Where is the Music

#24 What was music for you when you were a child? What kind of imagination music triggered then, and why is it important? Thinking about this topic might bring some light into the potentials and limits of music education and shape the way we impart it to the new generations. If music is the place for freedom, joy, creativity, emotional empathy and intellectual development, appreciating its effects...

#23 American, pianist and composer Bill Evans was a huge influence on modern jazz, especially due to his polyphonic style of playing and his innovative approach to harmony: today I will look at one of his solo interpretations, ‘ A Time for Love’ from the album “Alone” (1970) and point at some of his musical choices. What I find most fascinating about Bill Evans’ creative approach is the way he tur...

#22 Music in the Number 3 – Mathematics and Creativity What is the relationship between Mathematics and Music ? For thousands of years numbers and mathematics have influenced the way we look at nature. Music, as a phenomenon in perfect alignment with the harmony of cosmos, has been often described, explained, and created through mathematical principles. Numbers are used to identify musical interva...

#21 How does the evocative power of music work? Why was Impressionism so revolutionary in music? The relationship between visual art and music is never straightforward, and impressionist music was able to bring evocation and symbolism back to the centre stage of musical expression. Today I will explore the topic through the notes of Debussy (and other composers) and a bit of history of music. Appl...

#20 The distinction between composing and improvising might seem obvious, but at closer look it blurs in the creative process of making music. What does a composer like Stravinsky have in common with a jazz performer? When does an improvised idea become a composition, and from a creative perspective, is there anything behind the notes one plays, or write? Listen to my improvisation: “ Rough Edges:...

Today I’ll explore some fundamental aspects of Beethoven’s music through one of his early-mid works, the Sonata in B-flat op. 22. The revolution operated by the composer is about the power of sound as vehicle for carrying energy and tension: his masterful command over the musical form has transformed the way we enjoy and create music, from his contemporaries to today’s listeners. L.v. Beethoven So...

How does a delightful nursery rhyme from the classic movie “The Sound of Music” transform into an historic jazz recording, and why? In the hands of John Coltrane, possibly the most influential saxophonist in jazz history, the famous song ‘My Favorite Things’ becomes the opportunity for a artistic statement that transcends the technical and the musical in order to inspire social change. The recordi...

Sharing some ideas on creativity: thoughts coming from practice and teaching music, quotes from different sources, ideas that have touched my mind and slowly worked their way to the heart. Today I am freely elaborating on what it means for me to be creative musically. Michelangelo's Prisoners or Slaves Support Where is the Music Podcast through: PATREON Where is the Music Podcast is on: SPOTIFY AP...

I’m opening the door to my practice room, showing and commenting on what happens when I work on Jazz creativity and improvisation. I take two famous jazz compositions from the standards repertoire, one by Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker, historical figure in be-bop saxophone improvisation, the other by Duke ‘The Duke’ Ellington, quintessential figure in jazz history. You can listen the two pieces in their o...

An episode designed for music practitioners, players of all levels and age, who have their questions regarding performance anxiety, what it is, why it matters, and how to deal with it. I will elaborate on the different types of pressures we feel with regards to music, and give a few ideas to confront it. Support Where is the Music Podcast through: PATREON Where is the Music Podcast is on: SPOTIFY...

Maurice Ravel ’s attitude towards the past can inspire us to look at the present with very different eyes. In ‘Le Tombeau de Couperin’ the French composer transports our imagination to a forgotten world of beauty and taste, allowing us to wonder: what is the meaning of beauty? And, is beauty just an appearance? In today’s episode I will focus on the Minuet from the Suite for piano ‘Le Tombeau de C...

With the help of Bach I will introduce and discuss aspects of music that are relatable to Architecture, particularly the visual experience of space, colour, and time. A Fugue is an example of how a composer uses the acoustic space and time to effectively broadcast an artistic message (in Bach’s case, a religious one), tapping directly into our own imagination, inspiring contemplation. Here is the...

In this episode I will pick and comment on some insightful quotes about music by the world class Pianist and Conductor Daniel Barenboim . The book where I read from is entitled “ Everything is Connected; the Power of Music ” (link below). The conversation today moves around the nature of music, its role and importance for human development, the challenges of learning and performing music. I hope y...

This episode opens the floor to movie soundtracks: the compositions that Michael Nyman wrote for ‘The Piano’ in 1992 are today still in the ears and hearts of the public, particularly the pianists. I offer my thoughts on why this music is so powerful and talk about some of the symbolic and technical dimensions emerging from the two most known pieces, ‘The Heart Asks Pleasure First’, and ‘Big My Se...

In this episode I talk about the ways in which music can communicate human emotions through its relationship with language and poetry. Mozart was one of most successful composer when it comes to inform music with poetic devices, from the expressivity of a melody to the inner rhythm of a phrase. The relationship between music and literary forms goes a long way and there would be too much to say: to...

In this episode I will discuss different music genres (Rock, Pop, Jazz and Classical), trying to shed some light on what it is exactly that defines each: I will talk about their technical features, style, culture, and aesthetics. The related blog article is available on the website: https://www.albertoferro.com/rock-is-dead Where is the Music Podcast is the home of musical investigation. It is ava...

In this episode I will introduce you to the art of the great Jazz Pianist Michel Petrucciani , by talking about his style and by playing some of his works. What makes Petrucciani’s music so unique, relevant, touching, and at once so approachable? Suggested listenings: M. Petrucciani, Solo Live https://open.spotify.com/album/1UIR4gtN8IGdLQpcXPCJCO?si=29ydLqqqRK2wGBnt3i7LXQ M. Petrucciani, Trio in T...

Musical analysis and investigation on the meaning of a true masterpiece of the 20th century. ‘Fratres’ represents a moment of dialogue between profound intellectualism and genuine emotionality, a rare case of Contemporary Art Music that speaks straightforwardly and without filters to the listener. Why is this piece so meaningful? How come it connects with us in such a deep, almost metaphysical way...

Ep. 6 – What is a Theme? Themes are very important in music: by pointing at a musical element, the term 'theme' describes the way in which (some) music comes into being and gives meaning to the creative process. This episode starts by investigating the concept of Theme in music, with special reference to the classical composers (Beethoven in particular) whose work relates with it more significantl...

In this episode I will play and talk about this monumental piece for solo keyboard. I will discuss about Bach’s approach to composition and the form of the Toccata, touching on the aesthetic gaps between the language of High Baroque and our modern ears, giving examples of the Bach’s use of evocative symbolism to access a spiritual dimension. In the end I will perform the Toccata. Hope you enjoy! B...

Mazurkas represent the pinnacle of Chopin style and a special opportunity for expressing his personal feelings towards life, time, and his country. In this episode I will investigate a Mazurka and gather insights into Chopin’s whole poetic world, richness of craft and depth of artistry. After going into details, I will perform the Mazurka. Here a recording by the great pianist Stanislav Bunin: htt...

In this episode I discuss the various challenges that technology and its potential pose to our personal musical fulfilment. How to deal with the unlimited creative possibilities of our time and age? Where is the Music Podcast is the home of musical investigation. It is available on all major platforms: SPOTIFY https://open.spotify.com/show/1kBBFkibFPLXPG7xPT39Sd APPLE https://podcasts.apple.com/us...

What is harmony in music, if not a way to playfully interact with the tensions and expectations intrinsic in music? In this episode I dive deep into the harmony of 'Dolphin Dance' , one of the most famous standards of modern Jazz. I show how Herbie Hancock's choice of chords delineates a unique, playful journey, perfect for letting our ideas run free. The challenge is to talk about chords without...

"Andante Espressivo", from Songs without Words, op.62 n.1, by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. A few reflections on the nature of a melody, taking this piece as an example of how to make meaningful music with a simple melody. You can listen to a beautiful rendition here: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/2GkpHh9kMSsEdsdS110ha9?si=5d5b3063e2d44594 Itunes https://music.apple.com/us/album/lieder-ohn...

Welcome to the Where is the Music Podcast ! I am your host, Alberto, italian composer, jazz and classical pianist. Today a new adventure into Music begins: inspired by the infinite depth of musical meanings, and the many conversations I had throughout years with artists, musicians, teachers, and students, I decided to share, out in the open, the ideas I encountered in this life-long journey of bei...