Stravinsky & Jazz: Yes, Even Classical Music Is Influenced by Black American Forms
Stravinsky’s music and the music of Charlie Parker and John Coltrane have been compared to Cubism, is jazz the connector? We trace the influences.
Stravinsky’s music and the music of Charlie Parker and John Coltrane have been compared to Cubism, is jazz the connector? We trace the influences.
Cramming for a big test coming up? Make sure you’re focused, inspired, and energized with this playlist of classical music to help you push through!
Throughout my examination of the wide world of musical electronics, I’ve gazed longingly at the spider-web patches of modular and done an in-depth analyses of notable synths and their inner workings. One area we haven’t investigated deeply is the intersection of acoustic instruments with the electronic world — specifically, the burgeoning intersection of “classical,” or solo concert instrumentalists,…
Four stories of love and the trials and tribulations that accompanied them in these famous composers’ lives. Don’t (exactly) take this advice.
A strange voyage through an old familiar console to discover why music, education, and video games tend not to come together in the same package.
A quick historical deep dive on the journey of the saxophone from French military pride to jazz band spotlight, but never the symphonic orchestra.
Today we take a look at 10 essential scores that changed the game for what roles and responsibilities composers take to bring a film to life.
In July, I found myself reading some everyday music industry news on Billboard, or Rolling Stone, or The Guardian… it doesn’t matter that I can’t remember which website it was because everyone was calling Primephonic the “Spotify of classical music.” And I have to be honest, that kind of marketing nomenclature (“the Airbnb of toilet paper,” “the Uber of…
We’re going through an orchestral-indie golden age right now. Here are 10 bands blurring the lines between classical, indie, hip-hop and pop to epic effect.
This article originally appeared on The Ethan Hein Blog. I complain a lot on my blog about the traditional teaching of music theory. Fortunately, a better alternative exists: Everyday Tonality by Philip Tagg. Don’t be put off by the DIY look of the website; the book is the single best explanation I know of for how harmony works across…
Modern songwriters, producers and artists are reinventing the way jazz idioms and foundations are applied in modern pop. Let’s break it down!
Learning to read or write music? Here’s a quick-yet-deep primer on how key signatures work across major, minor, modal, blues and other tonalities.
Despite what many people think, classical music isn’t just a single, monolithic genre of music written by an old, stuffy bunch of dead guys. In fact, European classical music is so diverse that the only common denominator shared amongst pieces in its vast repertoire is that modern Western musical notation was basically invented in order to be…
By Lee Dynes The instrument goes by many names, takes several shapes, and can be played in a number of styles both traditional and modern. The oud or ud, sometimes referred to as barbat in Iran or kaban in Somalia and Sudan, is an instrument predominantly found in the Middle East, Spain, Greece, as well as…
By Shinjoo Cho If you’ve spent any extended time scrolling social media this year, you’ve probably come across a video of Ukrainian musician Alexander Hrustevich playing “Summer” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (formally, the Violin Concerto in G Minor, Opus 8, No 2 “Summer”: III. Presto) on his bayan accordion. This footage of a spellbinding, virtuosic performance by a young…
Welcome back to Soundfly’s weekly interview series, Incorrect Music, curated by guitarist, singer, and composer Lora-Faye Åshuvud (of the band Arthur Moon). In this series, we present intimate conversations with artists who are striving to push the boundaries of their process and craft. Nick Photinos’ debut solo album, Petits Artéfacts is a playful, masterfully performed collection of…
Editor’s Note: The conspicuous absence of women from the historical canon of great classical composers is worth noting. There are myriad reasons behind that lack — women have historically been denied the ability to hold a job, access higher education, receive professional mentorship… The list is endless. Women composers were not given the opportunities to even…
This list profiles the most influential composers of the current century. But these artists are linked by more than just their accolades. Read on!
What happens when you remix a Chopin piano étude with the Amen Break? A ton of interesting glitched out syncopations! Let’s explore…
A sampling of single- and multi-chord progression songs between the 1980s and 2010s reveals a disheartening trend. How to fix it?
Today we’re taking a look at 10 of the most beautiful, acoustically pristine, and historically significant concert halls in the world.
What’s the difference between Imagine Dragons’ “Enemy” and Encanto’s “Bruno”? Not much! But music theory holds the answer…
Songwriters and producers, ready to get jazzy? Here’s an introductory guide to building and using jazz chords in pop music!