Classy Music For Those Who Prefer Classical

The Most Venerated Group In Rock History: The Beatles

admin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:50:31 +0000

I am invoking the Beatles music into a classical category because so much of their music was and is currently performed by classical artists.

Little has not already been noted about the Beatles. Mention of their name brings to mind specific images and memories for many, and it can be argued that they were the most influential group to take part in the rock and roll movement. Their music won over an entire generation of listeners, and dominated the public psyche in countries throughout the Western world during the 1960’s. The high caliber and innovation of their music belittled their public personas, which were nevertheless quite prominent. The group’s popularity lasts, and Beatles vinyl records still often fetch high prices.

A four-piece group, made up of John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr, originated in northern England. They helped to kick off the movement commonly referred to as the “British Invasion”, which centered around an influx of rock music from the United Kingdom into the North American music market in the early 1960’s and the relatively sudden, broadened popularity of the acts involved and the British rock faction in general. The group, however, surpassed this wave and were one of the major players in rock music for the rest of their existence. They heavily contributed to future rock movements, claims that only a scant few of their contemporaries can make.

Their musical journey was marked by a gradual shift in sonic construction away from vocal-oriented music and pop rock to relatively unexplored territory, visiting folk revival along the way. At the conclusion of their metamorphosis in the late ‘60’s, the group was no longer the Mersey beat aces they had been in their early years. Instead they were associated with a heavier instrument sound which drew upon various elements from rock’s earlier succinct history and mixed these parts up in new and imaginative ways.

Considering that this band put out such a plethora of hits, it is tough to pick any finite number that accurately encapsulates their career. The pop anthems “She Loves You”, “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, and “A Hard Day’s Night”, the surreal “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”, the more guitar-oriented rock tunes like “Helter Skelter”, and the gospel-oriented “Let it Be” showcase the variety of sounds that the band projected.

We can look back fondly on ten years of unmitigated joy that this British quartet gave us. Having physical versions, in any form, of the music of one of the best musical acts of modern times is a point of pride, but ownership of the group’s record albums puts one in exclusive company. The group’s body of work has had exceptional staying power, and has long outlasted the band itself, as well as Lennon and Harrison, who passed on some years ago. The four gentlemen from Liverpool will always be with us.

The Legacy of ‘Silent Night’

admin — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:22:39 +0000

Salzburg, Austria

While hordes of tourists flow through Mozart’s birthplace here and crowd buses for “Sound of Music” tours, fewer connect the Salzburg area with the famous hymn. Visits to sites connected with “Silent Night” deepen its meaning and allow a view of modern Austria and a strong sense of the 18th century.

Oberndorf, Austria — December 22, 1818
It was just two days before Christmas in 1818 when the organ bellows at St. Nikolas Church in Oberndorf, 11 miles north of Salzburg, rotted through making the organ inoperable. Father Joseph Mohr, Parish Priest wrote a poem and asked organist and choir director, Franz Gruber, and the parish choir to set it to music, knowing the congregation would expect music on Christmas Eve at midnight mass. In his study in the village of Arnsdorf, Franz Gruber looked out over the snowy fields from his window. Then, as he read the poem, he began to hum and then sing the poem, “Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht….”. A few hours before midnight mass, Franz headed back to the church to reherse the hymn with Father Mohr and teach the refrain to the choir.

Happy Birthday Jesus !

Christmas Eve, 1818, Franz Gruber sung the bass and Father Josef Mohr sung the tenor and accompanied on the guitar. This was the birth of our, now, most famous and popular Christmas Hymn.

The organ builder who repaired the St. Nikolas bellows then carried the song to his home, 200 miles away near Innsbrook. Two family singing groups performed it in the organ builder’s town. Later the families introduced “Silent Night” in a performance in New York, on Christmas Eve, in 1839.

In 1827, Father Mohr took a position in Wagrain where in the next 21 years until death, he built the Joseph Mohr School and Joseph Mohr Home for the Aged. The old Nikolas church was destroyed by a flood but the townspeople constructed a memorial on the site of the old church in 1837. Father Mohr met his death in 1848.

Franz Gruber accepted an organist position in 1833 in the larger town of Hallein, 10 miles south of Salzburg. He resided there until his death in 1863, at the age of 75.

Where ever these two important men in history hung their hats, are memorialized and there are museums throughout areas of Austria.

This story was originally written and published in The Milwaukee Journal on December 19, 1993, by Jim Johnson in a tribute to the 175th anniversary of this hymn.

Selecting A Gifted New York City Piano Player

norinepeardon — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:52:06 +0000

It’s fairly evident that prior to choosing a New York City piano player for your party or event, you will need to be aware of or do research on the type of music which will pleasure your invited company. This means that, the hired New York City piano player has to be ready to play pretty much any type of music style and play it fabulously. Most likely, the most problematic task at hand is locating the appropriate NYC pianist to spice up your get together’s atmosphere.

First, the prospective pianist you want to employ has to know there way around New York itself. Why does the NYC pianist need to be acquainted with New York City, you might wonder? Typically, if the pianist is from New York City or has a client base in NYC, it is more probable than not, that this piano player could understand the musical tradition and musical preferences of the city. Accordingly, a New York City pianist will, unquestionably be ready to display superb talent for the party’s guests by catering exclusively to their musical taste buds.

Before utilizing the services of a good New York City piano player, there are several key traits as to the style the New York City pianist will play. Ask your prospective New York City piano player if she or he requires sheet music in order to perform their music. The vast majority of NYC piano players can only play with the help of sheet music. If you are fortunate enough to discover that he or she does not require sheet music, then you have came across a top quality NYC pianist who performs by ear or memory and this reflects the flexibility and skill this entertainer has.

Playing by ear or memory is particularly invaluable and important when your NYC pianist is receiving requests for songs or to play with some other person or instrument. Let’s say for example, one of your visitors wants to play a duet with the pianist on the spur of the moment. It is truly quite a typical happening and will be a key consideration when you are utilizing the services of a New York City piano player – lamentably, this trait is often neglected by the majority of us.

A New York City piano player like Arnie Abrams, who has many returning customers, flourishes on such a key trait. He focuses on the New York City area and is available to any client who needs his capabilities for special social gatherings. Although exceptional talent, Mr. Abrams is competitively priced. His services are not cheap, and if you are hiring a NYC pianist solely on price, keep in mind that you are going to compromise the music you are going to be presenting to your guests. That being said, though Arnie’s rates are very fair, competitive, and even more affordable than other NYC pianists, prior customers have reviewed and attested that his service is an indisputable quality service for the money.

It is crucial to realize that only an expert NYC pianist can evaluate your particular entertainment needs and tap into his vast professional experience to provide the music that pleases your guests for the duration of your event. Searching for a first-rate live piano musician in New York City is generally challenging. An event planner can provide you with resources for consideration to make your party as successful as possible.

There are numerous NYC piano players readily available at any given time inside the New York City metropolitan area. Nonetheless, NYC pianists like Arnie Abrams are somewhat difficult to come by as demand of their piano virtuoso and extreme versatility fill their calendar quickly. All in all, always keep in mind that you’re looking for NYC pianists who can relate well with your visitors through their musical talent; otherwise you will be wasting your money and your guests will be disappointed with the entertainment!

Vinyl Record Resurgence, Bringing The Past Forward In To The Present

norinepeardon — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:52:05 +0000

The newer age band, who might have not been born at some stage in the peak of rock vinyl prominence or have even heard the true tune and vintage sound of analog formats, might be perplexed by the unsurpassed generation of older music fans devoted to the revival of vinyl records. Despite the expediency which shared downloads of MP3s and iPods provide, the current music industry still leaves enough breathing room for vinyl records to succeed. Sales of conventional music recordings, like LP’s are recognized to reduce the build up of digital music as record centers and music stores are bringing back niches for gramophone and vinyl racks.

The pledge of ease attached to inanimate music downloads might have brought enjoyment to the public but not for long. With nearly everything attainable in the virtual space, enthusiasts hungered for more concerete music products and want to revive the gratifying feeling of obtaining music records of their own. Being lured by the type of music not similar to that of the aged records and relating with items that are physically lacking in the music world is making it very impossible for people to relate to the music.

Providing a remarkable musical encounter has become a bit hard for contemporary media to attain, thus the rationale for the public’s increasing propensity and interest towards tracks recorded on vinyl. As a result, LP records’ well-timed rebirth has logged a high of 50% rise in the second quarter sales of the prior year.

With record outputs increasing in number every year, broad selections of magnificent music collections have been revived and music loyalty unstoppably progressed from one genre to another. Funk and soul music on vinyl were popular hits a couple of years ago, possibly since vinyl recordings resurged just in time when hip hop influence was trending. Artists focusing on classic rock music like Pink Floyd and The Beatles are on a comeback as the genre of music they were known for, is considered attuned with the time. Music enthusiasts across the ages, know that the reality for vinyl records could never compete with the portability and ease of use features that digital music provides. The presence and renaissance of vinyl recordings has been welcomed by all generations.

It is startling to note how people of today are not as genre-specific as contrasted to those in the past. Thanks to the enhancements in music and creation of extremely alluring music tunes, barriers have been broken and individuals have learned to value music on record albums that are not essentially of the same genre or not even close to repeating the original sound.

Symphonies Have To Have Extra Kidding About

norinepeardon — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 20:50:12 +0000

Andre Rieu Explosive Midi. Why do symphony orchestra critics bash the efforts of our great orchestras? Canada’s Rhiannon Schmitt gives you a constructive overview of British Columbia’s Okanagan Symphony’s fun and educational concert series for youngsters.

Rarely, has Mozart’s Overture to “The Marriage of Figaro” aroused symphony goers to leave their seats for a standing ovation, but it is a surefire bet, a conductor never, ever convinced ticketholders to listen carefully enough to fortissimo passages to cause them to leap from their seats at the recurring, accented, loud, three-note motifs.

It is absolutely unimaginable that a maestro could require his esteemed patrons to startle their neighbour with a well-timed “BOO” or neck throttle during the “sneaky bits” of Don Giovanni. This was true until Okanagan Symphony Guest Conductor Michael Corridor took up the baton for the 2005 Educational School Concert Sequence.

Corridor set up, by far, one of the most entertaining OSO performances this music lover has observed in a very prolonged time. I spent a considerable portion turned to the admiring squealing faces of delight behind me as opposed to fixated on the my normal level of focus, the first violins. Corridor’s rapport with all the young children was great, his enthusiasm for music was catching, and the little ones cherished him.

Andre Rieu Tickets. He didn’t resort to gross potty humour or undesirable music puns to win the youngsters over, nor did he dumb down the genius of Mozart’s music. The truth is, all people left the concert that day with music terms, for instance, “motif, thematic development” and “cadenza” below their belts. Corridor taught the young children to interact together with the orchestra and express emotion and imagination as little ones can.

“Mozart around the Move” featured choices from Mozart’s Symphonies 29 and 40, two overtures plus the notorious “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik”. Kelowna teen prodigy, Melissa Wilmot, astonished us with her dazzling virtuoso taking part in the Violin Concerto in G and young members of the audience played percussion onstage through the “Toy Symphony” composed Mozart’s dad, Leopold.

At a single level, my four-year-old took off walking down the aisle and I was mortified. An OSO manager gently reminded me, it was a kid’s concert and that my son was undertaking what came naturally to him. The concert allowed me to benefit from the world’s most lovely music and my son to burn up off the Timbits he had at lunch.

A year ago,I was quite excited due to the fact Natalie MacMaster stepped onto the Salmon Arm Neighborhood Centre’s stage. Funny, I’m a classical violinist who’s “first love” is Beethoven, but the shows, I’ve enjoyed most, featured a fiddle-diva and an a la rock band and hundreds of giggling, gyrating young children.

Each occasion wasn’t even part of the OSO’s major concert series and were not carried out by Douglas Sanford. The concerts have been just the small nuggets that keep the OSO afloat coupled with monthly exhibits, however, these concerts have been the most important to me.

Broadway Musical Tickets.Which leads me to ponder the symphony conundrum. Symphony orchestras appear to be dying out. Nevertheless we expend far more dollars on entertainment than ever heard of! What’s the problem?

Symphonies are shedding their audiences simply because they aren’t catering to the people that support their the costs: their audience. The days of powdered wigs, pretentious ceremony and dry receptions are gone. Like it or not, we have grown to be men and women of blue jeans and fast food who just want to be entertained. When we would like to listen to music, there are many more modern ways to enjoy; artists on radio and television stations vying to win our dollars.

Symphonies are shedding their audiences simply because they aren’t catering for the people that shell out the costs: their audience. The days of powdered wigs, pretentious ceremony and dry receptions have extended due to the fact previous. Like it or not, we have grow to be a men and women of blue jeans and fast food who just want to be entertained. When we would like to listen to music, we have obtained many a huge number of artists, radio and Television stations vying to win our dollar.

Downloading Songs Of The Beatles

norinepeardon — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 20:34:02 +0000

Download Beatles Songs

Up until recently, it had been difficult to Download Beatles Songs. I am a huge Beatles fan continuing into present day. I have always enjoyed their music. Nowhere can you find another band that after being together for only eight years has the diversity of songs that they did. I don’t believe that anyone could make the claim that Norwegian Wood sounds like Love Me Do or that Hey Jude sounds like She Loves You. Their whole career as a band spanned a little over eight years.

So you can imagine my excitement when I found out that Apple iTunes is making it possible to download Beatles songs. If you are a Beatles fan this offering is going to make you very happy. You will now have the ability to download Beatles songs to your electronic device. Even if you hadn’t been much of a Beatles fan before (yes there are actually people that aren’t fans!), you can try songs that you may never have heard of. You may be quite surprised.

I am always amazed at how many people of younger generations love the Beatles. They too will have the opportunity to download Beatles songs. Check out a Paul McCartney concert in which he sings Beatles songs. You’ll see people of all ages singing along with him when he plays Beatles songs. A funny story that a friend of mine told me a couple of years ago. He was in a record store (remember those?) and a bunch of teenagers were commenting about how they were amazed that Paul McCartney was in a band before Wings. Imagine that!

If you don’t remember a certain song you can not only download Beatles songs but you can preview them too. To do that, go to iTunes and then use your mouse and hover over any of the songs until the Play button appears and then just hit that button. I feel that even non Beatles fans are going to convert to fans after this craze. My guess is that you haven’t heard all that they have to offer. You can change this as you can now download Beatles songs.

If you want to download Beatles songs you now have that opportunity. Enjoy your songs and remember that All You Need is Love!

[Disclosure: Compensated Affiliate]

What Is Music To People?

norinepeardon — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 18:45:58 +0000

Music is like vitamins to our body and soul. Every one listens to it at some point; many listen to it every day. It can make people happy, it can make them sad. It is our uniqueness as human beings to let go of our emotions and let the music soothe our soul. Could you imagine a world without music? It would be a long ride inside a bus and a dreadful weekend when you have nothing else to do.

The thing is though, there’s a lot less people making their own music than there were before. The whole issue of downloading has meant that a lot of people have given up on trying to make a music career for themselves. A lot of musicians spend their own money to make a demo or album, only to end up giving them to people to download for free. If you are one of these unlucky musicians, could you afford to live and create music? Chances are, you will stop.

When you value your music, you better question yourself: What is in store for music in the future? Performers and composers need to protect their quality music. While the withering effect won’t happen for a few years, the copycats will continue penetrating the music scene; it’s only going to get worse and worse. If the people who have devoted their lives to making music will not make a move to protect their music, the industry will wither. The music industry is going to be full of people trying to make a quick buck by recording cheesy songs that appeal to kids (Who try to convince their parents to buy the bad music for them).

If you love to listen to music, better buy the original, genuine recording to help the music business and your top musicians and forget the wannabe’s.

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Loving Music: Do It The Saxophone Way

norinepeardon — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 23:21:59 +0000

You love playing the saxophone. When you were younger, you discovered an interest in saxophone and have since dreamed of playing it professionally and earning money through playing. So, do you think you are ready to take that next step to achieving your dream?

The next step is, of course, enrolling in a saxophone music school. You are likely concerned that saxophone education is very expensive. Do not worry excessively about this. Getting into a music school is not that hard. You only need to take care that you do not hastily choose a school without first researching it. It is necessary to be careful in choosing your school in order to avoid wasting your money.

First, you have to consider the name of the saxophone music school. What is its reputation? Is it known to be a good school that produces the best musicians in town? Is this school known to be of good quality? Find out also how long the school has been in operation to see if they have the experience and enduring quality that you are looking for.

Try to gather as much feedback as you can on the professors or sax instructors. Are they among the best? Are they saxophone musicians themselves? Most saxophone music schools have famous saxophone musicians as their instructors and this will surely be a good motivation for you to enroll.

Why not drop by the school and do a visual inspection? See if they have all the necessary facilities which will indicate the level of their commitment in giving you the best music education. Most importantly, check on the classes that they provide. Are you satisfied with their curriculum and teaching strategies? A good saxophone music school should provide the basics up to the intermediate level, even to the level of pro, to ensure that its music students will be among the best musicians in the country in the future.

Talking to students or graduates of the school can help your struggle in deciding on the best music school. They can give real testimonies on the quality of music education and the demand for the school’s graduates they have acquired in that particular school for they have the real experience .

Lastly, check the rates. Tuition fees of saxophone music schools are known to put a hole in a student’s pocket, so be sure to ask around and compare prices. You will surely find that some schools are less costly than others. Just remember not to put too much weight on the affordability of a music school if you want quality education.

If you have a day job, then be sensible enough to find a school that is near your office for your traveling convenience. When you seriously consider all the points and items raised here, you will get the general idea of how to properly choose your saxophone music school.

Introduction To Teenager Violin Lessons

norinepeardon — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 18:04:01 +0000

If we allow our teenagers and adolescent children to make their own decisions in life, it is difficult to find out whether they are really involved in good habits and productive activities. Parents are usually not completely sure what their children are doing most of the time, what they do on the computer, what they watch on TV or even who their friends are.

They prefer making up their own minds about things they want to do and be involved in. However, we could still suggest things they can do to be more productive and to enhance their innate talents. You can enroll them for art and music lessons to enhance their cultural knowledge and increase their artistic tendencies. One of the best music classes available is teenager violin lessons.

Violin is one of the most flexible musical instruments we have today. We have seen evidence of this through the many recordings of jazz, pop, country and of course, classical music that include violin playing. This is known as the smallest of the string instruments. The violin only has 4 strings with high to low tunes. This instrument has been seen by many to be like an empty wooden box with a long protruding neck on one edge.

You play the violin by pressing the strings with your left hand while your right hand rubs the bow on the right side string. The bow is just a wooden rod with horsehair strands on both ends. Violins have been in existence for centuries and, today, it is still pretty much in demand. The violin can play harmoniously with any other musical instruments and produce really well-blended and exquisite music.

Some people believe that playing the violin is difficult, but it’s really not. If you truly want to be an effective violinist, you need to have a good coach for teenager violin lessons to teach you how to be one. Holding the bow properly is of utmost important in playing the violin right. Take note that your pinky finger is positioned at the bow’s bottom end while the thumb is curved around the rod. Your teacher will be on the watch every time you hold the violin to know if you are doing the right thing during teenager violin lessons. It is also important to have the violin at level with your shoulder as a support.

Make sure that your left hand, if you are right-handed, is at the violin’s nut and not creeping up. This is important since improper hand placement can make your music out of tune. Another important instruction to remember is to play the instrument straight across the strings. Your teacher will coach you how to properly do this.

As soon as you gain the basics in playing this instrument, you can already play and learn on your own. Practice slowly at first then gradually increase the pace as you get more confident in your playing. Focus on the tempo and rhythm of the music so you can stroke the bow correctly. Start with practicing the bow on open strings then gradually press some of the strings one by one.

With knowledge of the basics of violin playing, you will know whether this activity is something your teenage kid will be interested in.

KING FM Launches Mobile App

admin — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:54:50 +0000

SEATTLE, Wash.—December 7, 2010—Continuing its longstanding adaptation of new technology to broadcasting classical music, Classical KING FM 98.1 announced today the launch of its iPhone application. The app is free.

Key features of KING FM’s new mobile app include:

§ Mobile access to four KING FM streams: KING FM 98.1, The Evergreen Channel, Symphonic Channel, and the Opera Channel

§ Mobile access to KING’s music playlist and KING.org

§ Availability for use on a listener’s iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad.

“The internet creates a power not seen before in radio,” said KING FM Program Director Bryan Lowe. “As broadcasters, it’s fun to adapt the ever-evolving landscape of technology to delivering classical music. For KING FM’s listeners, this new technology not only means more access to more music for our current listeners, it also allows us to share this great music with new generations. Together with our app and our online streams, our mission of sharing classical music can reach new heights.”

KING FM has long been at the industry forefront of adapting new mediums and technology. In 1995, KING FM was one of the first radio stations in the world to present its content simultaneously over the radio and online. It broadcast the first live classical performance over the internet.

Jennifer Ridewood, KING FM General Manager, said the iPhone App shows that KING FM’s commitment to using new technology remains strong. “As KING FM moves closer to becoming a listener-supported station in 2011, this new iPhone application provides a glimpse into some of the innovative projects we are currently developing for our listeners,” she said.

Designed specifically for the iPhone, the app will allow users to:

•Stream Classical KING FM via mobile device
•Hear arts interviews from the KING FM Arts Channel on-demand
•View Music Playlist
•Set App to stream in the background while using other apps
•Use Classical KING FM as their Alarm Clock
•Purchase music they hear
•Pause and play stream
•Support Classical KING FM through an online donation
•Visit the Classical KING FM website
•Interact with hosts and listeners on the Classical KING FM Facebook page

KING FM is available on 98.1 FM, online at www.KING.org, the KING FM App, on iTunes radio, and with 3 HD channels in Seattle.