My father was born in Russia in 1903. He actually saw Tsar Nicolas II and his family once or twice. They would take the Trans-Siberian Railway to vacation in Kostroma province and step out onto the train platform in Galich, my dad’s home town, to greet the people. My...

All evenings of classical music end eventually – even most performances of Meistersinger. But after the final notes have died away, why not ask this question before you grab your coat and head for the exit? How did that piece of music end?Unless you were...

Today I’d like to suggest a new way of listening to music. I’m proposing that while we listen to music, we can understand it better by evaluating how well it functions in two opposing categories: Human documents reveal something deep and true about their...

If you’re searching for a present for someone who loves classical music, I have a great suggestion for you this morning. Buy that person a membership in Classical Archives. I’ve been a member for more than two years and I’m telling you, it is the greatest online...

“Always leave them wanting more” is a quote that’s been attributed to P.T. Barnum, Walt Disney and even the American songwriter Bobby Womack. No matter who said it, it makes a lot of sense.If a composer writes too little, his or her stature can grow. If a composer...

The 1950s were tumultuous years.  Americans discovered psychotherapy and having a nervous breakdown was fashionable. Cars grew exuberant tailfins. Sputnik orbited visibly overhead. Everybody was taking essentially pointless IQ tests. The Cold War was on and...