was at Tanglewood in the Berkshires a few summers ago. (For anyone out there who is in love with music knows that Tanglewood - summer home to the Boston Pops - is...
View ArticleTo Mozart or not to Mozart - that is the question.
For as long as I can remember I was under the impression that Mozart himself began his piano career as a child by playing a Mozart sonata. The truth is, is that is not so off as Mozart did began...
View ArticleMendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor
I do not think it would be overly daring of me to vouch that I am not the only one who has been touched by little more than Felix Mendelssohn’s violin concerto in E minor. Perhaps distinguished...
View ArticleSummertime - no, not Gershwin
Alas, the summer months are upon us and the living is easy, fish are jumping and the cotton is high, school's out and the music is playing. In other words....party time! The great thing about...
View ArticleKeeping Score
It's strange that for a composer who wrote brilliant and legendary music, who was the conductor for the New York Philharmonic, and who was just overall one of the biggest musicians of last century,...
View ArticleConcerts in the Park - where art thou?
For all of you that read my post about the summer, can now shed a tear or two for probably my favorite New York City event of the season. The "concerts in the park" which has been one of the New York...
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Claude Bolling - Baroque Jazz
A piano teacher once told me "Bach is the source of everything". I did not understand at the time the truth and depth of those words, and to this day I still do not fully grasp that concept, but the...
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Rufus Wainwright - Prima Donna
Firstly, I feel it extremely important to bring to everyone's attention that the New York City Opera, as of now, is planning on leaving the David H. Koch Theatre in Lincoln Center (which also houses...
View ArticleHappy Independence Day
I hope everyone is enjoying their Independence Day weekend, and that everyone is doing something meaningful to celebrate this day. The video I posted above is Horowitz's transcription of Sousa's...
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Aaron Copland - America's Music
Now that we're still somewhat in the celebratory spirit and the July 4th festivities are lingering inside us, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about Aaron Copland, the father of American...
View ArticleThe Art of Concertos
Throughout the history of classical music different compositional styles have come and gone, an idea, if thought about, which has contributed significantly to the beauty and complexity of music itself....
View ArticleSuite for Toy Piano?
Ya. You heard right. If you have never heard of such a concept as a real composition for a toy piano, or something called a "prepared piano", or of a "musical" composition that contains no notes, or...
View ArticleChopin's Preludes - Op.28
A number of years ago I attended a piano recital with my father at the Mannes School of Music in New York during their annual summer keyboard festival. To my regret I do not remember the name of the...
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The Importance of Music Education
Music is my friend when I am lonelymusic is the one and only thing that never endsMusic lives everywherecan't escape itcan't replace itMusic is my life to memusic is what it is and will always beMusic...
View Article5 Steps to Learning an Instrument
It is hardly possible to develop as strong of an appreciation for music without playing an instrument, than with playing. Contrary to popular belief, learning an instrument can be done at any age and...
View ArticleIs it possible to have a career as a musician?
Growing up I have constantly been bombarded with the ultimate optimist heuristic as to how to live life: "you've gotta do what you love". You know, when you're a child nice cliches and motivational...
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Menahem Pressler
I have had the privilege of hearing Menahem Pressler perform twice - once at the Tanglewood Music Festival and once at Carnegie Hall. For someone that's never heard Pressler perform before, the...
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Vladimir Horowitz
Otherwise known as the "last romantic", Horowitz's pianistic virtuoso has long been considered one of the deepest and most brilliant, and his interpretations remain legendary in the music world. One of...
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