The Legacy of Tchaikovsky’s Ballets
It is challenging to know whether Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is better known these days for his symphonic works or his ballets. Perhaps it is his … Read more
INSPIRATIONAL
The Role of Music in Film and Television
When the world of the moving picture arrived in the early part of the 20th century, it was a revolution. What is often referred to … Read more
The Impact of Stradivarius on Violin Making
In a recent article, I gave a broad account of the evolution of the violin with a particular focus on the work of the Cremona … Read more
Mozart’s Operatic Influence on Modern Pop Music
The influence of W.A. Mozart across all areas of culture has been colossal, from the Baby Mozart Project through to contemporary song. You can hardly … Read more
Here is What Great Philosophers Thought of Music
While philosophers and scholars of the pre-modern era kept studying music from a harmonic point of view and often delved deeper into the concept “musica … Read more
13 Most Interesting Versions of Happy Birthday
A US court has ruled that one of the world’s most popular songs, Happy Birthday, is no longer under copyright. This could potentially mean that … Read more
Five Curious Facts about Music and Brain Damage
Music is the ultimate “brain” activity, as it involves the motor, visual, auditory, audiovisual, somatosensory, parietal and frontal areas in both hemispheres and the cerebellum. … Read more
6 Signs You Have What it Takes to Become a Professional Musician
If you ask a professional musician what their career is like, they will more often than not explain that their job is much more demanding … Read more
Seven Ancient Myths about Music Instruments
We all know that music is beneficial to the human mind: it lowers anxiety, pain levels, it alters your brainwaves and, of course, helps infants’ … Read more
Medieval Tritone Superstitions Proved Popular in 19th-Century Music
Out of all the musical intervals, the one that has been steeped in ominous superstitions since the Middle Ages is the tritone. This augmented fourth … Read more
Six Curious Facts about Perfect Pitch
The term “perfect pitch” indicates the ability to identify the pitch of a musical tone without an external reference pitch. The first studies about the … Read more
12 Delicious Food Recipes Named After Famous Musicians
Many of the foods we enjoy today were named for their creator or the inspiration of the recipe. So many foods and recipes we take … Read more
15 Most Inspiring Jacqueline du Pré Quotes
Jacqueline du Pré is arguably the greatest talent to ever play the cello. She combined mind, heart, body and soul to produce the most expressive … Read more
How to overcome Stage fright in Seven Easy Ways
Are you experiencing racing pulse and rapid breathing, dry mouth and tight throat, trembling hands, knees, lips, and voice, sweaty and cold hands, nausea and an uneasy feeling in your stomach, and vision changes? Are … Read more
The Impact of Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring on Music and Dance
With the distance of one hundred and ten years between us now and the premiere of Stravinsky’s ballet The Rite of Spring, it can be … Read more