When you think of the waltz, you might start humming Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers or The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II. Waltz music has certainly gone through much development since its origins in the 1700s. But did you know that the original Classical era dance was considered scandalous? And that it wasn’t until […]
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Happy International Women’s Day! To celebrate, I want to share with you some of my favorite contemporary female composers. Check out these posts here for more awesome women composers! Contemporary Female Composers Jennifer Higdon My first introduction to Higdon was a listening assignment for my music theory class in college. The professor made us listen […]
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If you are an avid movie watcher, you probably know the names Hans Zimmer or John Williams. They are two of the most important film composers of our time, and with good reason; they have helped define film music as its own genre, one that tells the story of the movie (even outside of the […]
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It’s hard to believe that October is almost over! So this week I thought it would be fun to listen to some classical music directly inspired by this final autumn month. Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel (1805-1847) In the summer of 1831, Mendelssohn Hensel began composing a piano cycle named Das Jahr (which means “The Year”). This 13-piece work […]
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Since the beginning of time, composers have found ways to use musical instruments to communicate, and as technology developed, so did those musical instruments. The Renaissance era saw the creation of the violin, viola, and cello. And because the sweet string sound captured the ear of musicians and audiences alike, the string quartet was created. […]
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Music has been around for a very long time. Long before mankind even began a written history of their lives, there was music. And long before the development of the treble clef, music notation had to begin somewhere. Prehistoric Music Notation At the earliest point in known music history, music notation did not exist. People […]
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“I wish to make German hymns for the people, that the Word of God may dwell in their hearts by means of song also.” Martin Luther Faith, Works, and the Bible Five centuries ago, during the peak of the Renaissance era, Martin Luther (1483-1546) made history by stepping away from the Catholic church and helping initiate the […]
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The Romantic era is one of the most popular periods in Western music history. And it’s easy to see why! Lasting from 1820-1910 (or so), music from this time is known for its shift away from the balanced and light Classical era characteristics and towards more emotive and descriptive sounds. Romantic Era Ideals A Shift […]
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We’ve looked at the musical development of minimalism in the mid-20th century (part 1). Then we discussed four minimalist-music pioneers and their contributions to the style (part 2). Today, let’s talk about the impact minimalism has had on 21st-century music and how minimalism continues to make a statement in modern ways. And let me tell […]
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Last week we discussed how minimalism became a musical movement in the mid-1900s. After decades of experimental music and a shift away from traditional melodic and harmonic ideas, a group of American composers aimed to return to the simple and – as a result – created minimalism. Today, let’s take a look at some* of […]
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