What the “Tristan Chord” Is and How to Use It
An in-depth exploration of one of the most storied chords in opera, what makes it so influential, and how to use it yourself in your compositions.
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How ‘Apocalypse Now’ Etched Wagner’s ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ into Our Brains Forever
There would be only a handful of musical pieces that could rival Richard Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” for its iconic status in screen music. It was present in the starting days of silent cinema when chosen by D.W. Griffith to partially score his controversial, artistic watershed, Birth of a Nation (1915), and it was lovingly parodied by…
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Intimidated by Opera? Here Are 5 Ways You Can Dive in as a Beginner
Tom Hanks: “Do you mind this music? Do you like opera?” Denzel Washington: “I am…not that familiar with opera.” For many, the question isn’t whether or not they like opera — it’s whether or not they’ve ever taken the time to find out. Opera tends to play a cameo role in our culture, hovering around the…
