Mozart was the first composer whose operas have never left the international repertoire, and for many he remains one of the finest vocal composers who ever lived. In a sense, all of his music is voca
Jean Sibelius was not only Finland's greatest composer, he was one of the most distinctive and appealing musical voices in the first half of the 20th century, especially renowned for his characterful
(Unlocking the Masters). Of all the biggest-name composers, Handel probably wrote the most truly great music that no one knows about. This book takes the curious listener through his entire output, fr
The fall of the Soviet empire has not diminished the popularity of Dmitri Shostakovich's great symphonies and concertos one bit, despite the fact that most literature on him neglects any substantive
Since Gustav Mahler was rediscovered in the early 1960s, his symphonies have become arguably the most popular works in the modern orchestral repertoire. Mahler's Symphonies: An Owner's Manual is the
The music of Antonin Dvorak defies fashion. He is one of the very few composers whose works entered the international mainstream during his own lifetime, and some of them have remained there ever sin
(Unlocking the Masters). Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788) has to be the most rewarding, expressive, and entertaining of all the composers whose work fell into obscurity in the years following his
Leonard Bernstein's fame as a conductor and general cultural phenomenon has overshadowed his genius as a composer, despite the fact that at least some of his orchestral music has entered the standard
No composer has ever achieved the amazing progression that Haydn has. He invented the string quartet as we know it today, became "the Father of the Symphony," and founded the greatest school in the h
Founder and editor of an online daily classical music magazine, Hurwitz points out features of Wolfgang Mozart's (1856-91) music in general and of specific instrumental works to help listeners underst
The Scarecrow has returned to Gotham City, but he's no longer the meek punching bag Batman is used to. The villainous genius has always preyed on the worst fears of his victims, but has refined his le
The Scarecrow has returned to Gotham City, but he's no longer the meek punching bag Batman is used to. The villainous genius has always preyed on the worst fears of his victims, but has refined his le
(Unlocking the Masters). The life and music of Richard Strauss (1864-1949) span what was arguably the most turbulent period in human history, encompassing the Franco-Prussian War, the unification of G
