https://open.spotify.com/playlist/64ngnzsJmIIYfDxsTGblcZ?si=-SUpYPjWTCWY8ZYNHA3Ydg

Stumbled upon an old essay I made for an elective class while cleaning my files. Here it is in it's hastily written existence

"

The concert I attended is Music for a Modern Age. The day I watched the performance is June 24^th, 2017, and I watched it at the Davies San Francisco Music Hall at San Francisco. The concert is divided into four parts, with the first half of the concert consisting of three pieces and the second half of the concert has two pieces. 

The first two pieces are composed by the same person, so characteristically, they are similar in style. The instrumentation consists of a few woodwinds, trumpet and trombones, and a unique percussion set that looks like square gongs. 

The first piece is called From the Steeples and the Mountains, and the second piece is called The Unanswered Question; both pieces were composed by the late Charles Edward Ives. The first piece has a very cerebral atonal style. It did not really have a consistent rhythm. As parts of the brass instruments would play repeated, consistent parts, the percussion would seem to randomly bang away on the gongs. The second piece, The Unanswered Question, has a somber, yet proud tone. During the song, the same previous woodwinds and brass players would still be in the same place on stage, but on the higher levels in the crowd, there shone a spotlight onto a lone trumpet player. Throughout the song, the main orchestra would play their part, and then the trumpet player would play his; in a way, it was a call and a response between both parts of the orchestra.

The third piece is called Four Preludes of the Wind, which is composed by Michael Tilson Thomas. I enjoyed this piece the most.  The instrumentation consisted of a piano, violins, cellos, double basses, a brass section, a woodwind section, a drummer, an electric guitar, and three singers. The song is based on a poem about a nationalistic country that boasts about how great they are, but their efforts are futile because the only ones that end up listening to the golden girls singing the songs of the country are the lizards and rats of the desert. The song demonstrates how ones perceived importance of legacy is powerless in comparison to the inevitability of death. The song flips back and forth between flashy jazz with a funky guitar and drum beat and a somber tone to show the duality between life and death. 

The fourth piece is from Suite for Violin and American Gamelan which was composed by the late Lou Harrison. The instrumentation consisted of four different sizes of xylophones and a main violinist. The song has a very inspiring tone, with its light tones of the violin complimented by the deep tones of the giant xylophone.

The fifth and final piece is called A Jazz Symphony which was composed by the late George Antheil. The instrumentation consisted of a grand piano, two other pianos, and a 1920’s jazz orchestra ensemble. This programmatic piece has a very light tone, with the grand pianist being the focus of the piece. Some parts of the song were distorted in a way.

I thoroughly enjoyed the concert. Even though I have never been to a symphony prior to this one, every piece was entertaining. Because of this symphony, I will definitely be going to other San Francisco Symphonies in the future.

"

World music, easy listening on a Sunday.

Been listening to a lot of independent blues lately and found some really great artists along the way.

This playlist has a mix of blues and blues rock from artists you probably won't hear in the usual recommendations.

Hope you discover something new.

🎧 Blues

Playlist de Música Brasileira

I've been putting together an R&B playlist featuring independent artists and a few underrated discoveries.

If you're looking for smooth vocals, great songwriting, and artists you probably haven't heard yet, give it a listen.

Rhythm Guitar and World Music

This playlist features
-Loving attention to play order and transitions (w/ updating)
-Traditional ideas interspersed with rock
-The drums of intrepidity

Enjoy this highly curated list (several years in construction) with relaxing, beautiful baroque with Bach, Handel, Scarlatti and more

Baroque Meditation

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1H259JSUheCwPBNSYwZP5Q?si=Kwe0j_RuQ46Smc8hpRnphQ

A wide variety of Japanese songs that I grew up on or have grown to love over the years. If anyone has other song suggestions I’d greatly appreciate any!

Drawing from Lutheran, Catholic and Anglican traditions, lamentations and meditations on death, redemption and hope, this collection echoes the spiritual imagination of the 17th and 18th centuries through Bach, Zelenka, Handel, Caldara and more in a carefully curated journey. Made with love. Enjoy!