Back in December I stumbled upon an online course on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. It was presented by Hillsdale College and was a free course. It consisted of 4-6 lectures and I truly enjoyed it. Recently, I finished up yet another online course from Hillsdale on the History of Classical Music.
As someone who played in band throughout my school years, I was exposed to a lot of classical music. As a band member, it is an amazing experience to be playing a melody while a counter melody is playing with you. It is just as amazing when your section plays beautiful harmonies. Rehearsing a song and watching it all come together is so satisfying.
That being said, I couldn’t wait to get into this course. The overview states: Music’s ability to excite or soothe, to celebrate or console, to capture the inarticulate expressions of the human spirit make it the ideal companion for Western Civilization’s greatest achievements. Music is intertwined with the events of history. The developments of classical music correspond to key moments in science, politics, and religion. Classical music can be studied, it can be understood from the perspective of historical events and the lives of composers, but most of all, it should be enjoyed.
The instructor was Hyperion Knight and he was a wealth of knowledge. Throughout the course, he would occasionally play a piece or make an illustration on the piano for further explanation. We tend to believe that classical music is old or “ancient,” but Professor Knight was so good about relating what was going on in history at the time of some of these pieces.
The course lections were about the Development of Music, The Baroque Era (Bach, Vivaldi, and Handel), The Classical Period (Haydn and Mozart), and The Classical Period (Beethoven and Schubert). The final lecture is not a lecture at all. It is a mini concert performed by Professor Knight featuring some classical music standards.
Much like the Dickens course, I never really felt like it was a class or a lecture. It was really just an enjoyable journey through music history. Classical music is not for everyone, but if you are interested, you can enroll here: https://online.hillsdale.edu/courses/classical-music
As the “Nostalgic Italian,” I would be wrong to not mention that today is the 346th birthday of Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi. He (along with GF Handel and JS Bach) is considered to be one of the greatest Baroque composers of all time. His work consisted of many concertos for violin, choral works, and even operas. To me, he will forever be known for one amazing work of music – The Four Seasons.
He was born in Venice, one of six children. He had some issues with his health, which many say was what we’d call asthma today. While this prevented him from playing wind instruments, it did not stop him from becoming a virtuoso violinist. It also did not stop him from composing music.
It is estimated that he wrote The Four Seasons somewhere between 1717-1720. The entire piece features 4 concertos featuring 3 movements each. It begins with the season of Spring, then Summer, Autumn and finally Winter. Wikipedia describes the piece:
They were a revolution in musical conception: Vivaldi represented flowing creeks, singing birds (of different species, each specifically characterized), a shepherd and his barking dog, buzzing flies, storms, drunken dancers, hunting parties from both the hunters’ and the prey’s point of view, frozen landscapes, and warm winter fires.
Unusually for the period, Vivaldi published the concerti with accompanying sonnets (possibly written by the composer himself) that elucidated what it was in the spirit of each season that his music was intended to evoke. The concerti therefore stand as one of the earliest and most detailed examples of what would come to be called program music—in other words, music with a narrative element. Vivaldi took great pains to relate his music to the texts of the poems, translating the poetic lines themselves directly into the music on the page. For example, in the middle section of “Spring”, when the goatherd sleeps, his barking dog can be heard in the viola section. The music is elsewhere similarly evocative of other natural sounds. Vivaldi divided each concerto into three movements (fast–slow–fast), and, likewise, each linked sonnet into three sections.
The Four Seasons is one of the best known pieces of classical music. It truly is an amazing work. I had heard it hundreds of times before, but it wasn’t until I set aside about an hour one day and listened to it in headphones that I truly gained a real appreciation for the piece. I recall sitting with my eyes closed and envisioning what season the movement was about. The images that the music conjured up in my mind was something I cannot begin to describe. It really was an amazing experience.
Here is one of MANY recordings of the entire piece:
There is a lot of debate as to whether the concerto was written to go with the sonnets that were written or the other way around. No one knows for sure who wrote the sonnets, but it is believed that Vivaldi wrote them.
As you listen to each concerto, read the sonnets and see if you can picture the things alluded to in them.
Spring
Allegro Springtime is upon us. The birds celebrate her return with festive song, and murmuring streams are softly caressed by the breezes. Thunderstorms, those heralds of Spring, roar, casting their dark mantle over heaven, Then they die away to silence, and the birds take up their charming songs once more.
Largo On the flower-strewn meadow, with leafy branches rustling overhead, the goat-herd sleeps, his faithful dog beside him.
Allegro Led by the festive sound of rustic bagpipes, nymphs and shepherds lightly dance beneath spring’s beautiful canopy.
Summer
Allegro non molto Under a hard season, fired up by the sun Languishes man, languishes the flock and burns the pine We hear the cuckoo’s voice; then sweet songs of the turtledove and finch are heard. Soft breezes stir the air, but threatening the North Wind sweeps them suddenly aside. The shepherd trembles, fearing violent storms and his fate.
Adagio e piano – Presto e forte The fear of lightning and fierce thunder Robs his tired limbs of rest As gnats and flies buzz furiously around.
Presto Alas, his fears were justified The Heavens thunder and roar and with hail Cut the head off the wheat and damages the grain.
Autumn
Allegro Celebrates the peasant, with songs and dances, The pleasure of a bountiful harvest. And fired up by Bacchus’ liquor, many end their revelry in sleep.
Adagio molto Everyone is made to forget their cares and to sing and dance By the air which is tempered with pleasure And (by) the season that invites so many, many Out of their sweetest slumber to fine enjoyment
Allegro The hunters emerge at the new dawn, And with horns and dogs and guns depart upon their hunting The beast flees and they follow its trail; Terrified and tired of the great noise Of guns and dogs, the beast, wounded, threatens Languidly to flee, but harried, dies.
Winter
Allegro non molto To tremble from cold in the icy snow, In the harsh breath of a horrid wind; To run, stamping one’s feet every moment, Our teeth chattering in the extreme cold
Largo Before the fire to pass peaceful, Contented days while the rain outside pours down.
Allegro We tread the icy path slowly and cautiously, for fear of tripping and falling. Then turn abruptly, slip, crash on the ground and, rising, hasten on across the ice lest it cracks up. We feel the chill north winds course through the home despite the locked and bolted doors… this is winter, which nonetheless brings its own delights.
Sorry to be absent, the flu hit our house and it’s been a slow recovery. Here’s something I saved from a week or so ago I think you will enjoy:
I believe Maggie over at From Cave Walls posted this last week. I saved the questions in a draft and am finally getting around to answering them. I’d love for my musical friends to answer them as well.
Do you choose to play music that matches your mood?
When I have absolute control over it, I think I tend to. I used to have a collection of cassettes in my car that were all “themed.”. I had one with fast music for cruising, one with sad songs on it for “those” days, a tape of love songs, etc…
When the radio is on, I punch around looking for something that connects with me. Maybe it fits the mood, but sometimes, I’m just looking for a favorite to sing along with.
Do you ever use music to change your mood?
Absolutely! I would say music is my “go to” when I need to change my mood. Music is really good for that.
Do you use music to relax or to fall asleep?
Yes. When I need to relax I often find a play list on YouTube or play a Pandora or Sirius XM channel.
I used to be able to play music in headphones and fall asleep, but I don’t anymore. Now, it is the music from my kid’s sound machine that plays. Sometimes it bothers me, but most of the time, it helps.
When do you like music with lyrics versus instrumental music?
I think both are good anytime, really. When I’m reading or studying, I tend to like light instrumental music.
Does music distract you if you are trying to concentrate?
Sometimes it does, and if that is the case, I will turn it off or lower the volume. However, as I just said, when I am reading or studying I find it doesn’t distract me at all (when it is the right type of music)
Do you like percussion arrangements with no other instrumentation?
Percussion is important – it keeps the whole song on time. Back in the 50’s there were plenty of “drum” features (Bongo Rock, Topsy Part 2, Teen Beat, Wipe Out, etc…) But they all had other instruments playing. If it’s just drums, it had better be good. Not saying I don’t like a good drum solo, but I can’t really pull a “just drum” song out of my head that stands out.
Do you listen to classical music?
Absolutely! I love it. There are so many fantastic pieces by Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Vivaldi, Chopin, and others that are worth listening to! I listen to it a lot, especially when I am working.
I also love listening to it in the car. It’s always cool when they play something we played in band class.
Do upbeat rhythms make you want to get up and dance?
There are very few songs that I will “fast dance” to. I dance worse than Elaine on Seinfeld! Jump Around by House of Pain is one I will get out for because all you have to do is jump up and down and it doesn’t matter!!
What music grates on your nerves?
I have some formats that I dislike, but there are the occasional songs from those formats that I do like. That said, Rap is probably my least favorite. At the same time, there are very few songs out today that I like.
There is a thing that circulates on Facebook every so often that says, “Every thing I learned about Classical Music, I learned from Looney Tunes.” In a way, that is true for me (and a lot of people). Here is a link to an article from Classic FM:
I bring this up for a silly reason today. I was playing that crazy racing game Forza Horizon 5 the other day. In the game, there are different radio stations you can listen to. I usually have the classical music station on as I play the game. I think there are like 10 songs that rotate. Every time this one song would come on, I’d laugh because I’d think of cartoon trapeze artists. I bet without even hearing it, you know what song I am talking about!
In my 52 years, I never knew the name of it or who composed it. I know know. Forza Horizon 5 is set in Mexico, so it is only appropriate that the song was written by a Mexican composer by the name of Juventino Rosas. The waltz (in 3/4 time) is called Sobre las Olas or “Over the Waves.” It was first published in 1888!
The song has been recorded by Chet Atkins, The Beach Boys, Pete Fountain and Willie Nelson! It appeared in the 1943 Warner Brothers cartoon “An Itch in Time” and the 1950 Warner Brothers cartoon Canary Row. It appears with English lyrics (entitled “The Loveliest Night of the Year”) in the 1951 film “The Great Caruso.” It remains Rosas’ most popular piece of music.
Give it a listen here (the melody you will recognize begins 41 seconds into the song):
Please understand that this song by itself doesn’t make me laugh. I actually enjoy it. The reason it makes me laugh in the game is that it is usually playing while I am driving and crashing into mailboxes, running over gates, rear ending cars in my way, or watching my car go off a cliff or something.
Imagine that song playing while you are casually ripping up the roads at 307 miles per hour!!! Or even passing someone doing 131 miles per hour….
I’m not sure why this makes me chuckle but it does. Now, take Gustov Holst’s piece from The Planets – Mars, The Bringer of War. This piece fits into those scenarios a bit better. There is a sense of urgency and suspense involved. In some racing events, it is a perfect background piece. Even better, there is one race that you are driving up a mountain to where there is a live volcano – talk about a perfect song!
As much of a stress reliever the game is for me, I love the fact that there is some great classical music in it to accompany the various races and tasks.
So let me change what I said earlier … “Every thing I learned about Classical Music, I learned from band class, Looney Tunes … and a video racing game!”
Welcome to another edition of Turntable Talk hosted by Dave over at A Sound Day. Check out his site here: https://soundday.wordpress.com/
His topics have ranged from very easy to thought provoking. This time around, I find it truly thought provoking.
Here are the instructions that Dave sent to each of the participants describing what this edition was to be about:
This time around I’m calling it ‘Shock rock’… but wait, it’s not about Marilyn Manson and Megadeath…unless you want it to be. The subject basically will be pick a record that you love that would surprise people… something that runs afar from your regular favorite listening. Maybe you like hard rock but love something by the Carpenters. Or are a huge ’60s fan who can’t get enough Bruno Mars. Or maybe it’s a little Tchaikovsky to wind down after a night full of Stones or Springsteen. Let us know what it is that makes that ‘oddball’ selection so appealing to you.
What Could Possibly “Surprise” You?
I have almost 5000 songs on my iPod. I have a CD collection that fills at least three storage totes, and 4 carrying cases. My external hard drive is loaded up with almost half a terabyte of songs. What ONE song would surprise you? This was my dilemma.
I had three songs immediately jump out at me when I first read Dave’s e-mail. The more I thought on them, I just wasn’t sure which one to pick. As I am writing this, I still question the one that I chose. I will stick with it because it isn’t something I would normally post, and it is more of a personal song. So how in the world did I narrow it down?
Grab my iPod and there is just about every genre of music on there. There is pop music from every decade from the 1930’s to the 2010’s. There is country music – classic and modern. There is a fair amount of R&B, Soul and Motown. I’m not ashamed to admit there are some disco favorites, too. You will also find Big Band and Swing music, Jazz, standards, and plenty of Classical music. There is Christian music and plenty of oldies. There are some favorite Christmas songs on the play list and songs that I played when I was in high school band that I downloaded from YouTube and other sources.
Going through the iPod, there were songs that I thought were “oddball” that I could write about. For example, I have almost every Weird Al Polka Medley on there. I also have music from the Shrek soundtrack, music from The Muppets, and music from the cartoon Phineas and Ferb. There are also plenty of songs that are on there that my kids used to listen to when we would be in the car from some of their favorite kid shows. Oddball, indeed.
All that being said, anyone who knows me or has read my blog before knows that I have a wide range of musical tastes. It would be easy to feature any one of the “oddball” songs mentioned in the above paragraph. Instead, there was one song that stood out for me. It is a song that I never skip when it comes on the iPod (there are only a few of those). It is also a song that I have debated posting on my blog as part of a “music Monday” or some music feature. I kept holding back, probably because it is such a personal song for me. Will you find it “shocking?” I doubt it.
Untitled Hymn – Chris Rice
Readers of my blog know that I am a Christian. While I don’t care for much of the “modern” Christian music, I do like many songs. I cannot recall when I first heard Chris Rice’s “Untitled Hymn,” but it hit me immediately. It was a song that I shared with one of the guys at church, who worked it up and sang it on more than one occasion.
To those who are not of the Christian faith, there will be no connection whatsoever to the song. To me, however, it hits me deep every time I hear it. I am reminded of who I was before and who I am now. It also reminds me that when my life is over – it isn’t over. I am aware that not everyone believes what I do, and that is ok. I’m ok if you just scroll on by this blog.
The song begins with a lone piano and then the vocal. The lyrics of this song speak of the journey of a Christian. From sinner to saved. Singing praise. New life in Christ and life’s struggles and looking to Him in those struggles. Feeling the love and joy that comes in this new life. Finally, the “end” of life on earth for the Christian and the beginning of the afterlife.
The vocal and the piano blend so perfectly. The inflection of the vocal through the dynamics of the song conveys the lyrics exactly how they need to be conveyed. Rice rerecorded the song for “A Collection of Hymns” with a more up-tempo piano and more instrumentation (strings, guitar, etc…) and vocal harmony. Personally, I prefer the original recording over the newer version. I feel it is more powerful.
Here is the original and the lyrics:
Weak and wounded sinner Lost and left to die Oh, raise your head for Love is passing by
Come to Jesus Come to Jesus Come to Jesus and live
Now your burden’s lifted And carried far away And precious blood has washed away the stain
So, sing to Jesus Sing to Jesus Sing to Jesus and live
And like a newborn baby Don’t be afraid to crawl And remember when you walk sometimes we fall
So, fall on Jesus Fall on Jesus Fall on Jesus and live
Sometimes the way is lonely And steep and filled with pain So if your sky is dark and pours the rain
Then cry to Jesus Cry to Jesus Cry to Jesus and live
Oh and when the love splills over And music fills the night And when you can’t contain your joy inside
Then dance for Jesus Dance for Jesus Dance for Jesus and live
With your final heartbeat Kiss the world goodbye Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory’s side
And fly to Jesus Fly to Jesus Fly to Jesus and live
Fly to Jesus Fly to Jesus Fly to Jesus and live
In Closing
Does it shock you that I picked this song? I guess it is a bit different than the songs I have posted in the past. Isn’t that what I was supposed to do? At any rate, Dave asked us to explain what makes this song so “appealing.” All I can say is that it appeals to me because I relate to it. Outside of the last verse, I have lived it. It is a song that strikes a chord (pun intended) every time I hear it. Depending on what is going on in my life, I either smile and sing along or cry and sing along. To me, that makes it one powerful song.
Thanks for allowing me to participate, Dave. I look forward to the next edition.
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 