The tambourine is probably one of the easiest and most fun musical instruments to play anywhere in the world. If you have any rhythm at all, and sometimes even if you don’t, you, too, can play a ...

Music is littered with vocabulary. Dictionaries of music list the numerous terms that you have the option to embed into your language if you wish. Many of these terms are Italian as that wonderful ...

If we trace harmonic history back in time we discover that is was during Bach’s lifetime that the present system of keys and tonality was established. Before this, there were many other equally valid ...

Before plunging headlong into the details of this title, let’s just take a moment to appreciate what is meant when the word counterpoint is used in music. Sometimes confused with polyphony, which ...

This article is dedicated to one of the unsung heroes of the French Baroque period of musical history. In his day, Rameau (1683-1764) was one of the most influential, well-respected, and important ...

For tens of thousands of people, going to a gig or concert is a passion. For others, the very idea of standing in a crowd of 10,000 jiggling fans listening to a band or orchestra is appalling. For ...

If you have ever seen Baroque architecture and paintings you will have a good idea of how ornate its appearance is. The style emanated from late 16 th Century Italy and was characterized by grandeur, ...

Music for many people is the most powerful art form. It can quickly evoke a range of emotional responses, change models and mindsets, and enhance a call to battle or a cry for help. DISCLOSURE: This ...

One of the most engaging and inspirational areas of music is where Eastern and Western cultures intersect. Over hundreds of years of cultural history, fruitful exchange of ideas and artistic ...

Tracing the evolution of any instrument is rewarding, informative, and enlightening. It may be particularly so if you have ever played or are interested in learning to play this instrument. Of all the ...

The popular version of Gospel music that appears in movies and echoes in many a church hall in the US, in particular, has its roots in the early part of the 19 th Century. Both White and Black ...

With the distance of one hundred and ten years between us now and the premiere of Stravinsky’s ballet The Rite of Spring, it can be difficult to understand what the fuss was all about. Several things ...