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Posted by: David Plylar
There comes a time in every anniversary year when the candles must be blown out—this year it is a necessity, as 200 candles each for Richard Wagner and Giuseppe Verdi constitute a fire hazard, and the Library does not want to host its own “immolation” scene. But Wotan to your seats—Concerts from the Library of …
Posted in: Birthdays, Composers, Concerts and Events, Conservation, Curators, Film Music, Musicians, Podcasts, Special Collections, Staff
Posted by: David Plylar
Occasionally it is a worthwhile exercise to pose the “perfect” problem—that is, how do perceptions of perfection influence our encounters with art? The scope of this question is vast, so I will raise just a few considerations one might have on a visit to the Music Division of the Library of Congress or a concert …
Posted in: Composers, Musicians, Special Collections
Posted by: David Plylar
On June 16, 1858, the great Belgian violinist, composer and conductor Eugène Ysaÿe was born. A well-known icon to most violinists, he was a major transitional figure in the development of modern violin performance practice. In addition to his compositional work, Ysaÿe was also an advocate of transcription, and made interesting forays into that world. …
Posted in: Birthdays, Composers, Musicians, Special Collections
Posted by: David Plylar
Patrons of Concerts from the Library of Congress are in for a special treat on Saturday, March 2 at 2:00 p.m. in the Coolidge Auditorium. British pianist Paul Lewis will be performing two of Schubert’s last piano sonatas, composed in the months before his untimely death. Lewis, who has spent the greater portion of the …
Posted in: Composers, Concerts and Events, Musical Instruments, Musicians, Special Collections
Posted by: David Plylar
Friday, February 1, 2013. The following is a guest post provided by Peter Sheppard Skærved, who recently appeared at the Library in events dedicated to its Paganini holdings and collection of Cremonese instruments. I am powerfully aware of the constant dialogue between past and present. Working as a violinist equally involved with the discovery of …
Posted in: Composers, Guest bloggers, Musical Instruments, Musicians, Special Collections, Webcasts