Although having a limited range, Billie Holiday, brings songs alive with her extraordinary love for the lyrics. Billie has a beautiful voice and puts all herself into it. Additionally not a single recording of hers is the same, which makes this CD an excellent choice for it shows all her different styles and versions for the same song.
There are two versions of “Baby I Don’t Cry Over You” contained within this album. The original recording of this is in a slow, rather somber mood. The piano …

Contained within this essay is the opinionated analysis of two of the greatest contributors to music in America and Modern Jazz: Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday. Both were great performers and colleagues. In the analysis an album from each artist was selected: Billie Holiday’s “Complete Decca Recordings” and Louis Armstrong’s famed “What A Wonderful World.” Each of them has quite a unique and distinguished vocal style. Armstrong, though, also plays an incredible trumpet, which had brought him to fame several decades ago.
The style used in Armstrong’s …

Number two of the first part entitled “Im Anfange schuf Gott Himmel und Erde”, also known as “In the Beginning”, introduces the narrators of the oratorio as Raphael and Uriel in the tenor voices. Both of them are part of the four head archangels (Singer). Raphael is not mentioned directly in the Bible but rather he is found in the “Book of Tobia”. He is also referred to as and St. Raphael (Discoll). Uriel is the archangel of earthquakes and thunder and is also referred …

It took God six days and one day of rest to create the heavens and earth. Franz Joseph Haydn took two years to complete an expression of this week long process in the form of an Oratorio. According to Christine Ammer’s Music Dictionary an Oratorio is “a musical setting of a long text for soloists, chorus, and orchestra. The text is often based on the Bible… An oratorio is preformed without scenery, costumes, or action. The story is told through the music…” She later …

Contrary to popular belief, most classical musicians actually enjoy and listen to classical music. Even some of those uptight professors listen to popular music from their times. I know I’ve had a few of mine admit, even proudly, that they still enjoy the Beatles, AC/DC, Pink Floyd and even current popular music.
One of my all-time favorite bands is the Smashing Pumpkins. This happens to be one of my 2 favorite songs of all times. Despite the title it is actually a relatively dark song that just pulls …

Now that we are moving into a more popular form of Popular Music most everyone should have heard of this song by now. This is Finger Eleven‘s Paralyzer and there is not a person I know who doesn’t like this song. Why is that? It’s really a rare to find a song that is actually liked in it’s entirety by so many people, especially when people are now so picky about their music.
It’s quite simple actually: people want to dance. Every new form and/or genre …

Well I’ve already disclosed to you my 2 favorite songs: Bush – Machinehead & Smashing Pumpkins – Stand Inside Your Love. To top it off here’s my 3rd favorite song: Elliot Smith – King’s Crossing.
It is a very popular song among people who have already heard it. For those of you who haven’t or have never even heard of Elliott Smith before, you’re missing out. He was a very gifted and talented singer/songwriter. Born in 1969 he wrote, recorded and preformed several albums including my favorite …

This was a really interesting story that I heard on the radio today as I went into work.
Mark Johnson got an idea a few years ago when he heard Roger Ridley playing on the streets of Santa Monica, CA. His idea was to bring musicians together from around the world… but not physically. Instead he’d bring them together through music.
He started by recording Ridley on the streets of Santa Monica playing “Stand by Me”. Then he showed the video to Grandpa Elliot of New Orleans who added to this song …

I’m here to brainwash you with that damned pop(ish) music! This is Muse’s “Knights of Cydonia” from their latest album Blackholes and Revelations. And for those of you who don’t know Cydonia is a geographical location on Mars. They seem to have an affinity for outerspace.
I first heard this song when I finally got the last track in the CD and fell instantly in love. It is by far one of their best and most beloved songs in which I often find on repeat. It’s …

I first remember hearing this song when it came out back in 1994 with the release of their debut album Sixteen Stone. I instantly fell in love with this song. Years later when I was able to get CD’s for myself I got Sixteen Stone as soon as possible.
The song reels you in from the first chord and takes you all the way to the last. The main riff that is repeated throughout in slight variations is simply astounding in terms of effectiveness, however simple it may …

I’m sure all of you have heard this song and if not you’re missing out. I had first heard it months ago on my way down to the Keys on the radio. I had no idea who sang it or wrote but loved it regardless. The music was fantastic and I began singing along instantly not even paying attention to the lyrics the few… thousand times.
Without a doubt the lyrics in this song have a strong, positive message that is challenging and hopeful at the same time. There’s a …

This is a piece composed by Eric Whitacre. He is by far one of the well-known living contemporary composers and is mostly known for his choral and concert band pieces. Although it is a rather short piece “Animal Crackers” is a great work for many reasons. One, it truly captures the essence of the animals he writes about. Two, the music is beautiful in itself. Why ask for more of something that is perfect the way it is?
I’ve actually had the privilege of playing …

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born January 27, 1756 and died December 5, 1791. Most anyone has heard of his name although they might not be able to put any of his music to it. He was and always will be one of the most extraordinary composers in our history. He wrote well over 500 symphonies alone. As well as numerous other pieces including operas, concertos and more.
He was born a genius, that much is known. He was able to and did quiet frequently write …

“A genius on paper,” sums up Johann Sebastian Bach is as little words as possible. He’s a composer with such a tremendous influence that musicologist, students, scholars and musians are still studying his works 258 years after his death. His 2-part inventions and fugues are among the very first thing any serious music student will be introduced to. They are of such importance because they are, in my opinion, the backbone of a large majority of music; both popular and classical.
This piece by Bach is known as …

The Rite of Spring by Stravinsky is by far one of my favorite. It’s a piece that breaks the traditional classical ballet and has defined contemporary music. It is one of his many ballets that was first preformed in 1913. It is a fantasy version of a pagan Russian pagan ritual. Stravinsky was quoted depicting the piece as “…the wise elders are seated in a circle and are observing the dance before death of the girl whom they are offering as a sacrifice to the god …

Schoenberg may not be alive today, but he’s still considered a contemporary composer (like most since the end of the Romantic Era). Either way he is by far one of the most important and influential composers that the world has seen. Check out the video on the last page.
Although this one might freak you out a bit it’s one of the most influential pieces of our time. Starting in the early 1900′s there was a huge movement to try and create the most organic form of music. …

Charles Ives, one of the greatest and revolutionary American Composers, was born in October 20, 1874 and died May 19, 1954. Ives had probably one of the most interesting musical backgrounds one could ask for. His feather was a Band Master in Connecticut and much of his time was spent listening to his father’s band practice and parade alongside several other bands. Accompanying this was also a very open minded approach to music theory. His teaching included non-conventional practices such as bitonality and cluster chords.
Much of …