Tag: composers

Classical Music at the Movies: Aaron Copland, Spike Lee and “He Got Game”

The year is 1998. Filmmaker Spike Lee is ten movies into his career but things have hit a snag.  The writer/director’s last three movies have all been adapted from other people’s material and have done so-so with both audiences and critics. The harsher among them say that Lee–successful, admired, and a long way from earlier… Continue reading Classical Music at the Movies: Aaron Copland, Spike Lee and “He Got Game”

Gong Hey Fat Choy! Celebrating the Year of the Rooster.

Happy Year of the Rooster! The most important holiday of the year in China, Lunar New Year is also celebrated all over the world with parades, parties, lion dances, and more. A little trivia before we get started! If you were born in the year of the rooster, here are some things that will bring… Continue reading Gong Hey Fat Choy! Celebrating the Year of the Rooster.

Classical Music for Black History Month

Here at Salon97, we love to see classical music as bigger and grander than it tends to present itself. And, quite frankly, classical music does a lousy job talking about talented composers and musicians who aren’t dead, white, and male. The African American contribution to classical music is substantial and real. In honor of Black History Month, we put together this short guide of resources on great African American classical composers and music.

Lisztomania

A young, handsome, and enormously talented Franz Liszt.

Did you know? The band Phoenix wrote Lisztomania in honor of composer Franz Liszt’s stud factor. As for the term itself, “Lisztomania” was first coined by German critic/poet/journalist Heinrich Heine as he discussed the fanaticism and fandom surrounding virtuosic pianist and composer Franz Liszt.