Rhapsody in Blue: How Gershwin broke the mold

Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue is a unique genre-defying piece, it breaks all the rules, crosses all the boundaries and has remained massively popular despite regular getting a drubbing from the critics. In this video I take a look at what makes it tick.

Freddie Aguilar - Magdalena (Official Lyric Video)

12M views 6 years ago #FreddieAguilar #OfficialLyricVideo

Lyric video of Ka Freddie's hit song "Magdalena" #FreddieAguilar #MagdalenaLyrics #OfficialLyricVideo

Piano Duel - Yuja Wang vs. Khatia Buniatishvili

1,306,289 views Dec 20, 2021

Yuja and Khatia entrance fans by their looks - but more importantly, by their music. Which do you prefer? Round 1 - Intro piece 0:04 Scriabin: Prelude Op. 11 No. 11 (Yuja) 1:42 Chopin: Waltz Op. 64 No. 2 in c# minor (Buniatishvili) Round 2 - Technique 4:58 Prokofiev: Toccata Op. 11 in C (Yuja) 8:46 Liszt: La Campanella (Buniatishvili) Round 3 - Musicianship 12:47 Rachmaninoff-Kocsis: Vocalise (Yuja) 16:33 Schubert-Liszt: Ständchen (Buniatishvili) Round 4 - Finale 23:04 Scriabin: Etude Op. 8 No. 9 (Yuja) 27:29 Ravel: La Valse (Buniatishvili) Bonus number - 36:47 J. Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5 (Piano 4 hands)

Bert Kaempfert - Wonderland By Night (1960)

Bert Kaempfert and his Orchestra performing "Wonderland By Night", released originally in 1960.

It reached #1 in the US Billboard Hot 100, #1 in New Zealand Charts, and #5 in the US Billboard Hot R&B Sides.

"Wonderland By Night" is an instrumental song that served as the theme of a film about Germany. Bert Kaempfert was a German-born multi-instrumentalist who worked with popular artists such as Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, and the Beatles. He produced the Beatles' first session in 1961, in which the Beatles backed Tony Sheridan, and Kaempfert's influence continued to inspire them.

Kaempfert started to achieve success with "Wonderland by Night," and his rise to the top began in 1959, when he was hired as a staff producer for Polydor Records in Germany. The song was particularly appealing to more mature listeners, and Decca Records, which made an agreement with Polydor to distribute Kaempfert's releases in America, worked to assemble an album around the song.

As a result, many of the tracks that rounded out the album, including the Kaempfert original "Lullaby for Lovers" and his version of the standard "La Vie En Rose," were filler.

Bert Kaempfert continued to chart albums through 1971. He died at the age of 56 in June 1980 in Switzerland.

MAGBAGO KA - Freddie Aguilar

Song MAGBAGO KA by Freddie Aguilar in tagalog on beautiful scenery from my first trip to The Philippines. Scenes of Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales and Oriental Mindoro.

1924. The year Jazz crashed Classical Music’s party - Rhapsody in Blue

George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue captured the spirit of American culture and art in the early 20th century - Exuberant, restless innovation, and a healthy disregard for the rulebook.

The 5 Best Key Changes in Classical Music

Rounding off my mini-series on Harmony, this video is about those sudden key changes, that often form points of revelation or increased intensity...This list is entirely personal!

Theme of Man with no Name trilogy..........

One of the best soundtracks by Ennio Morricone for Man with no name Trilogy! All the three sound tracks from movie A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More and The good the bad and the ugly. Hope You like it..

Rhapsody in Blue Debut | Rhapsody In Blue | Warner Archive

5,231,302 views Jul 17, 2017 #WarnerBros #WarnerArchive #RhapsodyInBlue

Rhapsody In Blue (1945) #WarnerArchive #WarnerBros #RhapsodyInBlue Robert Alda stars alongside musical greats Al Jolson, Paul Whiteman, and Oscar Levant in this biopic treatment of the life of composer George Gershwin. The film traces Gershwin's rise, from his first big hit "Swanee" (performed by Al Jolson, playing himself), to his collaborations with lyricist brother Ira (Herbert Rudley) to the heights of artistic achievement with the debut of "Rhapsody in Blue" at Aeolian Hall. Directed By Irving Rapper Starring Robert Alda, Joan Leslie, Alexis Smith

cat stevens "he was my inspiration": here comes the sun june, 18, 2023

How well do you know Classical Music? A Quiz.

5,564 views Jun 24, 2023

It's a year's worth of videos... So, a quiz. 25 clips, a point for the composer, another for the piece. Double for your percentage score. This quiz is hard...I tried it in 'stupid' mode and got 30%. In 'smart' mode I got 68%...and I know the music! Anyhow...here's a breakdown... 0-10% - Congrats, you know some classical music 11-20% - You know a reasonable amount of classical music 21-40% - You have a wide knowledge of classical music (or you've followed my channel closely) 41-60% - You have a wide knowledge of classical music, AND you've followed my channel 61-80% - Respect. You clearly know your stuff 81-100% - Are you cheating??

A Day In The Life with orchestra - The Beatles (arr. Sam Haug)

4,505,849 views

I arranged the song 'A Day In The Life' from The Beatles into an orchestral piece with choir. This is the result. Hope you like it!

Mantovani & His Orchestra - On Wings of Song(Mendelssohn)

Some Advice to Young Musicians

By Janet Horvath, Interlude

One of my adult students, who happens to be a heart surgeon, came to a lesson last week with an idea. For his upcoming birthday, during the gathering at his home, he’s thinking he’d like to perform three or four cello pieces with the piano accompaniment for his friends. “Tell me if I’m crazy!” he said. I told him I thought it was a terrific plan. Not only would it give him the incentive to prepare and polish some pieces, but I was certain his friends and family would no doubt be delighted and proud of his accomplishments. And what could be more special than sharing music?” We selected music we thought he could play beautifully in six months, music that is pleasing to an audience—Enrique Granados Orientale, Rachmaninoff Prelude, and the first two movements of Haydn-Piatigorsky Divertimento, with piano. 

© Minnesota Youth Symphonies

Several of my adult students are passionate about their playing and are dedicated to setting aside time each day to make music, nurturing a lifelong passion, no matter their level of accomplishment. It got me thinking. What advice would I give young musicians, so they will always love playing music, wherever life takes them? Here are ten suggestions:

1. Play everything beautifully, even scales and exercises, with a warm alluring tone. Your sound quality is your voice, which should please you and your audience.

2. Always try to play with ease. Release any and all tension. Your music will flow if your body feels free. Think about breathing, and use the least amount of effort to execute a phrase.

3. Experiment with the way you express the music. Search for better and more meaningful ways to communicate. Avoid playing a phrase the same way twice. Change something—the phrasing, the dynamic, the fingering, the bowing, the bow speed, the sound quality.

4. Study the music away from your instrument. Attend performances of great music and outstanding musicians. Listen to a variety of artists’ masterclasses and recordings, including historic recordings. Compare their approaches, but never imitate. Try to find your unique interpretation.

5. Practice consistently and carefully. One hour a day is better than three hours every three days. Never let a passage go by that is out of tune, poorly executed, or sounds ineffective. Consistency will lead to fluency. Listen for interruptions in the musical line. Analyze what didn’t work and go back over the passage with questions—was it due to a fingering, a shift, a bow-change, a breath, a string-crossing, the position of your hand or arm?

6. Seek out excellent teachers and colleagues. Learn from as many of them as you can. Be a good colleague and collaborator. Be willing to play with others, and to listen to others.

7. Play for people and perform often—at your place of worship, in your home, at community centers, or recital halls. Join a community orchestra or form a small ensemble that gets together frequently. One learns very quickly what works and what doesn’t in the performance situation.

8. Musicians are constantly criticized. Heed constructive suggestions but try not to take them personally. Learn to incorporate useful information to improve your playing.

9. Perfect pieces within your capabilities. Work on the techniques, which will help you play a piece skillfully, and will allow you to focus on communicating the music. Avoid struggling with a work that is beyond you at the moment.

10. Have confidence. Playing music is a process. Celebrate every milestone. If your goal is to move people emotionally not playing “perfectly” you will have succeeded. It’s a privilege to learn to play music. It’s an even greater privilege to share music with others. Remember, your audience and the colleagues with whom you are playing are there for the collective experience, for beauty, for transcendence.

Our world today has unique challenges. Economies are moving further away from traditional employment. In a world where innovation and originality are so important, where logical thinking and the ability to innovate are sought-after talents—imagination, inventiveness, tenacity, and creativity have become coveted skills. Learning a musical instrument enhances these skills and uses your head, as well as your heart. Making music will always enrich everything you do in life.

The Enchanting Power of Intimacy: Music in Small Venues

By Frances Wilson, Interlude

I will never forget a concert I attended in the mid-1980s in a tiny Medieval church in Zadar, a small seaside town in former Yugoslavia. Amidst the ancient stone pillars and arches, a string quartet played music by Beethoven and Schubert, lit only by the waning evening sun and, later, candles.

1901 Arts Club

In the realm of live music, small concert venues serve as magical spaces to create a unique connection between performers and audiences. While grand concert halls have their place, it is within the intimate confines of these smaller places that a profound and transformative musical and emotional experience unfolds.

Such places are often not purpose-built music venues but simply small spaces which lend themselves to a more intimate concert experience. They may be converted churches, a former schoolhouse (the 1901 Arts Club in London, for example), a café, a river barge, or even someone’s home. Music presented in such settings is also a reminder of how music was performed up until the mid-19th century, when performers like Franz Liszt and Clara Schumann transformed the intimate concert into the rather grander, large-scale affair which we understand today.

Steven Isserlis performing at Fidelio cafe

Small venues provide an unparalleled level of intimacy that is often absent in larger venues. The close proximity of the audience allows for a more immediate and personal connection between performers and listeners. Musicians can see and feel the energy of the listeners, creating a symbiotic relationship where the audience’s response fuels the performer’s passion. This intimate connection can foster a sense of vulnerability and authenticity, enhancing the overall experience for both parties. 

Treehouse Shoreditch

In smaller concert venues, performers have the freedom to express themselves authentically and with spontaneity. These venues often attract artists who prioritize creative exploration and experimentation over commercial success. Artists feel more comfortable taking risks and showcasing their true artistic vision, as they are performing for a receptive and engaged audience who appreciates the rawness of their craft. The absence of overwhelming production elements, such as special lighting or stage setting, encourages musicians to rely on their talents and ability to communicate which creates a genuine and organic musical experience.

For the audience, there is a heightened sense of engagement: they are not mere spectators but active participants in the unfolding narrative of the performance with more direct interaction with the musicians, a non-verbal ‘conversation’, as it were, which creates a sense of community and shared experience that is deeply gratifying for both performers and audiences alike. Audiences can get ‘up close and personal’ with music and musicians, watching the musicians interact with one another through eye contact and gestures, and actually witnessing music being created ‘in the moment’. 

Small concert venues can also act as breeding grounds for emerging artists and composers, and the discovery of new, lesser-known, or rarely-performed repertoire. These intimate spaces provide a platform for performers to showcase their talent and gain exposure. Audiences, in turn, have the opportunity to discover hidden gems and witness the growth of rising stars firsthand. The sense of discovery and being part of an artist’s journey adds an element of excitement and exclusivity that is often absent in larger or more commercial venues.

Above all, the atmosphere in a small venue can be truly memorable. The intimate setting creates a special ambiance of a shared, often transformative, or immersive experience that resonates long after the performance ends.