In The Center of the Semicircle, Part II

Today we’ll discuss how in recent decades some conductors have become superstars. As is the case with other sorts of superstar, so with high-powered globe-trotting conductors: they are still human, they are prone to do controversial things, and they end up taking a lot of heat for their presence in their particular musical kitchen.

Leonard Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein like Stokowski before him, became known to mass audiences through the new 20th century media – beginning in 1954 … Continue Reading

JustsSheetMusic Book Notes

At irregular intervals here at JustSheetMusic, we let our readers know about some of the new books on a range of musical subjects that are always falling off the presses, or downloading themselves into email in-boxes. Today is another of those days.

Hell Yeah! The best quotes in rock ‘n’ roll history By Ryan Birdland

Triple L Publishing, Sacramento, CA, 2013

eBook, 52 pages, $2.99.

… Continue Reading

Johannes Brahms

(7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897),
Starting with number 10 and also one of the hardest number on the list with a lot of competition from other famous composers like Tchaikovsky, Joseph Haydn and George Frederic Handel which were all very close on becoming number 10.

Most popular on the internet are his symphonies which he wrote 4 and off course his Hungarian dances which were also his most profitable compositions.

While being number 6 on most ‘famous … Continue Reading

When it comes to the bass guitar, you know you are in for a real treat if you practice the right technique and skills. The bass is not just a guitar with a few strings less than six. The tone, feel, and capabilities that a bass guitar can produce requires an approach the combines technique and appreciation of the unique sound that only a bass guitar can emit.

When playing bass guitar, you need to make sure that you focus on playing for the song, and not showing off in an unbridled display of showy … Continue Reading

We’ve all seen custom guitars, but we usually think of a custom guitar as having custom pickups or something similar. Guitarists often commission unique guitars to add to their stage presence, or just wow the crowd.

Technology, specifically 3D printing, opened doors to a wide range of customizations for guitars, and some of the coolest guitars ever built.

This list ranks among the toughest list we’ve put together. There are far more cool guitars than we have room to list.

So, we had to choose a balanced mix of cool guitars ranging from the classics to more … Continue Reading

Albert Schweitzer

Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965), one of the exemplary inspirational figures of the early and middle decades of the 20thcentury, founded in 1913 and (with brief interruptions) for decades thereafter managed, a hospital in Lambaréné in the Central African rainforest, in the territory of what in 1960 became the independent nation of Gabon.

Yet Schweitzer was more than a humanitarian and physician. He was a distinguished scholar in both philosophy and theology. He coined the phrase “reverence for life” as his central philosophical … Continue Reading

Michael Jackson’s Children (Prince Michael II, Paris Jackson, Prince Michael Jackson)

Sometimes I wonder when Michael Jackson began to realize he wanted a lot of children. In his song Can You Feel It he sings to us: Every breath you take is someone’s death in another place: Every healthy smile is hunger and strife to another child. The lyrics told me of his concern for children. Later, his immense philanthropic … Continue Reading

Discover the influence that famous movie composers had on cinematic history that you may not have known about. Find out more about the composers who wrote the music for your favorite movies.

A good movie theme brings back memories of your first time watching the film and gives warm fuzzy nostalgia feelings. A great movie soundtrack is a story unto itself and can be the saving grace of a mediocre film. It helps a great film transcend to being a classic.

But what about those tireless composers working behind … Continue Reading

Michael Jackson

Baby boomers loved Michael Jackson. We couldn’t take our eyes off him. We grew up watching his whole life. Folks digging the pop-culture moment thrived on Michael’s work because it was undeniably leading us forward. His twenties decade was filled with transformation and his music had a way of reflecting our social angst. His too. I’m encouraged to analyze and investigate Michael’s subjectivity for the JustSheetMusic audience because I know you are interested in this artist. My earlier piece on Jackson got lots … Continue Reading

Adelina Patti (19 February 1843 – 27 September 1919)

Who was Adelina Patti? She was one of the most successful sopranos in history. Born in Spain, but a subject of the King of the Two Sicilies, she was in her prime a pan-European figure.

Start the video below to listen to a recording of her voice.

The recording was made in Patti’s home in 1905, and is fascinating in part just because it represents an artifact from the early … Continue Reading