As a musician, it is important to have access to tools and resources that will help you progress. Here are my favorite tools and resources for pianists (and all other musicians). Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. But it doesn’t cost you any extra! And it helps support me while I […]
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One of my favorite things about our local classical radio station is that it always introduces me to new (sometimes obscure) works and composers. This leads me to today’s topic: Polish pianist and composer Zygmunt Stojowski (1870-1946). I heard one of his piano concertos on the radio and was hooked from the start of its […]
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Way back when I first started this blog, I was learning a piano solo called Pavane for a Dead Princess (or Pavane pour une infante défunte) by French composer Maurice Ravel (1875-1937). I wrote a blog post discussing the history of the work, and before you read this post you should check that out: Since then, I have recorded and posted on […]
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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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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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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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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 […]
Read MoreHappy birthday, Bach! (Well, according to the Old Style calendar. Nowadays we would probably celebrate his birthday on March 31st due to the shift in the New Style calendar. But hey, there’s no reason we can’t celebrate early!) Please enjoy my second music vlog, which is a three-part series discussing his life, his musical style, […]
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Part of the reason I started A Pianist’s Musings was because I wanted to keep a journal (of sorts) on music that interests me. I figured if I could write about the music I was listening to, maybe I could share it with others and help someone else discover some wonderful new music. With that […]
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