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Recommended by European Mozart Ways
Author Archives: David Nelson
The Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique in Chapel Hill
On Sunday, November 14, 2011, John Eliot Gardiner brought his Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique to Chapel Hill, NC for an all-Beethoven concert. The bottom line: it was wonderful! Gardiner’s concept of sound is to perform music on the instruments that … Continue reading
Smetana’s Deafness and “The Moldau”
There are several stories of great musicians who battled deafness yet continued to compose. Of course, Beethoven comes to mind. We all know his struggle to accept the impending loss of his hearing, and yet he continued to write miraculous … Continue reading
James Taylor’s “You’ve Got a Friend”
James Taylor is a master singer and songwriter. His iconic voice and distinctive song style are known throughout the world, and his music has sold millions of copies. Yet, for all his great acclaim, his only number one song was … Continue reading
James Taylor’s “Carolina in My Mind”
Lots of states have “unofficial” anthems. “Rocky Mountain High” for Colorado and “Take Me Home, Country Roads” for West Virginia are two of the best known. For us here in North Carolina, “Carolina in My Mind” by James Taylor is … Continue reading
Elgar’s “Enigma” Variations
The Enigma Variations started as a way for Elgar to entertain his wife. One night in 1898, the composer was improvising melodies at the piano. Alice liked one of these and asked her husband to play it again. Not only … Continue reading
Lukas Geniušas, Virtuoso Talent at Age 21
It seems that many young virtuoso performers have one thing in common – they were born into a talented musical family. This was the case for Mozart as well as our own Dima Sitkovetsky. Lukas Geniušas, the soloist at this … Continue reading
Stravinsky’s “A Soldier’s Tale” Updated
Igor Stravinsky’s “A Soldier’s Tale” is one of music’s best-known pieces for chamber ensemble. Written a few years after “The Rite of Spring”, this work for seven musicians has been performed and recorded countless times, both in its original version … Continue reading
Mahler’s Fourth Symphony
Mahler’s Fourth Symphony is usually considered the composer’s most popular symphonic work. Part of its popularity is because of what makes it different from his other symphonies. The rest are all large, dramatic works, lasting considerably more than an hour, … Continue reading
Yura Lee – Two Performances in Greensboro
Yura Lee is one of only a handful of musicians to have successfully made the transition from child prodigy to mature artist. Her story is remarkable. She was born in South Korea in 1985, began studying violin when she was … Continue reading