Music & Literature
The Glorious History of Handel's Messiah
A musical rite of the holiday season, the Baroque-era oratorio still awes listeners 250 years after the composer's death
December 2009 |
By Jonathan Kandell
Also see: At Moab, Music Among the Red Rocks | Lifting their Voices
’Tis the spectral season, when darkness approaches sooner, and chilly temperatures bring folks around hearths--literally and figuratively--to tell ghost stories. Light your pumpkin and read about the real places behind some of the world’s classic spooky tales.
October 2009 |
By Robin T. Reid
She began her career as a musical prodigy and ended up breaking down racial barriers in the recording and film industries
October 2009 |
By Karen Chilton
Poet David Lehman provides a list of his favorite songs from the 1930s, including works by Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen and others
October 2009 |
By David Lehman
Poet David Lehman talks about the brilliant Jewish composers and lyricists whose work largely comprises the great American songbook
October 2009 |
By Jamie Katz
For years, the recording industry excluded black artists. Along came Motown, and suddenly everyone was singing its tunes
September 2009 |
By Marian Smith Holmes
Lovers of the banjo, fiddle and mandolin blend cultural identity and religious faith to create a uniquely American sound
September 2009 |
By Jen Miller
The British countryside is home to the real sites behind Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and other works by the literary sisters
September 2009 |
By William Ecenbarger
Billie Holiday’s favorite musician, jazz great Lester “Prez” Young brought a hip, freewheeling sensibility to his saxophone playing
August 2009 |
By Jamie Katz
From Twain to Kerouac to Bryson, writers have found inspiration in hitting the road and traveling the United States
August 2009 |
By Abby Callard
The folk musician talks about his new album – a lost recording of a solo concert held days before the legendary music festival
July 2009 |
By Jeff Campagna
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6th Annual Smithsonian Photo Contest WinnersOut of more than 17,000 entries contributed from around the world, Smithsonian and its readers select the year's best |
Photo Essay
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Harlem Transformed: the Photos of Camilo José VergaraView more images from Camilo José Vergara |
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