Popular articles

Choose any music period or country to start your journey through music history

Country

Celtic harp

HARP

The Celtic Baroque roots of Stairway to Heaven

England, Ireland, Folk, Popular Song, 1970s, Baroque 7 comments

Avalokiteshvara

MEDITATION

Mantra of Avalokiteshvara: meaning and purpose of popular Buddhist chants

China, India, Japan, Nepal, Devotional Song, Mantra, Indian Classical

FILM

Five tones of Spielberg's alien language

USA, Film Score, 1970s

Orpheus in a Phrygian cap by Giovanni Dall'Orto

Music Theory

Popular songs featuring the Phrygian mode and Neapolitan chord

Australia, England, USA, Jazz, Popular Song, 1960s, 1970s, 2010s

SONGWRITER

MTV and EMI did not appreciate the concept of Kate Bush's iconic Running Up That Hill

England, Art Rock, New Wave, Popular Song, 1980s 1 comment

Muse Tuning the Lyra

Music Theory

Popular songs using the Lydian mode

Canada, England, USA, Popular Song, Progressive Rock, Rock, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s 2 comments

Metastaseis by Iannis Xenakis

ORCHESTRA

The symbiosis of music and architecture in mathematical glissandi by Iannis Xenakis

France, Greece, 20st Century Classical 3 comments

The Cylix of Apollo with the Lyre

Music Theory

Mixolydian mode: famous examples of the Mixolydian major scale in classical and pop music

England, Germany, Italy, USA, Concerto, Fugue, Motet, Popular Song, Raga, Renaissance, Baroque, Indian Classical, 20st Century Classical, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s 13 comments

Lakmé at Opéra de Lausanne

ORCHESTRA

The Flower Duet of Lakmé: the love drama of an Indian girl and a British soldier made airborne

France, India, Opera, Romantic

Cocteau Twins

Band

Emotion over meaning: the enigmatic lyrics of Cocteau Twins in the languages of glossolalia

Scotland, New Wave, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s 1 comment

Lydian delegation at Apadana

Music Theory

Lydian mode: famous examples of the Lydian major scale throughout the music history

Austria, England, France, Scotland, Anthem, Etude, Hymn, Motet, String Quartet, Medieval, Renaissance, Classical, Romantic, 20st Century Classical

Christ's Entry into Jerusalem by William Blake

Anthem

Prog rock version of Jerusalem was banned by BBC

England, Popular Song, Progressive Rock, 20st Century Classical 4 comments

Akbari Mosque Overlooking Ganges by Sita Ram

SAROD

Legendary Tansen could bring rain with music

India, Raga, Indian Classical

Napoléon Coste

Classical Guitar

Guitar virtuoso Napoléon Coste suffered from acute piano phobia

France, Etude, Fantasia, Romantic 2 comments

Vanitas with Violin and Glass Ball by Pieter Claesz

ORCHESTRA

Albinoni's famous Adagio is unusually solemn and offbeat because it wasn't, in fact, written by Tomaso Albinoni

Italy, Adagio, 20st Century Classical, Baroque

Amir Khusraw Dihlavi - An Old Sufi Laments His Lost Youth

Poetry

Sufi lyrics expanded all over the world thanks to Qawwali songs

India, Pakistan, Devotional Song, Qawwali, Indian Classical 1 comment

Zefiros by Sandro Botticelli

Poetry

Zefiro Torna: famous madrigal by Monteverdi lauds the west wind that brings spring

Italy, Chaconne, Madrigal, Renaissance, Baroque

Giulio Regondi

Classical Guitar

Giulio Regondi, the guitar prodigy behind early Romantic repertoire, was conned by false parent

England, France, Switzerland, Suite, Romantic 9 comments

Cifras Selectas de Guitarra

Classical Guitar

4 collections of early guitar music by enigmatic Santiago de Murcia discovered on 3 Continents

Chile, Mexico, Spain, Prelude, Baroque

Terracotta Kylix by Dokimasia Painter

Music Theory

5 songs featuring Dorian mode

Canada, England, France, USA, Ballade, Folk, Popular Song, Rock, Work Song, World Music, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s

The world's first sitar recording by Imdad Khan

SITAR

The world's first sitar recording by Imdad Khan

India, Raga, Indian Classical 2 comments

The White Cliffs of Dover

SONGWRITER

There were no bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover

United Kingdom, USA, Popular Song, 1940s 3 comments

Joaquim Malats by Ramon Casas

Classical Guitar

Serenata Española by Joaquim Malats: the piano piece that conquered guitar world

France, Spain, Serenade, Romantic, 20st Century Classical

Summer Evening by Childe Hassam

CHOIR

Gershwin's Summertime: the most recorded song draws inspiration from Ukrainian lullaby and African American spiritual

Ukraine, USA, Folk, Jazz, Opera, Popular Song, Rock, 20st Century Classical, 1930s, 1960s, 2010s 2 comments

Violin

150 composers contributed to La Folia through the centuries

France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Dance, Sonata, Baroque, Classical, Renaissance

Tartini's Dream by Louis-Léopold Boilly

Violin

Devil's Trill Sonata: Giuseppe Tartini was unable to recreate Lucifer's music played in his dream

Italy, Slovenia, Sonata, Baroque

British Birds by Charles Collins

Nature Sounds

Why birds sing their songs: great maestros proving the musicality of nightingale, cuckoo, yellowhammer

Austria, England, Italy, Children's song, Concerto, Soundscapes, Baroque, 20st Century Classical 1 comment

Performer Guitar Stand

Classical Guitar

Dionisio Aguado's guitar method and tripodison guitar stand have been in use for 200 years

France, Spain, Dance, Polonaise, Classical, Romantic 4 comments

Besame Mucho by Dick Hyman Trio

SONGWRITER

Bésame Mucho: song meaning and source of inspiration behind the famous Mexican bolero

Mexico, Bolero, Popular Song, 1940s

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