Hello and Welcome!
Music By The Year is a fortnightly classical music blog that examines one piece of music per year from 1800.
Music by Decade
Latest blog posts
Although a musical giant of mid-nineteenth century France, Jacques Offenbach was surprisingly tiny in person. A spindly, bird-like figure, seldom weighing more than forty-five kilograms, he was “the least imposing man in appearance one could imagine” according to an American music critic ...
Whenever we talk about the tragedy of an artist being cut off in their prime, we might spare a particular thought for poor Julius Reubke. He was cut off almost before he had got started. So brief was his time on earth that he made the likes of Schubert, Mozart and Chopin look like venerable old men by comparison ...
Regarded by many as the greatest female composer of the nineteenth century, Emilie Mayer was also one of the most fortunate. Helped in no small part by a generous family inheritance, as well as a stoical aversion to marriage, she was able to carve out a life and career largely on her own terms. “She claimed music as her life’s calling," ...
In late nineteenth century France it was generally agreed that Charles Gounod was the living embodiment of French music. After that he divided opinion to a surprising degree. One half of the country thought him an operatic genius on a par with Verdi and Wagner. The other half considered him a conservative reactionary ...
When he was twelve years old, Hector Berlioz fell passionately in love with a girl six years his senior. Her name was Estelle – “tall, graceful, with large, grave, questioning eyes that yet could smile," he fondly recalled, "hair worthy to ornament the helmet of Achilles, and feet – I will not say Andalusian, but pure Parisian ...
About the Concept
Our objective is to explore a wide range of composers over the last two centuries, some of whom are now household names while many others have suffered undue neglect and fallen into obscurity.
This blog also examines the lives of various female composers who defied the odds to excel at their art, in spite of poorer educational and professional opportunities.
Each post will include links to relevant Youtube recordings. I should stress that these are only recommendations (we are not in any way affiliated with the respective YouTube channels), but we hope that they might prove helpful
The illustrations are kindly provided by Bernadette Alster.
Happy listening!
About me
I’m a British classical musician and writer living in Copenhagen. For queries or suggestions about the blog, you are very welcome to contact me here.