Jholiday's guide to classical music

Many of us enjoy classical music, however, many (most) of us are wholly ignorant to the classical musical vocabulary needed to both express enjoyment of the genre and to move in the social circles of other classical fans. This can actually keep us as closeted classical fans until we're confident enough in our terminology to converse with someone about Bach without fear of embarassment. I think Stuffwhitepeoplelike.com put it best when they said:

If a white person starts talking to you about classical music, it’s essential that you tread very lightly. This is because white people are all petrified that they will be exposed as someone who has only a moderate understanding of classical music. When a white person encounters another white person who actually enjoys classical music (exceptionally rare), it is often considered to be one of the most traumatic experiences they can go through.

“Really? Beethoven’s 5th Symphony….that’s your favorite.”
“um, no, I mean…”
“You sure it’s not Pachebel’s Canon?”
“well, ah, I like that, ah, song”
“sigh, of course you do.”

Stuff White People Like #108 Appearing to Like Classical Music

So I present to you: Julia's Very Basic Primer to All Things Classical

What does the title "classical music" really mean?
Classical music is difficult to define, but it is of European tradition, utilizing orchestral instruments(and voice), and must be distinguished from popular music and jazz. This applies to music created in the last 700 years, and it encompasses many styles.

What do you mean by "many styles?"
Alright, so chronologically you've got:

Medieval-mostly religious chants, no one really listens to this stuff.Pre1400

Renaissance-here we see instrumentation as the new focus, as well as multiple melodies. You probably won't recognize any famous composers from this era, and if you do, you shouldn't be reading this because you probably know more about this than I do. 1400-1600

Baroque-alright, now we're getting somewhere. You probably have a lot of these guys(no girlz yet) in your collection. Recognize the names Bach, Vivaldi and Pachabel? They're my boiiiz and they all fall under the stylistic umbrella of baroque music. Music becomes much more complex and we see the creation of "tonality" as a way to categorize music, for example, a concerto in G minor. This is also the birth period of the opera! 1600-1750

Classical-the namesake period, it's the summit of classical music. Piano is now the dominant instrument, and we have the beginning of the SYMPHONY. Big, big, deal. Basically, they tightened up everything from the baroque era and made it BIGGER. Mozart really overshadows all other composers from this epoch.1750-1820

Romantic-If the Classical Period is the parent, then Romantic is the unruly teenager. These guys broke all the rules, then set them on fire. We see flamboyant orchestration and wild experimentation that really departs from the strict rules of the Classical period. Think: Tchaikovsky, Strauss. Beethoven was instrumental(pun intended) in the transition to this period.1820-1900

This is the jam!

I've reminded all of you readers about my super awesome how-to-find-music secret, the UK pop charts. At the top of their list is the booty shakin "Number One" by Tinchy Stryder. You heard it here first (in the USA, at least...)



If this video stops working, check out the non-bootlegged version on youtube here

Silly

I saw the new Bond tonight. I liked this video more :)

My music secret

Everybody asks me, "Julia, how do you find all of these amazing bands that no one has ever heard of before?" Well, not everyone. Some few may mumble something about no one listening to techno anymore and ask me to turn my music down...but for those of us who like to take a chance with new and exciting sounds, I present to you my secret weapon. The UK pop charts.

Our friends across the Atlantic have always been just a bit more savvy when it comes to pop, and most of their best hits don't even make it to the US market. Recent discoveries of mine have been "Beggin" by Madcon, The Sugababes, "Infinity" by the Guru Josh Project, Adele, and "Up" by The Saturdays. My ipod and my workouts have never been livelier.

This is one of the funniest, unintentionally funny music videos ever

I guess this is the kind of music they like in Germany. I especially like the guy jumping on the trampoline with watermelons and bananas around the 1:28 minute mark.



If you liked this, check youtube for his "Ding Dong Song". Classic.

My Favorite Song

The Korean pianist Yiruma's "River Flows Through You" tops my favorite song list. This first time I heard this song, I found it so truly beautiful that I've listened to it nearly every day since. It took my appreciation of music to a whole new level. I'm working on it for the piano right now (a daunting endeavor), so if you want the sheet music send me a message.

I've Been Listening to This Song

CD review: Eric Hutchinson's 'Sounds Like This'

I was at Best Buy a few days ago buying a cover for my ipod, and while I was waiting to check out the Eric Hutchinson CD caught my eye. I am an embarrassingly faithful reader of PerezHilton.com, and he turned me on to Eric about a year ago. I downloaded a few songs and made a mental note that he was working on a full length album, (which I promptly forgot). Well, at Best Buy Eric was on sale for $6.99, so I added his CD to my shopping cart full of unnecessary gadgets.
As I pulled out of the parking lot I popped his CD in. I liked what I heard. That is, until I got to the new album versions of the songs I'd downloaded a year ago. In the place of a charming, acoustic guitar playing singer-songwriter in the vein of a good Jason Mraz, I found over produced, over synthesized versions of the songs that had nestled a place in my top music rotation not too long ago. It was like he'd hired Miley Cyrus' producer. Really. Now, the songs weren't bad, they were actually kind of catchy. Its that they weren't sincere love songs anymore. But I still kind of loved it.
This will def be blasting from by beach boombox this summer! I'm loving track 9, 'Back to Where I Was', and the acoustic pre-album recording of 'All Over Now' is not to be missed.