May 8, 2018

Famous Composers and Their Habits

Sometimes listeners have trouble identifying music they hear, and they try to at least guess the composer.  Sometimes it’s easy (like Haydn vs. Bartok), but sometimes it’s very difficult (Mozart vs. Haydn).  We all have our favorite composers that we can always identify, but no matter  who you are, there’s bound to be a work…

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violinguy

May 1, 2018

Spring Updates – Some Big News

Greetings again, intrepid readers.  It’s been entirely too long since I posted anything here, and for that I apologize.  Spring is normally a very busy season for us freelance musician types, and this year was even more packed for me.  I have some preliminary plans in place for some new and exciting content which will…

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violinguy

July 19, 2017

The Classics – Gateways to Even Better Music

One of the criticisms I hear a lot regarding classical music is, there is only so much Mozart, Beethoven, or Tchaikovsky out there.  While that is true, most novice classical music lovers are usually unaware of the awesome depth of fine music from any one composer.  Mozart has 41 symphonies to choose from.  Brahms wrote…

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violinguy

June 19, 2017

Rock and Pop Ripped from Classical Music

I have always said that without church music there would be no secular music (baroque, classical, etc.), and without classical music, there would be no rock or pop music.  There are so many great rock and pop artists who write great melodies.  Some pop artists are excellent composers in their own right.  Paul McCartney wrote…

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violinguy

June 7, 2017

Myths of Classical Music Debunked (Mostly)

For those of us who make our living performing classical music, loving it is a no-brainer.  Explaining it to the uninitiated is another matter completely.  It has become increasingly more difficult for the general population to take the plunge and listen to classical music.  Personally, I think it’s because of one or more of the…

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violinguy

March 19, 2017

Another Tournament Update – Bach and Mozart

The other two brackets have completed their games so it’s time to get the results.  If you missed the other results, you can see them here.  Will there be any big upsets like the Stravinsky bracket provided?  Will Mozart and Bach have the same drama as the other brackets?  Let’s find out. Bach Bracket –…

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violinguy

March 16, 2017

Tournament Update – Beethoven and Stravinsky Brackets

The games are afoot, so to speak, in the Tournament of Classical Music!  Here is the first update and results post.  Now, this year I’m determining the results on my own.  In future years, with more readers, I will probably put it to a vote.  As far as this year is concerned, I am going…

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violinguy

March 5, 2017

Tournament of Classical Music – The Brackets

March is here, and with it comes the madness.  March Madness to be exact.  My version of March Madness is The Tournament of Classical Music.  This post announces the brackets and the play-in game winners.  For an overview and explanation of the rules, you can read this post.  Finally, don’t forget that this list includes…

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violinguy

June 30, 2016

The Best Pieces of Classical Music in Every Key

Classical Music by Key – Introduction (and excuses in advance) In classical music (and even popular music), the key of a piece is one of the most important choices a composer makes. Every key has its own characteristics that can make a symphony great, or boring. For example, Spinal Tap says that D minor is…

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violinguy