"If it's not Baroque, don't fix it!"

Hello fellow air guitar players and dashboard drummers! Welcome back to another week of my expression and love for music!
This week is an exciting one for music history because the annual Grammys air tonight at 7:00! As far as the winners and chit-chat about performances from tonight’s show go, I will save it all for next week’s blog! I just thought I would mention it and encourage music lovers to watch the Grammys or Youtube some highlights! With the music industry the way it is today, there are sure to be some exciting moments and surprises!
For today’s musical selection I thought I might do a 180 and take it a completely different direction from that of the Grammys. In fact I would love to discuss the musical genre many call classical. Classical music has been cherished among mankind for centuries and will continue to do so for years to come. With its large and rich sound many listeners and musicians can get lost in the music itself. As instruments changed and developed so too did the sound of classical music. The different movements can be heard and identified by the prominence of different instruments. The source of a huge sound bounding from a stage is evident when watching a 200-piece orchestra play Carmina Burana, and there is nothing quite like it.
The different movements of classical music include the Early Period, the Common Practice Period and the Modern and Contemporary Period. Each of these periods is composed of sub eras and differing styles of classical music.
The Early Period is made up of the Medieval Era (476-1400) and the Renaissance Era (1400-1600). This period is recognizable for it’s roots in monophonic chant that then proceeded to blossom into polyphonic music. The development and shift in the style of music parallels the growth out of the Middle Ages and the birth into the Renaissance.
Following is the Common Practice Period, which is made up of Baroque (1600-1750), Classical (1750-1820) and Romantic (1820-1910) eras of music. Even in a Disney film, The Beauty and the Beast, a trained ear can hear an allusion to the Baroque era.
“if it’s not Baroque, don’t fix it.”
-Cogsworth, The Beauty and the Beast
Lastly in classical music’s long journey, comes the Modern and Contemporary period. This period started in 1910 with Impressionist music and has yet to come to an end. Today, we are still evolving and changing classical music through the help of new composers and innovative ideas.
Classical music is not for everyone. However, the next time you need help focusing on a task or completing some homework, I encourage you to pop in a classical CD, you might surprise yourself. Classical music is the product of some of the greatest minds to ever have lived. Maybe, just maybe, you might be inspired yourself.

References: Wikipedia.com and Imdb.com

Backwards

Music is something that everyone can listen to and enjoy. Throughout the course of this class I will be diving into different types of music and discussing some of my favorites from each genre. If there happens to be a new release that week for the genre of discussion I hope to inform you and encourage you to check it out!

All my life music has played a critical part of my day-to-day activities. Ask anyone, if I’m not listening to music in my room or car, than I’m singing into the showerhead or drumming on my desk in class. I find music everywhere. To be able to share with the class my love for music is truly a privilege. All right well enough about me, lets talk music!

This week I thought I might start off with my favorite genre; country. I know its cliché being here in Texas and all but that’s just the way it is. I am going to start off with a little history of how country was born for all you non-twangers out there. Country music traces its roots back to traditional folk, Celtic, gospel and Spanish music. Each of these different ethnic groups brought something to add to the table that is country music. The fiddle from the Irish was a huge influencer as well as the Spanish guitar. Other various instruments add to the unique sound of country such as the mandolin and the harmonica. Aside from the interesting and specialty instruments, country music tends to have great character. There is a song by Rascal Flatts that plays off of some of the absurdity with country music, its fun when artists recognize and have fun with some of the negative in music.

“You get your mind back
you get your nerves back
Your first heart attack back
You get your pride back
You get your life back
You get your first real love back
You get your big screen TV, a DVD and a washing machine
You get the pond and the lawn
The bail and the mower
You go back where you don't know her
It sounds a little crazy a little scattered and absurd
But that's what you get
When you play a country song backwards”

-“Backwards”, Racal Flatts

Country music is a great “go with the flow” and “hanging out with friends” genre of music. This week there is a new release coming out, one of my favorite artists in this field (so I have been looking forward to it for some time now) Lady Antebellum is to release their second album Need You Now January, 25, 2010. I hope y’all check it out! See you next week!