Double-click on any word and see its definition from Cambridge Dictionaries Online.
The first modern symphony orchestra – basically four sections consisting of woodwind, brass, percussion and bowed string instruments – was founded at the court of Duke Karl Theodor at Mannheim, Germany in 1743. the oldest existing symphony orchestra, the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig, Germany, was also established in 1743. Originally known as the Grosses Concert and later as the Liebhaber-Concerte, its current name dates from 1781.
Source: Guinness World Records
The most prolific composer of all time was probably Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) of Germany. He composed 12 complete sets of services (one cantata every Sunday) for a year, 78 services for special occasions, 40 operas, 600 to 700 orchestral suites, 44 passions, plus concertos and chamber music.
Source: Guinness World Records
Amadeus (1984): directed by Milos Forman and starring Tom Hulce and F. Murray Abraham. Tagline: Amadeus. The man. The music. The magic. The madness. The murder. The mystery. The motion picture. Plot outline: The incredible story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, told in flashback mode by Antonio Salieri - now confined to an insane asylum.
Source: IMDb
On 17 June 1872, Johann Strauss the younger (1825-99) conducted an orchestra of 987 pieces supported by a choir of 20,000, at the World Peace Jubilee in Boston, USA. The number of first violinists was 400.
On 4 November 1990 a 1,500 piece orchestra consisting of 13 youth orchestras from Mexico and Venezuela gave a full concert, including works by Handel, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Dvorak, under the baton of Mexican conductor Fernando Lozano at the Magdalena Mixhiuca Sports Centre, Mexico City.
Source: Guinness World Records
The Orff-Schulwerk, or simply the Orff-Approach is a developmental approach to Music Education for children. It was developed by the German composer Carl Orff (1895-1982), while he was music director of a school of dance and music known as the Günther-Schule, in Munich. He collaborated extensively with Gunild Keetman to fully develop the philosophy. The term 'schulwerk' is the German term for schooling or school work, in this regard in the area of music. The Orff approach of music education uses very rudimentary forms of everyday activities in the purpose of music creation by young individuals. This includes singing in groups and performing voice instrumental music, rhymes and playing instruments such as the metallophone, xylophone, glockenspiel, and other percussive instruments. The music generated is largely improvisational and original tonal constructions and this builds a sense of confidence and interest in the process of creative thinking.
Source: Wikipedia
Roll Over Beethoven by Chuck Berry
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Erik is the Phantom of the Opera, in the French novel by Gaston Leroux. He is an eccentric, physically deformed genius who terrorizes the Opera Garnier in Paris, France. He builds his home beneath it and takes the love of his life, a beautiful soprano Christine, under his wing.
Source: Wikipedia
Mozart Cookies
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The following are all classical music-related puns (an amusing use of a word or phrase which has several meanings or which sounds like another word):
There was an orchestra conductor who threw tempo tantrums.
The conductor who didn't pay his orchestra had to face the music.
She was given a violin lesson for free, with no strings attached.
Violinists are often fiddling around.
Show me a piano thrown into an army trench, and I'll show you A-flat major.
Show me a piano falling down a mineshaft, and I'll show you a flat minor.
Source: http://punoftheday.com/
The first studies of musical history date back to the middle of the 18th century. G.B. Martini published a three volume history titled Storia della musica (History of Music) between 1757 and 1781. Martin Gerbert published a two volume history of sacred music titled De cantu de musica sacra in 1774. Gerbert followed this work with a three volume work Scriptores ecclesiastici de musica sacra containing significant writings on sacred music from the third century AD onwards in 1784.
Source: Wikipedia
The longest interval between the known composition of a piece by a major composer and it s performance in the manner intended is from 3 March 1791 until 9 October 1982 (over 191 years), in the case of Mozart’s Organ Piece for a Clock, a fugue fantasy in F min (K 608), arranged by the organ builders Wm. Hill & Son and Norman & Beard Ltd. at Glyndebourne, Great Britain.
Source: Guinness World Records
After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music. (Aldous Huxley)
Wagner's music is better than it sounds. (Edgar Wilson Nye)
Hell is full of musical amateurs. (George Bernard Shaw)
My music is best understood by children and animals. (Igor Stravinsky)
Classical music is the kind that we keep hoping will turn into a tune. (Kin Hubbard)
Source: The Quotations Page
The biggest attendance at a classical music concert was an estimated 800,000 people at a free open-air concert by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Zubin Mehta, on the Great Lawn of Central Park, New York City on 5 July 1986.
Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan (1908-89), principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra for 35 years before his retirement from the position shortly before his death, was the most prolific conductor ever, having made over 800 recordings of tall the major works.
Source: Guinness World Records
The musician who is paid in advance does not play so well. (Catalonian)
Heavenly music is interpreted differently by everyone. (Chinese)
From a broken violin do not expect fine music. (Greek)
One string is good enough to a good musician. (Mexican)
Source: Creative Proverbs
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