Going Classical

"Sarabande" originally was used for a certain piece of fast dance music in Central America in the 16th century. Later the Sarabande arrived in Spain. It became a traditional part of baroque music, played much slower then, as the video will show you. George Fredric Handel originally wrote the Sarabande for harpsichord, but it has...
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The following piece of music written by Joseph Haydn is the perfect piece to get you into a joyous and happy mood! When I listened to it in order to check whether it is appropriate to be presented here I could not but move my head and even tap my feet. Try it for...
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"For Elise" (in German: "Für Elise") is one of Ludwig v. Beethoven's most famous composition for solo piano. He wrote it in 1810. It is full of tenderness and love, and often played as an additional piece in concerts. If you can see this, then you might need a Flash Player upgrade or you need...
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If you can see this, then you might need a Flash Player upgrade or you need to install Flash Player if it's missing. Get Flash Player from Adobe. The composer of these two dances is Jean Baptiste de Lully who lived at the court of King Louis XIV from 1632 –  1687. The first dancer is...
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The ballet "Swan Lake" is one of the most famous ballets written by Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky, the great Russian composer of the Romantic era. He wrote it in the years 1875-1876. It tells about the love between a prince and a girl who has been turned into a swan. If you can see this, then you...
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The following Violin Romance written by Ludwig v. Beethoven is the perfect piece on a summer evening to sit back, look out of the window or light a candle and follow your dreams. It makes you come down after a hard day and relax. Enjoy! If you can see this, then you might need a...
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Charles Gounod was a French composer who lived from 1818 to 1893. "Ave Maria" is one of his most known works. He wrote it in 1859, and there are many different musical arrangements. The one I present here is quite often played - a violin and a guitar. If you can see this, then you might...
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I know this may disappoint a few of you, but due to the terrible heat here in Berlin I did not manage to present a "real" post to you with music and all. Our temperatures are high in the 80s F (about 38 Celsius), and my brain is slowly melting away. The weather forecast promises...
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The harpsichord was a keyboard instrument widely used in Renaissance and Baroque music. Sounds are produced by plucking a string when a certain key is pressed. The music video below presents a selection of pieces in which the harpsichord plays an important role. The music is accompanied by illustrations of that time. If you can see...
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The following piece is the 1st movement from the Horn concerto KV 412 written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1791. Mozart wrote many works for this instrument, but I think this concerto is one of the most beautiful of his works. Commonly called the "French horn" the proper word for this brass instrument is "horn"...
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