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Free Online Video Music Lessons
ArtistWorks for Libraries provides patrons with world-class instruction through self-paced video lessons from Grammy Award-winning music and artistic professionals.
Language
English
Description
The shakuhachi, a kind of wooden flute, was introduced to Japan sometime between the 8th and 12th centuries and was used in court music as well as in Buddhist monasteries as a vehicle for enlightenment. This program features performances and discussion by Shozan Tanabe, one of Japan's most recognized players of the shakuhachi. Along with recordings of his music, Tanabe talks about the history of this instrument so often associated with the "sound...
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English
Description
This program opens with Fritz Reiner conducting the New York Philharmonic in Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, with Jascha Heifetz as soloist; Reiner, whom Isaac Stern characterizes as a brilliant stick technician, is also seen conducting the Chicago Symphony in Beethoven's Seventh. The program also presents Szell in conversation and rehearsing the Cleveland in Brahms' Academic Festival Overture, von Karajan in conversation and performing Debussy's "La...
63) Bass Instruments
Language
English
Description
This program discusses the instruments in the bass section of an orchestra-particularly the double bass. We see how the double bass, originally developed as an accompanying instrument, was used more prominently by such musical notables as double bass virtuoso and conductor Serge Kussevitzky-mentor of the late Leonard Bernstein. Music by Haydn and others illustrates the use of other bass instruments, including the tuba, bass cornet, serpent, ophicleide,...
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English
Description
This collection includes seven enriching, short documentary films created to support teachers, encourage parents, and promote community engagement in music education. Introducing music from the Renaissance through the 21st century, this invaluable series features rarely heard music from a broad range of performers, music styles, and ideas. The seven segments include an inspiring teacher performing with his students; an internationally known pianist’s...
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English
Description
Bobby is an enthusiastic young musician who wants to join the orchestra, but Strauss the Conductor must teach him the basics of an orchestra first. Through the antics of these two engaging puppet characters, this program provides insight into the conductor as well as the string section of the orchestra. Exploring the history and development of ancient chordophones to the modern day violin, viola, cello, double bass, and harp, the video shows these...
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English
Description
Michihiro Sato is considered the finest player of the Tsugaru shamisen, a traditional three-stringed instrument of the Tsugaru province integral to Japanese folk music. This program combines live performances by Sato at the Otsu Traditional Performing Arts Center with the musician's commentary on the history and role of the shamisen player, a door-to-door minstrel of a bygone era. Sato also discusses the future of Tsugaru shamisen, such as his work...
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English
Description
Guitarist John Abercrombie combines bop and free jazz stylistic elements with electronics utilizing phase shifters, guitar synthesizers and the good old volume pedal. What has kept his playing fresh is his refusal to be chained to these digital devices. Saxophonist, composer, producer and educator Greg Osby has made an indelible mark on contemporary jazz as a leader of his own ensembles and as a guest artist with other acclaimed jazz groups for the...
69) The Oboe
Language
English
Description
The modern version of the oboe and the many forms it has taken during its evolution are the subject of this program. We see the oboe's ancient Egyptian ancestor-an unrecognizable prototype of the instrument played today. The more familiar-looking oboe, developed in the 17th century, is discussed within the context of its predecessors-the English horn, the heckelphone, and the contra bassoon. Works from Lully to Strauss illustrate the oboe's versatility...
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English
Description
Though the violins of Antonio Stradivarius and Guarneri del Gesu remain the gold standard for concert musicians, their prices-often in the millions-and their scarcity place them beyond the use of all but a handful of soloists. This NewsHour program looks at Samuel Zygmuntowicz, the master violin-maker whose replicas and original designs fetch
71) Materia Wood
Language
Español
Description
In Italy there’s a strong tradition of working with wood. In this documentary we start in the Forest of Violins in Paneveggio. Each tree is specially selected and felled for its quality grain. The forest is never over-harvested, with a mindfulness of preserving the forest and the traditional trees that are used to make the world’s finest violins and other objects of art. Visit schools and witness local carving traditions, like Krampus masks and...
72) Giuseppe Verdi
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English
Description
Considered the greatest of all opera composers, Verdi was a zealous nationalist who wrote his music not to please critics or the aristocracy but to entertain the masses. Known for his soaring arias and unforgettable melodies, his goal was to infuse dramatic power into opera. With paintings, photos, and extensive musical excerpts, this program looks at the life and enduring works of Verdi. Opera and stage directors Gerard Mortier and Lucchino Visconti...
73) The Trumpet
Language
English
Description
The story of the trumpet begins with the trumpeters' guilds of the Renaissance. We see how improvements in its construction led to its use in the Baroque period, and how Vivaldi began to use a more refined version in his compositions. Later flexibility made it popular with dance bands and jazz musicians. Combining computer graphics with music, a trumpeter demonstrates how the sound of the instrument developed over time, and how new playing techniques...
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English
Description
Saxophonist, composer, producer, and educator Greg Osby has made an indelible mark on contemporary jazz as a leader of his own ensembles and as a guest artist with other acclaimed jazz groups for the past 20 years. Highly regarded for his insightful and innovative approach to composition and performance, Osby has earned numerous awards and critical acclaim. In the set for Solos: the Jazz Sessions, Osby explores a range of emotional and musical states,...
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English
Description
How do three talented individuals translate their unique artistic sensibilities into action? This program explains. Section one focuses attention on Jacques d'Amboise, one of the world's finest classical dancers and founder of the National Dance Institute, which exposes thousands of inner-city school children to the magic and discipline of dance. Section two introduces viewers to Andre Andreev and Dan Covert, lead designers for many of MTV's premiere...
76) The Flute
Language
English
Description
This program deals with the history and development of the metal instrument we know today as the transverse flute. We learn how the flute was popularized by French flautist Jacques Hotterre, son of its creator, Jean Hotterre, at the court of Louis XIV. We see how continuing improvements to the instrument over time increased its use, until it became a key instrument in modern orchestras. Flute performances from works by Lully, Frederick the Great,...
Language
English
Description
Bobby is learning a lot from his new mentor, Strauss the Conductor, but he still has more to learn before he can become a member of the orchestra. Through the antics of these two engaging puppet characters, this program introduces the percussion section of the orchestra, examining the history and development of ancient membranophones and idiophones to modern day orchestral percussion instruments. Viewers see these instruments in action, and explore...
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English
Description
This program examines frameworks in which jazz musicians improvise and looks at the interrelationship between songwriter and improviser. Courtney Pine uses his percussion-heavy "Jazz Step," based on 12-bar blues, as a jumping-off point to discuss how a small group interacts when improvising as well as matters of technique such as riffs, three-chord progressions, and blues scales. Django Bates works within a big band context to dig into the dynamics...
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English
Description
How do musicians find the inspiration to create? Do most songwriters come up with lyrics first, or music? What does it mean to be a composer in today's high-tech world? This program addresses questions young people may have about embarking on a career in music or musical composition. Focusing on current styles like rock, techno, and hip-hop, the video includes interviews with a classically trained composer as well as artists in other genres. Subjects...
80) The Clarinet
Language
English
Description
This program shows how the German-system clarinet's unique sound and wide range of musical expression assured it a place in chamber music ensembles and in the orchestra itself. Beginning at the 18th-century workshop where it was created, we see how it was constructed, and how it has evolved over time. Its musical history is illustrated through extracts from works by several famous composers, including Beethoven, Brahms, and Mozart.