YourClassical Adventures

Nicolo Paganini changed the way musicians approached and played the violin with the amazing music he wrote for the instrument.

Nicolo Paganini: Perpetual Motion — This is one of Paganini's fastest pieces. Does it sound like sparks could fly off the violin?

LISTEN — Nicolo Paganini: Perpetual Motion

Nicolo Paganini: Violin Concerto No. 1 — He wrote an entire concerto for the violin, to really showcase the instrument and all it can do.

LISTEN — Nicolo Paganini: Violin Concerto No. 1

Nicolo Paganini: Caprice No. 24 — Here is a piece where Paganini added his own special technique, or special effects. Can you hear where the violin starts to sound different?

LISTEN — Nicolo Paganini: Caprice No. 24

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Sometimes there is a sudden, loud sound in music called an accent. It's a sound that pops out at you. Tune in to the latest episode of YourClassical Adventures to hear some examples of accents in music.

Franz Joseph Haydn: Surprise Symphony - 2nd movement — Have you ever yelled "surprise" to someone on their birthday? Accents are kind of like that.

LISTEN — Franz Joseph Haydn: Surprise Symphony - Second movement

Pyotr Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 - Opening movement — How many strong, accented notes can you count in this piece?

LISTEN — Pyotr Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 - Opening movement

Claude Debussy: The Sea — Can you hear accents coming from any percussion instruments in this piece?

LISTEN — Claude Debussy: The Sea

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There are many ways that composers can make their music sound bold and courageous. Explore these exciting sounds and effects through pieces by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Arnaud.

Leo Arnaud: Olympic Theme —Have you ever watched ice skaters or a gymnast doing something exciting during the Olympic Games? They are so bold.

LISTEN — Leo Arnaud:Olympic Theme

Ludwig Van Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 -1st movement — Beethoven had a lot of questions, and tried to answer them with his music, What do you think he was asking or telling with this piece?

LISTEN — Ludwig Van Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 - 1st movement

Pytor Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture — Here's something Tchaikovsky tried that was really bold, because no one had ever done it before: he added a non-musical instrument to this piece of music. Can you hear what it is?

LISTEN — Pytor Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture

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Like soft brush strokes, or smooth milk chocolate, enjoy the beautiful sounds of the clarinet.

Johannes Brahms: Intermezzo No. 2 —You might say that clarinets are an easy instrument to get along with because they blend beautifully with just about any other instrument in the orchestra. Do you think the clarinet blends well here with the piano?

LISTEN — Johannes Brahms:Intermezzo No. 2

Claude Debussy: Arabesque No. 2 — In this next piece the two instruments act like two characters in a play, dancing around each other. The title of this piece is called Arabesque, which means 'decoration'.

LISTEN — Claude Debussy: Arabesque No. 2

Felix Mendelssohn: Concert Piece for Clarinet and Basset Horn — Here's an example of the clarinet playing faster, shorter notes. What other words would you use to describe the clarinet?

LISTEN — Felix Mendelssohn: Concert Piece for Clarinet and Basset Horn

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Explore the beautiful music of flutist and composer Valerie Coleman and hear her ensemble, Imani Winds.

Valerie Coleman: Silver Rain — She discovered she was an amazing flutist who could write beautiful music.

LISTEN — Valerie Coleman:Silver Rain

Valerie Coleman: Umoja — Umoja is Ki-Swahili for the word 'Unity'. This piece is performed by her ensemble, Imani Winds.

LISTEN — Valerie Coleman: Umoja

Valerie Coleman: Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit — She wrote this piece to sounds like an African American church choir singing.

LISTEN — Valerie Coleman: Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit

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Explore classical music that loves using the loud dynamic called "forte."

Johannes Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 5 —This entire piece is being played at a loud, or forte level.

LISTEN — Johannes Brahms:Hungarian Dance No. 5

John Williams: Star Wars Theme — Why do you think the composer chose to write this music as forte?

LISTEN — John Williams: Star Wars Theme

George Fredrich Handel: Trumpet Concerto — The trumpet is one of the loudest and most powerful instruments. It's was often used in courts and castles to command attention at large gatherings or parties.

LISTEN — George Fredrich Handel: Trumpet Concerto

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What happens to your body when you feel excited? There is some really fun classical music to help you get excited when you need a boost.

Jacques Offenbach: Can-Can from Orpheus in the Underworld —This first piece is a dance style heard in operas and ballets, called a "galop".

LISTEN — Jacques Offenbach: Can-Can from Orpheus in the Underworld

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 16 — Sometimes exciting music just puts a smile on your face and lifts your mood up to a happier place. Do you hear happiness or excitement in this piano piece by Mozart?

LISTEN — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 16

Felix Mendelssohn: Wedding March — Maybe you get excited for big performance with a group of friends, or maybe you feel those nerves on the first day of school? Those feelings come out in adults too, before a something big or life changing happens, like a wedding.

LISTEN — Felix Mendelssohn: Wedding March

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The piano is such a fun instrument to learn or just listen to and sing along with. Listen to some examples that explore all the sounds a piano can make.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Turkish Rondo — In this piece, Mozart was trying to mimic sounds of a marching band with the piano.

LISTEN — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Turkish Rondo

Fredrich Chopin: Ballade No. 1 — The composer uses a special tool at the bottom of the piano called a pedal, to make the notes blend.

LISTEN — Fredrich Chopin: Ballade No. 1

Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor — This is a different version of a piano, called an organ. Can you hear the difference?

LISTEN — Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor

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Can you make a list of all of the things you're good at? Learn about all the music Leonard Bernstein made with his talents as a pianist, conductor, composer and teacher.

Benjamin Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra — Leonard Bernstein loved talking about music and teaching kids about the orchestra.

LISTEN — Benjamin Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra

Ludwig Van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 — Bernstein could play piano and conduct at the same time. He does in this performance of Beethoven.

LISTEN — Ludwig Van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1

Leonard Bernstein: West Side Story Medley — This is music from his most popular musical, West Side Story. It was inspired by Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

LISTEN — Leonard Bernstein: West Side Story Medley

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Everybody has a lot of great ideas they like to share. What if you could express them all in a piece of music? Listen to some examples below of how composers express their best ideas in something called a rhapsody.

Franz Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 — When Franz Liszt began to explore new sights and sounds of Hungary, he wrote this rhapsody.

LISTEN — Franz Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2

Emmanuel Chabrier: Espana — This composer got a ton of great ideas for music after a long trip through Spain.

LISTEN — Emmanuel Chabrier: Espana

George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue — This piece takes inspiration from classical and jazz music, and sounds heard in big cities, like New York City and Boston.

LISTEN — George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue

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