Slavery’s legacy is a shared human tragedy, and no civilization can claim moral superiority. Slavery, the abhorrent practice of owning human beings as property, has stained the chronicles of history across civilizations and continents. From the ancient cradles of civilization to the modern era, the exploitation of human labor has been a grim constant. This article delves into the …
Our daily life is a miracle… Last week, a “major power blackout occurred across the Iberian Peninsula affecting mainland Portugal and peninsular Spain, where electric power was interrupted for about ten hours in most of the Peninsula and longer in some areas.” The event was significant, even it has a Wikipedia article already. The investigations are still going on, with no conclusion at …
How and why green starts growing in spring Our friend, Beethoven, was the happiest when he was out in nature. For him, it was not optional or a weekend activity: even in rain or bad weather he was strolling daily the fields and hills around Vienna. I am sure he would agree, spring is the best season! In the past …
The other day a newsletter arrived in my mailbox from a local symphonic orchestra. It was about upcoming concerts, tickets, and seasonal passes. In a final section, the orchestra requested the loyal audience to support them with financial donations, as they need a set of new timpani. The set’s price, disclosed in the newsletter, surprised me, as it was comparable …
These days we celebrate Passover and Easter, and it can be a good opportunity to look beyond the chocolate bunnies and painted eggs, and reflect at least on one aspect of these events: the story of human nature. In the Passover story we celebrate the freedom regained after 400 years of cruel slavery, in Easter’s Passion story we remember the …
The Emperor represents the composer at the peak of his “Heroic” style, creating music of unparalleled scale, power, and emotional resonance. Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Opus 73, famously known as the “Emperor” Concerto, is not just music. It is a bold statement: heroic, innovative, and deeply expressive. It represents a pinnacle of the Classical concerto …