Johann Joseph Fux (pronounced “Fyooks” !) was an Austrian composer of Baroque music, born in the Austrian duchy of Styria, in 1660. Fux was employed by royal patrons including Holy Roman Emperors Leopold I, Joseph I, and Charles VI. Here is Fux’s Overture in D minor: Next are Sonata K.366, Sonata K.375, Sonata K.377: His “Missa Corporis Christi:” Fux was not… Read on
The King’s Stairs in William III’s State Apartments in the newer half of Hampton Court Palace is a stunning example of Baroque architecture and artwork. The walls were painted (circa 1700) by Italian Baroque painter Antonio Verrio and conjure up mythological and historical figures depicting the strength of William III. Note how many allusions to warfare and might… Read on
Hampton Court Palace in Surrey, England houses a number of beautiful, priceless historical objects, and the Triumphs of Caesar by Italian Renaissance painter Andrea Mantegna are no exception… Housed in the former Orangery built in the late Seventeenth century during the reign of William and Mary to house Queen Mary II’s many exotic plants, these gorgeous works of… Read on
Lucrezia Borgia is one of those figures in history that we are taught to believe was a really evil person. The name of Borgia alone conjures up a images of poison, ruthless ambition, incest, cruelty, among other unsavoury traits. More than likely, what we’ve learned about her is from anti-Borgia propaganda, and therefore, not to be taken as… Read on
Stage Beauty, is a film from 2004 which starred Claire Danes as the first actress, Margaret Hughes, and Billy Crudup, as Ned Kynaston. The film is based on the play, “Compleat Female Stage Beauty” by Jeffrey Hatcher. Ned Kynaston is a shining star of Restoration-era drama, and his over-feminine portrayal of Desdemona in Shakespeare’s Othello is popular. He relishes his female… Read on
The humans remains found a few months ago buried in a car park in Leicester have today been confirmed as being those of King Richard III! Richard III has had a very bad reputation for hundreds of years – often described as being one of the worst monarchs to rule England. His time period is, granted, not my… Read on
Alessandro Melani was born on this day, the fourth of February, 1639, in Pistoia. He was born into a family of musicians and one of his brothers was a castrato singer. Castratos were increasingly popular as the Seventeenth Century went on, and they reached their zenith of popularity in the Eighteenth century. I quite like Melani’s music, as… Read on
The Devil’s Whore (2008) is a gorgeous four-part series set during the English Civil War which tells the tale of a beautiful teenaged girl, Angelica Fanshawe, who is rich, aristocratic, and lucky enough to be in the same social circles as King Charles I. She marries her best friend, Harry, who wants her to be submissive (rightly so,… Read on