Advantages: Pleasant melodies, good structure Disadvantages: not terribly adventurous in harmony
Franz Joseph Haydn's music is interesting as it is pleasant to listen to. Although he is actually Austrian, most of Haydn's music was written in Hungary for Prince Esterhazy's twice weekly dinner parties.
Which meant that many of Haydn's symphonies and string quartets were written in less than four days - quite an achievement, when you consider the length of time his contemporaries spent writing similar works.
Haydn wrote and conducted high standard early classical style classics for a small group of musicians
who were employed by the Prince. And it is in many of Haydn's pieces that we can begin to have an insight into the life of him and his musicians.
For example, the "Surprise Symphony" was written with the party gusts in mind. It begins in a plodding, slow mesmerising rhythm, which the already bloated and drowsy guests ...
Advantages: Contrasting: dramatic and relaxing, darkness to light Disadvantages: Frustrating if you live in a city
I studied Beethoven as an Open University course leading to a Degree in Music which I achieved in 2002. My admiration of Beethoven is immense. The sixth symphony has to be one of all time favourites: an homage to the countryside.
The Composer
Beethoven has to be the most dynamic and original of all composers. His work influenced and inspired so many orchestral works that followed.
He was born in Bonn in Western Germany in 1770. It was while he was in his twenties that he first became aware of his hearing problems. When he was told that the condition could not be cured, he understandibly fell into a deep depression.
Thankfully he came through and began to explore new approaches to compositional techniques.
The Music
Both the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies are large scale performances lastly for approximately 4o minutes each ...
Having recently reviewed this band's first single, and raved about it, I had high hopes for the album. The eponymous debut lives up to expectation.
'Public Symphony' is a superb blend of stirring choruses, electronica, chill-out and prog. Imagine Coldplay, Pink Floyd and Massive Attack at a party gatecrashed by Ian Brown, and you'll be getting the plot.
This album could, with the right promotion, be an absolute monster. Already the band have picked up awards Stateside for best unsigned band and album. And they're already spreading the word via that great viral marketing tool, the Internet.
The band is essentially duo Dobs Vye (who looks like a more hairy Chris Martin) and James Reynolds who wrote and produced the album. Each track is superbly crafted and the album beautifully sequenced. It starts kicking in with 'Children ...
