An odyssey of unusual orchestral layouts

By Manon Decroix, 14 April 2020

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“it's in the 20th century that spatial awareness becomes a tangible feature of modern music”

David Karlin, 8th January

We sit down with two of the opera world’s leading figures, and masterminds of Brussels’ La Monnaie (De Munt) – how do they balance the competing challenges and thrills of running an opera house?

The art of memory: classical music for mourning

Danny Riley, 28th October

From fulfilling funerary functions, to eulogising friends and fellow artists, or lamenting the waste of war: here are some of the finest examples of music written in mourning.

Angels of history: Scarlatti meets Caravaggio in Yann Robin’s Medusa

Tim Rutherford-Johnson, 10th July

This year Chigiana International Festival presents Yann Robin’s new opera Medusa, inspired by Alessandro Scarlatti and Caravaggio – music poised between past and future.

Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique: The demon symphony

Bachtrack, 16th April

Gareth Davies, Principal Flute of the London Symphony Orchestra, talks about the furious scramble to keep up with Colin Davis performing Berlioz’s great hallucinatory symphony.

Endless spirals: Philippe Manoury remembers Pierre Boulez

Chloë Rouge, 27th March

On the centenary of Pierre Boulez’s birth, Phillippe Manoury tells us about his relationship with the composer and conductor, painting a picture which bucks some pre-conceived ideas.

Wolfgang: Explaining music, one line at a time

David Karlin, 24th March

Creator Johan Idema talks about the “subtitles for symphonies” app, why Wolfgang was created and how it’s used.

Manon Decroix

Titulaire d'un master de musicologie (Université Nice Côte d’Azur), Manon mène des recherches dans le but d’améliorer la compréhension du poème symphonique romantique. Altiste et professeur d’éducation musicale, elle participe à de nombreux projets de recherche, radiophoniques et pédagogiques en France et à Monaco. Elle se passionne pour les interprétations historiquement informées.