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Aaron Copland
…American student of the brilliant music teacher Nadia Boulanger, a woman who significantly impacted an entire generation of American musicians. Boulanger’s eclectic approach to music broadened Copland’s musical taste and…
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Exploring Classical Music by Century: A Selection of Five Works from Each Era
…centuries. Composers began to experiment with atonal and dissonant sounds, and new techniques such as serialism and electronic music emerged. Many composers also drew inspiration from non-Western musical traditions, resulting…
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Louis Moreau Gottschalk
…introduce American themes into European classical music and the first Pan-American artist in any field. He was among the first American artists to champion abolitionism, public education, and popular democracy….
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Leonard Bernstein
…conducted in Tel Aviv, was one that lasted until his death. Championing American Composers Bernstein was a fervent advocate of American composers, particularly Aaron Copland. His relationship with Copland was…
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How Beethoven Created Incredible Music as a Deaf Composer
(sponsored) It’s hard to imagine writing music you can’t hear, but that’s exactly what Ludwig van Beethoven did. As one of the greatest composers in history, Beethoven didn’t just face…
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10 of the Craziest Musical Instruments Used in Classical Music
(sponsored) When you think of classical music, you probably picture violins, pianos, and trumpets. But did you know some composers have used super weird instruments to create their masterpieces? Classical…
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America’s First Orchestra
…would be the Philharmonic’s home for decades. In true American spirit, the New York Philharmonic championed homegrown talent, premiering many works by American composers. Some of the most famous works…
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From Village to Concert Hall: The Journey of Folk Melodies
…appreciation for the American landscape and its diverse cultural heritage, Copland sought to create a distinctively American sound. He achieved this by drawing on folk melodies, cowboy songs, and the…
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George Gershwin
…served as a source of inspiration for countless musicians and composers over the years. Gershwin’s impact on American music was recognized posthumously in 1998, when he was awarded a special…
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Cantankerous Classical Composers
Some of the world’s most celebrated classical music composers have been known not just for their extraordinary musical talents but also for their fiery tempers or difficult behaviors. Their personal…
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Samuel Barber
Samuel Barber, one of the most significant composers to emerge from 20th-century America, is celebrated for his neo-romantic style laden with lyrical melodies and poignant harmonies. His compositions, often inspired…
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Modest Mussorgsky
…music had a profound influence on subsequent generations of Russian composers, including his contemporaries in “The Five” and later composers such as Sergei Rachmaninoff and Igor Stravinsky. His emphasis on…
