tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-157635482011-12-15T23:30:06.293-06:00"After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." - Aldous HuxleyChad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.comBlogger541100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-49396866895615911742007-11-23T20:01:00.000-06:002007-11-23T20:55:38.875-06:00

The 5 Browns are rising stars in the music world, appealing not only to Classical Music fans but also to other music lovers as well. The group is made up of five siblings, all of which attended Julliard. On their latest CD, Browns in Blue, we get a chance to hear them in music ranging from classical to jazz. There's even a track with The 5 Browns playing along through the magic of technology

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-56565466641079599842007-02-02T18:18:00.000-06:002007-02-02T19:24:13.177-06:00

As someone who has had the privilege of recently enjoying the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC, I figured I would write a little about Gian Carlo Menotti who passed away yesterday.Gian Carlo Menotti was born in Cadegliano-Viconago, Italy on July 7th, 1911. Menotti began writing songs when he was only 7 years old. He wrote a full opera, The Death of Pierrot, including the libretto, when he was

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1137113804728676842006-01-12T18:36:00.000-06:002006-01-12T18:56:44.736-06:00

Ok. I know. I've been posting way too much about Mozart lately! I just can't help it. I'm sorry.This is certainly worthy of a post, though!!!I just found out that Mozart's "Verzeichnis aller meiner Werke" is now available in a super high-tech format to browse for free at the British Library's website.This is a journal that Mozart himself kept with a chronology of his composed works and a

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1136238653344424172006-01-02T15:50:00.000-06:002006-01-12T18:25:47.703-06:00

Well, I'm back from a long break. First off, I want to wish everyone a very happy new year!! Not only is it a new year, but it is a "Mozartean" new year. That's right, in case you haven't heard, 2006 will mark Mozart's 250th birthday. So be prepared to hear about Mozart quite a lot.Speaking of Mozart, I just came across the results from a poll conducted by Classic FM asking users what they felt

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1134692829197410212005-12-15T17:40:00.000-06:002006-01-12T18:26:31.616-06:00

Norman Lebrecht from La Scene Musicale has thoroughly discredited himself and, also, caused an outcry of outrage on message boards and blogs all over with his recent article entitled "Too much Mozart makes you sick."Lebrecht shows that he is completely unfamiliar with the works and history of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. His article is full of inaccuracies. He goes as far as to state that Mozart's

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1134586996105181642005-12-14T12:46:00.000-06:002006-01-12T18:27:23.056-06:00

Gone is another of the world's best pianists. Gyorgy Sandor died at the age of 93 from heart failure at his home in Manhattan.Sandor was a pupil of Bela Bartok and one of the biggest champions of the Hungarian composer's works. He also studied composistion with Kodaly at the Liszt Academy of Music in Hungary. He settled in the United States after his Carnegie Hall debut in 1939.He had a wide

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1134522807279053092005-12-13T18:19:00.000-06:002006-01-12T18:27:57.866-06:00

When I go to the gym, I usually just listen to whatever they are playing no matter how bad it is because I'm too cheap to buy an mp3 player. I do wonder though what I would listen to if I did have one. I love Classical Music, obviously, but I wonder what kind of workout companion it would be.The Well-Tempered Blog highlights an article about just that.The article, written by Wayne Lee Gay for the

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1134508469940749162005-12-13T15:00:00.000-06:002006-01-12T18:28:40.876-06:00

Do you have a tune or melody stuck in your head and you can't figure out what it is? Enter Musipedia, a searchable collection of tunes, melodies and musical themes.There is nothing more annoying than having a melody stuck in your head and not knowing what is it is!! Musipedia has saved me from such delerium numerous times since I discovered it.From Musipedia's site:"Musipedia uses the "

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1134422796475217572005-12-12T15:18:00.000-06:002006-01-12T18:29:30.500-06:00

As the BBC gears up for their Bach Christmas spectacular beginning on December 16th, I suggest you check out the nifty Bach Advent Calendar.To quote the BBC's site:"BBC Radio 3 will be celebrating Christmas 2005 by broadcasting continuously over ten days the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach. The composer's entire surviving body of work will be performed by some of the world's greatest

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1134149962803506292005-12-09T11:16:00.000-06:002006-01-12T18:30:01.453-06:00

The Grammy nominations list was released yesterday.Here is the link to go straight to the Classical nominations.I love how they put it at the very bottom of the category listings as if it is some kind of afterthought. I don't see why Rap and Polka should be listed before Classical Music!! I would venture to say that rap isn't even music.Do they even show the Classical awards given out on the

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1133891079873326032005-12-06T11:22:00.000-06:002006-01-12T18:30:45.720-06:00

It took one of the most powerful X-Rays in the world, but scientists were able to prove conclusively at last that Ludwig van Beethoven died from lead poisoning. They focused the beam on six pieces of his hair and small fragments of his recently discovered skull.The study took place at the Energy Department's Argonne National Laboratory outside of Chicago. It had long been speculated that lead

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1133808944688187502005-12-05T12:31:00.000-06:002006-01-12T18:31:49.693-06:00

Get out your recording of Mozart's Requiem and give it a spin, for on this day in 1791 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart passed away."Lacrimosa dies illa, Qua resurget ex favilla Iudicandus homo reus." - "Ah! That day of tears and mourning! From the dust of earth returning man for judgement must prepare him."Mozart died around 1 A.M. while working on the very Requiem I have just quoted. An eerie thought

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1133716596949804882005-12-04T11:05:00.000-06:002006-01-12T18:34:09.993-06:00

Everyone is well aware of the fact that in general today's youth seem to be pretty uninterested in Classical Music. This worries me as Classical Musicians are aging fast and someone needs to step in eventually to fill their shoes.The El Paso Symphony Orchestra may have the solution to get today's youngsters involved in the music making process. They have announced that they will be starting

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1133474877024516302005-12-01T15:42:00.000-06:002006-01-12T18:35:02.730-06:00

The recently discovered Beethoven score that I posted on in Ludwig van Beethoven's Lost Manuscript has been sold at auction for an astonishing 1.9 million dollars.An anonymous buyer bought the score that was expected to go for up to 2.6 million dollars.The "Grosse Fuge" was written by Beethoven in 1826, a year before his death. The manuscript contains numerous corrections and deletions by the

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1133378110117571582005-11-30T12:22:00.000-06:002006-01-12T18:35:37.763-06:00

Aidin Vaziri from the San Francisco Chronicle thinks so. With the recent Sony BMG spyware scandal it looks like the nails in the compact disc's coffin may have been placed.Digital music sales are quickly outpacing the sales of compact discs. See Apple iTunes in the top 10 record sellers list. Now there is a near infinite amount of free and legal music to be found online.Vaziri points out plenty

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1133296216804825022005-11-29T11:10:00.000-06:002006-03-29T21:33:21.413-06:00

(Note: While you are reading this, be sure to download the many different recordings of this work with eMusic's free trial. You get 50 mp3s for free no matter what with no obligations.)It only took Robert Schumann 4 days in April of 1838 to write Kreisleriana, 8 Fantasies for Piano, Op. 16. In the score, Schumann dedicated the work to Chopin. However, like many of his compositions, Kreisleriana

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1133199566970004362005-11-28T11:24:00.000-06:002005-11-28T11:39:26.986-06:00

Have you ever wondered why a large percentage of opera singers are quite rotund? Well, Peter Osin, a consultant at London's Royal Marsden Hospital has formulated a scientific theory that sounds pretty convincing to me the Biology major/Classical Music lover.Osin suggests that lung cells are able to release certain hormones including leptin, the number-one suspect attributed to obesity. The

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1132852061027078602005-11-24T10:59:00.000-06:002005-11-24T11:07:41.036-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my devoted readers!!!Now would be a good time to give a listen to some American composers. So get out your Ives, Barber, Bernstein and Copland. Be thankful for all of their wonderful music.Perhaps listening to Dvorak Symphony No. 9 "From the New World" would be pretty appropriate.I hope everyone has a fantastic day,Chad

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1132682171821746602005-11-22T11:39:00.000-06:002005-11-22T11:56:11.833-06:00

For the first time, Apple iTunes has made the list of the top 10 US record sellers. According to NPD, iTunes came in at number seven, beating Tower Records, Sam Goody and Borders.NPD claims that iTunes moved onto the list within the last three months. Russ Crupnick of NPD says that he sees it possible for iTunes to move up even more on that list in the future.Digital sales of music accounted for

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1132625153525605602005-11-21T19:47:00.000-06:002005-11-21T20:05:53.536-06:00

Dresden was one of the most damaged cities after World War II. One of the biggest losses was the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady). Bach played organ at this church on multiple occasions. Also, it was the site of the premiere of Mahler's Symphony No. 8 on October 9, 1920.Not until 1990 did the people of Dresden decide to rebuild the famous church. They were painstakingly accurate in their

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1132598089986674872005-11-21T12:18:00.000-06:002005-11-21T20:10:48.106-06:00

Now I think this is kind of silly. Mezzo-Soprano Stephanie Blythe was to play a black woman in the Royal Opera's production of Un Ballo in Maschera (The Masked Ball). For the rehearsal she was "blacked-up" as the expression goes. Seems pretty reasonable to me as she is a white woman who was playing a black woman.However, novelist Philip Hensher wrote that he was schocked to see this at the

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1132341436927526682005-11-18T12:43:00.000-06:002005-11-21T20:11:30.703-06:00

Research done by Stanford University has shown that musical training can help the brain to process the spoken word increasing children's reading ability. The study proved that musical training helps to distinguish rapidly changing sounds which is key to language development. The study solidifies the notion that musical training can help increase cognitive abilities."What this study shows, that's

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1131571977757116032005-11-09T15:14:00.000-06:002005-11-09T15:32:57.766-06:00

History will be made this Sunday when for the first time ever a woman will conduct the Vienna Philharmonic. Australian Simone Young will conduct the Vienna Philharmonic in a performance of Leonard Bernstein's Overture to Candide, Aaron Copland's Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra and excerpts from Gustav Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn and Robert Schumann's Symphony Number Four.The Vienna

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1131387293753129342005-11-07T11:53:00.000-06:002005-11-07T12:18:54.996-06:00

eMusic has now established itself as the leader in the digital music competition at least in terms of Classical Music. Naxos, a leading classical music label with over 4,000 albums to their name, has partnered with eMusic. The entire Naxos catalog is now available for download from eMusic.eMusic is the only major digital music service to deliver music in the universally compatible MP3 format, the

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1131385692845894492005-11-07T11:28:00.000-06:002005-11-07T11:48:12.856-06:00

Moscow-born conductor Valery Gergiev has been awarded the Polar Music Prize worth one million Swedish Crowns (about 130,000 dollars). The award was founded by Stig Anderson, the publisher, lyricist and manager of Abba.The chairman of the award committee, Ake Holmquist said, "The 2006 Polar Music Prize is awarded to the Russian conductor Valery Gergiev for the way his unique, electrifying musical

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1131142952278871412005-11-04T16:08:00.000-06:002005-11-04T16:22:32.290-06:00

On Tuesday, the Violin Art Foundation, a Moscow-based organization, bought a rare violin that was owned by famed 19th century violinist Nicolo Paganini. The violin was auctioned off by Sotheby's in London and fetched a price just short of one million dollars.Winners of the foundation's annual prestigious violin competition will have the privelige of playing the violin for a year. The violin dates

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1131134686322247282005-11-04T13:53:00.000-06:002005-11-04T14:04:46.333-06:00

Yale announced that it has received a donation in the amount of 100 million dollars for its graduate music school from donors who wish to remain anonymous. The donation will be spread out over several years.The donation, one of the largest to date, will allow students to attend the school free of tuition beginning in 2006. This puts it in the same league as Philadelphia's Curtis Institute of

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1131132293148160572005-11-04T13:13:00.000-06:002005-11-04T13:24:53.160-06:00

I've never thought of using Classical Music to prevent crime, but apparently some stores in England think it is quite a good idea. They have been trying to think of ways to keep the loitering youth away from their stores and thereby prevent crime.Their solution: they pipe classical music around the store. It seems that the troublesome youngsters don't appreciate the music of Mozart, Brahms and

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1131131463816172242005-11-04T13:05:00.000-06:002005-11-04T13:11:03.816-06:00

I have to mention a big note of thanks to Thur's Templates for the new template design for Classy Classical. As you can see, I now have a three-column blog! This gives me a lot more room for different things that I will be adding down the line. A big step in the evolution of Classy Classical to be sure! Thanks Thur!P.S. If anyone has any suggestions on what they would like to see added to

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1131052596677654082005-11-03T15:03:00.000-06:002005-11-03T15:16:36.696-06:00

Have you ever been at a Classical Music concert and noticed how the members of the orchestra seem to get pretty overheated during the course of the night? I have often thought that I wouldn't want to be under those lights in a full tuxedo playing the intense music that they do.It seems that the London Philharmonic Orchestra has found a solution. The Independent Online reports that they have

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1130974393662013522005-11-02T17:13:00.000-06:002005-11-02T17:33:13.680-06:00

We all know how it goes. I just added it as a selection on my Halloween playlist posting. However, apparently there is a lot of debate as to whether Toccata and Fugue in D minor, what most people consider Bach's most recognizable work, is actually a composition by Bach at all.According to the Post-Gazette article, the piece just does not fit as something Bach would have written stylistically.

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1130874269286553952005-11-01T13:28:00.000-06:002005-11-01T13:44:29.296-06:00

The BBC made quite a stir in June when for 2 weeks only the complete symphonies of Ludwig van Beethoven were available for free download. They were downloaded 1.4 million times from users around the world. As to be expected, record companies were not happy, feeling that this bit into their sales figures.It seems that the BBC does not want to draw the wrath of the angry labels again, or so

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1130868304771130332005-11-01T11:33:00.000-06:002005-11-01T12:05:04.780-06:00

Ok, this small record label out of England has to be one one of my favorites. First, Hyperion Records released the complete solo piano music of Franz Liszt as excellently played by pianist Leslie Howard (Which I am almost done buying!). Now they have finished with yet another mammoth recording endeavor: Schubert's complete songs.The recordings encompass 40 CDs and took 18 years to complete.

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1130808003334964952005-10-31T18:40:00.000-06:002005-10-31T19:20:03.346-06:00

Have you ever wondered what Ludwig van Beethoven's last words were before his death? A somewhat macabre question, but totally appropriate on this Halloween evening. Here are some different composers' dying quotes: "Friends applaud, the comedy is over." - Ludwig van Beethoven, March 26th, 1827"The earth is suffocating... Swear to make them cut me open, so that I won't be buried alive." -

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1130784348013832072005-10-31T12:16:00.000-06:002007-02-20T15:58:18.754-06:00

Well, here it is. The only playlist you need for Classical Halloween music. I'm spooked out already.1. Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 by Johann Sebastian Bach. Everyone's favorite.Great, Free Download by Frederick Magle: http://www.magle.dk/music-forums/23-bach-toccata-fugue-d.html2. Danse macabre, symphonic poem in G minor, Op. 40 by Camille Saint-Saens3. Funeral March of a

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1130699775213679462005-10-30T13:01:00.000-06:002005-10-30T13:16:15.226-06:00

Since I live in New Orleans, I would be remiss not to mention a way for Classical Music lovers to hear awesome musicians and help New Orleans get back on its feet at the same time. I came across this on Tanya Bannister's website. She is the winner of the 2005 New Orleans International Piano Competition.Tanya, along with James Giles, Robert Henry and Petronel Malan, are touring the country with

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1130696569750743702005-10-30T10:45:00.000-06:002005-10-30T12:22:49.860-06:00

So, I've been so busy with trying to promote the blog that I've been lacking on my content. To all the devoted readers out there, I'm so sorry. But I think you all will appreciate some of the changes. Let me tell you what I have done so far. For those of you who have a blog or website, get your pencils ready:1. I have added a FeedBurner Feed. I got rid of that old-fashioned atom.xml feed that

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1130421464259002882005-10-27T18:26:00.000-05:002005-10-27T18:27:12.843-05:00

The idea would seem absurd to most Classical Music afficionados that I know. I have to admit that I find it a little bit odd, too. That idea is a series of concerts in Japan where sleeping is not frowned upon, but rather, it is encouraged! These concerts are taking place at Hakuju Hall in Tokyo, a venue designed specifically for relaxation and to harness the healing power of music. The hall

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1130352898403760982005-10-26T12:30:00.000-05:002005-10-26T13:54:58.436-05:00

The final version of Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, S. 124 dates 1856, however, the beginning of the composition dates to 1830 when Liszt sketched the main theme in a notebook. Liszt commenced serious work on the composition in the 1840s. It could be said that Liszt spent so long on the composition because he was fairly new at this point to the realm of orchestration. Up to this

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1129932810484886222005-10-21T16:43:00.000-05:002005-10-21T19:41:05.446-05:00

So, I recently heard Richard Addinsell's Warsaw Concerto on my local Classical Music radio station and I was pretty impressed by it. It is not a typical concerto in that it only has one movement. Also, it is extremely brief, with an average duration of just under 10 minutes. However, it has become pretty famous nonetheless.The "concerto" was featured in the 1941 British film Dangerous Moonlight,

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1129676985783048652005-10-18T21:10:00.000-05:002006-03-29T21:31:56.093-06:00

(Note: While you are reading this, be sure to download the many different versions of this work with eMusic's free trial. You get 50 mp3s for free no matter what with no obligations.)A favorite choice for concert pianists' recitals seems to be Robert Schumann's Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13. It is well-suited for the concert hall containing virtuosic passages, expressive movements and a thrilling

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1129579980050403262005-10-17T13:55:00.000-05:002006-03-29T21:30:20.603-06:00

(Note: While you are reading this, be sure to download the many different versions of this work with eMusic's free trial. You get 50 mp3s for free no matter what with no obligations.)Almost every composer has been inspired to write at least one piece of music based on a work of literature. Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy has indeed inspired a great number of composers. One of these was Franz

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1129400613537148532005-10-15T13:15:00.000-05:002005-10-15T13:23:33.543-05:00

From wikipedia:"On October 13, 2005 it was reported that an authentic 179 year-old Beethovenmanuscript titled "Grosse Fuge" (a piano four-hands version of the Op. 133string quartet finale) was found by a Pennsylvania librarian at the PalmerTheological Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania in July 2005. It had beenmissing for 115 years. The manuscript is to be auctioned by Sotheby's AuctionHouse on

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1129263513658060442005-10-13T21:53:00.000-05:002005-10-13T23:18:33.680-05:00

Has anyone ever wondered why a CD holds 74 minutes of music? Why not 60 or 64? Well, I came across an interesting urban legend today that may just be the answer. It may not be a coincidence that the size of a CD is just big enough to hold a complete recording of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.Philips and Sony collaborated to produce the Compact Disc. The orginal prototype was an 11.5

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1129227528166195172005-10-13T12:24:00.000-05:002005-11-07T20:53:16.856-06:00

One of my favorite piano concertos besides those of Rachmaninoff, of course, would have to be Beethoven's Fifth and final piano concerto. Aptly titled the "Emperor" concerto, the work, almost 40 minutes long, is grand and almost symphonic in scale. As is the case with the "Moonlight Sonata" for piano and the "Spring Sonata" for violin and piano, the nickname is not that of Beethoven, but it still

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1129156188628489472005-10-12T16:56:00.000-05:002005-10-12T17:31:56.760-05:00

Well, my previous post on Salieri has seemed to stir up a decent amount of interest, so I figured I would write some more on the actual music of Salieri. More and more recordings of Salieri's music are finding there way onto the market. Of course, Salieri's main output was opera, but he did venture into other venues as well.One of my favorite recordings is that of the Philharmonia Orchestra under

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1128992535219306322005-10-10T19:41:00.000-05:002007-02-03T01:22:03.681-06:00

(Note: While you are reading this, be sure to download the many different versions of this work with eMusic's free trial. You get 25 mp3s for free no matter what with no obligations.)If you have ever been to a wedding with a really first-rate organist at the keyboard, then you have probably heard Charles-Marie Widor's Toccata. I first heard of this piece when I attended a Pipe Organ Encounter

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1128978310006955232005-10-10T15:31:00.000-05:002007-02-03T01:22:56.563-06:00

(Note: While you are reading this, be sure to download the many different versions of this work with eMusic's free trial. You get 25 mp3s for free no matter what with no obligations.)A piece that I have recently come to love is Maurice Ravel's La Valse. My first exposure to the piece was at the 2004 New Orleans International Piano Competition. While the piece was originally written for

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1126111600404791752005-09-07T11:31:00.000-05:002005-11-07T20:34:08.213-06:00

Rachmaninoff's Works for Piano and OrchestraFor many people today, the mere mention of a piano concerto brings one name to mind: Sergey Rachmaninoff. His concertos have been engrained in the consciousness of many unsuspecting listeners through the media of film and popular song. However, these films and songs have offered only a glimpse into the brilliance of Rachmaninoff’s works for piano and

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1124987387251700722005-08-25T11:07:00.000-05:002005-08-25T11:29:47.596-05:00

Leonard Bernstein was born on this day in 1918. Bernstein, who died on October 14, 1990, is widely regarded as one of the greatest American conductors and composers.Indeed, Bernstein was one of the first Americans to gain worldwide fame in the music world.Some of his greatest works were for the theatre including: Candide, West Side Story, and On the Town.For a free recording of Bernstein's Sonata

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1124945922150833662005-08-24T23:58:00.000-05:002005-08-25T00:00:32.073-05:00

For some interesting takes on all of the music featured in the Norton Recorded Anthology of Western music look here:What I Like About...

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1124936145004507612005-08-24T21:11:00.000-05:002005-08-24T21:15:45.006-05:00

I'm listening to Exploring Music right now on my local radio station. For those of you who haven't heard of it, this is a great radio program that features classical music. It is very interesting, and I have learned a great deal by listening to it. I wanted to spread the word.The host is Bill McGlaughlin, a musician/educator/composer/broadcaster, whose insights into the music are truly

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1124924557287505242005-08-24T17:55:00.000-05:002006-01-10T18:35:43.303-06:00

Salieri: Truth or Fiction[After you read this, be sure to check out eMusic's free trial. There are multiple Salieri compositions available for download.]Not until the success of Peter Shaffer’s film Amadeus has Antonio Salieri become a household name. However, this notoriety that Antonio Salieri has gained is far from desirable. He is reputed to be a mediocre composer with a passionate envy of

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15763548.post-1124923520657291062005-08-24T17:39:00.000-05:002005-08-24T17:49:29.493-05:00

Welcome to Classy Classical. My name is Chad Hille and I decided to start this blog to give me an outlet for writing about the music that interests me most: Classical Music.I plan to update the page on a regular basis with new insights into composers and their music. Maybe you will see some stuff you already know, but hopefully you will learn something new and be richer for it.I welcome all

Chad Hillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02544293856171417526noreply@blogger.com1