Thomas Kotcheff

The Secret Story Behind Tchaikovsky’s Mysterious Celesta in “The Nutcracker”

Explore the history of the celesta, a unique instrument used in Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker and Harry Potter's theme. Discover how it went from obscurity to symphony staple.

The Inspiration for Vaughan Williams’s “Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis”

Explore the origins of Ralph Vaughan Williams's Fantasia, inspired by Thomas Tallis's melody from the 1567 psalm settings for Archbishop Parker's Psalter.

The Secret Love Affair Hidden in Alban Berg’s “Lyric Suite”

Explore the hidden love story in Alban Berg's Lyric Suite. Discover how Berg used musical references, initials, and numerology to encode his affair with Hanna Fuchs-Robettin.

The American Opera About Graduating High School

Explore how Aaron Copland's 1954 opera, The Tender Land, uses a graduation ceremony as a symbol of coming of age and stepping into the unknown.

The Other Graduation March

Explore the tradition of graduation anthems, from Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance in the US to Verdi's Triumphal March in the Philippines.

The Story Behind the “Borrowed” Melodies of Brahms and Liszt

This article explores how composers Brahms and Liszt incorporated Hungarian folk music into their works, sometimes mistakenly using other composers' pieces.