Boogie Woogie music is a fast-paced, instrumental sub-genre of blues that began in the 1870s as a type of dance music in the “barrelhouse” taverns of the Piney Woods region of northeast Texas.
Boogie Woogie piano music is based on a driving left-hand ostinato pattern of swung 8th notes, which is called “eight to the bar” and it is the defining musical characteristic of the boogie sound.
In all, there are dozens …
Mastery of the Italian Opera was a prerequisite for a successful international composing career, and the Austrian political dominion over northern Italy ensured that doors would be open there to Mozart.
Mozart’s mother and sister remained at home, and the family correspondence provides a full account of events.
The first tour, begun on December 13, 1769, and lasting 15 months, took them to all the main musical centres, but as usual they …
You Don’t Need Sheet Music
Improvisation, or "spontaneous composition," is at the heart of the jazz approach. Outside of a big band setting, jazz musicians rely very little on the printed manuscript. In fact, jazz music is deeply rooted in the American spirit of freedom, with an emphasis on the performers’ voice. Classical music, on the other hand, places a much higher emphasis on serving the composer’s intentions. One reason why …
Why does the piano have its familiar curved shape?
The piano is actually a stringed instrument so when you hit a key on the piano keyboard it sets a hammer in motion and the hammer strikes a string. The string then vibrates and transfers its vibration energy to the sound board and the sound board radiates to the room. The piano has 88 keys and each key produces a different pitch. …