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Classic FM in The UK
For the last couple of months, I have been listening to Classic FM in the UK. Besides the great music they play, their presenters are across the board great to listen to as well. What I have noticed though have been some trends in the classical music that have been quite surprising. Of course, they are just personal observations!
The first amazing thing that I noticed was how many top notch orchestras are now playing in the UK such as Liverpool and Birmingham. And listening to the radio, other countries certainly seem to have a similar growth when one listens to excellent recordings from across the European Union countries. Years ago, if one country supported one first class orchestra it was quite something. What this means is that the uptake of music as a career has grown hugely. The level of skills required to play in an orchestra are not far removed from taking up a solo career. With other words, skills levels have to be extremely high and huge amounts of work and dedication are required to achieve that.
Read more on The UK’s Best Classical Music Station – Classic FM…
Filed under Listen Online, Music by on Jul 1st, 2007. Comment. 
Classical Music
Classical music, like other forms of classical art, has not as many takers as those of light music. Nonetheless, classical music has its fans too and lots more are falling to its charms. Yet, those who turn to it often find it rather beyond their understanding and real appreciation. They are charmed by it, but they cannot critically explain why it appeals them. You cannot rationalize its appeal or beauty.
Another reason why a large majority of people are not very comfortable with classical music is its complexity and a sense of distance from the artist. Light music can be easily sung by ordinary artists with whom ordinary listeners can identify easily. It expresses the feelings of ordinary persons in their own language. Classical music, on the other hand, is rather mysterious and is rendered in diverse styles and it takes years, sometimes a life long time to understand .But its study has its rewards too. The more you study it, the more you enjoy it and the more you find it wonderful and worth the effort and hard work to study it.
Filed under Music by on Jul 2nd, 2007. Comment.
Top Ten Classical Pieces To Expose To Your Child
It seems like everyone has an opinion about music and its benefits for children. Some say listening to classical music will make your child smarter while others speak about its ability to soothe even the fussiest of infants. All of this could be well and true, but at the very least, an early exposure to great music can create a life-time love affair and appreciation for it. From presenting children with interesting sounds and timbres from the diverse instruments of the orchestra to learning about the history, culture, and era from which this great music was derived, children will be exposed to a larger world – a world that can provoke curiosity and creativity. Plus, what a special treat for you and your child to listen to and share the poetry and beauty of some of the world’s greatest music.
Here is a short list of some of our personal favorites for young children:
1. “Vltava” from Ma Vlast by Bedrich Smetana
1874
This deeply romantic and nationalistic symphonic poem from Czech Composer, Smetana’s Ma Vlast (My Country), musically portrays the Vltava river that runs through Prague. You can feel the current of the moving river through the stirring undulations of the orchestra. It is an excellent example of how music can describe and represent the non-musical.
2. Symphony No. 29 in A Major K201, Mvt. I by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
1774
This first movement from one of Mozart’s best known early symphonies starts out quietly and unassumingly with a simple, short motive in the first violins that repeats and repeats until it quickly builds to an energetic and exciting level in which this opening motive is played throughout the entire orchestra. In this piece, we see Mozart’s genius at creating a dramatic and complex composition through the development of one simple melodic idea.
Read more on The Top Ten Classical Pieces Your Child Should Hear…
Filed under Composers, Music by on Jul 5th, 2007. Comment.
A Classical Christmas: The Classical Origins of Our Most Cherished Carols
The “Ave Maria Polka” is blaring on the radio, “Jingle Cats” are meowing “Greensleeves,” and the doorbell is chiming a shrill “Silent Night.” To the untrained ear this musical goulash may seem tacky and not, by any means, traditional. However, this festive household has been influenced by many sophisticated classical composers!
It’s easy to forget the classical origins of our most cherished carols when the 9-year-old next door is hollering “Batman Smells!” to the tune of “Jingle Bells.” To most children’s (and adults’) surprise those “dead guys with wigs” are responsible for many of their favourite holiday tunes.
Filed under Composers, Music by on Jul 8th, 2007. Comment.
Event Ticket Buying Tips
Have you ever had a bad ticket experience when purchasing events to a show? Whether it’s through primary sources such as ticketmaster, or secondary sources that compromise various ticket brokers and street sellers, problems can arise. So here are a few tips to help ease the pain and frustration.
Since ticketmaster is the original source for most events, problems are minimal. When purchasing tickets through ticketmaster make sure that you have your credit card, and all of it’s billing address info ready. Ticketmaster is simple to use but because it runs on timers, you can sometimes lose your tickets if too much time is taken entering information! This is very important especially when the event has just gone onsale and 1 million other fans are trying to buy the same event.
Filed under Concerts, Music by on Jul 11th, 2007. Comment.