what is music?

To hear my answer to this question, have a listen to Episode 1. In the following episodes I discuss my answer in greater detail, suggesting that music is a Celebration of the Beauty of Sound (Episode 2) and / or the Communication of Emotions Through Sound (Episode 3).

what is an orchestra?

I answer this question over the first five episodes. In Episode 1 I discuss the circumstances that led to the invention of the orchestra. Over the following episodes I describe the sections which make up an orchestra: Percussion Section (Episode 2), Brass Section (Episode 3), Woodwind Section (Episode 4), and the String Section (Episode 5).

how does music work?

The components that combine together to create music are discussed in Episode 4 to Episode 10: Melody (Episode 4), Harmony and Phrases (Episode 5), Time Signatures and Pulse (Episode 6), Rhythm (Episode 7), Orchestration (Episode 8), Texture (Episode 9), Form (Episode 10).

what types of pieces do orchestras play?

Orchestras play many different types of pieces! I discuss each one separately over the course of several episodes. Overtures (Episode 6), Music from Opera (Episode 7), Concert Pieces (Episode 8), Concertos (Episode 9), Symphonies (Episode 10), Music from Film, TV, and Video Games (Episode 11), ‘Event’ pieces (Episode 12), Music from Ballet (Episode 13), and Symphonic Poems (Episode 14).

what makes a performance thrilling?

There are many factors that contribute to thrilling performances. The circumstances of the performer (Episode 11), the conviction of the orchestra (Episode 12), the virtuosity of the orchestra (Episode 13), the conviction of the listener (Episode 14), the virtuosity of the composer (Episode 15), the conviction of the composer (Episode 16), the virtuosity of soloists (Episode 17), and several more to follow!

what instruments are in the orchestra?

Over a number of episodes I will outline the unique qualities of the many different instruments that make up the orchestra. We begin with the Violin (Episode 15), the Timpani (Episode 16), and the Piano (Episode 17).

what composers / pieces are featured On the podcast?

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony no. 7 (Episode 5)
Leonard Bernstein: Candide Overture (Episode 6)
Lili Boulanger: Of A Sad Evening (Episode 8)
Johannes Brahms: Symphony no. 1 (Part 1 - Episode 10, Part 2 - Episode 16)
Benjamin Britten: Four Sea Interludes (Episode 7)
Claude Debussy: La Mer (Episode 2)
Edward Elgar: Cello Concerto (Episode 9)
Gustav Mahler: Symphony no. 2 (Episode 12)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony no. 41 (Episode 15)
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto no. 2 (Episode 17)
Maurice Ravel: Piano Concerto in G (Episode 4)
Ottorino Respighi: The Pines of Rome (Episode 1)
Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony no. 10 (Episode 3)
Bedřich Smetana: The Moldau (Episode 14)
Igor Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring (Episode 13)
John Williams: Star Wars, Episode IV, ‘Main Title’ (Episode 11)

why is a podcast about music called ‘a thousand pictures’?

It’s a good question! Listen to Episode 1 to find out!

why do you make no distinction between the ‘piece’ and the ‘movement’?

Terminology in classical music can often be overwhelming. At no point do I want confusing terminology to get in the way of a new listener’s enjoyment of the music. As such, I have taken the decision to refer to whatever we are listening to in each episode as a ‘piece’. It’s true that, in some circumstances, the strict definition should be a ‘movement from a piece’. Most importantly, I hope that my use of language will always be what is most helpful for the largest number of listeners.

why do you use such short musical excerpts?

I wish the excerpts could be longer too! But, it’s important that I preview the music so that listeners are encouraged to hear the full-length pieces via CDs and streaming platforms. A huge amount of time, effort, and money goes into producing recordings of these great pieces, and therefore it’s important that the musicians and producers are able to receive royalties. To listen, please follow the links to the streaming platforms.