About.com Music Education

Everlasting Love Songs of the 40s

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:02:19 +0000

Many important events happened during the 1940s; Mount Rushmore was completed in 1941, the "Big Bang" theory was formulated in 1946 and in 1949, George Orwell published his novel Nineteen Eight-Four. In terms of music, musicals were still very much in demand with the likes of Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, Oscar Hammerstein and Irving Berlin penning well-received show tunes.

This Day in Music History: 2000 - Ervin Litkei died in his Manhattan residence due to pulmonary embolism. He was a Hungarian composer who immigrated to the United States in 1948. He is most notable for his patriotic marches which he wrote for every U.S. President; the first of which was for Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Everlasting Love Songs of the 40s originally appeared on About.com Music Education on Monday, February 8th, 2010 at 20:02:19.

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Unforgettable Love Songs of the 1930s

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 18:41:43 +0000

The 1930s was another decade of unforgettable love songs; many of the well-loved classics were written during this period. The 1930s to the 1940s is also known as the Golden Age of Musical Theatre in America. Many musicals were brought to the stage and several were adapted into films. Composers and lyricists continued to collaborate to create beautiful love songs, among them were Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, George Gershwin and Richard Rodgers.

This Day in Music History: 1994 - Witold Lutoslawski died in Warsaw. He was a major Polish composer of the 20th century particularly notable for his orchestral works. He attended the Warsaw Conservatory where he studied composition and music theory. Among his famous works are "The Symphonic Variations," "Variations on a Theme of Paganini" and "Funeral Music" which he dedicated to the Hungarian composer B�la Bart�k.

Unforgettable Love Songs of the 1930s originally appeared on About.com Music Education on Sunday, February 7th, 2010 at 18:41:43.

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Timeless Love Songs of the 1920s

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:30:32 +0000

During the 1920s (also called "The Roaring 20s") jazz became very popular. Chicago became jazz capital and vocalists like Billie Holiday soon grabbed the spotlight. Songs from Broadway musicals were also very popular, especially songs by legendary composer Irving Berlin. If you listen closely to the love songs of this period, you'll notice that the lyrics are well-written and poem-like. One of the notable singers during this time was Ruth Etting, also known as "America's Sweetheart of Song."

This Day in Music History: 1497 - Johannes Ockeghem died in Tours, France. He was one of the most influential composers of the Early Renaissance and one of the fathers of Renaissance music.

Timeless Love Songs of the 1920s originally appeared on About.com Music Education on Saturday, February 6th, 2010 at 18:30:32.

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Composers in Love

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:46:47 +0000

Famous composers, such as those belonging to the Romantic era, weren't only passionate about their music, they were also passionate about their respective love affairs. Here we will learn about the women who captured the hearts of composers during the Romantic period.

This Day in Music History: 1981 - Singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell was inducted into Canada's Juno Hall of Fame. Her gift for songwriting, her lovely voice, her style of playing the guitar and her guts to challenge the norms of the music industry are but some of the qualities that make her unique.

Composers in Love originally appeared on About.com Music Education on Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 00:46:47.

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Behind The Music

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:39:52 +0000

When you listen to a certain piece of music or a song, have you ever wondered who or what influenced the composer or songwriter to create that composition? This article explores this question with examples coming from various periods in music history.

This Day in Music History: 1948 - Musician Vincent Furnier, famously known as Alice Cooper, was born.

Behind The Music originally appeared on About.com Music Education on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 at 00:39:52.

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Quotes About Love

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:09:33 +0000

Love...such a powerful emotion that has inspired countless artists to paint masterpieces, composers to write unforgettable music and authors to pen bestselling novels. Let's read what some composers, musicians, singers and other music personalities have said about love.

This Day in Music History: 1959 - In the early hours of February 3, 1959, on a cold, winter day in Clear Lake, Iowa, a small plane headed for Fargo, North Dakota never reached its destination. The plane crashed, not far from the airport, killing Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, J.P. Richardson and the pilot; Roger Peterson. This day, which claimed the lives of three great performers, is now known as "the day the music died."

Quotes About Love originally appeared on About.com Music Education on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 at 19:09:33.

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Famous African-American Musicians

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:53:55 +0000

In 1926, a Harvard scholar by the name of Dr. Carter G. Woodson organized the first annual Negro History Week. The said event happened on the second week of February which also coincides with the birthdays of two great civil rights leaders - Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Today, the month of February is known as Black History Month. In honor of this celebration, here are several profiles of famous African-American musicians.

This Day in Music History: 1927 - Stan Getz was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He earned the nickname "The Sound" due to his own unique, polished style. He was considered one of America's top tenor saxophone players.

Famous African-American Musicians originally appeared on About.com Music Education on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 at 18:53:55.

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Respected Conductors of the Past

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:12:18 +0000

Composers play many different roles, they can be performers, songwriters, educators or conductors. Here are several celebrated composers of the past who were also respected conductors. Learn more about their lives, important works and other pertinent facts.

This Day in Music History: 2007 - Gian Carlo Menotti died in Monaco. He was an Italian composer, librettist and stage director who established the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy. The said festival honors musical works from Europe and America. His "Le dernier sauvage" was the first opera by a non-Frenchman commissioned by the Paris Opera.

Respected Conductors of the Past originally appeared on About.com Music Education on Monday, February 1st, 2010 at 21:12:18.

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Composers and Their Mentors

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:07:03 +0000

It's quite fascinating to read about the lives of prominent composers of the past. There's always something new to discover about them; their childhood, the struggles they had to overcome, their body of work and the friendships they formed during their lifetime. Here we will get to know several noteworthy composers and the distinguished mentors who influenced them.

This Day in Music History: 1797 - Franz Schubert was born in Vienna. He is referred to as the "master of song" because he wrote more than 200 songs. Some of his well known works are "Serenade," "Ave Maria," "Who is Sylvia?" and "C Major symphony."

Composers and Their Mentors originally appeared on About.com Music Education on Sunday, January 31st, 2010 at 21:07:03.

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Gone Too Soon

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 21:02:22 +0000

Have you ever wondered what would've happened if Mozart didn't die when he was only 35 years old? Would he have composed more or did he already reach the pinnacle of his career at the time of his death? Here is a list of influential composers who died young; most of whom before the age of 50.

This Day in Music History: 1963 - Francis Poulenc died in in Paris. He was one of the important French composers after World War 1 and member of "Les Six;" a title given by the critic Henri Collet to a group of young composers whose works were influenced by Erik Satie. He wrote concertos, sacred music, piano music and other stage works. His notable compositions include "Mass in G Major" and "Les biches," which was commissioned by Diaghilev.

Gone Too Soon originally appeared on About.com Music Education on Saturday, January 30th, 2010 at 21:02:22.

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