Includes embedded videos, text and translations, general remarks about each piece and specific listening guides. Learn to love Renaissance choral music (no prior knowledge required)!
4 Beautiful Pieces of Renaissance Choral Music (and What to Listen For)
Rain is a life giver. No wonder there are so many rain gods devoted to it. Read how composers have be inspired by rain: Chopin, Debussy, Brahms, Britten, Takemitsu, Schubert, Gerard Finzi, and Hamish MacCann.
Classical Music Inspired by Rain
The recorder is capable of creating lovely music. A rich repertoire of original and transcribed music is available for professional and amateur ensembles and soloists.
12 Interesting Performances by Professional Recorder Ensembles
Sergei Prokofiev was a major twentieth-century composer who has left us some beautiful music as a legacy. His compositions were often unusual for his time.
Music of Sergei Prokofiev: A Versatile and Prolific Composer
Dogs are commonly called man's best friend. Maybe not so much wolves and foxes, but read about how composers have been inspired by these wonderful creatures - Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Janáĉek, Prokoviev, Charles Lecoq, Franz Reizenstein and George Crumb.
8 Pieces of Classical Music Inspired by Dogs, Foxes and Wolves
A few classical music fun facts. Maybe they will spark an interest or maybe they are just a bit of trivia to lighten your moodl
Interesting & Fun Facts About Classical Music
The beauty of the moon and its symbolic meanings have inspired many songs around the world. Some lovely folk and traditional songs about the moon exist.
Folk and Traditional Songs About the Moon: Facts and Music
The cornett, cornetto, or zink produces a lovely sound that often resembles the human voice. It has finger holes like a recorder and a mouthpiece like a trumpet. It's popular with early music fans.
The Cornett, Cornetto, or Zink: An Early Music Wind Instrument
Hearing your Symphony #9, I knew I would be connected to you forever. Your abuse, deafness, genius and disappointments along with the need to be loved resonate throughout your music.
Challenges of a Genius. My Letter to Ludwig Van Beethoven
John Dowland was a popular and prolific composer of the sixteenth and seventeenth century. His songs and instrumental music are still admired, enjoyed, and studied.
11 Renaissance Songs and Instrumental Pieces by John Dowland
Souling in order to receive a soul cake is a tradition from the past that was a forerunner of trick-or-treating. The lovely "Soul Cake" song has been recorded by multiple artists.
Soul Cakes and Souling: A Musical Tradition From the Past
The last ice age finished around 11,700 years ago and when you think of ice, what comes to mind? Read about composers who have been inspired by ice: Prokoviev, Schubert, Vaughan Williams, Waldteufel, Purcell, Peter Maxwell Davies, Terje Isungset and George Fenton.
8 Pieces of Classical Music Inspired By Ice
Passive, aggressive and everything in between, there is rarely a time when wind cannot be detected in the air. Read how composers have been influenced by wind: Chopin, Sibelius, Debussy, Szymanowski, Britten, Takemitsu, Vaughan Williams, John Luther Adams, and Michael Burritt.
Classical Music Inspired by the Wind
From crystal clear mountain tarns to the Caspian Sea, lakes have drawn mankind to both appreciate and fear their charms. Read how these composers have been inspired to write about them: Tchaikovsky, Vaughan Williams, Lyadov, Eric Coates, Ola Gjeilo, Alan Hovhaness, Thea Musgrave and Robert Farnon.
Classical Music Inspired by Lakes
Lovely Christmas songs can be found in the early music genre and in the music of more recent times. Twelve of these songs are discussed and sung in this article.
12 Enjoyable Christmas Songs From Early to Recent Music
A brief survey on selected pedagogical publications of Greek violin teacher, Demetrius Constantine Dounis.
The Violin Teachings of D.C. Dounis