Tidbit #7 – Alfredo Casella and His Symphony No. 2

Alfredo Casella was a relatively recent Italian composer born in 1883. He had classical music in his blood from the start - his father, two brothers, and grandfather (who knew Paganini!) played cello. Furthermore, Casella's mother was a pianist who gave him his first music lessons.  Later, Casella was surrounded by other great musicians. He …

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Tidbit #6 – the Absurdity of British Terminology

It may come as a surprise to you to learn that the British don't call quarter notes quarter notes - they call them crotchets. In fact, the Brits have their own system of music terminology when it comes to note values. Their whole note is a "semibreve", their half note is a "minim" , and their …

Musical Forms, Part I

Have you ever considered what the term allemande actually means? Or ballade? Nocturne? Gavotte? These are, in essence, templates for a piece - musical forms. The waltz is the most well-known form; everyone knows waltzes always have three beats to the measure. All these other pieces—allemandes, nocturnes, gavottes—are forms too, but we aren't so familiar with them. …