Music Archives - Page 12 of 15 - Northwest Public Broadcasting

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A Salmon Run And Rock Music: Inspiration For A New Northwest Fanfare

By Anjuli Dodhia March 12, 2019

Composer Austin Schlichting was raised in Bellingham and currently works as a music educator in Lacey. Last year, he partnered with the Olympia Symphony to write and premier a new piece celebrating the Orchestra's 65th Anniversary. His new work for the Olympia Symphony is Nisqually River Run: A Fanfare to the Pacific Northwest. Read More

Y’all Heard? An Argument For The Great Southern Pronoun

By NPR News March 12, 2019

In the book Speaking of Alabama, an essay by linguistics professor Catherine Davies calls "y'all" a speech "improvement" — at least when referring to the plural second person.Read More

At 92, The Man Who Wrote The Book On French Composer Hector Berlioz Resumes His Case

By NPR News March 9, 2019

French composer Hector Berlioz died 150 years ago. He has been a lifelong favorite of the British author David Cairns, who wrote Berlioz's biography and edited and translated his memoirs. CREDIT: Émile Signol/Académie française/Villa Médicis, Rome

To mark the sesquicentennial of the composer's death — and a new box set of recordings — Berlioz biographer David Cairns celebrates the one-time musical misfit from France. Read More

Yola Combines Softness And Grit In Her Virtuosic View Of Americana

By NPR News March 6, 2019

The black British singer grew up loving American country music. Now, she's living out her Americana dreams with her debut full-length, Walk Through Fire.Read More

Good Day Sunshine: 1968 Beatles ‘Life’ Magazine Finally Returned To Library

By NPR News March 4, 2019

The staff at Ohio's Cuyahoga County Public Library were surprised to receive a 1968 issue of Life magazine featuring the Beatles from someone who said he stole it as a kid. Cuyahoga County Public Library

A spokesman for Ohio's Cuyahoga County Public Library said there are no hard feelings about the extreme delay and the return sets a good example. "We just want our stuff back," Robert Rua said.Read More

5 Years After Taking Us To Church, Hozier Brings You To A ‘Wasteland, Baby!’ In Sophomore Album

By NPR News March 3, 2019

Hozier's sophomore album Wasteland, Baby! is out now. Rachael Wright/Courtesy of the artist

Scott Simon speaks with Hozier about his latest album, Wasteland, Baby!Read More

André Previn, Musical Polymath, Conductor And Accomplished Jazz Pianist, Dies At 89

By NPR News March 2, 2019

André Previn died Thursday morning in Manhattan. He was a composer of Oscar-winning film music, conductor, pianist and music director of major orchestras.Read More

How A Swede Named After Beethoven Helped Orchestrate America’s Race Conversation

By NWPB Music February 25, 2019

Ludwig Göransson composed Black Panther's original score. CREDIT: Austin Hargrave/Courtesy of the artist

The Swedish composer is the link between Childish Gambino's "This is America," the Grammys' song and record of the year, and Black Panther, now an Oscar winner for best original score.Read More

The Quest for Children’s Literacy with LitRPG and Patrick Carman

By T.J. Tranchell February 22, 2019

Children's writer, Patrick Carman, self publishes his latest book, Towervale, which is LitRPG. Read More

A Memory Box of Craft: Moscow Writer Jeff P. Jones

By T.J. Tranchell February 22, 2019

A review of Northwest author Jeff Jone's latest work, "Bloodshot Stories."Read More

American Anthem: How Buffalo Springfield’s ‘For What It’s Worth’ Captured Youth In Revolt In 1967

By NPR News February 20, 2019

Though often associated with the Vietnam War, Buffalo Springfield's signature song was inspired by a confrontation back home, which erupted on a few famous blocks in Los Angeles.Read More

An Italian Town Fell Silent So The Sounds Of A Stradivarius Could Be Preserved

By NPR News February 17, 2019

The mayor of Cremona, Italy, blocked traffic during five weeks of recording and asked residents to please keep quiet so master musicians could play four instruments — note by note — for posterity.Read More

American Anthem: The Curious Journey Of The ‘Adagio For Strings,’ From Funerals To Festivals

By NPR News February 14, 2019

Dutch superstar DJ Tiesto (seen here performing in Miami in February 2019) released a massively popular electronic reworking of Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings in 2005. CREDIT: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for E11EVEN Miami

How did Samuel Barber's stirring, lush work for strings — music that has become America's semi-official music of mourning — morph into a beloved and endlessly remixed dance floor anthem?Read More

Izzy Young, Center To The Folk Music Revival, Dies At 90

By NPR News February 10, 2019

Izzy Young in Sept. 2007. CREDIT: Frank Beacham/Courtesy of Frank Beacham

Bob Dylan has called Izzy Young's Folklore Center "the citadel of Americana folk music." It was at the center of the folk music revival in New York City in the 1950s and '60s. Young died Feb. 4 at 90.Read More

A Year After The #MeToo Grammys, Women Are Still Missing In Music

By NPR News February 9, 2019

After last year's Grammys, the president of the Recording Academy said that women needed to "step up" in the business. Women and men in the business pushed back, but what's actually changed?Read More

Sanford Sylvan, A Baritone On His Own Terms, Dies At 65

By NPR News February 5, 2019

The warm-voiced, and much admired, singer eschewed the glitzy life of an opera star to concentrate on the art of vocal communication. Read More

Buddy Holly’s Classmates Remember The Pioneer 60 Years After ‘The Day The Music Died’

By NPR News February 4, 2019

Buddy Holly poses for a portrait circa 1958. On the 60th anniversary of his death, Holly's Lubbock, Tx. classmates remember the young talent. CREDIT: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Lubbock, Texas, hasn't always been fond of its best known son, Buddy Holly. But 60 years after his death, the town has a park with a bronze statue of him, and a street and a museum named after him.Read More

The Power Of Gospel Gets Explored In New Documentary Series

By NPR News February 3, 2019

The Dixie Hummingbirds CREDIT: Ellen Miller/WXPN

Behind musical legends like Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley and Ray Charles is one timeless genre that spans across lifetimes: gospel music.Read More

Opera Star David Daniels And Husband Arrested On Sexual Assault Charges

By NPR News January 31, 2019

David Daniels, performing in New York during a Metropolitan Opera press conference in 2011. CREDIT: Alli Harvey/Getty Images

The two were arrested Tuesday night in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and are awaiting extradition to Texas. A young singer has accused the pair of drugging and raping him in 2010.Read More

American Anthem: How ‘Born This Way’ Was Born Into The LGBT Pedigree

By NPR News January 30, 2019

Lady Gaga's 2011 megahit has been praised as inclusive and criticized as exploitative. But there's a little history to the song's origins that isn't often discussed. Read More

Lula Wiles Trio Flips Notions About American Folk Music On Its Head

By NPR News January 28, 2019

Lula Wiles' sophomore album, What Will We Do, is out now. CREDIT: Laura Partain/Courtesy of the artist

Together, the women of Lula Wiles are giving folk music a new reputation with band's sophomore album, What Will We Do. Read More

Michel Legrand, Oscar-Winning Composer Who Lived ‘Surrounded by Music,’ Dies At 86

By NPR News January 26, 2019

French composer Michel Legrand arrives at the opening ceremony of the 6th Lumiere Festival in 2014. Legrand died Saturday. Laurent Cipriani/AP

The musician worked across genres, collaborating with American stars like Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand.Read More

American Anthem: For Many With Disabilities, ‘Let It Go’ Is An Anthem Of Acceptance

By NPR News January 24, 2019

The breakout song from Disney's Frozen has inspired many marginalized groups — but its message of rejecting stigma holds special resonance for disabled people and their families.Read More

Yo-Yo Ma Surprises Bystanders In Mumbai With A Mini-Concert

By NPR News January 23, 2019

Yo-Yo Ma (shown here performing in Washington, D.C., last year) surprised unsuspecting Indians in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday with an impromptu roadside performance. Larry French/Getty Images for SiriusXM

Yo-Yo Ma, the world's most famous living cellist, performed formally and informally in Mumbai this week, part of a long-term project to play Bach's six suites for cello in 36 places around the world.Read More

American Anthem: ‘Quiet’ Struck A Chord With Women. Two Years Later, It’s Still Ringing

By NPR News January 19, 2019

Hundreds of singers joined MILCK and the Canadian choral group Choir! Choir! Choir! to perform "Quiet" at Toronto's Phoenix Concert Theatre in early 2017. CREDIT: Andrew Williamson/Courtesy of Choir! Choir! Choir!

Born as a vessel for one person's trauma, the song by MILCK became an anthem overnight after the 2017 Women's March. But it wasn't done growing.Read More

For Opera Singers, Life After Retirement — At Least At One Very Special Rest Home

By NPR News January 17, 2019

Founded by composer Giuseppe Verdi and funded by royalties from his popular operas, Casa Verdi in Milan opened a century ago as a home for opera musicians in their golden years.Read More

Finding God, Love And The Meaning Of Life In Messiaen’s ‘Turangalîla-Symphonie’

By NPR News January 12, 2019

Composer Olivier Messiaen in 1983, at the organ at the Trinité church in Paris where he held the post of organist for over 60 years. Francois Lochon/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Baltimore Symphony music director Marin Alsop traces her discovery of the rollicking 75-minute symphony and the man behind the music.Read More

Here’s What NWPB Music Hosts Are Excited About In 2019

By Anjuli Dodhia January 9, 2019

The new year has just begun, and NWPB music hosts are eagerly anticipating a few events, concerts and interviews in 2019.Read More

For One Violist, Elevating Music By Black Composers Is A 20-Year Mission

By NPR News January 7, 2019

Rachel Barton Pine's Blues Dialogues album and Music by Black Composers educational project are part of a mission that stretches back more than 20 years. Courtesy of the artist

Composers of color have long had to compete with dead white men for space on the concert stage. A new project, spearheaded by Rachel Barton Pine, seeks to correct that for the next generation.Read More

How A Mongolian Heavy Metal Band Got Millions Of YouTube Views

By NWPB Music January 5, 2019

#HUNNUROCK via YouTube/Screengrab by NPR

All it took for The Hu to have an Internet breakthrough was a dramatic video and screaming guitars — plus a horsehead fiddle and throat singing.Read More

Why Is The Music Of 1968 So Enduring? ‘It Was Allowed To Be Art’

By NPR News January 1, 2019

The Jimi Hendrix Experience circa 1968. Left to right: Noel Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Mitch Mitchell. CREDIT: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Half a century later, 1968 continues to resonate as a landmark year for rock, pop and soul — in part, say musicians who were there in the studio, because artists were trying things no one had before.Read More

Ring Of Kitchen Fire: Eat Like Johnny Cash With This Cookbook From Country Music’s First Family

By NPR News December 31, 2018

The son of country music legends Johnny Cash and June Carter has compiled a book of Southern recipes handed down in his family through the years.Read More

Remembering 50 Years Ago When The Monkees Tried To Cut Their Strings With ‘Head’

By NPR News December 30, 2018

In Head, the Monkees made a play for creative and cultural respect. Did it work? No. Was it a strangely great movie? Heck yeah. CREDIT: Moviestore/Shutterstock

PHOTO: In Head, the Monkees made a play for creative and cultural respect. Did it work? No. Was it a strangely great movie? Heck yeah. CREDIT: Moviestore/Shutterstock BY PETRA MAYER, […]Read More

An Incomplete Guide To The Perfect Headphones For (Most) Every Listening Use

By NPR News December 26, 2018

NPR Music has compiled a list of great headphones at different price points — covering everything from casual listening to professional mixing and mastering. Deborah Lee/NPR

Finding the right pair of headphones is a pain. Having engineered more than 400 of our Tiny Desk Concerts, NPR's Josh Rogosin knows audio — and he's here to help.Read More

Poolside Yuletide: 51 Songs To Paint Your Holidays Pink

By NWPB Music December 24, 2018

This winter, think pink (and red and green and white). Morgan Noelle Smith & Kaylee Domzalski/NPR

This winter, think pink. The guardians of roséwave spent the summer guiding y'all through newfound singledom, messy young adulthood, crying, summer romance, child rearing and boutique fitness, all through the power of pop music and a glass of rosé (or iced coffee, or seltzer, or whatever inspires carefree sipping). Roséwave is the soundtrack for living your best life, no Read More

Like Moths To A Flame: Why Modern-Day Guests Always Gather In The Kitchen

By NPR News December 24, 2018

Michael Durand (left), husband of Kitchn Editor-In-Chief Faith Durand, and friend Chris Gardner (right) carve turkey while guests hang out in the Durands' kitchen, dirty dishes and all, at a recent party. CREDIT: Kitchn/Rachel Joy Barehl

It's a bit of a cliché, but the kitchen can really feel like the heart of things. But this warm, welcoming kitchen environment is not what you would find 150 years ago.Read More

Tiny Desk Concert: Amy Grant Shines In Normal ‘Tennessee Christmas’ Fashion

By NWPB Music December 22, 2018

Amy Grant performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Nov. 7, 2018.

Amy Grant maps her fabulous, four-decade career with some of her coziest and heartfelt Christmas songs, not to mention a delightful version of "Jingle Bells."Read More

American Anthem: Unfurling ‘Sweet Home Alabama,’ A Tapestry Of Southern Discomfort

By NPR News December 18, 2018

Ronnie Van Zant in 1975, onstage with Lynyrd Skynyrd at the Omni Coliseum in Atlanta.

More than 40 years after its release, Lynyrd Skynyrd's Sweet Home Alabama is still one of the most recognized rock anthems celebrating the deep South. It's also a song with a complicated legacy.Read More

Nancy Wilson, Legendary Vocalist And NPR ‘Jazz Profiles’ Host, Dies At 81

By NPR News December 15, 2018

Grammy-winning singer Nancy Wilson performs in 2003 at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall in New York during a concert titled "Nancy Wilson With Strings: Celebrating Four Decades of Music." CREDIT: Stuart Ramson/AP

Wilson, who won three Grammy awards and recorded more than 60 albums, died at her California home Thursday after a long illness. From 1996-2005, she hosted NPR's documentary series Jazz Profiles.Read More

‘Tis The Season Of Firsts: December Classical Music Premieres Through The Years

By Steve Reeder December 14, 2018

‘Tis the season for all manner of festivities, from celebrations of the holidays at home to premieres of new works for the theatre. In fact, many productions enjoyed their first performances at this special time of year. Read More

‘Dream It On Through’: Dolly Parton On Her New Album, Inspiring Young People And More

By NPR News December 11, 2018

Dolly Parton's Dumplin' soundtrack is all about finding the confidence to be yourself. "You star in your own role. You be the star of your own life," Parton says. CREDIT: Katie King/Courtesy of the artist

The country legend talks about creating the soundtrack to Dumplin', the new Netflix film starring Jennifer Aniston that's inspired by her music. Read More

Why Is The Chinese Government Trying To Buy A Selective Music School In New Jersey?

By NPR News December 8, 2018

Students of the Westminster Choir College perform with the Vienna Philharmonic at New York's Carnegie Hall in 2015. Hiroyuki Ito/Getty Images

An elite music college in Princeton, N.J., is up for sale. Its prospective buyer is a for-profit Chinese company — which is partially owned by the Beijing municipal government.Read More

What’s Your Favorite Anthem? America Answered: ‘America’ (With Thanks To Simon And Garfunkel)

By NWPB Music December 7, 2018

When NPR asked listeners for their personal American anthems, many responded with Simon & Garfunkel's "America." We asked them to tell us why.Read More

A Century Later, Jazz Pioneer James Reese Europe Gets An Illuminated Eulogy

By NWPB Music December 7, 2018

Pianist Jason Moran calls James Reese Europe "basically the 'big bang' of jazz." Moran's tribute to the composer and WWI "Hellfighter" pulls his contributions to the genre out of history.Read More

In ‘String Theory,’ Hanson With Orchestra Delivers The Christmas Gift You Didn’t Know You Wanted

By NWPB Music December 6, 2018

Brothers Taylor (left), Zac and Issac Hanson.

Even in a studio, backed by a symphony orchestra as they survey their long career in pop music, these guys know how to work a room.Read More

Keep Your Candles Burning Brightly: 2018 Holiday Radio Programs On NWPB

By Anjuli Dodhia November 30, 2018

Turn on your radio, pour a cup of tea, cozy up to a warm fire, and enjoy uplifting music, heartwarming stories and inspiring performances to celebrate the season. Here’s a list of special programs coming your way throughout the month of December.Read More