Entries by Barbara Mohn, Reiner Leister

Women who write musical history

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Today the biggest pop stars in the world are women. Beyoncé, of course, and above all Taylor Swift, Adele, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus and, in Germany, Shirin David and Helene Fischer. They don’t just inspire the masses musically with their songs; they also influence politics and society. Why is it so different in the world of classical music and so-called high culture?

Handel: Alexander’s Feast

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The favorite piece of Reiner Leister comes from Handel’s Alexander’s Feast with which Handel opened his oratorio season on 19 February 1736 at the Covent Garden Theatre, London. For Reiner Leister, it is here that the power and the emotional force of the music is absolutely clear and unambiguous.