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Classical: New Age music resources

2009-05-29T01:05:00.001-05:00

A number of people asked me for more Classical: New Age resources after I shared cellist Jami Sieber's “Hidden Sky” in March. Here's a quick list of some useful places to check out:

Editor's Picks in Classical: New Age (CDBaby)
Rhapsody Classical New Age Piano Music (Online radio station)
New Age Classical Music (list by encoresarah on Amazon.com)
Music is here—Classical: New Age

A Musical Mediation to Relax and Reflect With: Hidden Sky, by Jami Sieber

2009-03-06T03:07:00.005-06:00

Relax or reflect with “Hidden Sky,” a deep, clear and spacious musical meditation from electric cellist Jami Sieber. (Click the play arrow in the upper left corner to listen, and drag the slider in the upper right corner to adust volume.)

Hidden Sky by Jami Sieber

Tender and wise romantic melodies slowly unfold in a perfect meeting of Western and Eastern sensibilities. Sieber's music on this album comes from contemplating on her meeting with the elephants of Thailand. The "Sukhotai Rain" and "A Common Music" tracks even include sounds made by the Elephant Orchestra from the Thai Elephant Conservation Center.

(Note: you may need to reset the volume in the player after some tracks.)

Nine easy ways to get a friend or family member interested in classical music (or to get started yourself)

2008-11-06T16:24:00.021-06:00

It's that time of year again, and wouldn't you like to give some great music to family and friends? Or just somehow find a way to get them interested in classical music? But alas, some of them claim NOT to be interested in classical music. Despair not! Here are five CDs (1-5) and four articles (6-9) of which at least one is sure to bridge the gap!

1. The Most Popular Classical TV Themes in the Universe (CD)

Ever wonder which television program or commercial made which piece of music popular? Did you know that the Disney Cruises commercial used Monty Python's Flying Circus Theme, which is Aquarium from Carnival of the Animals? Or that Looney Toons used the Flying Dutchman Overture? They might also be interested to read Are you already listening to classical music, but didn't know it?

2. The Most Uplifting Classics in the Universe (CD)

If you need a mood uplift, this is one you'll want to have on hand. Includes works by Mozart, Mendelssohn, Holst, Bruckner, Beethoven, Bach, and Vivaldi.

3. Classical Heat

Get your heart pumping with the first CD, with works by Holst, Verdi, Barber, Stravinsky, and Orff.

But what if you're looking for more of a romantic, passionate sound? That's what you'll find on the second CD of this two-CD set.

4. Classics: Greatest Hits

If you're buying (or already own) the first three albums, you'll appreciate knowing that the Greatest Hits CD does not duplicate any of the music on albums 1-3 recommended above.

These are additional, important pieces from classical music's key periods: baroque, classical, romantic, and 20th century. Familiar works like the "Blue Danube Waltz" and Mozart's "Eine kleine Nachtmusik" will capture the attention of any newcomer.

5. Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music

Tried everything without success? Try this. Includes fantastic recordings of Dvorak's 9th Symphony second movement and Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, and makes an excellent addition to most collections.

Aaron Green, About.com's Classical Music Guide weeded through hundreds of CDs and recommended these five. Thanks, Aaron!

6. For people who want to learn, but don't know where to start. This is a crash course in the greatest composers and greatest music that can be followed in a few minutes here and there from your computer. They may also like this guide to terminology and recommended books for those new to classical music.

7. For people who don't realize they are already listening to classical music.Everyone should check this out! Guaranteed to teach you fascinating things you didn't know. This collection of links and information covers how a lot of popular songs have been based on classical music, where many of the great classics appear in which movies, and which pieces of classical music have had the greatest impact on contemporary culture.

8. For people who really like certain instruments more than others, check out the Instruments of Classical Music Series: each CD is a classical music collection focusing on a single instrument: Harpsichord; Flute; Oboe; Trumpet; Horn; Violin; Cello; Piano; Organ; Guitar and Lute (okay, that last one is two instruments).

9. Still not working? Lighten up! Here's a collection of humorous quotes from Eugene Ormandy, the Yogi Berra of the Orchestra, such as:

“Why do you always insist on playing while I'm trying to conduct?”
“During the rests -- pray."
“I never say what I mean but I always manage to say something similar.”

To keep abreast of news and interesting links on Classical Music, visit or subscribe to @Classical_Music on Twitter. Want an RSS feed of just Classical Music posts? Here you go!

Eugene Ormandy, the Yogi Berra of the Orchestra

2008-10-25T21:25:00.005-05:00

From 1938 until 1980, Eugene Ormandy was musical director for the Philadelphia orchestra, famous for his inspired direction and style...and also for his humorous verbal attempts, such as: “I never say what I mean but I always manage to say something similar.”

The orchestra collected their favorites, and here are a few of mine:

“During the rests -- pray."
“Why do you always insist on playing while I'm trying to conduct?”
“Mahler wrote it as the third movement of his Fourth Symphony. I mean the fourth movement of his First Symphony. We play it third. The trumpet solo will be played by our solo trumpet player.”
“Let me explain what I do here. I don't want to confuse you any more than absolutely necessary.”
“I don't mean to make you nervous, but unfortunately I have to”
“Thank you for your cooperation and vice versa.”
“If you don't have it in your part, leave it out, because there is enough missing already.”
“It's difficult to remember when you haven't played it before.”
“We can't hear the balance yet because the soloist is still on the airplane.”
“Please follow me because I have to follow him and he isn't here.”
“Percussion, a little louder." / "We don't have anything." / "That's right, play it louder.”
“That's the way Stravinsky was. Bup, bup, bup, bup. The poor guy's dead now. Play it legato.”
“The notes are right, but if I listened they would be wrong.”
“Who is sitting in that empty chair?”
“The next movement is still in the factory.”
“Don't ever follow me, because I am difficult.”
“It is not as difficult as I thought it was, but it is harder than it is.”
“Start beforty-two.”
“Start three bars before something.”
“Start at B. Yes. No. Yes. No.”
“Did you play? It sounded very good.”
“It has no rhythm, but it will because it's so much faster.”
“Tonight I'm going to listen with my ears.”
“Long note? Yes. Make it seem short.”
“It's all very well to have principles, but when it comes to money you have to be flexible.”

And although he also said, “Death is an awful thing. I don't believe in it myself.” Eugene Ormandy died in 1985, and we will miss him.

For a much longer collection of his quotes, see the Arizona State University's collection of Eugene Ormandy quotes.

To keep abreast of news and interesting links on Classical Music, visit or subscribe to @Classical_Music on Twitter. Want an RSS feed of just Classical Music posts? Here you go!

Classical Music: Learning and Appreciation Resources

2008-10-21T13:59:00.015-05:00

Here are a few places to get started learning more about classical music.

Learn the basics of music terminology

Arrangement, Arrangers, Transcription
Beat	Harmony	Rhythm
Coda	Key	Score
Conductor	Maestro	Syncopation
Divertimento	Orchestra	Tessitura
Finale	Prodigy	Vibrato

(All terms explained by Miles Hoffman, excerpted from The NPR® Classical Music Companion: Terms and Concepts from A to Z)

Great books to learn from

WHO'S AFRAID OF CLASSICAL MUSIC? : A highly arbitrary and thoroughly opinionated guide to listening to and enjoying symphony, opera and chamber music: The classical music critic for Time magazine humorously makes classical music accessible in an easy-to-read style.
What to Listen for in Music by Aaron Copland: An essential classic written by an author who was himself a great composer. Does not cover music of the last half-century.
The Vintage Guide to Classical Music: A lively -- and opinionated -- musical history and an insider's key to the personalities, epochs, and genres of the Western classical tradition.
The NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection : The 350 Essential Works This, the second edition, has one-third new selections and reviews, and a 50% change in discography to keep all suggested CDs up to date.

Comprehensive references:

All Music Guide to Classical Music: The Definitive Guide to Classical Music
The definitive source: covers over 500 composers, 800+ performer biographies, thousands of compositions, with album recommendations for artists. Includes 23 essays devoted to classical music's major eras, forms, and genres.

Classical Music: Third Ear: The Essential Listening Companion
This excellent guide to classical music discography ranges over the entire history of recorded sound, with 50-plus contributors covering some 500 composers.

To keep abreast of news and interesting links on Classical Music, visit or subscribe to @Classical_Music on Twitter.

The Classical Music FAQ

Here is the table of contents from the rec.music.classical FAQ, last updated in 1995:

Q1. What are the major periods of "classical" music?
Q2. I'm new to classical music and don't have any classical recordings. 
      What should I listen to so that I can learn more?  
Q3. I heard this melody on the radio.  How do I figure out what it is?  
Q4. When I went to the record store to buy a CD of [insert piece],
      I found dozens of versions.  How do I know which one to buy?
Q5. Why are there so many recordings of the same piece?
Q6. How do I find out if [insert-piece] has ever been recorded?
Q7. What is that music from [insert TV-show/Movie] called?
Q8. What are the essential reference books on classical music?
Q9. What distinguishes classical music from popular music?
Q10. What is the difference between an opera and a musical?
Q11. What is the history behind Orff's Carmina Burana?
Q12. What are the words to the first movement of Carmina Burana?
Q13. How do you pronounce all those conductors' and composers' names?
Q14. How are composers' works usually indexed?  Why so many ways?
Q15. What's the point of having a conductor?
Q16. Will a "DDD" recording always sound better than "ADD" or "AAD"?  What
 do those codes mean anyway?
Q17. What is "authentic performance practice?"

Want an RSS feed of just Classical Music posts? Here you go!

A quick free crash course in the greatest composers and greatest pieces of classical music.

2008-09-06T17:53:00.011-05:00

The quickest crash course in classical music you're likely to find anywhere! And when you're ready to go further, also check out the Classical music learning and appreciation resources page.

Pronunciation guide

Be sure to keep the audio pronunciation guide to composers and performers handy (allows you to listen to audio of the correct pronunciation) as you go. (Here is an alternate list with additional audio samples of correct pronunciations.) You might also like to use a pronunciation resource used by some classical music announcers, the Pronouncing Dictionary of Music and Musicians.

Famous composers and music to familiarize yourself with

First are six videos containing brief audio clips of famous works by famous composers, with a picture and brief bio of each. Following those are three videos, each containing very short excerpts of famous and popular classical pieces.

Famous composers:

Famous music:

1) Pachelbel, Canon in D major.

2) Charpentier, Te Deum. Prelude.

3) Vivaldi, The Four Seasons. Spring.

4) Bach, Cantata BWV. 147. Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.

5) Bach, Cello Suite No.1, BWV 1007. Prelude.

6) Bach, Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565.

7) Haendel, Messiah HWV 56, Hallelujah.

8) Haendel, Water Music HWV 348-350, Alla Hornpipe.

9) Mozart, Overture to The Marriage of Figaro, KV 492.

10) Mozart, Symphony 40 in G minor, KV 550. 1st Mov.

11) Mozart, Eine Kleine Nachtmusic KV 525.

12) Mozart, Rondo Alla Turca, KV 331.

13) Mozart, Piano Concerto No.20, KV 466. Romance.

14) Beethoven, Symphony No. 3, Heroica.

15) Beethoven, Symphony No. 5. Allegro con Brio.

16) Beethoven, Symphony No. 6, Pastoral.

17) Beethoven, Symphony No. 9. Choral.

18) Beethoven, Ruins of Athens Op. 113. Turkish March.

19) Beethoven, Bagatelle in A minor. Fur Elise.

20) Beethoven, Moonlight Sonata Op.27.

21) Schubert, Trout Quintet. Die Forelle Op. 114.

22) Schubert, Ave Maria.

23) Schubert, Symphony No. 8, Unfinished.

1) Strauss Jr: Blue Danube Waltz.

2) Strauss Jr: Emperor Waltz.

3) Brahms: Hungarian Dance No.5.

4) Wagner: The ride of the Valkyries.

5) Wagner: Tannhauser Overture.

6) Mendelssohn: Wedding March.

7) Offenbach: Can Can.

8) Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.4.

9) Tchakovsky: Symphony No.5.

10) Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake. Lake in Midnight.

11) Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake. Waltz.

12) Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker. Waltz of the Flowers.

13) Tchaikovsky: Capriccio Italien Op. 45.

14) Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture.

15) Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1.

16) Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No.2.

17) Liszt: Dreams of Love.

18) Liszt: La Campanella.

19) Schumann: Traumerei.

20) Chopin: Piano Concerto No.1.

21) Chopin: Etude Op.10, No.1.

22) Chopin: Etude Op.10, No.3.

23) Chopin: Etude Op.10, No.12.

24) Chopin: Polonaise Heroic Op.53.

25) Chopin: Waltz Op.64 No.1 "Minute Waltz".

26) Chopin: Polonaise Brillante in C major op.3 Cello and Piano.

1) Bizet, Habanera (Carmen).

2) Bizet, Les Toreadors (Carmen).

3) Rossini, The Barber of Seville. (Overture).

4) Rossini, William Tell (Overture).

5) Rossini, Largo al Fatotum.

6) Rossini, La Gazza Ladra.

7) Grieg, In the Hall of the Mountain King (Peer Gynt).

8) Grieg, Morning. (Peer Gynt).

9) Dvorak, New World Symphonie.

10) Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique.

11) Elgar, Pomp and Circumstance March No.1.

12) Saint Saens, Danse Macabre.

13) Suppe, Light Cavalry Overture

14) Rachmaninov, Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini.

15) Rachmaninov, Prelude in G minor.

16) Strauss R, Also sprach Zarathustra.

17) Rimsky Korsakov, Flight of the Bumblebee.

18) Puccini, Nessun Dorma (Turandot). (Pavarotti).

19) Verdi, La Donna e Mobile (Rigoletto).

20) Shostakovich, Waltz 2 from Jazz Suite.

21) Sousa, Stars and Stripes Forever.

22) Ravel, Bolero.

23) Gershwin, Rhapsody in Blue.

24) Khachaturian, Sabre dance.

25) Orff, Carmina Burana. Oh Fortuna.

26) Rodrigo, Concierto de Aranjuez.

To keep abreast of news and interesting links on Classical Music, visit or subscribe to @Classical_Music on Twitter. Want an RSS feed of just Classical Music posts? Here you go!

Are you already listening to classical music, but didn't know it?

2008-06-23T20:46:00.024-05:00

Why do I think classical music is a vibrant and important format? Well, if you're not an aficionado, you might not realize how much classical music you ALREADY listen to!

Classical music in movies and popular songs

Classical music has been used hundreds of time in popular movies. Check out these amazing lists of classical music in movies (here's another). But even if you never to the movies, there are over five dozen popular songs that copy from classical music. Some examples:

1. (1960) "It's Now Or Never" by Elvis Presley - based on 'O Sole Mio.

2. (1972) Pictures at an Exhibition by Emerson, Lake and Palmer - entire album based on the work by Modest Mussorgsky, with two original pieces ("The Sage" and "The Curse of Baba Yaga"), and a live cover of Nut Rocker" featuring Clavinet

3. (1963) "Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh! (A Letter From Camp)" by Allan Sherman - based on Ponchielli's "Dance of the Hours" from La Gioconda.

4. Gershwin's "Summertime", by Sidney Bechet, - quotes from Verdi's's "Miserere" from Il Trovatore.

5. (1983) "This Night" by Billy Joel - uses Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata as the basis for the chorus

6. (1993) "Go West" by the Pet Shop Boys, emphasized the original Village People version's chord progression from Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D Major

7. (1999) "Love of My Life" by Dave Matthews and Carlos Santana on the Supernatural album. Main theme is a nearly literal quotation of a theme in the 3rd symphony of Johannes Brahms, with some rhythmic changes.

8. (1975) "Could It Be Magic" by Barry Manilow - inspired by Chopin's Prelude In C Minor (Prelude #20: Largo)

9. (1945) "Till the End of Time," words by Buddy Kaye and Ted Mossman, popularized by, among others, Perry Como - based on Frédéric Chopin's "Polonaise In A Flat"

10. (1967) "A Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harum - (loosely) based on J.S. Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3, Air (commonly known as Air on a G String) and Cantata 140 "Sleepers Awake".

11. (1976) "Night on Disco Mountain" by David Shire - disco version of Modest Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain, featured in Saturday Night Fever

12. (1996) "Don't Look Back in Anger" by Oasis - chorus chord progression borrows from Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D Major.

13. (1965) Diane and Annita's "A Groovy Kind of Love" is heavily based on the Rondo movement of Sonatina in G major, op. 36 no. 5 by Muzio Clementi.

14. (1976) Eric Carmen's "Never Gonna Fall In Love Again" is based on the third movement of Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2.

15. (1958) "Catch a Falling Star" by Lee Pockriss and Paul Vance - based on a theme from Brahms' Academic Festival Overture

16. (1959) "Once Upon a Dream" in the Disney movie Sleeping Beauty - based upon a waltz in Tchaikovsky's ballet Sleeping Beauty.

Top 100 most popular pieces of classical music in contemporary culture

The rating is done by KickAssClassical.com based on music made famous in movies, commercials, cartoons, songs, video games and ringtones. Here's the top 10 list, and belove that is a musical countdown of the entire list.

Beethoven	5th Symphony
Tchaikovsky	1812 Overture
Mozart	Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Bach	Toccata And Fugue
Rossini	William Tell Overture
Pachelbel	Canon In D
Strauss	Blue Danube
Orff	O Fortuna
Strauss	Also Sprach Zarathustra
Offenbach	Infernal Galop

For the whole regularly updated (and sortable!) top 100 list visit KickAssClassical.com

Classical music in commercials and other places

The Most Popular Classical TV Themes in the Universe

Ever wonder which television program or commercial made which piece of music popular? This album has most of them: Did you know that the Disney Cruises commercial used Monty Python's Flying Circus Theme, which is Aquarium from Carnival of the Animals? Or that Looney Toons used the Flying Dutchman Overture?

To keep abreast of news and interesting links on Classical Music, visit or subscribe to @Classical_Music on Twitter. Want an RSS feed of just Classical Music posts? Here you go!

Current Classical Music News, updated hourly

2008-02-21T23:43:00.004-06:00

To keep abreast of news and interesting links on Classical Music, visit or subscribe to @Classical_Music on Twitter. Want an RSS feed of just Classical Music posts? Here you go!

The Instruments of Classical Music Series

2007-11-21T21:25:00.005-06:00

Here's a great series you can use to add to your classical music collection, The Instruments of Classical Music Series (click any album to learn more about it):

To keep abreast of news and interesting links on Classical Music, visit or subscribe to @Classical_Music on Twitter. Want an RSS feed of just Classical Music posts? Here you go!

Important classical music links you should know

2007-03-24T13:52:00.007-05:00

Here are some good answers to a few of the most common questions (click the links) about classical music resources on the internet:

Who are the most important composers to know, and how can you find their music to listen to?

Here's a list of over five dozen of the most referenced and otherwise significant composers. Clicking the last name link will take you to a page where you can click the name that appears in bold red to download and listen to music by the composer:

Wagner, Richard
Bach, Johann Sebastian
Debussy, Claude
Stravinsky, Igor
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Beethoven, Ludwig van
Liszt, Franz
Schoenberg, Arnold
Chopin, Fryderyk
Schumann, Robert
Brahms, Johannes
Mendelssohn, Felix
Strauss, Richard
Haydn, Franz Joseph
Rossini, Gioachino
Ravel, Maurice
Palestrina, Giovanni Pierluigi da
Berlioz, Hector
Corelli, Arcangelo
Gluck, Christoph WRvon
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Il'yich
Bartók, Béla
Mahler, Gustav
Monteverdi, Claudio
Webern, Anton
Weber, Carl Maria von
Handel, George Frideric
Lully, Jean-Baptiste
Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolay
Fauré, Gabriel
Mussorgsky, Modest
Franck, Cesar
Meyerbeer, Giacomo
Berg, Alban
Satie, Erik
Schubert, Franz
Verdi, Giuseppe
Scriabin, Alexander
Dukas, Paul
Gounod, Charles
Borodin, Alexander
Hindemith, Paul
Vivaldi, Antonio
Massenet, Jules
Sibelius, Jean
Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel
Cage, John
Bellini, Vincenzo
Reger, Max
Varèse, Edgard
Grieg, Edvard
Paganini, Niccolò
Glinka, Mikhail
Gershwin, George
Chabrier, Emmanuel
Scarlatti, Alessandro
Hasse, Johann Adolf
Frescobaldi, Girolamo
Lasso, Orlando di
Sammartini, Giovanni Battista
Buxtehude, Dieterich
Busoni, Ferruccio
Gabrieli, Giovanni
Couperin, François
Balakirev, Mily
Prokofiev, Sergei
Salieri, Antonio
Josquin Desprez
Dvorák, Antonin
Stanford, Charles Villiers

To keep abreast of news and interesting links on Classical Music, visit or subscribe to @Classical_Music on Twitter. Want an RSS feed of just Classical Music posts? Here you go!