No doubt some of you are already aware of it, BBC's "Discovering Music" is a very interesting program that analyzes in some detail classical music. Mention of the program came up in another online forum in which I participate and I thought it might interest folks here.

From the BBC website: "Discovering Music finds out what makes great music great. Each week, our presenters explore the depths of a major classical work, to explain what makes it a masterpiece. The series is unique because of the way it uses specially-recorded examples to take the music apart. Longer examples put brief analyses into context, so that each programme bridges the gap between an analysis and a concert performance of a piece of music. Discovering Music always ties into a complete performance of the piece happening that week on Radio 3. Listeners then have the chance to re-experience the music with different tools for listening and new insights."

You can listen to the program online. The URL for it is: BBC Discovering Music

I also find interesting (and helpful) the program on film/tv/stage music. It too can be heard on line.

BBC Stage and Screen

N.

Netizin, I really appreciate your posting this link, I immediately headed for the Bach Goldberg program and found it very instructive.

I'm not very familiar with these variations, though each one I do hear I find quite fascinating. The BBC lecture certainly filled in some gaps and gave a good outline for a better understanding of the entire set.

I've noticed in your previous posts that you often post excellent links, so I figure you might have some suggestions on something I'd like to find.
That would be either a website, or a textbook, or any source whatsoever that would give examples (simple, not the Schenkerian) of the analysis of the chord structures or progressions of some classical pieces.

As a sample of what I'm talking about, I'll try to show what I've come up with on the first section of Air On The G String BWV1068 (part 2 of Orchestral Suite #3)

While he wrote it in D, the arrangements I worked from had been shifted down to C, so this is in C rather than D.
In addition, the time values have been doubled so that the 1/32 notes become 1/16ths. So I think that while the original A section was written in 6 measures, this version uses 12 measures.

Bar 1 Starts in C down 3 to Am, down 3 to F, down 3 to D, down 5 to G. (first 4 bars) Simplest reduction = C to G

Bar 5 (from the G7 ending Bar4) down 3 to Em7, down 5 to A7, down 5 to Dm7, down 5 to G7. (bars 5 through 8) Simplest Reduction = G to E then CircleOf5ths to C

Bar 9 (from the G7 ending Bar 8) down 5 to C, down 3 to Am, then Am7, D7, G, Am7, D, G (2 5 1 2 5 1 in key of G) till end of the first phrase, (bars 9 through 12)

Lack of the music graphics hampers the example, but the patterns of dropping 3rds and the circle of 5ths are pretty obvious and make the piece more understandable to me, as it's like finding the basic outline on which he hangs the piece.
I've done the rest of this piece, (not quite as straightforward as the A section) and am working my way through WTC book II #18 (its written in G#minor, but I dropped it 1/2 step to Gminor so I could get it learned before the NEXT millennium.

There are several sites that offer things similar to this line for jazz standards (ralphpatt.com and songtrellis.com are 2 good ones). I believe there must be books or magazines or websites where dozens of/or scores of scores of the classical have been analyzed somewhat like this, and I'd like to latch onto some of them.

Well, you might or might not be able to help with this, but thanks again for the first link.

Bob

netizen, echoing Bob, thank you for postiung this link! I am just finishing up the program on Messiaen's "Quartet for the End of Time", and it's absolutely fantastic! Just the kind of analytical listening that I crave for every once in a while.

Now, I have a question: I had never heard this work before this program, and, after listening to the explanation, I am dying to hear it in its entirety. Anyone have any good suggestions for a recording?

Thank you in advance, and thanks again, netizen!

Not to be troll-y but I think the first credit should go to jazzyd (David), as he was the one who originally posted up this link a few weeks back.

{eter

The cheque is in the post, Peter.

I have some Radio 4 links that might interest anyone who likes those Discovering Music programmes:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/outoftune.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/mozarteffect.shtml

David

All,

Happy to hear your enjoying the BBC program. Sorry for the late reply. I took a road trip over the weekend to Boston to see the outrageously funny Wigfield . Still LMAO...If interested check out the book . Funny stuff ! Sorry to say I didn't see JazzyD's earlier post..I usually surf thru "PianoWorld" a couple of times a week and don't typically follow all the threads. My bad.

Bob,

I do know what you mean and, unfortunately, I don't know of any website that provides what you're seeking. I did a quick search on Google and came up with zip. Mayhaps one of the other regulars knows of something.

The D's Pianist,

There are several fine recordings of the Messiaen quartet. Such a great work! One that's often regarded as the standard by which others are judged is Peter Serkin and company's recording. It's my favorite. Most places like Barnes/Noble and Borders carry it (or there's always Amazon.com ).

N.