Podcasts by Timeline: Vermont Public Classical

Timeline: Vermont Public Classical

Join Vermont Public Classical host James Stewart on a journey into the events, characters and concepts that shaped our Western musical tradition. We'll start at the very beginning and trace the steps of music through history. This music, and its history, is ours.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
208 - Abdullah Ibraim (1934 - ) from 2021-11-15T09:18

Abdullah Ibraim, also known as Dollar Brand, was born Adolph Johannes Brand in Cape Town, South Africa in 1934. He started taking piano lessons at the age of seven and was performing professionally...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
207 - Justinian Tamusuza from 2021-11-08T11:53

Justinian Tamusuza is one of the premiere, contemporary African composers today. His music has been compared to American minimalist composers like Steve Reich and John Adams. However, what sets Tam...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Francis Bebey (1929-2001) from 2021-11-01T10:00

We continue our series on African composers by exploring the life, music and legacy of Cameroonian composer, Francis Bebey.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
205 - A Conversation with Akiko Fujimoto from 2021-10-25T10:10

Last year, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s long-time music director, Jaime Laredo, stepped down after over 20 years with the orchestra. Now, the VSO has several candidates to fill that position. T...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
204 - Olatunji Akin Euba (1935-2020) from 2021-10-18T09:18

We continue our series of episodes about African composers with an exploration of the life, music and legacy of Nigerian composer Olatunji Akin Euba.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
203 - Neo Muyanga from 2021-10-11T12:15

Since the dawn of the Romantic era, composers have used their music as a means to express their individual nationalities and their hopes for their culture. Consider the nationalism evident in the m...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
202 - Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou from 2021-10-01T11:12

August of 2013, the city of Jerusalem hosted a series of tribute concerts dedicated to the music of Ethiopian violinist, pianist and composer, Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou. It was the first time th...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
201 - Fela Sowande (1905-1987) from 2021-09-20T12:35

The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in Western Africa. Over the centuries many of the Yoruba were displaced, first by the Atlantic slave trade and later in the 20th century by ma...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
200 - Jacqueline Nova from 2021-08-02T11:16

Innovation and transformation are impossible without experimentation. That’s something that 20th Century Columbian composer, Jacqueline Nova, truly understood. Nova pioneered electroacoustic music ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
199 - Astor Piazzolla from 2021-07-26T11:40

Austria has the Viennese waltz; Kiev has the hopak; Spain the flamenco and Argentina the tango. This rhythmic dance came from Buenos Aires and Montevideo in the late 19th century. In the hands of 2...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
198 - Antonio Lauro (1917-1986) from 2021-07-19T11:59

Antonio Lauro always thought of himself as a composer first, not a performer. However, late in life he and his guitar embarked on a successful solo concert tour around the world. Just before his d...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
197 - Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983) from 2021-07-12T09:25

Just as Bela Bartok gave a voice to the folk music of Hungary in the 20th century, Alberto Ginastera did the same for the music of Argentina. Many call Ginastera one of the most important South Ame...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
094 - Nadia Boulanger from 2021-06-28T12:32

Originally aired - February, 6 2017 - Aaron Copland, Jean Franciax, Elliot Carter, Philipp Glass and Quincy Jones; what do all of these musicians have in common? They were all students of Nadia Bou...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
196 - Cacilda Borges Barbosa (1914-2010) from 2021-06-21T10:01

Sometimes you run across the name of a composer you’ve never heard of before and when you read about their life and their work, you start to wonder, why? Why have I never heard of this person? That...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
071 - Amy Beach from 2021-06-14T09:58

Originally Aired - Aug. 29, 2016 In the 19th century, composition was a man’s world. The stigma of being a female composer made it difficult for a woman’s work to be read or heard. One woman helpe...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
195 - A Conversation With Jaime Laredo from 2021-06-07T10:21

Jaime Laredo is a world-renowned violinist and conductor. I had a chance to speak with him via Zoom recently, as we are celebrating his 80th birthday and over 70 years of public performance. Jaime’...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
056 - Clara Schumann from 2021-05-28T13:10

Originally aired May 16, 2016 19th century Germany was not a hospitable environment for female composers. Nevertheless, Clara Weick-Schumann left an indelible mark with her compositions, her soulf...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
194 - Mozart Camargo Guarnieri (1907-1993) from 2021-05-24T11:20

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Camargo Guarnieri spent most of his career under the shadow of his name and of fellow Brazilian composer, Heitor Villa-Lobos. Like Villa-Lobos, Guarnieri brought the music o...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
193 - Carlos Chavez (1899-1978) from 2021-05-17T09:43

Besides being a composer/conductor, Carlos Chavez was also a journalist, historian and educator, guiding the course of Mexican orchestral music in the 20th century.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
192 - Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) from 2021-05-10T09:35

Heitor Villa-Lobos was a Brazilian guitarist, cellist, composer and conductor. He’s not just one of the most celebrated South-American composers of all time, but also one of the most prolific. Vill...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
015 - Maddalena Casulana from 2021-05-03T10:22

The Renaissance was a time of re-birth as science and the arts changed the face of culture. However, some old ideas persisted in the midst of this change; especially beliefs about the roles and in...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
191 - Maria Grever (1885-1951) from 2021-04-26T15:33

Maria Grever was the first Mexican, woman composer to earn international attention. You’ve probably heard her melodies and lyrics sung and performed by so many popular musicians from the United Sta...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
190 - Manuel Ponce (1882-1948) from 2021-04-09T09:57

Manuel Ponce was the first internationally recognized Mexican classical composer. Ponce’s music bridged the gaps between categories like popular, classical, folk and orchestral. He was called the “...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
189 - Teresa Carreño (1853-1917) from 2021-04-05T10:25

Teresa Carreño spent the majority of her life on tour, traveling around the world as an operatic soprano and virtuoso pianist. She was called the “Valkyrie of the piano” and “a queen among pianists.”

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
188 - Don't Tokenize Us: An Interview With Elisabeth Blair from 2021-03-29T10:08

Over the past couple of months we’ve been featuring composers of color and the last few episodes have focused on the life, music and legacy of African-American women composers. So many of these nam...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
187 - Undine Smith Moore (1904-1989) from 2021-03-22T10:14

Undine Smith Moore was a composer, a performer, an educator and an outspoken advocate for civil rights. She’s been called the “Dean of Black Women Composers.”

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
186 - Julia Perry (1924-1979) from 2021-03-15T10:05

Julia Perry was a uniquely talented and educated composer, pianist and conductor. Her music is a combination of many different influences from her training in the United States and Europe as well a...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
185 - Margaret Bonds (1913-1972) from 2021-03-08T10:35

Bonds was a composer who wore her heart on her sleeve. She left behind a legacy of activism and artistry, paving the way for many African-American musicians to follow.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
184 - Florence Price (1887-1953) from 2021-03-01T08:45

2009 in a broken-down, abandoned house, just outside St. Anne, Illinois, dozens of musical scores and papers by composer Florence Price were discovered. In this forgotten treasure trove there were ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
183 - George Walker (1922-2018) from 2021-02-22T10:01

June 17th 1997, was “George Walker Day” in Washington DC as established by Mayor Marion Berry. It was a day to commemorate the life, music and legacy of one of the most accomplished American compos...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
182 - William Grant Still (1895-1978) from 2021-02-15T09:24

William Grant Still Jr. was called the “Dean of Afro-American Composers.” His career was full of “firsts”; milestones that broke through the racial and social barriers that were so prevalent in the...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
181 - Scott Joplin (1868-1917) from 2021-02-08T10:22

Much like mazurkas evoke Poland and waltzes remind us of Vienna, the “rag” will forever be tied to the United States. Composer Scott Joplin was called “The King of Ragtime.” Though his works were p...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
180 - The Singing Revolution Part 4 - Independence from 2021-02-01T10:13

We’ve been telling the story of the Estonian "Singing Revolution," how a people used song to affect real, political and historical change.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
179 - The Singing Revolution Part 3 from 2021-01-25T10:08

We’ve been telling the story of the Estonian “Singing Revolution” and how non-violent, musical protest changed the course of a culture and a nation.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
178 - The Singing Revolution Part 2 from 2021-01-18T08:48

After World War II, the iron curtain of the Soviet Union fell on all the member states. One of the goals of Stalin’s regime was to bring uniformity across the vast territory that was now under Sovi...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
177 - The Singing Revolution Part 1 from 2021-01-11T10:12

Has music ever changed the world? Can culture hold a people together? This story explores those questions.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
040 - Ludwig van Beethoven - Part 3 (1815-1827) from 2020-12-21T11:29

Originally aired Jan 25, 2016 The years 1813 to 1816 were a dry period for Beethoven. He was wrestling with his health and with his family. His brother, Casper, had passed away and left behind a s...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
039 - Ludwig Van Beethoven Part 2 (1801-1815) from 2020-12-14T10:45

Originally aired Jan. 18, 2016 At the dawning of the 19th Century Beethoven had not given up hope that his doctors would find a treatment to reverse his hearing loss. His condition was not only a...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
038 - Ludwig Van Beethoven - Part 1 (1770-1801) from 2020-12-07T09:26

This episode was originally aired on Jan, 11, 2016. Ludwig van Beethoven has been called the most admired composer in all of music history. His legacy stands as a monument for the entire 19th Cen...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
176 - A Violin's Journey - Part 6 from 2020-10-02T09:15

We’ve been tracing the Palchikoffs and Sergei’s violin through the 20th Century; starting in Russia during the civil war after the Bolshevik revolution of 1917, to the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945 ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
175 - A Violin's Journey - Part 5 from 2020-09-28T10:30

We’ve been telling the story of Sergei Palchikoff, his family and his beloved violin that survived the bombing of Hiroshima 75 years ago. I’ve spent the better part of a year piecing this tale toge...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
174 - A Violin's journey - Part 4 from 2020-09-23T07:42

On Timeline, we’ve been telling the story of the Palchikoff family, their experiences fleeing Russia, settling in Japan and surviving the bomb. It’s also the story of Kaleria’s father, Sergei and h...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
173 - A Violin's Journey - Part 3 from 2020-09-14T08:53

August 6, 1945, was a clear, blue Monday morning in the city of Hiroshima. At 7:09 air raid sirens shattered the morning air as allied weather planes flew over, driving a city of around 345,000 pe...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
172 - A Violin's Journey - Part 2 from 2020-09-07T10:10

Over the past few episodes we’ve been telling the stories of hibaku-pianos and violins, musical instruments that survived the atomic blasts of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 75 years ago. In our last episo...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
171 - A Violin's Journey - Part 1 from 2020-08-31T09:39

We’re listening to violinist, Soichi Sakuma performing at a school in 2017 on a hibaku-violin, an instrument that survived the atomic blast of Hiroshima in 1945. On Timeline we’ve been telling the ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
170 - A Piano, a Boat and a Violin from 2020-08-24T12:24

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In the past few episodes we’ve been looking at musical instruments that have been rescued from the ashes and rumble of...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
169 - Akiko's Piano from 2020-08-17T11:55

World War II was the bloodiest conflict in recorded history. It’s estimated that somewhere between, 70-85 million people died, about 3% of the global population at the time. That number is too big ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
168 - A-Bombed Instruments from 2020-08-10T08:56

We’ve been discussing the ways that music has changed the world, exploring how art and music has affected us as a species and as a society. In this episode, we’ll discover one piano tuner’s passion...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
167 - Canticle of the Creatures from 2020-03-16T08:18

We’ve been exploring all the ways that music has changed the world and us. In this episode we’ll discover that music might belong to more than just humanity. So many creatures on our shared planet ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
166 - Singing: The First Art from 2020-03-09T09:05

“In the beginning was the voice. Voice is sounding breath, the audible sign of life.” Those beautiful words were written by Otto Jespersen, an early 20th century Danish linguist, in the book Langua...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
165 - Born To Dance from 2020-03-02T08:34

You’re at a wedding reception, this song starts to play and suddenly the dance floor is full of people moving together in rhythm. The crowd intuits the pulse of the music, corporately agrees on whe...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
164 - Which Came First, Language Or Music? from 2020-02-17T08:26

Which came first, language or music? It’s not just a “chicken or the egg” type of question. Many linguists and theorists have debated this subject. For a long time the accepted norm stated that mus...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
163 - 40,000 BCE: A Musical Odyssey from 2020-02-10T08:30

Do you remember the opening scene of Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey”? The director starts a movie about space by first showing us early humanity. We are introduced to two warring factions...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
162 - When Music Changed The World from 2020-02-03T08:19

Over the years we’ve talked about a lot different subjects and explored the development of music throughout history. We’ve had deep discussions about where music comes from and what music is. We’ve...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
120 - Art And Civilization from 2020-01-27T08:32

originally aired December 10, 2018 Art is everywhere and always has been. It lines the walls of museums, buildings and caves. It fills our halls and ears with sound and music. It captures the eye ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
113 - Where is Music? from 2020-01-20T08:24

On Timeline we’ve asked a lot of questions; what is music? How was music created? Why is music written? Here’s another interesting question I’d love for us to ponder, where is music?

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
100 - Popular Music And Classical Music from 2020-01-13T08:47

Another favorite episode of Timeline... Musical labels are useful. The title of a genre or style comes in handy in the record store, on the radio or for streaming services, because when you click ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
103 - Film Scores from 2020-01-06T08:08

Originally aired April 10, 2017... In the 20th century no medium affected culture more than film. The music written to accompany the images, story and dialogue has become a huge part of the movie-...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Music and the Mind from 2020-01-02T13:51

Join VPR Classical host James Stewart as we listen to a special Timeline podcast presentation “Music and the Mind.” We’ll explore the connections between the how the mind works and how we process m...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
89 - The Rise Of Radio from 2019-12-30T08:29

Here is another favorite episode of Timeline... Today, music is everywhere. Invisible signals are flying through the air carrying every possible genre or style that a person could ever want. We can...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
112 - Not Musical from 2019-12-16T09:44

Here is another favorite episode of Timeline from the vault... It was her first piano lesson with me, but she wasn’t new to the instrument. She had learned from YouTube tutorials and her own explor...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
111 - Soundwaves from 2019-12-09T08:09

Here is another favorite episode of Timeline... Picture yourself at the beach watching the waves rise and break over the sand. You can see the water gather and rise as each waves comes in. Once a w...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
110 - Why We Sing from 2019-12-02T09:50

Here's another favorite episode of Timeline chosen by listeners and staff at VPR. German philosopher Immanuel Kant wrote that “If music confers no survival advantage, where does it come from and wh...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Vibrating Strings from 2019-11-25T08:17

We are continuing to look at some of our favorite episodes over the years. This one starts at the very beginning. Where does music come from? I believe that music is at the heart of everything. It ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Music Is About Venue from 2019-11-18T08:42

We are going to spend the rest of 2019 looking back at some of our favorite episodes as chosen by listeners and staff. This episode, from 2017, explores how music has always been written with a spe...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Present Is The Key To The Past from 2019-11-11T08:23

We’ve spent over a dozen episodes exploring ancient musicians. We’ve covered more than four millennia of time, traveling from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia to medieval Europe and Japan. In the four...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Akashi no Kakuichi - Blind Bard from 2019-11-04T09:12

The epic work "The Tale of the Heike" cannot be assigned to a single author. It is the result of an oral tradition that grew over centuries, from one generation to the next by Japanese medieval, lu...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Maracabru - Crusading Moralist from 2019-10-28T09:58

“Marcabru, the son of Lady Bruna, was begotten under such a moon that he knows how love wreaks havoc, -Listen!- for he never loved any woman, nor was he loved by another.” These are the words of t...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Jayadeva - Sanskrit Poet from 2019-10-21T10:03

In Hinduism, Krishna, the god of compassion, tenderness and love, is the eighth avatar or incarnation of Vishnu. In art, Krishna is usually depicted with a flute in his hand; his music calling devo...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Otomae - Song-Mistress from 2019-10-14T10:54

As we’ve explored the book The Mystery of Music, by Vermont author Lewis Holmes, we’ve traveled to ancient Sumeria, two eras of Egypt, Israel, Greece and China. Today, we’ll visit medieval Japan an...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Fu Niang - (un)Lucky Damsel from 2019-10-07T10:34

There is so much power in language, names and the meanings of words. Take, for instance, the Chinese symbols used for the word courtesan or prostitute, chang and ji. These symbols are closely relat...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Li Yannian - House of Flying Daggers from 2019-09-30T10:10

Let's continue our exploration through Lewis Holmes book The Mystery of Music and travel to ancient China around 100 BCE. Listen to the words of this beautiful ode written so long ago...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Stratonicus - Sharp-Tongued Citharist from 2019-09-23T11:22

During the time of Alexander the Great, the city of Athens gave rise to something new in Greek culture. Up to this point, music was seen as subordinate to words; melody and rhythm worked in service...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Pindar - Olympic Sports Agent from 2019-09-16T10:11

The scholar Michael Schmidt, in the book The First Poets, calls Pindar “the most careful architect that poetry has ever had.” Pindar was active around fifth century BCE and was the master of victor...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
David - Warrior Artist from 2019-09-09T10:43

In the biblical text of I Samuel chapter 16 we find the first king of Israel, Saul, suffering from a troubled mind. Saul’s advisors suggested that he seek a musician, a skillful player of the lyre,...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Peripatjau - Trumpeting Thief from 2019-09-02T10:17

This next excerpt from Lewis Holmes’ book “The Mystery of Music” reads more like a pulp-fiction mystery novel however, the story is preserved on 3000 year old papyri. It has torture, conspiracy, br...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Galas - Sumerian Musicians from 2019-08-19T15:45

The galas were active starting around 2600 BCE, associated with funeral rites. Later writings state that they performed hymns of mourning and praise meant to keep the gods happy and hold off advers...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Enheduanna, The Akkadian Priestess from 2019-08-12T10:02

At the mouth of the Euphrates River, in modern, southern Iraq, you’ll find the ruins of the ancient city of Ur. And when I say ancient, I mean very ancient. There’s evidence to suggest that this ci...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Ipi: Flutist to Pharaoh from 2019-08-05T12:18

Welcome to our first episode looking at the lives of ancient musicians as detailed in Lewis Holmes’ new book “The Mystery of Music.” The book gives brief biographical sketches of 30 musicians and c...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Lewis Holmes and "The Mystery of Music" from 2019-07-29T11:40

We’re going to spend some time in the coming episodes exploring musicians from the ancient past; looking at composers and music makers from civilizations long gone. We’ll learn new names and discov...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
A Conversation About Music Therapy from 2019-06-17T10:17

For the past few episodes we’ve been exploring different aspects of music therapy. We’ve talked about how music is being used to treat those with chronic pain, dementia, memory loss and ADHD. This ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Music and Pain from 2019-06-10T11:47

The ancient King of Israel, Saul, was said to have suffered from intense insomnia and a troubled mind. He employed a young musician named David, to play the lyre and help him find peace, rest and s...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Music and Attention: Bringing Thoughts Into Focus from 2019-06-03T11:25

Simply type “study music” into a google search and you’ll get about three billion results; from videos and tracks of original pieces that use alpha waves to help you focus to long playlists of clas...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Music and Memory: The Quickening Art from 2019-05-23T11:08

German philosopher Immanuel Kant called music “The Quickening Art.” Oliver Sacks uses this quote often when explaining how music can jump-start the human brain. Music employs so many different part...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Music Therapy from 2019-05-20T10:51

For the past few months we’ve been exploring the way that music affects us physically, emotionally, socially and neurologically. Along the way we’ve hinted at how these concepts and studies have be...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Neuroplasticity And Music from 2019-05-13T11:07

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice! Aristotle wrote, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Dopamine And Music - It Feels Good from 2019-05-06T12:24

We all know that listening to music is enjoyable, pleasurable, emotional… in short, it feels good. Why though? Why do we react to music this way?

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Benefits of Making Music from 2019-04-29T11:43

The act of making music, actively participating in the creation of organized sound, has beneficial side effects, emotionally, socially and physically.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Cocktail Party Effect and the Superior Temporal Gyrus from 2019-04-22T11:24

Our ability to hear patterns, recognize words and focus our auditory perception is thanks, in large part, to a very specific region of the brain, the superior temporal gyrus. It’s located just behi...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Synesthesia from 2019-04-15T11:10

Synesthesia means “sensing together” and it describes the phenomenon of one our senses triggering another; such as sound and color. This isn’t something farfetched; we come across this idea every s...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Brain Entrainment "Ride The Wave" from 2019-04-08T11:03

In our last episode we talked about beat induction and rhythmic entrainment, this is what causes us to pick up the beat around us and tap our feet, even if we aren’t consciously doing it. I mention...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Rhythmic Entrainment "We've Got The Beat" from 2019-04-01T10:00

We’ve all been there, driving down the street listening to music while moving our fingers to the rhythm, sitting in a concert hall tapping our toes to the music, working out in the gym making our r...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Bach's Counterpoint And Chopin's Melody from 2019-03-25T11:08

Chopin’s birthday is celebrated on the 1st of March and J.S. Bach’s on either the 21st or the 31st, depending on which calendar you use. That’s a long story for another episode. We’ve spent this en...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
J.S. Bach's Influence On Chopin from 2019-03-18T10:19

We are continuing to celebrate the life and music of J.S. Bach and Chopin, listening to excerpts from a recent concert I hosted with pianist Paul Orgel in VPR’s Stetson Studio One while also featur...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Chopin And Genius from 2019-03-11T11:55

We’re spending the next few episodes celebrating the life and music of J.S. Bach and Chopin. In this episode we’ll look at Chopin specifically and we’ll also have some help… Marjan: My name is Marj...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Pairing The Music Of Bach And Chopin from 2019-03-04T11:54

We celebrate Chopin’s birthday on the first day of March and J.S. Bach’s on the last. So, on Timeline we’ll be spending this month exploring the life and music of these two influential composers. I...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Mozart's Starling from 2019-02-25T12:26

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart loved birds. His letters to family and friends mention several pet canaries he had during the course of his life, but the most famous bird Mozart ever owned was his beloved ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Qualia from 2019-02-18T10:46

Listening to music is an emotional experience, unique to each individual. I think we’ve all had a moment when a song, a piece, a singer, a band, an orchestra has touched our hearts, moved us in som...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Pareidolia - Auditory Illusions Part 3 from 2019-02-11T10:34

In the past couple of episodes we’ve looked at quite a few audio experiments (or illusions, if you will), exploring the limitations and wonderful abilities of our ears and mind. I’ve been joined by...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Filling In The Gaps - Auditory Illusions Part 2 from 2019-02-04T11:22

Our ears and minds are amazing. Not only can they hear and experience the world around us, they are also filling in the gaps in our perception. We don’t even realize all the ways that our hearing i...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Can You Trust Your Ears? - Auditory Illusions Part 1 from 2019-01-21T12:34

We are wired to respond to sound, in a thousandth of a second. With that kind of visceral, automatic response, we sometimes get it wrong. I’ve been looking at the research of perceptual and cogniti...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Earworms from 2019-01-07T13:09

Have you ever had a song that you just couldn’t get out of your head? You’re not alone. 98% of people have reportedly experienced this phenomenon. Scientists call it Involuntary Musical Imagery but...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Music and Politics from 2018-12-31T11:58

Music has always been used as a tool in political campaigns.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Muzak And Musical Manipulation from 2018-12-24T12:08

Music surrounds us all the time. It’s everywhere. Whether you’re at a restaurant, the grocery store, doctor’s office, hotel lobby or even some manufacturing facilities there always seems to be back...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Does Music Always Have To Tell A Story? from 2018-12-17T10:21

Thanks to the 1940 film Fantasia, this music will always be tied to the image of Mickey Mouse in that droopy wizard’s cap. However, the story of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice doesn’t come from Disney. ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Art and Civilization from 2018-12-10T11:42

Art is everywhere and always has been. It lines the walls of museums, buildings and caves. It fills our halls and ears with sound and music. It captures the eye with beautiful movement and imagery....

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Mozart Effect and the Intrinsic Value of Art from 2018-12-07T12:47

When my kids were infants I remember being told to be sure and play music for them during the day, at naptime and while they were asleep. The music had to be Mozart. Mozart was the key to making th...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Elements, Part 4: Air from 2018-06-23T11:34

In our final episode of "Timeline: Elements," host James Stewart explores the history and cultural significance of the element Air.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Elements, Part 3: Earth from 2018-06-23T11:33

Our third episode of "Timeline: Elements" focuses on our home, the ground beneath our feet: Earth.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Elements, Part 2: Water from 2018-06-23T11:32

Our series, "Timeline: Elements," continues as we explore the source of life: Water.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Elements, Part 1: Fire from 2018-06-23T11:31

In this series "Timeline: Elements," host James Stewart takes us on a journey into history, music and expression exploring the four classic elements of antiquity: fire, water, earth and air. We beg...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
What We Leave Behind from 2018-01-29T12:00

Deeper Issues, Today: When I was in middle school my class put together a time capsule and I remember caring so much that music be included that I put together a mixed tape, with popular songs reco...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Where Is Music? from 2018-01-22T12:00

Deeper Issues, Today: On Timeline we’ve asked a lot of questions; what is music? How was music created? Why is music written? Here’s another interesting question I’d love for us to ponder, where is...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Not Musical from 2018-01-08T12:00

Deeper Issues, Today: It was her first piano lesson with me, but she wasn’t new to the instrument. She had learned from YouTube tutorials and her own explorations to play some of her favorite songs...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Soundwaves from 2017-12-11T12:00

Deeper Issues, Today: Picture yourself at the beach watching the waves rise and break over the sand. You can see the water gather and rise as each waves comes in. Once a wave breaks the water level...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Why We Sing from 2017-12-04T12:00

Deeper Issues, Today: Why do humans sing? Why do we make music at all?

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Sound In Time from 2017-11-27T12:00

Ancient Music, 500 BCE: The desire to preserve music for future generations led to the development of Western notation; the lines and staves that we associate with written music today. However, the...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Pentatonic Scale from 2017-11-20T12:00

Ancient Music, 40,000 BCE: I asked a couple of my colleges at Vermont Public Radio to watch a video of Bobby leading the crowd in a musical, communal social experiment and give us their reactions.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Bone Flutes from 2017-11-13T12:00

Ancient Music, 40,000 BCE: Music lies close to the foundation of our common humanity. Let me explain what I mean.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Babytalk from 2017-11-06T12:00

Ancient Music, 100,000 BCE: We start with a recording I made almost 13 years ago of my oldest son, Jeremiah. He’s a teenager now, runs track, plays cello and already sings lower than his dad. Like ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
How Film And Music Became Forever Intertwined from 2017-04-10T12:00

20th Century, 1910s-Today: In the 20th century no medium affected culture more than film. The music written to accompany the images, story and dialogue has become a huge part of the movie-going exp...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
20th Century, 1959-Today: Minimalism from 2017-04-03T12:00

20th Century, 1959-Today: The music of the early 20th century was marked by increasing complexity and abstraction. Serialism and the chance practices of John Cage and his followers created an aesth...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Elliott Carter from 2017-03-27T12:00

20th Century, 1908-2012: Every morning, for more than 75 years, American composer Elliott Carter would awaken and go to his studio to write music. Carter and his wife, Helen Frost-Jones, lived in t...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Popular Music And Classical Music from 2017-03-20T12:00

20th Century, 1880s-Today: Musical labels are useful. The title of a genre or style comes in handy in the record store, on the radio or for streaming services. But these labels can also be problema...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
John Cage's 4'33" And What Silence Sounds Like from 2017-03-13T12:00

20th Century, 1952: In 1952, on a summer day in Woodstock, New York, pianist David Tudor held an outdoor recital of contemporary piano music. During this concert he premiered a new work by composer...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
How Tape Sparked A Wave Of Musical Experimentation from 2017-03-06T12:00

20th Century, 1930-Today: In the second half of the 20th century, technology evolved at an ever-increasing pace. The ability to capture a performance and manipulate recorded sound allowed musicians...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Aaron Copland from 2017-02-27T12:00

20th Century, 1900-1990: As a composer, Aaron Copland desired to be as American in his music as Mussorgsky and Stravinsky were Russian. He was always interested in expressing his Inscape, the true ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
George Gershwin from 2017-02-20T12:00

20th Century, 1898-1937: His life embodied the American dream. Starting from nothing, he used his talents and musical intuition to build a fortune and an international reputation. George Gershwin’s...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
American Musicals from 2017-02-13T12:00

20th Century, 1866-Today: The modern American musical is usually associated with the “triple threat”, singing, dancing and acting. It is also the culmination of costume and set design utilizing res...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Nadia and Lili Boulanger from 2017-02-06T12:00

20th Century, 1887-1979: Aaron Copland, Jean Françaix, Elliott Carter, Philip Glass and Quincy Jones; what do all of these musicians have in common? They were all students of Nadia Boulanger.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Ralph Vaughan Williams from 2017-01-30T12:00

20th Century, 1872-1958: Ralph Vaughan Williams spent 60 years in the public eye as a composer, conductor, professor and writer. His work set off a renaissance of English music in the 20th century.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Dmitri Shostakovich from 2017-01-23T12:00

20th Century, 1906-1975: Russian composer, Dmitri Shostakovich saw himself a Soviet man first and a composer second. He felt that it was his duty to compose music for his countrymen that reflected ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
World War II, Musical Propaganda from 2017-01-16T12:00

20th Century, 1939-1945: As World War II began to rage across Europe and the Pacific, communication technology had spread to most of the world. Radio and recording allowed a unified soundtrack of t...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Olivier Messiaen from 2017-01-09T12:00

20th Century, 1908-1992: When he heard harmony, he saw color. Olivier Messiaen was not just a visionary composer; he was an organist, an ornithologist and a professor of world-wide acclaim. He was ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Rise of Radio from 2017-01-02T12:00

20th Century, 1920: Today, music is everywhere. Invisible signals fly through the air carrying every possible genre and style that a person could ever want. We can access them from our homes, cars ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Paul Hindemith from 2016-12-26T12:00

20th Century, 1895-1963: German composer, Paul Hindemith was a central figure in music and music theory in the 20th century, especially in the period between the wars. His music, teaching methods a...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Neoclassicism from 2016-12-19T12:00

20th Century, 1917: In previous centuries there were prevailing styles and forms of music. The Baroque, Classical and Romantic eras have their own set of conventions that composers followed. But th...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Sergei Prokofiev from 2016-12-12T12:00

20th Century, 1891-1953: Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf is an excellent example of the Russian composer’s style; modernist harmonic expression with accessible melodies and familiar forms. Hi...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
'The Great War' from 2016-12-05T12:00

20th Century, 1914: June 28, 1914, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip, a Yugoslav nationalist. This incident quickly escala...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Rite of Spring from 2016-11-28T12:00

20th Century, 1913: In music, there have been defining moments that change the world. A single piece, even a single performance, sends shock waves through the entire art form and suddenly things ar...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Igor Stravinsky from 2016-11-21T12:00

20th Century, 1882-1971: No other composer in recent history was able to adapt to the changing styles of his time like Igor Stravinsky. He was a composer of international acclaim with ties to Russi...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Bela Bartok from 2016-11-14T12:00

20th Century, 1881-1945: Bela Bartok was a composer, pianist and musicologist. He was so devoted to his studies and artistic pursuits that he stated, “If I would cross myself I would say ‘in the na...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Charles Ives from 2016-11-07T12:00

20th Century, 1874-1954: Charles Ives was an organist, a baseball player, an insurance salesman and a part-time composer. He was ahead of his time, and his compositions inspired a growing modernist...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Second Viennese School from 2016-10-31T12:00

20th Century, 1903-1925: Throughout music history there have been schools of thought and practice. These schools were collections of composers around an institution or geographic location that work...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Arnold Schoenberg from 2016-10-24T12:00

20th Century, 1874-1951: Arnold Schoenberg was a composer, teacher, music theorist and painter. He developed techniques of composition that turned music upside down and backwards. He was called an ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Maurice Ravel from 2016-10-17T12:00

20th Century, 1875-1937: French composer, Maurice Ravel was short in stature, slight of frame, impeccably dressed and careful about his manner. He lived a private life, but perhaps you could have f...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Impressionism from 2016-10-10T12:00

20th Century, 1890-1910: Art influences art. The work of one discipline can inform and inspire the work of another. In France, at the close of the 19th century, a movement known as impressionism le...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Claude Debussy from 2016-10-03T12:00

20th Century, 1862-1918: Once in a great while an artist steps on to the scene that challenges the status quo and changes the way we look at art forever. At the dawning of the 20th century, France ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Recording Music - Part 1 from 2016-09-26T12:00

20th Century, 1857-1929: Of all the advancements of the 20th century, the advent of recording technology has affected the world of music like no other. For centuries, classical music was the privil...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
20th Century Music from 2016-09-19T12:00

20th Century, 1900: At the dawning of the 20th century the world stood on the edge of immense change. No one could have guessed what the next hundred years would bring. Previous centuries saw most ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Richard Strauss from 2016-09-12T12:00

Romantic, 1864-1949: What would you do if you spent your childhood being declared the next Brahms or Wagner? Well, if you were composer Richard Strauss, you would rise to the occasion.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Jean Sibelius from 2016-09-05T12:00

Romantic, 1865-1957: The Scandinavian composer, Jean Sibelius wrote 7 symphonies, many symphonic poems and over 100 vocal songs. He was the voice of his homeland, Finland, at a time of great politi...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Amy Beach from 2016-08-29T12:00

Romantic, 1867-1944: In the 19th century, composition was a man’s world. The stigma of being a female composer made it difficult for a woman’s work to be read or heard. One woman helped to break t...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Gustav Mahler from 2016-08-22T12:00

Romantic, 1860-1911: For centuries, the region of Austro/Germany produced remarkably talented composers. You can follow a chain of names from Haydn to Mozart, from Beethoven to Mendelssohn and Brah...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Edvard Grieg from 2016-08-15T12:00

Romantic, 1843-1907: The music of composer Edvard Grieg has become synonymous with his homeland, Norway. Grieg brought the folk tunes and artistic sensibility of Scandinavia to the world through hi...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Camille Saint-Saens from 2016-08-08T12:00

Romantic, 1835-1921: French composer Camille Saint-Saens had a long and successful career as a pianist, organist and composer. Over the course of his life he saw music change dramatically as the wo...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Blues, Ragtime and Jazz from 2016-08-01T12:00

Romantic, 1895: In 1865 the 13th amendment of the constitution was ratified, abolishing slavery in the United States forever. As a result an entire population of citizens was now free to pursue the...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The New World Symphony from 2016-07-25T12:00

Romantic, 1893: When Dvorak arrived in New York City in 1892, he wasn’t just listening to the music made in the conservatory halls. He turned his attention to the tapestry of sound and expression f...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Antonin Dvorak from 2016-07-18T12:00

Romantic, 1841-1904: The musical challenge of the 19th century composer was finding the balance between the traditional styles and forms of the past while embracing their own heritage and homeland....

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Strauss Family from 2016-07-11T12:00

Romantic, 1844-1908: In the ballrooms of Vienna in the 19th century, if you heard a waltz it was highly likely that it was written by a member of the Strauss family; either the father, Johann, or o...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Pyotr Llyich Tchiakovsky from 2016-07-04T12:00

Romantic, 1840-1893: Although he wasn’t part of the so called “Russian Five” circle of composers, Pyotr Llyich Tchiakovsky stands as one of the most beloved and most talented Russian composers of a...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Mikhail Glinka and the Russian Five from 2016-06-27T12:00

Romantic, 1856-1870: In the 19th century there were two seemingly opposing influences in the world of music. First, the growing tide of Romantic Nationalism was sweeping the Western world as each p...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Musical Nationalism from 2016-06-20T12:00

Romantic, 1850: Music is one of the ways that we define ourselves. Beginning around the 19th century, we’re able to think about composers not along lines of genre or form but along lines of nationa...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Viva Verdi from 2016-06-13T12:00

Romantic, 1841: A month after Giuseppe Verdi’s death in January of 1901, there was a public procession as his remains were delivered to the “House of Rest” in Milan. Around 300,000 mourners gathere...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Giuseppe Verdi from 2016-06-06T12:00

Romantic, 1813-1901: Early 19th century Italian opera was dominated by the works of the three “E’s”; Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini. But if there is one composer whose work stands on par with Mozar...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Shadow of Beethoven from 2016-05-30T12:00

Romantic, 1855-1867: Johannes Brahms was first introduced to the world through the writings of Robert Schumann who praised his gifts so highly that many expected Brahms to be Beethoven’s natural su...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Johannes Brahms from 2016-05-23T12:00

Romantic, 1833-1897: In September of 1895 the Meningen Music Festival in Germany dedicated over two weeks of performances to the music of three composers, Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. Brahms was 62 ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Clara Schumann from 2016-05-16T12:00

Romantic, 1819-1896: 19th century Germany was not a hospitable environment for female composers. Nevertheless, Clara Weick-Schumann left an indelible mark with her compositions, her soulful musicia...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Robert Schumann from 2016-05-09T12:00

Romantic, 1810-1856: Robert Schumann is one of the central figures of the Romantic Era. Not only did he make important contributions to the piano, art song and orchestral repertoire, he was also a ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Tristan Chord from 2016-05-02T12:00

Romantic, 1859: The music of Richard Wagner marked a growing “crisis” in Romantic harmony marked by the so called, "Tristan Chord". This is the opening harmony of the prelude to Wagner’s 1859 opera...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Wagner's 'Total Art' from 2016-04-25T12:00

Romantic, 1827: It only takes a few notes to recognize the main theme of John William's score to the film “Star Wars." The Star Wars franchise has become a cultural touchstone all around the world....

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Richard Wagner from 2016-04-18T12:00

Romantic, 1813-1883: Even mentioning the name Wagner spawns a dramatic response. He’s one of those figures that’s either loved or hated. It’s been said that more ink has been spilt on the works and...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Franz Liszt from 2016-04-11T12:00

Romantic, 1811-1886: When I say the words “rock star," what comes to your mind? Perhaps you picture guitars, stadiums and teeming mobs of adoring fans flocking to their favorite band or musician. I...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The History of the Piano from 2016-04-04T12:00

Romantic, 1698-1825: The modern piano is a masterpiece of acoustic design and engineering; 88 keys with the ability to play all of the notes a musician could possibly reach simultaneously, and a so...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Frederic Chopin from 2016-03-28T12:00

Romantic, 1810-1849: In the Romantic Era, composers were no longer employees of the aristocracy; they composed for the people. This freedom was doubled-edged. Although it allowed the artistic geniu...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Bach Revival from 2016-03-21T12:00

Romantic, 1829: For the first 50 years after his death, the majority of J.S. Bach’s music remained unpublished and unperformed. The 19th century saw an unprecedented return to his music in what we...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Felix Mendelssohn from 2016-03-14T12:00

Romantic, 1809-1847: Felix Mendelssohn had natural artistic talent to spare. He was a painter, poet, pianist and composer who not only left the world an impressive body of work but also helped revi...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Hector Berlioz from 2016-03-07T12:00

Romantic, 1803-1869: Hector Berlioz was passionate about music, love and literature. He was brash and opinionated, isolating others and ultimately himself. Although he was unappreciated during his ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Franz Schubert from 2016-02-29T12:00

Romantic, 1797-1828: Franz Schubert lived to be only 31 years old, but he left behind more than a lifetime’s worth of music. Schubert wrote over 600 songs, numerous chamber and symphonic works. Eve...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Gioachino Rossini from 2016-02-22T12:00

Romantic, 1792-1868: Italian opera was in severe decline in the first decade of the 19th Century. However, thanks to the works of composers like Rossini, Donizetti and Bellini, a new golden age was...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Carl Maria Von Weber from 2016-02-15T12:00

Romantic, 1786-1826: Beethoven loomed so large in early 19th Century Germany that other composers are often overlooked. One prime example is Carl Maria von Weber, a founder of the Romantic Movement.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Rise of Romanticism from 2016-02-08T12:00

Romantic, 1800: The last decade of the 18th century was a time of incredible change in the western world. The technological advances of the industrial revolution, the wars and upheaval of the enlig...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Baron Gottfried Von Swieten from 2016-02-01T12:00

Classical, 1733-1803: Composers were not the only ones who shaped the course of music. Sometimes a librarian influences the future in ways that no one could ever imagine. Baron Gottfried van Swiete...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Ludwig van Beethoven, Part 3 from 2016-01-25T12:00

Classical, 1815-1827: The years 1813 to 1816 were a dry period for Beethoven. He was wrestling with his health and with his family.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Ludwig van Beethoven, Part 2 from 2016-01-18T12:00

Classical, 1801-1805: At the dawning of the 19th century, Beethoven had not given up hope that his doctors would find a treatment to reverse his hearing loss. His condition was not only affecting h...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Ludwig van Beethoven, Part 1 from 2016-01-11T12:00

Classical, 1770-1801: Ludwig van Beethoven has been called the most admired composer in all of music history. His legacy stands as a monument for the entire 19th century and beyond.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Muzio Clementi from 2016-01-04T12:00

Classical, 1752-1832: Muzio Clementi was called the "father of the pianoforte." He earned this title, not because he played the instrument first, but because he played it best out of his generation.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Collapse of the Kapellmeister System from 2015-12-28T12:00

Classical, 1776: The rise of the American and French Revolutions were signs of deep changes in the Western world in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Not only was the Age of Enlightenment a p...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart from 2015-12-18T12:00

Classical, 1756-1791: Even if you’re not that familiar with classical music you still know the name Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and can probably even hum a few of his tunes. His music has always been p...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Birth Of The Symphony from 2015-12-14T12:00

Classical, 1770: The word "symphony" is one of the most iconic musical terms, but what makes a piece of music a symphony? The term itself is a compound word with Greek roots meaning "sounding toget...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Franz Joseph Haydn from 2015-12-07T12:00

Classical, 1732-1809: Franz Joseph Haydn is a towering figure of the Classical era. He didn’t just mimic the changes of the late 18th century, in a large way, his music was the change. He forged ne...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Gluck And Operatic Reform from 2015-11-30T12:00

Rococo, 1714-1787: The Age of Enlightenment in the 18th century called into question the powers of the monarchy and religious dogma. There was an emphasis on scientific rigor and simplicity. This m...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Rococo, Between Baroque and Classical from 2015-11-23T12:00

Rococo, 1750-1775: The death of J.S. Bach in 1750 has traditionally been regarded as the end of the Baroque Period. The well-known Classical era of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven is said to have begun...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Bach Children from 2015-11-16T12:00

Rococo, 1750-1800: Johann Sebastian Bach had two wives and a total of 20 children. Sadly, only half of those children survived to adulthood. But of those 10, four became notable composers; each wit...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Well-Tempered Clavier from 2015-11-09T12:00

Baroque, 1722: Bach's seminal work The Well-Tempered Clavier showcases an ability that we take for granted in modern music. Today, we have the ability to play with anyone in any key thanks to our m...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Life And Times Of Johann Sebastian Bach from 2015-11-02T12:00

Baroque, 1685-1750: For the Bach's of Germany music was a family business. Over 50 members of the Bach family were employed as musicians over the course of two centuries. The most famous, and arg...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
George Frideric Handel from 2015-10-26T12:00

Baroque, 1685-1759: The Baroque era (1600 to 1750) was a time of blending cultures as the European continent was becoming smaller and more connected. A mixture of influences from Italy, France, Eng...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Georg Philipp Telemann from 2015-10-19T12:00

Baroque, 1681-1767: Georg Philipp Telemann was unquestionably the most prolific composer of his generation. He wrote over 3,000 individual works ranging from chamber music to opera, from oratorios ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Antonio Vivaldi from 2015-10-12T12:00

Baroque, 1678-1741: Antonio Vivaldi is a name that has become synonymous with the Baroque concerto. His style and massive output has influenced composers for almost 300 years.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Jean Philippe Rameau And The Beginning Of Music Theory from 2015-10-05T12:00

Baroque, 1683-1764: The 17th Century, also known as the Age of Reason, saw the birth of the scientific method. The music and writings of French composer Jean Phillippe Rameau sought to understand m...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Arrival Of Opera In France And Jean Baptiste Lully from 2015-09-28T12:00

Baroque, 1665-1725: Though born the son of a humble miller in Florence, Italy, Jean Baptiste Lully was destined to become the "Father of French Opera." His work and influence took this Italian art ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
French Composer Francois Couperin from 2015-09-21T12:00

Baroque, 1668-1733: The Baroque saw many influential musical families as the craft and career of composition and performing was passed from father to son and daughter for generations. One of the gr...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Alessandro And Domenico Scarlatti from 2015-09-14T12:00

Baroque, 1660-1757: During the Baroque, several families made their mark in the world of music. In Italy there were few families more influential than the Scarlattis.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Life And Works Of Henry Purcell from 2015-09-07T12:00

Baroque, 1659-1695: The British Isles were in turmoil in the mid-17th century, wracked by civil war, plague and a fire that devastated most of London. By the late 1660s, new hope was found in the r...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Arcangelo Corelli, Giuseppe Torelli And The Development Of The Concerto from 2015-08-31T12:00

Baroque, 1653-1709: The concerto is a popular genre of instrumental music that was developed during the Baroque. It is characterized by one or more instruments (the concertino) acting as the soloi...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Giovanni Gabrieli And The Origin Of The Sonata from 2015-08-24T12:00

Baroque, 1553-1612: The Latin word Cantata means “to sing”, the word Sonata means “to play.” That last title is vague enough to cover a multitude of instrumental genres. Vocal music comes with a bu...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Birth Of Opera from 2015-08-17T12:00

Baroque, 1589: The word opera literally translates as the word "work;" it's the plural of the noun opus. The dramatic form of opera has its roots deep within the aristocratic culture of early 16th ...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Doctrine Of Affections And The Baroque from 2015-08-10T12:00

Baroque, 1576: The aesthetic basis of baroque music, from Monteverdi to J. S. Bach, was greatly influenced by a concept called the doctrine of affections.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Claudio Monteverdi, Prima Prattica And Seconda Prattica from 2015-08-03T12:00

Baroque, 1567-1643: There are individuals in music history that stand as pillars, whose life and work help us delineate the various eras of musical practice. One such individual was the Italian com...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Maddalena Casulana, The First Female Composer To Be Printed And Published from 2015-07-27T12:00

Renaissance, 1540-1583: The Renaissance was a time of re-birth as science and the arts changed the face of culture. However, some old ideas persisted in the midst of this change; especially beliefs...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Influence Of The 16th Century Madrigal from 2015-07-20T12:00

Renaissance, 1557-1602: This week, we will explore the influence of the 16th century madrigal and discuss its place in the music leading up to the Baroque.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Influence Of The Reformation And Counter-Reformation On Music from 2015-07-13T12:00

Renaissance, 1517-1545: In this week's episode, we'll explore the influence the reformation and counter-reformation had on the world of music including the work of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Josquin Desprez, Johannes Ockeghem And The Development Of Canon from 2015-07-06T12:00

Renaissance, 1410-1521: In this episode we will explore the development of imitation or canon as a tool of harmony and musical form, especially in the works of Josquin Deprez and Johannes Ockeghem.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Ottaviano Petrucci And The Art Of Music Publishing from 2015-06-29T12:00

Renaissance, 1466-1539: In 1450, Johannes Gutenburg made history in Europe with his moveable type printing press. Thanks to his process and his machine, the printed word was able to spread across t...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Composer Guillaume Dufay, The Tenor Mass And The Blurring Of Secular And Sacred Music from 2015-06-22T12:00

Renaissance, 1397-1474: This week, we’ll discuss the music of the 15th century French composer Guillaume Dufay and how the lines that defined secular and sacred music began to blur in the late Midd...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Ars Nova Versus Ars Antiqua from 2015-06-15T12:00

Middle Ages, 1291-1377 AD: There are moments in music history, like all history, that stand as dividing lines. Once they happened, nothing could ever be the same.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
12th Century Troubadours, Trouveres And Bernart De Ventadorn from 2015-06-08T12:00

Middle Ages, 1130-1190 AD: Though the church was instrumental in the development of musical notation, it was not the sole arbiter of music in medieval times. The high middle ages were also the tim...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Hildegard Of Bingen And Her 'Play Of Virtues' from 2015-06-01T12:00

Middle Ages, 1148 AD: Hildegard of Bingen was a writer, composer, philosopher, mystic, abbess, polymath and a literal visionary of the 12th Century.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Anonymity And Authorship In The Middle Ages from 2015-05-25T12:00

Middle Ages, 1000-1100 AD: Have you ever been to a restaurant and heard an off-brand version of the popular “Happy Birthday To You” song? The reason why a restaurant would choose to use that versio...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Guido Of Arezzo And The Solfege System from 2015-05-18T12:00

Ancient Music, 991-1033 AD: Guido de Arezzo was one of the first music theorists in our western musical tradition.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
The Beginning Of Notation from 2015-05-11T12:00

Ancient Music, 800-900 AD: It's easy to take for granted this ability to take a piece of music and understand it instantly, but this wasn't always the case. Let's explore the birth of modern musica...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Pythagoras And The Connection Between Music And Math from 2015-05-04T12:00

Ancient Music, 570-495 BCE: There is a long history of connection between the world of music and the world of mathematics.

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Ancient Musical Notation from 2015-04-27T12:00

Ancient Music, 1400-200 BCE: The art of writing down melodies, preserving sound in time, was not something that was first invented just 1,000 years ago. Humans have made music for most of our histo...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Ancient Musical Notation from 2015-04-27T12:00

Ancient Music, 1400-200 BCE: The art of writing down melodies, preserving sound in time, was not something that was first invented just 1,000 years ago. Humans have made music for most of our histo...

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Timeline: Vermont Public Classical
Ancient Musical Notation from 2015-04-27T12:00

Ancient Music, 1400-200 BCE: The art of writing down melodies, preserving sound in time, was not something that was first invented just 1,000 years ago. Humans have made music for most of our histo...

Listen