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Which records do you like and have borrowed the most in recent years? There are the stars of a few days and the stars of all time. True artists are recognized by their talent, and their fame remains intact even years after their death. They are exceptional musicians and true personalities. Astor Piazzolla, ace bandoneon […]

As a lover of walks in the Grisons Alps, or a die-hard patriot, or a fan of children’s literature that you secretly read under a Jean d’Ormesson book cover, or nostalgic for the time when your dad/mum read you one last little story before going to sleep… perhaps you’ve recently been looking in Renouvaud for […]

The beta version of the new Dictionary of Music in Switzerland has been online since February 13, filling a gap of over 60 years in the documentation of our country’s musical creativity. By meeting current criteria, this first version, which is also available via our databases, makes articles from existing dictionaries and links to digital […]

Compared to Haydn and Mozart, Beethoven’s catalog shows a drastic reduction in the number of compositions: 9 symphonies versus Haydn’s 100 or so and Mozart’s 50 or more, for example. Why was this? Beethoven moved to Vienna in 1792 and quickly established himself as an independent artist, free to impresario himself according to the musician’s […]

The greatest thorn in Beethoven’s side was deafness, which accompanied a character already prone to emotional excess, extravagance and emotional change. As early as 1798, the composer realized that this infirmity would prevent him from expressing his talent as a performer. Fortunately, his creative vitality did not suffer. Beethoven devoted himself to composition with great […]

Many gulag survivors, having experienced suffering and degradation during their imprisonment, took up the pen after their liberation. Their stories, full of strength and courage, are invaluable testimonies. They provide an insight into the reality of survival conditions in Soviet camps, as well as into the innermost depths of the human soul. From March 3 […]