I have long loved classical music, as those who have read my blog posts over the years will likely remember. Of the various subsections of the overall classical genre, I tend to be a classical guy, though I do like some romance and baroque music too (think Mozart). I’m not a fan of modern classical, as most of it seems to be a contest of who can create the most discordant cacophony. My favorite composers have always been Mozart and…
Rather than a specific piece, I thought I would highlight a music style today–the barcarolle. A barcarolle is a traditional folk song sung by Venetian gondoliers and over time has come to mean any piece of music that was composed in that style. A barcarolle when done properly is supposed to give the sensation of traveling on waves through music. It is usually written in 3/4 or 6/8 time (or some other three beat pattern) and is often, though certainly…
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik is one of Mozart’s most beloved and enduring pieces of music. Though the origins are not known, it was likely a commissioned work, completed in about August of 1787. It is a serenade, and was written for a small ensemble, though today we usually hear it performed by a full orchestra. The name comes from Mozart’s own notation in the music, in which he almost certainly was not giving it a special name, but had only noted…
In the summer of 1741, George Frideric Handel was presented with a libretto composed by Charles Jennens. The libretto was arranged entirely from portions of scripture, in particular the Old Testament, and became the lyrics for Handel’s famous oratorio, The Messiah. Many stories have been told about the composition of this famous piece. It is true that he composed the entire work in the space of about three weeks, and many have taken this as a sign that Handel was…
Tuesday Tunes will be a regular part of our posting repertoire, for here you will find some of the best loved music the world has produced. My blogging partners and I have definitive tastes in music, and while I will not claim any superiority for my tastes (though I think I could make a good case for it ;)), mine will flow in certain directions. While I listen to several genres, I grew up listening to classical, which was a…