One of the best-known works purportedly from the baroque period, Albinoni’s Adagio in G minor has been phenomenally popular since its ‘rediscovery’ at the end of World War Two. As well as appearing frequently as a soundtrack on the big and small screen, it has been adapted for many instrumental combinations, 40 of which can be enjoyed here on 8notes.
Whilst the title of this work would seem to make it’s authorship clear, its history is a controversial one, since the piece may, in fact, be the greatest hoax in musical history.
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In 1958, U.S. singer, songwriter and guitarist Ritchie Valens released a new single, ‘Donna.’ Written as a tribute to a highshcool sweetheart, it reached number two in the U.S. charts. When looking for a song to go on the B-side of the record, Valens had recorded a cover for a song he had known from his youth. That piece was ‘La Bamba.’ This B-side recording would become the most influential of his career, turning a little-known folksong into a cultural phenomenon. Continue reading...
The idea that certain keys can be associated with certain moods or feelings has long been debated in music. Some composers, such as Scriabin, have even come to hear keys in terms of colour, a phenomenon known as ‘synaesthesia.’ Others have been skeptical, pointing out that since the advent of modern tuning (i.e. 'equal temperament') all keys have effectively been the same. Whether we experience this phenomena ourselves or not, however, knowing how composers thought about keys can helps us better understand the works that they wrote. Continue reading...
The Star Spangled Banner is the national anthem of the United States of America. The country’s powerful politics and pop culture have made it familiar round the world, so we may feel that we know it well. A look into its history reveals, however, a few surprising facts about this rousing song. Continue reading...
The composer W.C. Handy (1873–1958) is sometimes described as ‘The Father of Blues’, one of the most important musical styles of the the twentieth century. Of the many pieces that earned him this title, two stand out, his Memphis Blues and St. Louis Blues. Continue reading...
Composers have written many works inspired by the natural world. Animals, with their varying sizes, shapes and personalities have often provided the most fertile inspiration of all. Here are eight of our favourite classical works inspired by creatures on land, sea and air.
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Fur Elise is one of the most popular and yet puzzling pieces in classical music. A minor work during Beethoven’s lifetime it was lost after his death in 1827, only to be rediscovered forty years later. Since then it has become one of the most familiar pieces written by him.
What is it, then, that makes this pieces so special? And who was the mysterious 'Elise' of the title?
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Air on the G String is one of Bach's most familiar and best loved pieces. A concert classic, it has also appeared countless times in film, television and advertising. We may feel, therefore, that we know this piece well, but the work's rich history includes some rather surprising facts....
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Like Beyoncé, Adele or Madonna, Beethoven's 5th Symphony is so familiar it's known simple by it's first name: 'The Fifth'. But here are 5 facts about the piece you may not know: Continue reading...
Music history seen some of its best-loved figures die in the most unexpected ways. Here are eight of the oddest, bloodiest and sometimes tragically comic composers deaths we know of…. Continue reading...
