About The Music | Ian Sidden

Gems

While working on my lectures for opera history, I’ve come across a ton of amazing music. A lot of it comes from the operas before Gluck‘s reforms that don’t come from major composers like Handel or Monteverdi. Much of this music is under or un-perfromed, but thanks to intrepid performers some amazing

i – VII – VI – V: Monteverdi to Ray Charles

Monteverdi and Ray Charles have more in common than you might think.

The Warbling of La morte d’Orfeo

I’m revisiting my opera history knowledge, and I’m stuck on the earliest operas. I’m stuck because they’re just so cool.

10 Greatest Composers

At the New York Times, music critic Anthony Tommasini is compiling a list of the ten greatest composers. Here’s my list and my reasons. Who would be in yours and how would you do it?

Stephen Sondheim on Fresh Air

Stephen Sondheim appeared on Fresh Air yesterday to talk about lyrics, songwriting, and his new memoir Finishing the Hat.