classical
Beat showcases all things classical; get your fix of Beethoven, Bach and beyond with plenty of Pomp and even more Circumstance.
My Exclusive Interview With Lavender Fire
Lavender Fire isn't afraid to let her performances speak for themselves, and when you listen to her music, you can't help but admire her clean, stripped-down production that allows her piano and vocals to shine through. Most of her songs also tell a personal story, turning her albums into a tapestry of lessons and life experiences. This interview explores her background, her inspirations and the recurring symbolism in her work—and once you're armed with this knowledge, you'll never listen to her albums the same way again.
By Kaitlin Shanks10 days ago in Beat
Avohee Avoher’s “Caelune” Gives the Piano Room to Get Complicated
A piano can fill a room without raising its voice. It can also make that same room feel suddenly uncomfortable. That range is part of the instrument’s appeal: familiar enough to invite us in, expressive enough to take us somewhere we weren’t expecting.
By Jimmy Stars World10 days ago in Beat
My Exclusive Interview With Diana Ringo
As a child prodigy who grew up to be a pianist, songwriter and film composer, Diana Ringo has the type of career that other artists dream about. Her eclectic career includes directing credits for the films 1984 and Quarantine , a photoshoot with Playboy Spain and master classes with David Lynch and Paul Verhoeven. However, music is still the center of her professional life--and whether she's writing piano compositions or recording darkwave records, her work is anything but boring. If you're ready to learn from the master, here's a glimpse into the life of a musician who does it all.
By Kaitlin Shanks16 days ago in Beat
My Exclusive Interview With Kirstie Gregory
Some songwriters can do it all, and Kirstie Gregory's not the type to limit herself to one genre. From folksy tracks to soft, ethereal vocals, her discography covers a wide range of subjects, genres and moods, making her a versatile artist who can tackle any assignment you give her. Essentially, there's something for everybody--and once you've learned about her process, check out her full-length album, This Is The End, to hear the full spectrum of her talents.
By Kaitlin Shanks21 days ago in Beat
If All of the Raindrops...
Today was a long day in many ways, and it took a lot out of my inner “battery,” so I was feeling a little grumpy by this evening... however, while tucking my kids into bed, a song came on their music box that I just really felt the urge to share with my readers.
By Adora Hooper23 days ago in Beat
Before History, There Were People
Music has an unusual relationship with memory. A photograph can show us a moment, a book can tell us what happened, but music can somehow recreate the atmosphere surrounding a memory, allowing us to inhabit it for a few minutes rather than simply observe it from a distance.
By Whitney Miller27 days ago in Beat
The Hall Of The Mountain King
Introduction Sasha Desideri used Edvard Grieg's "The Hall Of The Mountain King" for her Day Eleven (With Gaps) of 50 Days of Senryu Inspired by Music, and I mentioned how much I loved it as a kid and that it had been covered by the Electric Light Orchestra. In our chat on her piece, which you can check out here:
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 29 days ago in Beat
Mario Mattia’s "Metamorphosis" - A Piano Improvisation That Refuses to Go Home
There is something inherently revealing about listening to an improvisation. Unlike a conventional composition, there is no sense that the musician knows exactly where the music is going. Even when a performance develops its own internal logic, there remains the possibility of surprise; a note, a harmony or a sudden shift in direction can alter everything that follows. In the hands of American improvisational pianist Mario Mattia , it is this very uncertainty that becomes the substance of the music.
By Whitney Miller2 months ago in Beat
Fiddle Firsts: Which Came First, the Fiddle or the Violin?
Before there was a violin, there was a fiddle. Well... sort of. The history of bowed string instruments is much older and more complicated than just that. But as a violinist with over 20 years of playing experience, I recently stumbled on a fact that I found a little surprising.
By Cate Calvert2 months ago in Beat
Feline Like A Song
Introduction I was not sure that I had already done and looking through my stories I don't think I have. I didn't think there were that many songs that related to cats apart from those from Disney films and "Love Cats" by The Cure, but then I started to remember that there was quite a lot in my collection. The beat generation referred to the cool ones as cats so there may be a few where the feline referral is more than a little ambiguous.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 4 months ago in Beat
