Jul 18, 2019
Since its first appearances in the early 1900s, atonal music has been one of the most polarizing topics in the classical music world. Some people believed that atonal music was the only way forward, while some thought that it would ruin music for good. Today, we're going to explore the roots of atonal music and...
Jul 11, 2019
In 1857, Brahms wrote to his friend Joseph Joachim about his first Piano Concerto, saying, “ “I have no judgment about this piece anymore, nor any control over it.” The piece is one that probably has more emotional backstory than any other of Brahms' works. It emerged out of Brahms' complicated friendship with...
Jul 4, 2019
On this week's Patreon-sponsored episode, we explore the 7th symphony of Anton Bruckner, who has not come up at all in over 100 episodes of the show! We'll talk all about how Bruckner's devotion to his faith and to Wagner pervades this beautiful symphony, and Bruckner's singular style of orchestration. Very few...
Jun 27, 2019
At long last, it's the Sticky Notes mailbag! I'm joined by a special guest to answer around 20 questions such as, "What is the best way to learn how to compose?" or "Is there a simple explanation in classical music itself for this love that I feel which makes me miss a beat when I listen to it and that can reduce me to...
Jun 13, 2019
This week we're diving into one of the great movements ever written in Western Music with the slow movement of Beethoven's Op. 132 quartet. This is a movement that explores Beethoven's contradictory religious beliefs, his core optimism despite all that happened to him during his life, and his fascination with...