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“Truly,” Beethoven remarked in 1827, “in Schubert there dwells a divine spark.” Franz Schubert himself worshiped the older composer and was a torchbearer at his funeral. In the following year, he asked for one of Beethoven’s string quartets to be played at his own sickbed, days, if not hours, before he died at the age of thirty-one. Many of Schubert’s works contain homages to Beethoven: the Fate theme of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is the animating motif of Schubert’s terrifying song “Der Zwerg” (The Dwarf). His “Auf dem Strom” (On the River, for voice, piano, and horn) takes up the theme...

Yesterday, I broke my long-standing streak of not having seen an Academy Award winning/nominated movie in several years. A friend talked me into seeing "Birdman," the film starring Michael Keaton. It was perhaps the most excruciating 2 or so hours of my life. Much of the time I couldn't follow what was going on. The basic plot is about a one-time super hero actor now working on a Broadway play. Half the time I didn't know what was the play and what was "reality." Then there were the F bombs. Now I'm not a prude and can tolerate foul language...

Sam Moore & Dave Prater had a #2 Hot 100 chart hit with, "Soul Man," written by Isaac Hayes and Dave Prater. The song won a Grammy for Best R&B Group Performance, Vocal or Instrumental...

Force Awakens Score in Los Angeles John Williams is currently hard at work composing the score for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which will be recorded in Los Angeles. For the recording of the score, Williams will work with members of the superb freelance orchestra with which he’s recorded numerous film scores over the years. The music will be recorded over several months while working in tandem with the film’s editorial and special effects teams on the West Coast. While previous films in the saga were scored at Abbey Road with the celebrated London Symphony Orchestra, this will be the...

Saturday would have been Bach's 330th birthday, and thousands of musicians will celebrate by playing Bach's compositions in public, across 129 cities in more than 39 countries.

If the lyrics for this song seem a bit derivative or cliched, that's because they were written by an inferior songwriter; i.e., me, circa 25 years ago. I wish I could teach that boy a thing or two.In any case, I'd be obliged if y'all would give the song a listen and post any opinions, criticisms, deranged ramblings, etc., that pop to mind. WARNING: This song is a 70s-style power ballad. Listening to it may make you spontaneously grow an afro, and your pants morph into bell-bottoms. A few notes: 1. I write and record my music under the name...

The classic “Happy Birthday To You” song has been around longer than anyone can remember, however, that doesn’t mean its free and clear for singers to perform in public spaces. At least, that’s what San Francisco’s Café International found recently, after an open mic performer sang the song to a friend in the audience. According to Hoodline, the popular Haight Street cafe was threatened with a lawsuit by the large music licensing organization BMI, which collects royalties on behalf of artists worldwide from appropriate venues. However, according to the U.S. Copyright Act, Café International may not even be liable for...

At the artist’s request, DC Comics has decided to cancel a cover design after complaints that the Joker attacking Batgirl is misogynistic and sexist and promotes violence against women. The cover, which features the villain holding a gun to Batgirl and drawing his blood-grin across her face, was supposed to be released as a “variant” cover in June as part of DC’s “Joker Month.”

'The writer of All Right Now – who had previously fought both AIDS and cancer – has died at his home in California Free bassist Andy Fraser has died at the age of 62, it's been confirmed. He passed away on Monday morning. His cause of death has not been confirmed, but he'd been dealing with AIDS and cancer in recent years. An official statement says: "Andrew McLan Fraser passed away on Monday at his home in California. He leaves behind his daughters Hannah and Jasmine Fraser, and their mother Ri, his sister Gail, brothers Gavin and Alex, and many...

Hello all. A few weeks back I petitioned Freepers in my need to find a good program to recode videos I downloaded from Amazon. Amazon Unbox is being discontinued and the program you all suggested (Audials) has been the key to salvaging my video collection. Now I need a program to edit various audio files. I've used Wavepad in the past but it has become user "unfriendly" in the last couple of years. The program doesn't have to be complex or "busy looking." I just need something that is simple to use yet powerful enough to edit various types of...

Madonna’s “Rebel Heart” might have been number 1 if it weren’t for the soundtrack to the TV series “Empire.” When the numbers come in this afternoon at hitsdailydouble, “Rebel Heart” will be number 1 on the total chart, which counts streaming and all digital downloads. “Empire” will be number 1. “Empire” will also finish at number 1 on Billboard’s chart, as they now count everything, too. Who could have guessed that “Empire” would come out of nowhere and steal all the attention in the culture? It’s out of left field, an ambush of sorts.

For those interested, here is the live feed

Apple is reportedly working on a plan to launch its own TV service. A Wall Street Journal report suggests Apple, which already lets users watch television and Netflix shows through its Apple TV device, is working with programmers "to offer a slimmed-down bundle of TV networks this fall." The Journal cites sources familiar with the talks who say Apple's subscription service may provide "about 25 channels, anchored by broadcasters such as ABC, CBS, and Fox, and would be available on Apple devices such as the Apple TV." The as-yet-unannounced service would cost $30 to $40 per month, according to The...

I’ve broached this subject before, but it’s the anniversary of Natalie Maines speaking out against President Bush. She was, in effect, actually speaking out against the war in Iraq, which at this point pretty much everybody agrees was a bad idea. That was TWELVE (12) years ago last Tuesday, March 10. It would be one thing if everyone gave the office of the President the proper respect, but it’s completely another when I see the same people who were critical of Natalie say much worse things about the current president EVERY SINGLE DAY. The strongest word she used in reference...

We have to join the chorus, led by Billboard magazine, calling for the Oak Ridge Boys’ induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Go to their concert this week and you’ll understand why. Sure, their 40-plus years of No. 1 hits — including “Elvira,” “American Made” and “Bobbie Sue” — consistently full concerts and tireless work for the American Legion and other charities more than qualify them for this prestigious induction. Yet it’s the reverence with which Merle Haggard, Keith Urban, Vince Gill, Lee Brice and other major performers hold them — which is more than returned by the...

Classical music with its soothing melodic tones and harmonies is now more readily accepted in pet care as being a positive for the animals who get to listen but is it really? The answer may be “yes”, “no” and “it depends on what kind.” In addition to being able to observe a positive impact, it makes sense that the right sort of classical music needs to be played from the animal perspective to be effective. Soothing music may have a universal component for all species. Factors such as lower pitch and regular tempo are typically associated with more pleasant music...

CIA Director John Brennan said Friday that the Islamic State had “snowballed” beyond Iraq and Syria, estimating that at least 20,000 fighters from more than 90 countries have gone to join the militant group, several thousand of them from Western nations, including the United States. Brennan’s statement marks a change from the narrative the Obama administration has been pushing on the success of the fight against ISIS. “Left unchecked, the group would pose a serious danger not only to Syria and Iraq, but to the wider region and beyond, including the threat of attacks in the homelands of the United...

State lawmakers have named pop star Phil Collins an honorary Texan, saluting his donation of hundreds of Alamo artifacts back to the historic outpost – while offering numerous quips referencing his song lyrics. ...Last year, he gave 200-plus pieces of his collection to the Alamo. Collins grinned as many lawmakers took to the floor to joke about “feeling it in the air tonight,” ‘‘one more night” and Texas having a “groovy kind of love” for its newest honorary citizen.

"Liar, Liar," by 1960s garage rock band The Castaways. Dance performance by The Honey Bees (Mary Ann, Ginger and Lovey) of Gilligan's Island....