May 2012
48 posts
Play
Twitter Handles of Great Contemporary Composers: Volume 1
One of America’s greatest living composers posts under the handle “Hell Tweet?” That’s just badass.
Steve Reich (@stevereich).
The man behind “Different Trains” doesn’t tweet as much as he should, says us.
Young fella. Also DJs. Total rising star.
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“Ligeti’s deliberately written things that are going to screw with your mind in one way or another.”
—Pianist Jeremy Denk on Ligeti, Beethoven and how to play eight fortes (hint: It might involve a bloody corpse). (via nprmusic)
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Bad Music Joke of the Day: "Harps"
Q: Why are harps like elderly parents?
A: Both are unforgiving and hard to get into and out of cars.
“Which can be considered human emotions? Surely not only lyricism and tragedy. Doesn’t laughter also have a claim to that lofty title? I want to fight for the legitimate right of laughter in music.”
—
Shostakovich
(via leadingtone)
William Grant Still, Dean of African-American Composers
Our latest podcast episode is a brief exploration of the life and music of composer William Grant Still. Check it out!
6 fantastic examples of eternally misinterpreted classical pieces. →
cracked.com
Definitely a must-read. You’ve heard of most of these and their original meanings will shock you!
/Salon97 - Carla
Horrifyingly Bad Answers to a Classical Music Exam...
Yes, some very deluded students wrote these. Hold on to your seat…
- Johann Bach wrote a great many musical compositions and had a large number of children. In between, he practiced on an old spinster, which he kept in his attic.
- Handel was half German, half Italian and half English.
- Beethoven was so deaf he wrote loud music.
- Beethoven expired in 1827 and later died from this.
- Most composers do not live until they are dead.
Let us hope not.
“Composers should write tunes that chauffeurs and errand boys can whistle.”
— Sir Thomas Beecham
