Latest Posts…
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Early Beethoven
I’m only 21 pieces in so far, so I will need to pick up the pace to make it through all 194 pieces with opus number this year. Right now, I’m listening to the Violin Sonata No. 1 in D Major, Op. 12 number 1, and just came across my first “favorite moment” in these…
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Was Brahms Quoting Beethoven?
I was listening to the WQXR broadcast of the Vienna Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall last night. It was an all Brahms program: The Academic Festival Overture, The Haydn Variations, and the first symphony. I grabbed my trusty old Dover score and followed along for the performance of the symphony. I was not paying too close…
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Beethoven Listening Project
Nothing like a new year to start a new project! One of mine for 2018 is to listen to all of the works of Ludwig van Beethoven, from start to finish. How would you like to join me? We’re just getting started with the Piano Trio in Eb Major, Op. 1 No. 1.
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Dear Damien Chazelle
“Jazz.” You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
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Mondestrunken
Just watched Moonlight, and, happily, it’s great. Need to watch it again on short order. Don’t know if composer Nicholas Britell truly had Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis in his ear as he wrote the score, but I had to listen to that piece right away on finishing the film. It…
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Drop-2 Chord Fun Facts
FF#1: Outer Limits We’re going to talk a bit about seventh chord and four-part harmony here, so to keep things consistent, I’m going to refer to SATB for voicing, and keep pitch and string sets ordered from higher pitch to lower pitch. Drop-2 seventh chords are formed by starting with a close position seventh chord…
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On Claude Vivier’s Zipangu
I just put up an old paper on Claude Vivier’s piece Zipangu. I think I wrote it in Carl Morey’s Music in Canada seminar back at U of T. I’m posting it (it’s in the “Writing” section of the web site) for a couple of reasons. Vivier’s life and career were both cut short in…
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Site cleanup
As you can see, I’ve done some simplifying, standardizing, and general cleanup. A nice clean look for the fall! Please let me know what you think.
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Nawlins Sazerac tour
Hotel Monteleon: meh. Napolean Bar: yeah. Breaking…