Ludwig von Mises

Chapter One: Sinatra and the Music The biggest impression Frank left on popular music and culture lives on in the heart of the music itself. The influence he had on the world can still be heard on his recordings today. His style of singing carried such meaning and depth that it transcended cultural boundaries. In a poem by Gerald Early, from Mustazza’s collection of essays entitled “Frank Sinatra and Popular Culture”, he recalls going to a freak show as a boy and hearing the wonderful sounds…

When people listen to Tchaikovsky’s repertoire they would say his music exudes passion, energy, and depth. The first movement of the Piano Concerto No.1 in B-Flat Minor by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky exhibits elements of true orchestral genius utilizing its range to the fullest in combination with the complex and intricate yet powerful fingerings of the solo pianist. What perplexes yet entertains the audience is the contrast from the beginning of the piece where the introduction is lyrical,…

Spanning approximately forty minutes, Ralph Vaughan Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem was first performed on October 2, 1936. Following World War I and preceding World War II, this suite of choral pieces appears to be a call for peace and a warning against war, perhaps directly referencing R. Vaughan Williams' own personal beliefs. Divided into six sections or movements, the text is taken from poems by Walt Whitman, John Bright, and passages of the Bible. These pieces are: "Agnus Dei", "Beat, beat,…

Verdi's Requiem, Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4 in A Major, and "The Mountain Whippoorwill" by Jess Turner are three very different pieces. The first is an opera with fantastic musical continuity accented by a broad spectrum of emotions. The second is an instrumental piece in the minor key, and it is very quick and lively. The latter is a longer piece than the first two, an instrumental like the second, but it is happen set to match a poem, which makes it somewhat similar to the first. Verdi’s…

Paul Hindemith was born on 16 November 1895 in Hanau, near Frankfurt am Main Germany. He began learning music since his childhood by entered Frankfurt's Hoch’sche Conservatorium during the winter semester of 1908 and 09 when he was only 12 years old. In the conservatorium, he studied violin with Adolf Rebner. In Frankfurt, Hindemith supported his family and himself by worked as a violinist in dance bands and musical-comedy groups. As well as, he often substituted his teacher, Adolf Rebner, to…

Harry was born in Lamar, Missouri on May 8, 1884. Harry had a brother named Vivian and a sister named Mary Jane. His parents, John and Martha, moved the family to Independence, Missouri six years after Harry was born. As a child, Harry was very eager about making friends, though he was uneasy around girls. He mostly spent his time on reading and music which he had great interest in. He read every book in the Independence Public Library, and as a musician, he played the piano. Harry graduated…

On December 5 of 1791, Mozart, one of the world’s greatest composers, died at the young age of 35. Since Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s passing, investigators have aimed to solve the mystery of his early and unexpected death. With over 150 theories acquired throughout the past 2 centuries regarding the young Mozart’s death. This paper will deal with certain theories of his death on accounts of poison, murder, and illness. To say Mozart was a busy man around the time of his death is to say the…

La creation du monde is a 20-minute ballet for small orchestra composed in 1923, which outlines the Creation of the world, based on African folk mythology. Influences in the music come from blues and ragtime, particularly in the melodies, and African rhythms. The ballet is in six continuous dance scenes, as follows: 1) Overture 2) The Chaos before Creation 3) The slowly lifting darkness, the creation of trees, plants insects, birds and beasts 4) Man and woman created 5) The desire of man and…

Problems in the relationship between composer and public have been evident at least since the early years of the twentieth century. Some composers have alienated the listening public with their music, while others have sought to reach out to the public. In this paper, I will discuss some ups and downs of this issue through the course of the 20th century. I will then give my view on where we stand now in this issue with who, I think, are some popular genres and artists today. I will focus on…

The first part with the original definition of the tempo - Non allegro - begins with a clear rhythm in the pianissimo of the violins, against which there flashes a brief, of only three sounds, the motif of the English horn, repeated by the clarinet, and then descending all the way to the bassoon and bass clarinet. This is a kind of premonition of the basic images that will unfold further. In the meantime, another theme comes into Fortissimo: tough, angular, in the jerky sounds of the orchestra…