Category Archives: Classical Music and Performers

The New Year’s Concert in Vienna

The most famous annual concert worldwide is the New Year’s Concert. This performance of the Philharmonic features the celebrated dance music – mainly waltzes and polkas – of the Strauss family. It is now broadcast around the globe and has … Continue reading

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“Invitation to the Dance” – The Opening Concerts of the Greensboro Symphony’s 2013-14 Season

When you attend a concert by an orchestra, the musicians on stage are usually the focal point. The Greensboro Symphony’s first concert of this season gives us that and more as members of the Greensboro Ballet join to create a … Continue reading

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History of the Salzburg Festival 4: Leadership of Franz Rehrl

In Part 3 of this series, we saw how the festival had a rather rocky start. In Part 4, we will see how Franz Rehrl strengthened the festival, and then how the festival dealt with the Nazi influence before and … Continue reading

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History of the Salzburg Festival 3: the Early Years

In Part 2 of this series, we learned the role of Max Reinhardt in getting the festival started. In Part 3, we will see how the festival was not an immediate success. Music is added to the festival Even after … Continue reading

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History of the Salzburg Festival 2: Max Reinhardt starts the festival

In Part 1 of this series, we saw how there were several unsuccessful attempts to start a festival in Salzburg. In Part 2, we will learn about Max Reinhardt, and how he finally succeeded in getting the festival off the … Continue reading

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Rodion Shchedrin, Russia’s Foremost Living Composer

When we attend a concert these days, it is likely that we will hear the music of composers who died anywhere between 50 and 250 years ago. Composers who are still alive—people like John Adams, Steve Reich, or Arvo Pärt—are … Continue reading

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Vienna’s New Year’s Day Concert

Perhaps the most famous annual concert worldwide is the New Year’s Day Concert. This performance of the Philharmonic featuring the music of the Strauss family is now broadcast around the world and has come to represent Vienna to an international … Continue reading

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Visiting Beethoven on his Birthday

Today is December 16, 2012. Beethoven was born on this date 242 years ago. Actually, we are not sure that he was born on December 16, but we assume this because church records show he was baptized on December 17. … Continue reading

Posted in Classical Music and Performers, Photography, Vienna's Musical History | 5 Comments

Vienna State Opera with a Fisheye Lens

Before this trip I purchased a fisheye lens for my Nikon. Fisheye lenses have lots of intentional distortion and are good for special effects, but you don’t want to use them all the time because they can become a little … Continue reading

Posted in Classical Music and Performers, Photography, Vienna - General Travel, Vienna's Musical History | 6 Comments

The “Conductorless” Orchestra

National Public Radio recently had a story on a scientist from the University of Maryland who studied the movement of violin bows in an orchestra as they related to the motion of a conductor’s baton. The result of the study … Continue reading

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