One of the most famous sequences of Gregorian chant, Dies Irae – “Day of Wrath” – describes the Last Judgment of souls before God where the saved will go to heaven and the unsaved cast into eternal flames of suffering. This 13th-century plainchant melody has since been used by composers throughout time to symbolize death, […]
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It’s October – which means it’s time for Halloween! What better way to do celebrate than by listening to some spooky music? Check out part 1 here, and get ready to hear some more super creepy classical music. Der Vampyr by Heinrich Marschner (1795-1861) If you think today’s depiction of vampires is scary, let’s go […]
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You know the feeling of being swept away by your own imagination? Of losing track of all things reality for a magical place of memories and thoughts and what-ifs? Well, many composers throughout music history have tried to capture this feeling of reverie in their music. From Madness to Daydreams But first, a little background […]
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Hello readers! Sorry for not posting consistently over the last few weeks; I was working as a pianist at a music summer camp for middle and high schoolers, but now I’m home and ready to get back into my own music-making! This week on the blog, I want to share some of my favorite pieces […]
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Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, so let’s listen to some more music inspired by love. Check out part one here, and let’s jump in: Le Voir Dit by Guillaume de Machaut Background Composed from 1361-65, Le Voir Dit (“A True Story”) is one of the most epic romances written by one of the most important Medieval composers: Guillaume […]
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Learn the history of Elvis Presley’s hit song Can’t Help Falling in Love.
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A funeral march is a musical work with a slow, stately pulse – typically in a minor key and in 4/4 time – imitating a funeral procession. While the specific origins of the funeral march are unknown, books of military music suggest that the earliest funeral marches were slow, simple beats kept on a large […]
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Have you ever noticed that certain music can make you feel a very specific way? Music is very powerful stuff. It can uplift and depress, agitate and calm. It can offer relief and comfort. Let’s examine this idea a little further. How Music Conveys Emotion Even though there are countless works of music in the world […]
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It’s almost Halloween! I’m not usually one to celebrate this particular holiday, but I thought it would be fun to look at some creepy classical music in today’s post. Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Bach This fun little organ piece (okay, this hugely enormous organ piece) is believed to have been written by […]
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Sometimes the term “classical music” elicits groans. Thoughts of long, boring concerts full of long, boring music tend to scare listeners away from the seemingly outdated instrumental medium. And then there’s the daunting (yet maybe stereotypical?) image of the concert hall: the formal orchestra and an auditorium full of the cultured and well-dressed who attend so they can listen to serious and […]
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