New stories on MusicTales

1. 

   Piano

   Für Elise: 2 versions of Beethoven's best-known piano piece

   Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor, commonly known as Für Elise, is undoubtedly Beethoven's best-known piano work as well as…

   November 11, 2021

2. 

   Meditation

   Bharata Muni and the Natya Shastra as a formative treatise of Indian classics

   Bharata Muni was an eminent Indian philosopher and musicologist who is believed to have lived around 200 BC. The only…

   November 4, 2021

3. 

   Songwriter

   Ramaya: the tonal workings of the famous African disco hit

   Ramaya is the best-known song of Mozambican street singer Afric Simone whose career took off in 1970s Europe when disco…

   November 2, 2021

4. 

   Music Theory

   Phrygian mode in Pink Floyd songs

   It is widely accepted that the Western system of seven diatonic modes, as postulated by the tonal theory, provides one…

   October 23, 20212 comments

5. 

   Collaboration

   Échame la Culpa: another Fonsi hit echoing Despacito chords

   Échame la Culpa is a 2017 Latin pop track by Demi Lovato and Puerto Rican songwriter Luis Fonsi that remains their only…

   October 20, 2021

6. 

   Piano

   Two Arabesques: the fledgling impressionism of Debussy's early work

   Deux arabesques are two piano pieces written by Claude Debussy in the late 1880s and are now considered to be one of…

   October 18, 2021

7. 

   Songwriter

   Scarlet Begonias: three major Mixolydian chords in a Grateful Dead's ballad

   Scarlet Begonias, released in 1974 by the American rock band Grateful Dead, is still widely regarded as one of their…

   October 16, 2021

8. 

   Songwriter

   Big Noise from Winnetka: timeless jazz melody born in a drum and bass jam

   Big Noise from Winnetka is one of the best-known jazz tunes of the 1930s, first recorded by the Chicago-based band The…

   October 14, 2021

9. 

   Music Theory

   Beatles songs with harmonic minor and Aeolian modes

   One of the easily explained reasons for the continued popularity of The Beatles' songs lies in their harmonic structure…

   October 12, 2021

10. 

    Songwriter

    Bailamos: meaning and flamenco roots of Enrique Iglesias' hit

    Bailamos remains one of Enrique Iglesias' best-known songs originally recorded for his 1998 album Cosas del Amor but…

    October 9, 2021

11. 

    Piano

    Ständchen from Schwanengesang serenade as Schubert's last testament

    Originating in Europe in the Middle Ages, the serenade (ger. ständchen) is a love song composed for one vocal line and…

    October 7, 2021

12. 

    Meditation

    Om Namo Narayanaya: meaning and purpose of popular Vishnu mantra

    Om Namo Narayanaya is one of the best-known Sanskrit mantras addressed to the god Vishnu—one of the principal deities…

    October 5, 2021

13. 

    Songwriter

    Carpet Crawlers: two major modes of Genesis' last studio recording

    The Carpet Crawlers is an iconic song by the English progressive rock band Genesis recorded for their 1974 concept…

    October 1, 2021

14. 

    Music Theory

    Dorian mode in The Doors songs

    The Dorian minor mode is a part of the diatonic system that canonizes the usage of the seven heptatonic scales in…

    September 29, 2021

15. 

    Songwriter

    Smackwater Jack: the classic tale of outlaws and lawmen and the blues harmony behind it

    Smackwater Jack is a 1971 song released by Carole King, the most successful female songwriter of the 20th century who…

    September 27, 2021

16. 

    Composer

    Music for a While: Purcell's entrancing appeasement of Alecto

    Music for a While is one of the best-known tunes written by the English Baroque composer Henry Purcell. First published…

    September 24, 2021

17. 

    Songwriter

    Quimbara: meaning and origin of the best-known salsa

    Quimbara is an essential salsa track first recorded by Celia Cruz, a popular Cuban singer, and Johnny Pacheco, a…

    September 22, 2021

18. 

    Songwriter

    Butterflies and Hurricanes: piano intermezzo meets the chaos theory

    Butterflies and Hurricanes is a powerful track by the English rock band Muse first released on their 2003 album…

    September 20, 2021

19. 

    Music Theory

    Dorian mode in Led Zeppelin songs

    Diatonic scales, as postulated by the classical tonal theory, are among the most convenient devices for composing…

    September 17, 2021

20. 

    Songwriter

    Porque Te Vas: meaning behind Jeanette's song of departure

    Porque Te Vas is the best-known international song recorded by Jeanette Anne Dimech, professionally known as Jeanette…

    September 15, 2021