CACOPHONY: GREAT CLASSICAL MUSIC - podcast cover

CACOPHONY: GREAT CLASSICAL MUSIC

Cacophony - Steve Thomascacophonyonline.com
Hear more. Feel more. Be more! Come with me and dive into some great classical music. For over 1000 years great musicians have explored what it means to live, love, die and everything in between: asking all our deep and universal questions. Escape the cacophony - the noise of your brain and daily life; tune into the music, your feelings and emotions ‘good’ and ‘bad’ …and find the space, stillness and love that underpins everything. NB: May include loud noise, surprises, challenges, cacophonous racket. May cause shock, comfort, discomfort, smiles, tears, peace, transcendence. www.cacophonyonline.com classical music Home of the Women’s World Cup of Classical Music
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Episodes

48. Ravel - trying not to be profound... and failing; his Piano Concerto

Maurice Ravel wanted his Piano Concerto to be l ighthearted and brilliant, and not aim at profundity or at dramatic effects... and then wrote one of the most beautiful slow movements there is! Listen here or on Spotify Please rate the podcast at: Apple podcasts Please comment at cacophonyonline.com or the Facebook page Please share and visit www.cacophonyonline.com...

Jul 08, 20205 minEp. 77

47. A boy, his animal friends, a wolf and a bit of 'politics' - perfect young family entertainment!

One of the great pieces of music for children, Peter and the Wolf by Prokofiev. Vanessa [7] loved this and is demanding repeat hearings, and I'm embarrassed at having resisted it so long... Music here: https://youtu.be/6Kpytem6nX4 or on spotify: https://spoti.fi/2ZrjlPu Listening time 31' total - but won't feel long at all! Please comment, share, subscribe visit cacophonyonline.com

Jul 01, 20205 minEp. 76

46. Global connections - How the Indonesians inspired a whole new style of 'western' music

When the organisers of the Paris Universal Exposition in 1889 invited gamelan players from Indonesia they introduced French composers to a whole world of new and exciting possibilities and a new direction in music. Debussy led the way and his piano pieces Pagodas and Gardens in the rain are fabulous pieces of aural picture painting. No separate music on this episode - it's in the podcast, played by François-Joël Thiollier, piano. The gamelan music is Ladrang Wilujeng, slendro manyura specially r...

Jun 26, 202015 minEp. 75

45. Beethoven's under-rated genius: Symphony No. 8 [part 2]

If there's such a thing as an underrated Beethoven Symphony, it's this - his 8th. Short, punchy, joy-filled, playful, brilliant! This is the intro to the 2nd half of the piece. Total listen time - 15 mins Music here: https://youtu.be/9-f3iKeUJm4?t=777 or on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/31exMZA [tracks 3 & 4] Please like, comment, share and subscribe! Visit cacophonyonline.com...

Jun 24, 20203 minEp. 74

44. Beethoven's under-rated genius: Symphony No. 8 [part 1]

If there's such a thing as an underrated Beethoven Symphony, it's this - his 8th. Short, punchy, joy-filled, playful, brilliant! Music here: https://youtu.be/9-f3iKeUJm4 or here on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/31exMZA Please comment, like, share, subscribe to the podcast. Visit cacophonyonline.com

Jun 24, 20206 minEp. 73

43. Lockdown haircut for me, and a trip to the Barber for us all!

Fabulous and fun singing from Rossini's Barber of Seville in honour of my first haircut in the hands of a 7 year old (and in tribute to my friends growing magnificent lockdown beards)! Music here, with pictures: https://youtu.be/-ipb9xbXSAY or here on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2zKSnJH Please like, share, comment, subscribe to the podcast Visit cacophonyonline.com

Jun 19, 20203 minEp. 72

42. Wedding music - but not as we know it!

There are some pieces of music that everyone knows - Wagner's Wedding March is one - and then it turns out to be quite different in its original setting. Music here: https://youtu.be/_7Su2qPT_P0 or here on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2YF3agY Please comment, like, share, subscribe to the podcast visit cacophonyonline.com

Jun 17, 20203 minEp. 71

41. Mozart mixing elegance with fun

I love this movement from Mozart's 5th - and last - violin concerto, written to play himself, at the age of 19. It's elegant and sophisticated and then wild and free. It's a great piece for a dance around your living room! Music here: https://youtu.be/KtkkD9maPSw?t=5960 Please listen, like, comment and share! Subscribe to the podcast and visit cacophonyonline.com

Jun 15, 20203 minEp. 70

40. Gustav Mahler meets Trollface Quest [briefly]

I'm inspired to play this by the video game TrollFace Quest! ...where a little snippet of fanfare reminds me of Mahler's brilliant first symphony. Intro here, Music here: https://youtu.be/gexnIbK-pJA or here on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2B5H3Ij Please comment on Facebook.com/cacophonyonline, subscribe to the podcast, share Visit cacophonyonline.com

Jun 12, 20204 minEp. 69

39. To Uranus, Neptune and beyond... Two of Holst's Planets

In music that was ground breaking and influential - especially to modern film composers - Gustav Holst takes us on a spectacular, mischievous and mysterious journey to Uranus and Neptune and asks the question what else is out there... Music here: https://bit.ly/2XPaIi7 or here on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cJF35O Please comment at Facebook.com/cacophonyonline, share, subscribe to the podcast Visit cacophonyonline.com

Jun 10, 20204 minEp. 68

38. Minimalist genius - Reich, Mallet Quartet

Modern yet timeless, Dynamic yet static, Hypnotic yet energising The brilliant combination of tuned percussion instruments and the genius of Steve Reich in his Mallet Quartet Music here: https://youtu.be/uH9ku-52PUA or here on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3eZJ4o4 Please like and comment on Facebook.com/cacophonyonline; subscribe to the podcast visit cacophony online.com...

Jun 09, 20204 minEp. 67

37. Pachelbel's Chicken or Pachelbel's Canon?

Simple pleasures in this episode: One of the most famous pieces of 'early' classical music is Pachelbel's Canon, here in two great versions including one for rubber chicken... Enjoy! Music here: https://youtu.be/CsXLv__jLok and here - a must watch: https://youtu.be/khOfSVULtsU, Courtesy of Twosetviolin Please comment, like, share, subscribe Visit cacophonyonline.com

Jun 08, 20203 minEp. 66

36: Scary organ music - the original and best! Bach's Toccata & Fugue

No haunted house would be complete without the soundtrack of organ music, right? The supreme example is Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, but the films and TV only ever give us 10 seconds... ...crank up the volume so the floor trembles and don't get so scared you have to hide behind the sofa. Music here: https://youtu.be/Nnuq9PXbywA or here on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3ePncvI Listen, like, comment, share and subscribe! cacophonyonline.com...

Jun 05, 20203 minEp. 64

35: Brilliant music for a classic film: Walton - Henry

The film may not have aged well but William Walton's music for Shakespeare's Henry V is a fresh as ever and some of it was written in the 1400s! Music here :https://youtu.be/RI6ChQJSCJI Or here on Spotify: to follow Total listening time 20 mins Please like, comment, share Cacophonyonline.com

Jun 04, 20204 minEp. 63

34. A bit on race, colour and hope: Coleridge-Taylor's music for Othello

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was a black mixed race Victorian/Edwardian Londoner. I've not heard his great music for Othello for 30 years, but have now found a brand new concert performance by the fab orchestra, Chineke! Music here: https://youtu.be/84HZ_fEwD9s [First 17mins of the video. Music plus intro podcast is 23 mins] Please like, share, comment at Facebook.com/cacophonyonline Subscribe to the podcast visit cacophony online.com...

Jun 03, 20206 minEp. 62

33: Summer! All paddling pools and ice-cream?

...Not for Vivaldi His summer is all oppressive heat, flies and sudden storms; brilliantly realised in music that's short, intense and too hot to handle. Music here: https://youtu.be/ZFDrumsjJMk?t=2128 (ending at 46'20" - it's a performance of the complete Four Seasons) or here on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2zGclFH Please like and share or comment on facebook.com/cacophonyonline/ Subscribe to the podcast. Visit www.cacophonyonline.com...

Jun 01, 20203 minEp. 61

32: Tragic by name but not really by nature - 13 minutes of perfect Brahms

This is perhaps great classical music at its purest - intense, dramatic, invigorating, uplifting - Brahms 'Tragic Overture' Music here: https://bit.ly/2TRBq74 or here on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3gCT0pq [17 mins intro and music] Please like on Facebook, comment, share! visit cacophony online.com

May 30, 20204 minEp. 60

31: Wanna go to the ball? Cinderella's going!

There's a big party at the palace for the prince and you're invited. So is Cinderella, but she's got a curfew... ...with terrific music from Prokofiev. Music here: https://youtu.be/Xs2Ffdt7e_c Music and intro = 31mins Give us a Facebook like, comment, share. Subscribe to the podcast Visit cacophonyonline.com

May 29, 20203 minEp. 59

30: Better left alone? Mussorgsky's witches party uninterrupted - Lockdown Music

Mussorgsky's Night on Bare Mountain is an entirely different piece without the tidying up of his friends - raw, savage, gripping. Make sure you've listened to Episode 28 before this one ( https://bit.ly/cil28 ) Music here: https://youtu.be/tu1no7hOlSs and here on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2ZlUiPv Comment to let me know which version you prefer, like, share and please subscribe! cacophonyonline.com...

May 27, 20203 minEp. 58

29: Magical Adventures from the 1001 nights - Lockdown Music by Rimsky-Korsakov

Get swept away on magical adventures, and let Rimsky-Korsakov fire up your imagination with this music from Sheherezade - thrilling and uplifting! Music here: https://youtu.be/sATNiVGgwts and here on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2ycsu4K Please listen, like, share! Visit cacophonyonline.com

May 19, 20203 minEp. 57

Lockdown Music 27: Short Ride in a Fast Machine - Lift off with John Adams

Hard to play, a lot of fun, a huge noise! John Adams sums up his own music nicely and this is a modern great to leave you uplifted and exhausted. Music here: https://youtu.be/5LoUm_r7It8 and here on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Z04UmY Like, share, comment and subscribe Visit cacophonyonline.com

May 15, 20203 minEp. 55

Lockdown Music 26: Energy, Optimism and feeling Expansive: Nielsen Symphony No.3

This is punchy music that still swings and sings and sends an energising message of optimism and generosity of spirit... though the composers claims would have been more modest. Music here: https://youtu.be/LXgeRS4i4ME And here on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2T1WWWy Please like, share, subscribe, comment Visit cacophonyonline.com

May 14, 20204 minEp. 54

Lockdown Music 25: Party like its 1800 - Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.1

I love the fun and exuberance of this movement from Beethoven's 'first' Piano Concerto. For Beethoven, playing the piano at the first performance would have been the least of his worries. Music here: https://youtu.be/BF7pmimzjBs?t=1580 . 3rd Movement starts at 26'20" but the whole thing is fab if you have the time. and here on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3dInLXN Please listen, like, comment, share and subscribe! visit cacophony online.com...

May 13, 20203 minEp. 53

Lockdown Music 24: The most beautiful piano music there is - that no one knows!

This is a personal discovery for me. The slow movement of this piano sonata by Schubert is so simple, beautiful and moving, I want to share it with everyone. The music's included in the podcast for this one, so don't turn off before it plays! The pianist is Jeno Jando. Please listen, comment, like, share, subscribe. Visit cacophony online.com

May 12, 20204 minEp. 52

Lockdown Music 23: Serious Fun! - Ligeti Romanian Concerto

This great piece is slightly schizophrenic - is it a serious piece of music over-run by people having fun, or a fun piece that's occasionally trying to be serious? Ligeti was showing his love for Romania, but the Soviet Hungarians weren't impressed.... Music here: https://youtu.be/Y3Q1t9wMgms and on Spotify here: https://spoti.fi/2La29Hr Please listen, like, comment, share and subscribe to the podcast! visit www.cacophonyonline.com...

May 11, 20204 minEp. 51

Lockdown Music 22: Five Play Dangerous Music ! ( by Ligeti)

The Soviet authorities banned the last of Ligeti's excellent and entertaining Six Bagatelles for wind quintet - too dangerous and subversive. Were they right? Music here on film - highly recommended: https://youtu.be/txMWXvD8kL4 and here: https://spoti.fi/2WxMx5R Total listen time 17' Please listen, like, comment, share, subscribe Visit cacophony online.com

May 08, 20204 minEp. 50

Lockdown Music 20: Raucous celebration, accidents and bad traffic: Handel's Fireworks Music

I was going to play something quiet... and then came across this Handel's Fireworks Music. It's brilliant - these performances are raw, raucous and exuberant and it's more fun than this great piece has ever been. Music here with pictures (recommended!): https://youtu.be/fNqJ8mED1VE or (noise only) here: https://spoti.fi/2YmPokG Total listen time 20' Please listen, like, comment, share, subscribe Visit cacophony online.com...

May 06, 20204 minEp. 48

Lockdown Music 19: A 200 year old piece for the dance music generation: Beethoven Symphony No.7

This actually might be the best thing ever: the end of Beethoven's 7th Symphony. Intro in the pod, music here: https://youtu.be/ikb-2XRcQdk here on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/35tS4OP or here, with pictures: https://youtu.be/-4788Tmz9Zo, 4th movement starting at 34'00 It's a piece so full of relentless energy it almost belongs in a nightclub. You'll either be bouncing around or feel pinned to the spot! 13' total time for intro and music. Please comment, like, share, subscribe to the podcast Visit ...

May 05, 20203 minEp. 47
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