My final piece of the semester is one which, since I was very young, has been an absolute favorite of mine.  Gustav Holst composed his The Planets suite during WWI (they premiered in 1919), and perhaps the most recognized movement of this suite is the third, entitled, "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity".  And that is exactly what this piece does.  It contains four masterful melodies which are vastly contrasting but which all share a commonality of bringing immense joy to whomever listens to this Continue Reading

This week I have decided to bring you another masterpiece from Ludwig van Beethoven.  This time we will explore his 7th Symphony, specifically the 2nd movement of that symphony.  Written in the 19th century, this movement was wildly popular and was often substituted into other Beethoven symphonies in place of their respective slower movements. I am also a big fan of this piece, and my appreciation for the piece is mostly due to its simplicity.  The rhythm and melodies of this particular Continue Reading

While it is no longer March, I have one more movie score I would like to share.  The March Madness tournament didn't end until earlier this week anyway, so I figure one more week of movie music won't hurt anyone. I will say though, that my choice for this week is a piece written to pull on your heartstrings.  The message it conveys is one of honor and glory, but also one of mourning and loss.  While it seems that these ideas are initially contradictory, this week's piece does a phenomenal job Continue Reading

The piece I have chosen for this week is significant in many ways.  Not only is this a spectacular movie (and score), but the ending of this film is deeply moving and highly symbolic.  For those who have not seen the movie Gladiator I will warn you that this blog contains some spoilers, as I will be discussing the music that accompanies the ending of the film.  But I also highly recommend finding time to watch this movie.  The score put together by Hans Zimmer is remarkable and is considered to Continue Reading