You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘Music’ category.
Back when the internet was just starting, there were many, how can we put this politely, ‘optimistic’ predictions in the vein of bringing the world together, unbounded communication, openness, a giant leap forward for mankind – blah blah blah.
Unfortunately, what we got was a commercialized, sectarian echo chamber that, more often than not, served to augment the insular tendencies humanity is famous for. Rather than being exposed to ideas from all the cultures with access to the web, we limit our exposure and often work very hard to keep what we watch and read within our small cultural frameworks. Ignorance still rules the day as like minded communities spin their self-referential webs of their preferred reality, creating closed online cultures that desperately maintain the status-quo. It’s a shitty feature of meat-space replicated to “Nth” time here on the web.
Eric Whitacre’s projects reach across these boundaries, across the sectarian divides and foist people out of their enclaves so they can join and share a common goal; the production of beautiful music. I have reservations about some of the technical aspects of what Whitacre is doing with the Virtual Choirs, but I am in full agreement with the spirit of what the VC’s accomplish. Bringing people together to work toward a common goal despite all the cultural baggage and all the prejudice and insular nonsense that routinely bollocks-up human interactions.
The Virtual Choirs hint at what the internet should be for, as opposed what it is at the moment.
The Well-Tempered Clavier (German: Das Wohltemperierte Klavier),[2] BWV 846–893, is a collection of solo keyboard music composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. He first gave the title to a book of preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys, dated 1722, composed “for the profit and use of musical youth desirous of learning, and especially for the pastime of those already skilled in this study.” Bach later compiled a second book of the same kind, dated 1742, but titled it only “Twenty-four Preludes and Fugues.” The two works are now usually considered to make up a single work, The Well-Tempered Clavier, or “the 48,” and are referred to respectively as Books I and II.[3] The Well-Tempered Clavier is generally regarded as one of the most influential works in the history of Western classical music.[3]
There are many iterations of this song all over youtube. I find this one poignant because of the juxtaposition of the military band so prominently in the foreground while the children tucked almost completely out of sight intoning the hopeful hymn – “Give us peace”. Draw your ironic comparisons as you wish. I’d stop at 1:45 as the rest is seems a little out of place, so don’t say you haven’t been warned. :)
O Lux beata Trinitas, by Michael Praetorius (1571-1621), performed by Stephen Malinowski.
Michael Praetorius (probably February 15, 1571 – February 15, 1621) was a German composer, organist, and music theorist.[1] He was one of the most versatile composers of his age, being particularly significant in the development of musical forms based on Protestant hymns, many of which reflect an effort to improve the relationship between Protestants and Catholics.
He was born Michael Schultze, the youngest son of a Lutheran pastor, in Creuzburg, in present-day Thuringia. After attending school in Torgau and Zerbst, he studied divinity and philosophy at the University of Frankfurt (Oder). After receiving his musical education, from 1587 he served as organist at the Marienkirche in Frankfurt. From 1592/3 he served at the court in Wolfenbüttel, under the employ of Henry Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. He served in the duke’s State Orchestra, first as organist and later (from 1604) as Kapellmeister.
His first compositions appeared around 1602/3. Praetorius had begun writing some of them when Regensburg was the parliamentary seat of the Holy Roman Empire. Their publication primarily reflects the care for music at the court of Gröningen. The motets of this collection were the first in Germany to make use of the new Italian performance practices; as a result, they established him as a proficient composer.
These “modern” pieces mark the end of his middle creative period. The nine parts of his Musae Sioniae (1605–10) and the 1611 published collections of liturgical music (masses, hymns, magnificats) follow the German Protestant chorale style. With these, at the behest of a circle of orthodox Lutherans, he followed the Duchess Elizabeth, who ruled the duchy in the duke’s absence. In place of popular music, one now expected religious music from Praetorius.
When the duke died in 1613 and was succeeded by Frederick Ulrich, Praetorius retained his employment. From 1613 he also worked at the court of John George I, Elector of Saxony at Dresden, where he was responsible for festive music. He was exposed to the latest Italian music, including the polychoral works of the Venetian School. His subsequent development of the form of the chorale concerto, particularly the polychoral variety, resulted directly from his familiarity with the music of such Venetians as Giovanni Gabrieli. The solo-voice, polychoral, and instrumental compositions Praetorius prepared for these events mark the high period of his artistic creativity. Until his death, Praetorius stayed at the court in Dresden, where he was declared Kapellmeister von Haus aus and worked with Heinrich Schütz.
Michael Praetorius died on his 50th birthday, in Wolfenbüttel, Germany and is entombed in a vault beneath the organ of St. Mary’s Church there.
Music and music history? Could things get any more “awesomer” here on the Friday Interlude? :)
We often host Mr.Malinowski’s work here on the Friday Musical Interlude. The musical animation he produces has been his life’s work and has brought it to the next level as he brings his digital animations to live performances. Note in this video that he is using an analog device to what I assume to be keeping the video synchronized with the performances.
“The subtleties and intricate patterns at the core of DNA of western classical music—which have enchanted and fascinated people for centuries—still challenge us today: how do we find our way into a musical language developed long ago and containing considerable structural complexities?
Musician and inventor Stephen Malinowski uses a simple visual approach to stimulate our ability to build expectations and thereby enhance our engagement with the music.
In this TEDx performance, Malinowski uses a newly-developed version of his Music Animation Machine software which allows him to synchronize his graphical score in a live performance. Violinist Etienne Abelin who collaborated on the development of this technology and pianist Dorothy Yeung play music of Johann Sebastian Bach.“
A bit of a different tack today on the Sunday Disservice, but I think you’ll like what you see. One of the selling points of religious belief is the “spiritual-transcendental” angle; being a part of something that is bigger than you and yet speaks to you in a very special way in your heart. The deluded would like you to believe that they have cornered the market on this experience. As usual, the reality-challenged have it wrong.
Benjamin Zander, explores the idea that classical music has this very same quality, to bring us the big picture experience that is in tune with our hearts, but instead of using magic and the Oooga-booga, he uses Chopin.
The TED talk that Zander hosts has nothing to do with the anti-religious preamble I’ve raised, but I’m thinking that Chopin and other classical music, is a great short cut for experiencing an important part of spiritual life without all the frippery associated with dedicated religious belief.
bleatmop
Mystro
Dead Wild Roses 
Your opinions…