“The arts are not an elective!” With this single proclamation, Carol Reynolds strengthened the classical education movement. Her expanded pronouncement is this, “Our Western cultural heritage is not an elective. It’s a treasure!” (Professor Carol speaks with infectious passion.) As I drink my morning tea … Read more
Brahms, Violin Concerto Johannes Brahms composed only one concerto for violin, considered now one of the gems of the repertoire. It was not so well received at its 1879 premiere in Leipzig. Only after the turn of the century did it find its place in … Read more
The Alps overwhelm the senses. Their legendary 1599 peaks stretch in a 750 mile-long arc that, if squished together, would fill up Kansas. Even when gazing at their snowcapped tips, the Alps cannot be grasped by the eyes or the mind. The Alps beguiled the … Read more
Bach, Prelude and Fugue in D Major (WTC Book I) J. S. Bach wrote two books of music known as The Well-Tempered Clavier (Books 1 and 2). Each book contains 24 Preludes and Fugues, a Prelude and Fugue for each of the 24 major and … Read more
The scene from my room’s balcony encompasses a shimmering finger of Lake Lucerne and a green foothill of Mt. Rigi, a 6000-ft. Alpine mountain towering over the village of Merlischachen. In the middle, a wash of snowcaps glistens to form the perfect vanishing point. The … Read more
Mozart, Symphony No. 40 in G Minor I recall a relative many years ago taking a course in music appreciation and falling in love with Mozart’s Symphony No. 40. She had some prior exposure to Classical music, but this was probably her first serious study. … Read more
Megan Salazar and I met at the March 2022 National Symposium for Classical Education in Phoenix, Arizona. We shared animated conversations which we have continued since that time. She represents so well the passionate dedication that is fueling today’s revival of Classical education, particularly in … Read more
Vaughan Williams, Songs of Travel Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) composed Songs of Travel early in his career. The cycle of nine songs is taken from a collection of 46 poems by Robert Louis Stevenson. Baritone Roderick Williams presents six of the songs in this video. … Read more
A lively discussion about the rightful ownership of art took place in our last session of Beauty is not Optional: Music and Art, a course I’m currently offering for Memoria College. The topic arises when we consider masterworks of Ancient sculpture that were purchased and … Read more
Vivaldi, Concerto No. 11, Op. 3 (L’estro Armonico) Most people are familiar with the concertos of Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) known as The Four Seasons written in 1723. We featured that work here. But Vivaldi composed more than 500 concertos. His first collection of concertos, opus … Read more