Borodin, Polovtsian Dances At the death of Alexander Borodin (1833-1887), his opera Prince Igor remained unfinished. The opera would be completed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov in 1890, and other “completions” would be made as well. The opera has since worked its way into … Read more
Term papers, yikes! These words can bring terror, even if schooldays are a distant memory. Students often perceive term papers as a maze beset with dangers, rather than an opportunity to tackle something useful and rewarding. That’s why I decided to launch a series directed … Read more
Frescobaldi, Se l’aura spira tutta vezzosa Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643) is described in The New Grove* as “the most influential keyboard composer of the first half of the 17th century” whose mature works “are among the most moving and distinctive statements of the early Baroque spirit … Read more
Professor Carol is on break today following a whirlwind series of online webinars and classes. If you happened to participate in the four-part storytelling series with Jim Weiss, or the American history class, or the series on Russian literature, or the webinar on Verdi’s Otello, … Read more
Edward, Child Ballad 13 Francis James Child (1825-1896), a Harvard professor, catalogued 305 folk songs and published his collection in five volumes. Because there are many versions of folk songs that have been spread through oral transmission in many countries, the Child Ballad numbers are … Read more
On occasion, people ask my thoughts about a tricky matter: How to introduce children to art that includes adult themes. When that question first popped up in my “Professor Carol” adventure, I confess to being surprised. The arts historically have been created by adults, for … Read more
Shostakovich, Symphony No. 6 I’m not a big reader of composer biographies. It always seemed to me more productive simply to dive into the music, which was the real focus of my interest. Of course, it’s useful to know something about the circumstances of the … Read more
Learning, as a child, involves assembling vocabulary and a body of information sufficient to build a structure of understanding. Learning as a teen requires a conscious, often arduous effort to strengthen this structure in order to weave a more solid tapestry of understanding. Learning as … Read more
A Night at the Opera continues with Giuseppe Verdi’s Otello, based on Shakespeare’s classic play Othello. Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 8 p.m. Eastern The webinar is free but advance registration is required. Verdi had already achieved enormous popularity through his operas when in his … Read more
Poulenc, Theme and Variations It has been a few years since we featured anything by Francis Poulenc. That was the short French chanson Margoton va t’a l’iau. I noted then French composer Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) developed a reputation for lighthearted and whimsical compositions, and yet … Read more