Posts by admin

There is a widespread misconception that fugues are by their nature academic, stodgy, and soulless. Although there certainly are a lot of insipid fugues out there, many fugal masterpieces exist and deserve more attention. Here are some of my favorites in no particular order: 5. “So You Want to Write a Fugue?” – Glenn Gould…

Turns out that writing music that sticks to the folds of your brain like wood glue is easier said than done. These guys, however, are the kings of the gluey, charming pop. 1. Barry Manilow Manilow’s success story is one for the books. The man just excels at everything musical he tries, and his jingles…

What is a cadenza? Simply put, it’s an opportunity for a soloist to demonstrate their virtuosity, akin to a solo in jazz music. Here are the top five ever written, in reverse order, accordingly to the world’s greatest scientists today: 5. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Piano Concerto No. 1, Mvt. 1 No credible list of…

If you’re a musician, you know that gigs don’t always cut it for the bills. If you’re thinking of doing some work on the side, here’s some ideas, with some examples of other artists who have done the exact same. 1. Freelance work If you’ve got a skill you can be commissioned to do, like…

Discovery Channel kicked off Shark Week on Sunday, so here are 5 songs to get you pumped about “Shark After Dark,” “Sharkageddon,” “Zombie Sharks,” “Sharksanity,” and more! 1. “Some of My Best Friends Are Sharks” – Hans Zimmer 2. “Theme from ‘Jaws’” – John Williams 3. “Mack the Knife” – Bobby Darin 4. “Fins” –…

Have you sat down at a piano and played a few notes before realizing that your years of private lessons were completely in vain? Did you ever think about spending $150 an hour to resume the ill-fated trumpet lessons from your childhood? Stop worrying — there are 5 year olds out there who are better…

Looking to serenade and confuse your love interest simultaneously? Trying to put a little Dr. Suess in your Sousa? Well then look no further than these weird, absurd instruments. I MEAN REALLY, what were they going for here? 1. Thermain The theremin is one of the most difficult instruments to master because its infinite range…

The great Broadway legend, Elaine Stritch, has left us this week at 89. A feisty, take-no-prisoners talent that will be hard for us to replace. Elaine first burst upon the Broadway scene in the early 50’s in Rodgers & Hart’s PAL JOEY, and continued performing on stage and cabarets through 2013. Her signature songs, including…

To promote his new album “Mandatory Fun,” the world renowned songwriter Weird Al Yankovic has crafted a number of new parodies. The well-known targets thus far: Pharrell Williams – “Happy” (our personal favorite) Robin Thicke – “Blurred Lines” Imagine Dragons – “Radioactive” Lorde – “Royals” Iggy Azalea – “Fancy” What is your favorite parody? Let…

The Austrian composer and pianist Carl Czerny is notable for many reasons. Early on, he was a child prodigy and a pupil of (and personal assistant to) Ludwig van Beethoven. A renowned pedagogue, he taught, among others, the virtuoso Franz Liszt and wrote an extraordinary amount of music himself. Above all, Czerny has the unfortunate reputation as…