Professor CarolYou open a program and see this title: Sonata No. 29 in B-Flat major, “Hammerklavier,” Opus 106 What does it all mean? Titles of music compositions can be puzzling, but they follow a predictable format that tells us a certain amount about the piece. So … Read more
There are compelling reasons to learn about the arts, and we discuss a lot of them at the Circle of Scholars. I was listening to Andrew Pudewa, as I often do, and latched onto something he said: You can’t get something out of a brain … Read more
Liszt: La Campanella The name of Liszt resounded across Europe in the 19th century. A celebrity on the level of a Frank Sinatra or Elvis, his piano playing stunned everyone who heard it. Women really did throw diamond necklaces at him and faint in the … Read more
I’ll never forget this moment. It was about two weeks into my 20th-century music history class—a key course then in Southern Methodist University’s music-history curriculum. I was on a professorial “roll,” forecasting for my sophomores a few of the drastic changes that would occur in … Read more
Explaining the news to children is hard. That’s why John De Gree’s new series explaining world events shines so! It’s part of his family outreach at Classical Historian and it’s free. Briefly, clearly, and without sensationalism, John breaks down subjects that are difficult to present, … Read more
My mother took the tree down on New Year’s Day. She attacked the decorations as the sun rose and had everything boxed up by 9. The tree was out the door and everything was vacuumed by 10. I lamented every moment of it. I hadn’t … Read more
A friend sent me a card, saying he hoped O Come, O Come Emmanuel would be a topic for one of the remaining days of the Advent Calendar. This song, for him, evoked special memories of childhood. That set me to thinking. It’s certainly not the … Read more
The celebration of Russian Christmas has been shaped by forces both astronomical and historical. Let’s look first at the calendar. Most of Europe shifted to the Gregorian Calendar starting in 1582, but Russia retained the Julian Calendar. Peter the Great modernized the Julian calendar in … Read more
Advent is a season of preparation – a penitential season when we prepare ourselves for the coming of the Savior. Christmas seems to begin earlier every year, at least if we take our cues from store decorations and ads in the media. How often are … Read more
A reader asks: Will you still be sending out your advent calendar this year? I would like to receive it again if possible. Thanks. Absolutely, yes. Advent starts on November 30 this year, and my Advent Calendar will include essays for each day leading up to … Read more