Dr. Music

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When you think of Brahms, do you think of pop music?  It turns out that many famous composers, like Brahms, Strauss Jr., and Dvorak, wrote what today can be categorized as "symphonic pops."  Yet we should always remember that the "popular" element in this music does not lessen its artstic value in the least.  Popular music is not trying to be serious symphonic music, so we must judge it like any other musical current:  it is the inspiration, craftsmanship, and that ineffable "magic" behind a composition that will ensure it survives, regardless of the target audience.  That goes for all the many delightful examples in this episode!

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Thematic Transformation - does the term sound a bit intimidating?  It won't be intimidating at all after you listen to this episode. On the contrary, it will be very enlightening, as you will understand better how composers throughout history have manipulated themes to explore the various possibilities that can develop a relatively small amount of musical material.  From a composer like Bach, who, as we've seen perviously, can turn melodies upside down and backwards...to a composer like Liszt, who is famous for transforming the shape of a melody until it can almost sound like a completely new one...it's amazing how a fertile mind can work magic on a handful of notes!

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From To Kill A Mockingbird to Clash of the Titans, discover the great music of film composers who are not necessarily household names like John Williams.   In this episode, we will look at examples from four film composers: Elmer Bernstein, Basil Poledouris, Lalo Schifrin, and Laurence Rosenthal.  We will consider what it is about these film cues that make them special, and very appropriate to the attitude or scene they are aiming to support. Even if you're not much of a fan of the films themselves, you'll find the scores are more than worthwhile to explore!

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When you think of a march, you may think of John Philip Sousa -- and rightly so.  But the march, like every other genre of music, can take on dramatically various characters, depending on the time period it was written and the particular composer. Think about how different a march by Mozart or Beethoven may be than a 20th century composer like Shostakovich or Stravinsky!  We'll listen to some very interesting examples of marches and talk about what makes each so unique. 

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One of the most common string performance techniques is pizzicato, plucking the strings instead of bowing.  Through a variety of examples, will see how dramatically the pizzicato effect changes depending on the musical context, the historical time period, and the particular composer's style.  There will be excerpts ranging from ballet music, to symphonic music, to film music, and even a string quartet! And believe me, it takes a lot of pluck to write an entire string quartet movement using pizzicato (pun intended). 

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Open up a whole world of understanding with an introduction to one of the most important forms in serious classical music: sonata form.  Large forms can sometimes be intimidating, very much like tackling a lengthy, complicated novel. Sometimes it helps to have somebody guide you through complicated novels, and that is exactly how this episode will help you navigate through a complicated musical form. Once you know how sonata form works, you can begin to listen to sonatas from many different composers and understand how the various themes/sections relate.  It's a lot more fulfilling than listening to a piece "blindly!"

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May 29, 1913 marks a landmark in music history - the premiere of Igor Stravinsky's Rite of Spring in Paris.  The basic elements of melody, harmony, rhythm, form, and orchestration would see a fresh new light in this one 30-minute ballet. The premiere was not only one of the most famous in music history - but also one of the most scandalous.  We will discuss what it is about this music that was so pathbreaking for its time, and why it continues to enthrall audiences over 100 years later. 

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A continuation of Episode 14, this new episode looks at Igor Stravinsky's second major ballet, Petrushka.  Bridging the gap between his impressive and innovative first ballet, The Firebird, and the earth-shattering Rite of Spring, Petrushka is a fairy tale about two puppets at a Russian carnival vying for the love of a third puppet, the ballerina.  Filled with quotations from Russian folk tunes and popular melodies from other countries, Petrushka has earned its place in the concert hall as one of the most sparkling celebrations of how orchestral color can tell a story. From the simplest folk tune to the most complex orchestral fluorish, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised! 

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If you asked any musicologist who are the top five most important composers of the 20th century, Igor Stravinsky will certainly be on that list. Stravinsky's three major ballets - The Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite of Spring - remain landmarks of innovative soundscapes, introducing exciting new explorations of the basic elements of music. You will also find it fascinating how Stravinsky incorporates well-known folk melodies into his music. In this episode, we will examine The Firebird and discuss how this amazing piece by a composer still in his twenties reaches back, and looks forward, in its stylistic traits. 

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Today will will look at the magnificent musical magic of Johann Sebastian Bach. The way he manipulates multiple melodies at once - formally known as a contrapuntal texture - is nothing short of astounding. Regardless of whether or not you like Bach's music, we can all appreciate his undisputed genius, and the indelible mark he has left on music history. After looking carefully at the architecture of one of his fugues, we will look at a few examples from The Musical Offering, where melodies are turned upside down, and even backwards!