In defence of the libretto and the librettist

Yet, given the dark and often introverted nature of the concerto, it’s hardly surprising that Shostakovich kept the work under wraps for so long, feeling that programming it was inadvisable until the

A composer’s idiosyncratic guide to western classical music

From espresso machine to percolator, there are many ways to make a cup of coffee, and such is the case with Bach’s cantata, too. Sporting just two soloists plus cameo narrator, tracking down a vocal d

When the first pianos made it to India around the 18th century, during the heyday of the East India Company, their usage was confined to British colonisers and a small minority of aristocratic Indians

Theatres offered something for everyone in the 19th century, presenting recitals and opera, Shakespearean plays, or lively mixed programmes of comedy, song and dance that attracted enthusiastic – and