A Crossover Between Early Electronic Music and Classical
Experiments with electronics stretch back further in time than you might first imagine. Natural human curiosity coupled with the desire to create something unheard of … Read more
CLASSICAL
The Trial of Shostakovich: What was really at stake at the premiere of his Fifth Symphony
Born on September 25, 1906 in St. Petersburg (renamed Petrograd in 1914; renamed Leningrad in 1924), Dmitri Shostakovich lived in an era of vast and … Read more
Exploring Microtonal Music: Pioneers and Composers
Before plunging headlong into the composers themselves, let’s pause and take a brief look at what microtonal music is. For the best part of over … Read more
The Best of Beethoven (4 Beautiful Works by Ludwig van Beethoven)
The following pieces are very much my personal choice of music from this great composer. There are many other astonishing pieces that Beethoven composed that … Read more
5 Neglected Female Composers from the Baroque Era
There’s an old adage that goes something like history is written by the victors. In the case of Western Cultural history, all too often women’s … Read more
The Evolution of the Violin: from Baroque to Modern Times
The violin has become such a familiar instrument to us these days that it is perhaps difficult to imagine the humble origins from which it … Read more
Emile Waldteufel was the French answer to Strauss
Much like his rival, he was born in a family of dance musicians, as his father Louis and his elder brother Leon were well-versed in … Read more
Manuel de Falla: Classical Composer Influenced by Spanish Folk Music
Composer Manuel de Falla is known for weaving elements of Spanish folk music into his ballets, operas, orchestral and chamber works. He was particularly influenced … Read more
The Impact of Synthesised Instruments on Classical Compositions
The possibility of synthesized sound is not a new one. Synths have been around since the mid-1960s, with inventors like Robert Moog, who created one … Read more
The Influence of Folk Music on Classical Composers
Folk music, depending on culture and global location, can broadly be described as traditional music. It’s often passed down through the generations orally as opposed … Read more
Ten Johann Strauss Pieces Every Strauss Lover Should Listen To
You just need to hear a violin tremolo in the key of A major accompanied by a horn (and maybe the staccato wind chords) to … Read more
7 Curious Facts You Should Know About Symphonies
When you hear the word ‘symphony’, you immediately think of something solemn and majestic such as Mozart’s Jupiter symphony, Beethoven’s Eroica (a current earworm of … Read more
Classical Music and Outer Space: What’s The Connection?
If you’re a Stanley Kubrick fan, you may already have experienced that tremendous link between space and music. The opening scene of the film is … Read more
Aaron Copland and the Sound of American Music
Aaron Copland composed music known for its “American” sound during a time when music in the United States was still heavily influenced by the European … Read more
Lowell Mason: Composer and Pioneer of Music Education in American Public Schools
Known for his contributions to both public education and church music, Lowell Mason’s early music training was in singing and structure of hymns. By the … Read more