What Makes Classical Music Classical?
I regularly hear the term ‘classical music’ being used to describe anything from Phillip Glass through to Josquin Des Prez. It is a way of … Read more
CLASSICAL
10 Most Interesting Facts About Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi is considered, together with Richard Wagner, the most important opera composer of the nineteenth century. Throughout his entire life Verdi wrote operas which … Read more
Music Lessons Were The Best Thing Your Parents Ever Did For You
If your memory of music as a child is of your parents forcing you to go to that dreaded piano lesson every week, now you … Read more
10 Great Composers Who Died Young
These ten composers died before their 30th birthday. Many more composers, of course, died in their thirties and forties (most famously Mozart, who passed at … Read more
13 Easy Violin Pieces for Beginners
In this article, I have hunted down pieces for the less experienced violinist that are both rewarding and challenging to play. Even though these pieces … Read more
Beethoven Late Period – His Greatest Music Pieces
Beethoven’s creative life is frequently placed into three periods; early, middle and late. It is a way of breaking down and analyzing the substantial contribution … Read more
12 Famous Piano Pieces from the Movies
The piano has become an iconic instrument for numerous films over the years, from the days of the silent film to the present day. Perhaps … Read more
What Makes A Great Composer?
In some respects, this is a choice or judgement for every individual. I may consider WA Mozart to be the greatest composer who ever lived, … Read more
The ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ Traditionally Brings People to Their Feet
The Hallelujah Chorus is traditionally performed throughout the Christian world as part of the Easter celebration. Whether it is done on the concert stage with … Read more
Why Do We Like Sad Music?
Provided that sadness is an emotion we generally try to avoid, why do we even listen to sad music and enjoy it? According to the … Read more
5 Pieces of Classical Music about Autumn
1. Autumn from “The Seasons”; Op. 67; by Alexander Glazunov Glazunov is not a name we readily hear these days in the concert halls and on … Read more
10 Most Famous Classical Music Pieces (Popular Classical Music Pieces)
The list of pieces for the above title could probably run for pages and cause all manner of consternation over what is considered to be … Read more
Characteristics of Classical Music: An introduction
Periods of music are often hotly contested and accompanied by the notion that over-night one period of music magically transformed into the next. Imagine falling … Read more
“His father keeps a shop”: Behind Edward Elgar’s struggle for respectability
It was a music shop at 10 High Street in Worcester: “Elgar Bros. Pianoforte & Music Warehouse.” It was in this shop that young Edward … Read more
How Does Ravel’s Music Differ From Debussy’s?
If the names above are not familiar to you, then you are in for a treat. Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy composed some of the … Read more