CLASSICAL

I was certain that I knew this little piece of Beethoven’s quite well having played it, listened to it, and taught it for decades. Following … Read more

Best is quite a troublesome word to associate with almost anything, but here I have the dilemma of attributing it to German composers. In the … Read more

It’s often said that history is written by the victorious. In a cultural context, this is no different, especially the further one travels back in … Read more

To appreciate the extensive influence Italian opera has had on Classical music we need to take a good look into its past. One claim is … Read more

Nationalism can be considered to refer to music that embraces some traditional elements such as that of folk songs or typical dance forms. It can … Read more

The 19th Century witnessed some of the most extreme musical developments in Western history. Everything appeared to be expanding. Orchestras commonly numbered a hundred performers, … Read more

Form or structure in music refers to how the music is constructed or put together. There are many different forms or structures that have developed … Read more

In conversation, people often make the connection between improvisation and jazz. This makes perfect sense as the genre is oriented around the improvisational skills of … Read more

One of the most engaging and inspirational areas of music is where Eastern and Western cultures intersect. Over hundreds of years of cultural history, fruitful … Read more

It’s not unreasonable to imagine that classical and folk music are completely separate genres. Never the twain shall meet, however, folk music has played a … Read more

When you hear the music of Verdi (1813-1901), it is often so powerful and passionate that the emotions you feel are overwhelming. In this way … Read more

JS Bach (1685 – 1750), came from a long line of musicians that is thought to date back to a man named Veit Bach. He … Read more