Classical

You’ve always wanted to go and see a classical recital “one day”. Everytime you walk by the gorgeous Maison Symphonique at the Place des Arts you marvel at the architecture and wonder what the acoustics inside the amazing concert hall you’ve seen on TV actually sound like. Well wonder no …

The “vinyl comeback” that has received almost excessive amounts of media coverage, does not seem to have affected the classical music industry as heavily. Only a handful of new releases have been pressed to vinyl and reissues seem to trickle out at a snail’s pace. Thankfully, Toronto string ensemble the …

Many attempts at “mashing up” Hip-Hop and classical music have failed miserably, but Polish composer/beatmaker Radzimir “JIMEK” Dębski has pulled it off masterfully. Much like Californian composer and Dilla disciple Miguel Atwood-Ferguson’s Suites for Ma Dukes, classical hip-hop covers work best when the composer is both a certified orchestrator and …

Classical is an ambitious genre to tackle. From gregorian monk choirs singing in caverns to contemporary music recitals in museums, the spectrum is enormous. The sheer number of pieces for any composer is astounding. The size of the orchestra, the endless and subtle variations by conductors and musicians can seem …

Choir composition are at the genesis of classical and one of the first documented forms of music in the world. Polyphony (multiple voices in harmony) revolutionized music as we know it and like most early music, it is thoroughly entrenched in religious tradition. Indeed, gregorian chants performed by secluded monks …

French composer Érik Satie is unique and isolated musical figure in all senses. Adulated by our current generation, his appeal with the common audience is almost greater than his more accomplished peers, yet during his time he was extremely poor and unpopular. While many great artists (Cocteau,Picasso) and composers (Debussy,Ravel) …

A truly great artist is comprised of many traits. Skill, innovation,style & ease of execution; all transcendent aspects of a singular personality that undoubtedly garner both critical acclaim and universal admiration. However above all, its the artists personal connection to the material and his creative interpretation that creates a unique …

Quartets are a team, they form a unit and perform as one; but the trio is entirely different. Three individual forces collide and hope to attain balance and achieve a maelstrom of virtuosity, creating the perfect musical storm. Violin,piano,cello all united as one.Trio compositions are also inclined to allow some …

There is so much contention in classical vinyl collecting over “THE” definitive version of a piece. The interpretation, the recording and the pressing all have an impact and then the historical factors and musical expertise come into play. This, however, is highly subjective and the whole notion of TAS lists …