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For convenience sake, the 19 th century is usually known as the era of Romanticism in classical music. Another way to view the 19 th century is simply as the era of Beethoven.

Have you ever wondered how the violin came to play such an important role in the history of classical music? Well, it starts with singing.

Chamber music rehearsals are very different from orchestra rehearsals. In an orchestra rehearsal, it’s the conductor’s job to make the overall musical decisions and to ensure that the members of the orchestra carry them out. A chamber music group, on the other hand, is—ideally, at least—a pure democracy.

I’ve been talking this week about vibrato, the vibrato that string players use to warm up their sounds, and the vocal vibrato that’s the natural product of healthy singing. All vibrato consists of small oscillations in pitch, but not all vibrato is a blessing.

“T” is for Thornwell, James Henley (1812-1862). Theologian, college president.

Yesterday I spoke about picturesque titles of musical compositions, and I quoted Robert Schumann on what he called the “clumsiness” of taking those titles too literally. Schumann’s friend Franz Liszt, on the other hand, coined the term “program music,” and said that when a piece has a program, or story, the musical ideas should clearly reflect the unfolding of the story.

“R” is for Red dots. A phenomenon that piques the curiosity of both visitors and lifelong residents: why do South Carolina liquor stores display red dots?

The ruby-crowned kinglet (Corthylio calendula) is a very small passerine bird found throughout North America. It is a member of the kinglet family. The bird has olive-green plumage with two white wing bars and a white eye-ring. Males have a red crown patch, which is usually concealed. The sexes are identical (apart from the crown), and juveniles are similar in plumage to adults. It is one of the smallest songbirds in North America.

“N” is for Newman, Isaiah DeQuincey (1911-1985). Clergyman, civil rights leader.

“H” is for Hampton County (560 square miles; 2020 population 18,561).