Last week we talked about the development of the string quartet, a Classical era genre of music that involves two violins, a viola, and a cello. (Click here for that post.) Since “Father of the String Quartet” Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) established the quartet as a legit ensemble, many composers have continued to develop the genre. […]
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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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Some of the most heartbreakingly beautiful music was born out of religion. From church chant to contemporary hymns, music is one of the best ways to worship, as it is one of the purest forms of communication. The Cherubic Hymn (also known as Cherubikon, or “song of the angels” in Greek) is one such piece of music […]
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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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Michele Nobler is a contemporary composer I have had the pleasure of meeting through social media. He was kind enough to share his compositions with me, so I thought I’d write a blog post about his music! An Album From the Heart Nobler’s piano album “Suspended Souls” is a beautiful collection of modern musical art that […]
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I’ve been listening to a lot of different styles of instrumental music lately. Instrumental music helps me think, relax, dream, imagine, create, and more! However, my music favorites constantly change depending on what projects I’m working on and what is going on in my life. Right now I’m creating a lot of my own music, […]
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Ola Gjeilo (pronounced Yay-lo) (b. 1978) is a 21st-century pianist and composer who has changed the face of contemporary choir music. His compositions whisk the listener away on a journey full of emotion and beauty. Gjeilo is one of my favorite modern choir composers, so let’s learn more about him and his music. About Ola […]
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Today’s post is so exciting because I will be discussing my latest piano composition and my first album! Let’s talk about the piano piece first. The Girl with the Fire A few months ago, my sister and I were talking about music during the intermission of this choir concert. She half-jokingly suggested I compose a […]
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After discussing the Romantic era last week, today I want to introduce you to English composer Cyril Scott (1879-1970). Essentially a “modern late-Romantic Impressionist” composer, Scott defined his musical style by combining contemporary trends with his own flare. Biography Born to a scholar father and amateur pianist mother, Cyril Scott showed musical talent at a […]
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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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