The Worst Musical Trio

Georges Enesco (1881 – 1955) – Romanian composer, violinist, pianist, conductor and teacher, pre-eminent Romanian musician of the 20th century, and one of the greatest performers of his time.   Alfred Cortot (1877 – 1962) was a Swiss pianist and conductor. He is one of the most popular 20th century musicians, especially renowned for his…

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Idioms based on music

  Here are some commonly used idioms based on music.     face the music – accept the consequences of your actions   music to my ears – exactly what you wanted to hear   change your tune – change your views or ideas on a subject   fiddle while Rome burns – waste time…

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An Opera House

  Within the gold square of the proscenium arch,A curtain of orange velvet hangs in stiff folds,Its tassels jarring slightly when someone crosses the stage behind.Gold carving edges the balconies,Rims the boxes,Runs up and down fluted pillars.Little knife-stabs of goldShine out whenever a box door is opened. Gold clustersFlash in soft explosionsOn the blue darkness,Suck…

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Gus – The Theatre Cat

The following is an extract from the poem by T S Eliot.     "I have played," so he says, "every possible part, And I used to know seventy speeches by heart. I’d extemporize back-chat, I knew how to gag, And I knew how to let the cat out of the bag   And I…

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Keith Jarrett’s solo piano music

The gaps in the text illustrate different points of grammar, spelling, pronunciation and intonation. You will probably know a lot of the musical terms – there are a lot of them here – but not necessarily know how to pronounce them. Good luck!   Keith Jarrett is an American pianist born in 1945, ……………………. 1…

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Sheryl Crow “Always on Your Side”

Sheryl Crow "Always on Your Side" This is a song by American singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow, from her 2005 album, Wildflower. While the original album version features her alone on lead vocals, this radio version is a duet with the British rock musician Sting*. If the link below is unstable you might try this one, without…

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Tasmin Little is giving her recordings away! Stage 1

  Tasmin Little is giving her recordings away! See if you can answer the following questions after listening to the recording! 1 What musical instrument does the Englishwoman Tasmin Little play?2 What type of musician is she by training and in her career?3 When does she say her latest CD will be available? 4 Which…

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Big River

Big River – a song by Jimmy Nail This SONG (click to open the video in a separate WINDOW to answer the quiz questions) tells of two of the great industries of the north of England, coal and shipbuilding. The accompanying photos go back decades and recall that history and tradition from the 19th century. See…

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unplugged

unplugged – a term for instrumental music played without electronic assistance, through the acoustic of the instrument

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