Attention to Detail: The Classical Music Listening Guide

Scene Breakdown: Mozart‘s Magic Flute

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 08:01:00 -0300

On this episode, we take a deep dive and look at one scene from Mozart's Magic Flute, the quintet from Act 1. We examine Mozart's unique ability to change musical characters quickly, his use of text painting, and his progressive approach to harmony that was far ahead of his time.

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Opera SparkNotes: Mussorgsky‘s Boris Godunov

Sat, 02 Oct 2021 19:36:41 -0300

On this episode, we continue our opera SparkNotes series with a review of Mussorgsky's great Russian epic, Boris Godunov. We highlight all the great music from the opera, including the famous Coronation Scene, and summarize the plot in a way that will help anyone looking to learn a bit about this incredible piece, without committing the full three hours!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

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Opera Sparknotes: Salome, Part 2

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 08:03:00 -0300

We continue our breakdown of Strauss's striking masterwork Salome, looking at the second part of the opera, including the Dance of the Seven Veils and the famous (or infamous!) final scene!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Remember to review, rate, and subscribe to the podcast! It helps us to get out to as many listeners as possible, and we really appreciate it.

Opera Sparknotes: Salome, Part 1

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 07:48:00 -0300

On this episode, we break down the first half of Richard Strauss' groundbreaking and controversial Salome, an opera premiered in 1905. Based on a play by Oscar Wilde, Salome is one of the first works of musical modernism, paving the way for much of the music of the 20th century. Just like actual SparkNotes, we highlight all the key musical and narrative moments, to provide framework of understanding that helps when listening to the entire opera!

Remember to review, rate, and subscribe to the podcast!

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Top 10: John Williams Edition

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 15:58:11 -0300

On this episode, we look at the incredible film composer John Williams, ranking our favorite pieces from his body of work. We are joined by Josh Joyce, brother of Jacob, to break down all of the music from Star Wars, Harry Potter, and much more!

Remember to rate, review, and subscribe!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

A Hundred Episodes: A Musical Celebration

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 08:01:00 -0300

In celebration of 100 episodes of the podcast, we fashioned a fun musical quiz designed to test our hosts' and audience's knowledge of classical music! Jacob tries to identify pieces from ClassicalFM's Top 100 Pieces, and Hannah answers Jacob's questions that use pieces as clues. We hope you will play along, and remember to celebrate with us by rating, reviewing, and subscribing!

Also, check out our new blog!! Found here: https://www.attentiontodetailpod.com/blog

What to Expect in a Symphony: Fourth Movements

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 08:02:00 -0300

We conclude our series on what to expect from symphonic movements with finales! We look at the history of last movements, spanning from Mozart to Mahler, and listen to some epic finishes.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Keep an eye out for our new blog, coming soon to our website, and remember to rate, review, and subscribe to the pod!

What to Expect in a Symphony: Third Movements

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 08:02:00 -0300

On this third episode in our mini-series on what to expect in standard symphonic movements, we supplement our breakdown of third movements with a fun game: Minuet or Scherzo?

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Remember to rate, review, and subscribe if you like the podcast!

What to Expect in a Symphony: Slow Movements

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 14:05:23 -0300

On this episode we continue our breakdown of symphonic form, now looking at slow movements! We highlight some of the most common types of slow movements and trace their development through musical history.

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What to Expect in a Symphony: First Movements

Sat, 26 Jun 2021 11:34:42 -0300

On this episode, we begin a series where we break down the main characteristics of each movement of a standard symphony, starting with the first! We discuss what to expect from first movements, listen to some famous examples, and explore how first movements evolved over time!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture: A July 4th Preview

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 15:11:18 -0300

After a long hiatus, we are back (!!) with a breakdown of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. This piece is heard on July 4th concerts around the United States, and has a fascinating history and layout. We talk about how the overture was actually originally meant to celebrate Russian victory over the invading French, Tchaikovsky's fusion of the absolute and programmatic styles of composition, and the famous ending!

Returning to Live Concerts, Part 2: How to Prepare for a Concert

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 17:51:04 -0300

We continue our series on returning to live concerts with a discussion of how to prepare for attending a performance. Should you listen to the pieces beforehand, should you read program notes, and should different pieces be approached in different ways? We tackle all of these questions, and more, in this discussion!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Returning to Live Concerts, Part 1: Etiquette Q&A

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 16:22:19 -0300

As live concerts start to come back, we discuss some of the tricky questions surrounding the daunting world of concert etiquette. Many traditions of the classical concert-going experience can be intimidating and confusing to newcomers, so we try to break those down, examine what is important and what is unnecessary, and share some personal experiences!

Resources on ending gun violence:

https://www.everytown.org/

https://www.newtownactionalliance.org/

Stats on gun violence

Mozart, Haydn, or Other?

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 08:18:00 -0300

On this episode, we are joined by violinist Kevin Lin and cellist Stephen Hawkey to play a game we are calling Mozart, Haydn, or Other! Kevin and Stephen listen to several clips of music from the Classical era and attempt to identify whether the composer is one of the two great masters, or some other lesser-known composer writing in a similar style.

To watch the ISO's Baroque Series mentioned in the episode, click here!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

A Musical Winter, Part 2: Schubert's Winterreise

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 08:15:00 -0400

On today's episode, we continue our exploration of winter-themed pieces with Schubert's dark and gloomy Winterreise. The quintessential unappreciated artist, Schubert's music is now at the center of the classical repertoire, and Winterreise is seen as one of the iconic works of German romanticism. Although the music is dreary, we hope you get enjoyment out of listening, with a little assistance from us along the way!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

A Musical Winter, Part 1: Haydn's The Seasons

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:47:13 -0400

Winter is here! With many of us in the U.S. buried under feet of snow, we thought we would review some pieces of music inspired by winter, starting with Haydn's The Seasons! This little-known oratorio is a real gem, so we hope you enjoy listening!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Why Is Classical Music Getting Faster?

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 13:27:15 -0400

Over the years, it seems that performances of classical music have steadily been getting faster. Why is this, and how does it affect the way we listen? Jacob and Hannah discuss this trend in classical music and the parallels in other genres, comparing recordings of the same piece that take different tempi.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/even-classical-music-is-getting-faster-these-days-748385/

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Re-Listening to Music

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 08:01:00 -0400

Today we explore the phenomenon of re-listening to music. All of us listen to certain songs over and over, which can help us relax, fuel a workout, or provide a nice background to a party. But listening to music repeatedly can also be an attentive and meaningful process, something that Hannah and Jacob explore in this episode.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Musical Blind Tasting, Part 2

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 08:02:00 -0400

On this episode of our Musical Blind Tasting series, we focus on music of the Baroque era! Hannah chooses four excerpts for Jacob to listen to and discuss, and then he attempts to try to guess the correct composer. We hope you'll play along, and if you're interested in some helpful techniques for listening to Baroque music, check out our episode on listening tips!

A Listening Guide for the New Year

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 12:32:31 -0400

To usher out the challenges of 2020 and ring in what we hope to be a healthier and happier year, we put together a musical listening guide! Our guide consists of four selections based on our reflections on 2020, and four selections highlighting our aspirations for 2021. We want to thank all of our listeners for joining us this year, and look forward to more exciting, fruitful, and music-filled times!

New Year Playlist: Here

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Musical Blind Tasting, Part 1

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 08:02:00 -0400

On today's episode, we attempt to bring the world of blind wine tasting to music! Like expert wine tasters, who can determine grape varieties, regions, vintages, and even specific wines just by tasting, Jacob and guests challenge each other to figure out the region, composer, and time period of little-known pieces of music, listening to short clips blindly and talking us through their process of deduction. On this first part of our blind tasting series, we focus on pieces from the Romantic era!

With guests Sasha Scolnik-Brower and Maurice Cohn.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Can Music Be Random?

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 08:02:00 -0400

Continuing with our explorations of what music actually is, we examine another key element of music: randomness. We discuss if music needs to be constructed from organized notes, tempos, rhythms, and/or repetitions, or if music is actually everywhere, from the traffic noises outside to the concert hall.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Is Silence Music?

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 08:02:00 -0400

Music is filled with silence. But is that silence actually part of the music? And more importantly, can silence itself be music? We tackle these (and other) interesting questions on this special episode, using John Cage's avant-garde piece 4'33", a silent piece of music, as our jumping off point.

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Listening Tips: Modern and Contemporary Music

Sat, 14 Nov 2020 08:02:00 -0400

We finish our series on era-specific listening tips by exploring the most challenging and diverse sub-genre of classical music, Modern/Contemporary music! Modern music often proves to be especially challenging for new listeners, and can be a big turn-off at classical concerts, but we are here to give you five tips that will help to better understand and appreciate listening to music from this fantastic era!

Tip 1: Listen with an open mind (4:06)

Tip 2: Appreciating the tonality-atonality spectrum (8:00)

Tip 3: Hearing rhythmic figures and gestures (18:48)

Tip 4: Noticing different sound qualities and colors (24:28)

Tip 5: Asking yourself philosophical, abstract questions that are provoked by the music (30:18)

Remember to rate, subscribe, and leave a comment!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Instrument Breakdown: Viola and Cello

Sat, 07 Nov 2020 13:29:39 -0400

We're back to our instrument breakdown episodes, this time exploring two members of the low string family, the viola and cello! We're joined by Tanner Menees, violist and Ben Manis, cellist and conductor to discuss these two great instruments and how to listen to them.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Bonus: Election Day Listening Game

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 14:19:03 -0400

In celebration of Election Day, we're offering up a fun listening game to exercise your listening skills and get your civic engagement juices flowing! In this game, we're challenging you to listen to two different versions of the national anthem and try to hear the differences:

Original: Link Here

Stravinsky's Re-Harmonization: Link Here

Happy listening, go vote, and let us know through social media or our website how many differences you end up noticing!

https://www.vote.org/

Listening Tips: Romanticism

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 07:38:00 -0300

We continue our series on listening tips by examining the era and style of Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, Wagner, and so many other great composers - Romanticism! We're joined by Hannah to discuss our five points of advice for listening to this highly passionate and emotional music, and hear some great music along the way!

Tip 1: Hearing Romantic works through the lens of the composer (8:17)

Tip 2: Distinguishing between absolute and programmatic music (15:33)

Tip 3: Listening for extremes! (26:07)

Tip 4: Noticing fluctuations in tempo (37:31)

Tip 5: Hearing differences in timbre/orchestration (46:05)

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Listening Tips: Classical Style

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 11:20:55 -0300

We're back with some more era-specific tips for listening to classical music, and this time we're talking about Classical (?) style! Despite being a poorly named period in music history, the Classical era boasts some of the greatest composers of all time, including Mozart, Haydn, and the young Beethoven.

Tip 1: Listening for quick character changes (6:07)

Tip 2: Listening operatically (11:25)

Tip 3: Noticing metric irregularities (21:20)

Tip 4: Hearing Sonata form (29:57)

Tip 5: Musical jokes! (36:37)

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Listening Tips: Baroque Music

Sat, 17 Oct 2020 08:01:00 -0300

In a new series, which we'll alternate with our instrument breakdowns, we provide five tips for listening to a certain style of music. Today's episode is on Baroque music, an era that included some of the most famous and well-respected composers, including J.S. Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, and others!

Tips

1. Distinguishing between sacred and secular music (4:25)

2. Finding emotional nuance in baroque music (9:02)

3. Hearing simple forms and mapping (18:28)

4. Distinguishing between modern and historically-informed performance (23:45)

5. Noticing ornamentation and virtuosity (30:53)

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Instrument Breakdown: Violin

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 07:45:00 -0300

In a new series, we discuss how to listen to some of the most important musical instruments that might appear in a classical concert. Today we start with the violin, the highest string instrument, which boasts some of the most popular concertos and sonatas in the repertoire. We're joined by Kevin Lin, Concertmaster of the Indianapolis Symphony, to chat about this amazing instrument!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

If you enjoy the show, remember to rate, review, and subscribe!

Fundamentals Revisited: Mapping

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 15:41:32 -0300

Today we're joined by Hannah to break down our final fundamental technique, Mapping! We discuss how to listen to longer stretches of music with focus and attention, hearing landmark points, and how visualizing large passages of music can help to understand the structure of a big piece. Remember to rate, review, and subscribe!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Fundamentals Revisited: Hearing Ideas

Sat, 26 Sep 2020 11:51:40 -0300

Today we review the second fundamental technique of this podcast, Hearing Ideas! We talk about how to recognize musical ideas, how to apply this technique, and some common pitfalls. Apologies for the terrible singing, we are working on limited equipment for the next two weeks!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Fundamentals Revisited: Listening Attentively

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 07:30:00 -0300

After many weeks of Wagner, we decided to get back to basics and review our four fundamental techniques, starting with our first technique, Listening Attentively. Our techniques require no background knowledge, rely solely on attention, and help you to find more meaning and enjoyment in listening to classical music!

For the recording from this episode, click here.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Musical SparkNotes: Götterdammerung, Act 3

Sat, 12 Sep 2020 12:54:22 -0300

Our final review of the Ring Cycle! Today we look at Act 3 of Götterdammerung, which includes some of the most famous music Wagner ever wrote, including Siegfried's Death and Funeral March and the Immolation Scene. Remember to rate, review, and subscribe!

All recordings are from the Vienna Philharmonic and Georg Solti, found here.

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Musical SparkNotes: Götterdammerung, Act 2

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 07:30:00 -0300

We continue our review of Götterdammerung, looking at the gloomy second act. A transition act that prepares the high drama of Act 3, we touch on several important moments, including the famous final trio of Brunnhilde, Gunther, and Hagen. Remember to rate, review, and subscribe!

All recordings are from the Vienna Philharmonic and Georg Solti, found here.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Musical SparkNotes: Götterdammerung, Act 1

Sun, 06 Sep 2020 11:56:04 -0300

We're on to the final (and our favorite) opera of Wagner's Ring Cycle, Götterdammerung! Today we review the prologue and first act, which includes some of the greatest music Wagner ever wrote, like "Siegfried's Rhine Journey" and "Hagen's Watch." Remember to rate, review, and subscribe!

All recordings are from the Vienna Philharmonic and Georg Solti, found here.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Musical SparkNotes: Siegfried, Act 3

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 15:39:57 -0300

We're joined today by my co-host, Hannah Reffett, who returns to help us break down Act 3 of Siegfried! Also, keep an eye out for our new blog, which will be coming shortly at www.attentiontodetailpod.com!

All recordings come from the Vienna Philharmonic and Georg Solti, found here.

Musical SparkNotes: Siegfried, Act 2

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 13:05:13 -0300

Today we continue with Act 2 of Siegfried, deep in the forest where the dragon Fafner is guarding the Ring. We hear the epic battle between Siegfried and the dragon, the famous "Forest Murmurs," and much more!

All recordings are from the Vienna Philharmonic and Georg Solti, found here.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Musical SparkNotes: Siegfried, Act 1

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 18:45:22 -0300

We continue our breakdown of Wagner's Ring Cycle by looking at the first act of the third opera, Siegfried!

All recordings are from the Vienna Philharmonic and Georg Solti, found here.

Remember to rank, subscribe, and leave a comment if you are enjoying our breakdowns!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Ring Cycle 2.0: The Lord of the Rings Soundtrack

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 15:21:22 -0300

On this episode, we take a break from our SparkNotes-style reviews of Wagner's Ring Cycle to look at the popular soundtrack to The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien's famous three-part story that is based on Wagner's epic saga. We examine the use of themes and leitmotifs, rank our famous moments of music, and look at similarities and differences in the plots of these two great masterpieces.

All LOTR clips come from the Complete Recordings of the Lord of the Rings Soundtrack, composed and conducted by Howard Shore.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Musical SparkNotes: Die Walküre, Act 3

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 17:07:46 -0300

Today we review the final act of Die Walküre, which opens with the famous "Ride of the Valkyries," and concludes with "Wotan's Farewell," one of the most passionate and heart-wrenching moments in all of music.

If you're enjoying our breakdowns of the Ring Cycle, make sure to rate, subscribe, and leave us a comment!

All recording clips from the Vienna Philharmonic and Georg Solti, found here.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Musical SparkNotes: Die Walküre, Act 2

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 15:59:57 -0300

Today we continue our review of the second opera of Wagner's Ring Cycle, looking at Act 2 of Die Walküre!

All recordings are from the Vienna Philharmonic and Georg Solti, found here.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Musical SparkNotes: Die Walküre, Act 1

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 08:00:00 -0300

On this episode, we start our review of the first major opera of the Ring Cycle, Die Walküre! We look at the first act which features the heroic characters Siegmund and Sieglinde, siblings reunited after being separated at birth.

All recordings from the Vienna Philharmonic and Georg Solti, found here.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Musical SparkNotes: Das Rheingold

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 17:58:33 -0300

Today we start our review of Wagner's Ring Cycle with a look at the first opera, Das Rheingold! We explore the important leitmotifs that will come back in the later operas, and listen to important musical and narrative moments.

All audio clips come from the Vienna Philharmonic and Georg Solti, full performance found here.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Musical SparkNotes: Wagner's Ring Cycle (Intro)

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 12:24:28 -0300

Over the month of August, we'll be boiling down the massively influential (and long) operas of Wagner's Ring Cycle to their most important moments. In preparation for these ten upcoming episodes, we discuss the life and music of the controversial Richard Wagner, and go over what we'll be covering as we review his magnum opus, as well as what we'll leave out.

Music and Grief: A Tribute to Greg Cardi

Sat, 18 Jul 2020 08:45:00 -0300

The classical music community lost a great friend this past week in violinist and conductor Greg Cardi. In the wake of his passing, we decided to record a special episode exploring the relationship between music and grief. First, we interviewed music therapist Suzanne Hanser to discuss using music (and silence) as a powerful healing tool, and then spoke to several friends and colleagues of Greg who shared some of their most poignant memories.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Underrated Composers Draft

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 16:36:59 -0300

We're back with another fantasy sports-style draft, this time picking our most underrated composers! We averaged several Top 100 Composers lists to approximate the general consensus on who the greatest composers are, and then we picked apart the list. Enjoy!
Compiled List of Top 100 Composers: Link

How to Listen to Modern Music

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 13:36:33 -0300

Hannah is back, and today we're tackling the tricky world of modern/contemporary music! We discuss some techniques for new listeners to approach this often challenging and intimidating sub-genre of classical music, and predictably get sidetracked philosophizing about the meaning of July 4th and the decline of American exceptionalism.

Interview with Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 12:28:28 -0300

Today we're joined by Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis, Professor of Music at Princeton University and author of two books, On Repeat: How Music Plays the Mind and The Psychology of Music: A Very Short Introduction. We discuss a variety of topics, including her work on repetition, how to measure musicality, and the parallels between language and music!

To hear the speech-to-song illusion mentioned in the episode, click here.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Music from Pandemic Years: 1918

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 11:51:34 -0300

We're back with our penultimate episode on our pandemic years series, this time reviewing the eventful 1918! We look at Janacek's Taras Bulba and Bartok's Bluebeard's Castle, two fascinating works of musical modernism.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Music from Pandemic Years: 1910

Sat, 13 Jun 2020 08:10:00 -0300

In another musical review of famous pandemic years, on this episode we're tackling the cholera epidemic of 1910. 1910 is a particularly rich year in the history of music, and we decided to review pieces from arguably the two most famous 20th century composers, Schoenberg and Stravinsky!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Music from Pandemic Years: 1890

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 13:49:50 -0300

We're back with a review of another pandemic year, 1890! Today we're looking at one of Brahms' last pieces, his String Quintet, and Dvorak's phenomenal Eighth Symphony.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Music from Pandemic Years: 1854

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 08:03:00 -0300

Today we're reviewing two pieces from the year 1854, Schumann's Geistervariationen and Brahms's Piano Trio No. 1! These are two phenomenal pieces with excellent stories behind them, so we hope you enjoy, and we will be back with more great music produced during pandemics in the coming days.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Music from Pandemic Years: Intro

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 14:54:00 -0300

We're very excited to be introducing a new series on music from years of pandemics! Over the next few episodes, we'll be reviewing some great music that was produced during the time of pandemics. While most of the music we'll review is apolitical and not explicitly tied to historical events, we hope this series demonstrates that the march of artistic progress is never-ending!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Chamber Music Draft

Tue, 26 May 2020 13:23:43 -0300

We're back with another fantasy-style draft of our favorite classical music - last time we picked our favorite symphonies, this time we took on chamber music! We recommend you watch this on video instead of listening: for a link to the video, click here. But if you prefer audio format, apologies for the iffy quality at times, the first time in the entire quarantine that Zoom has let us down!

To vote on your favorite team, click here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WNYPSGB

Lesser-Known Gems: Bartok's Wooden Prince

Sat, 16 May 2020 13:22:58 -0300

Today we're reviewing Bartok's dazzling ballet, The Wooden Prince, with guest Alex Amsel. This breakdown uses some more slightly advanced terminology, so we recommend you check out our previous episode on scales and modes first, if those concepts are unfamiliar! But have no fear, despite being a complex and detailed piece, The Wooden Prince is an absolute gem!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Music Theory: Scales and Modes

Mon, 11 May 2020 07:43:00 -0300

In preparation for some upcoming breakdowns, we decided to devote an episode to one of the most important fundamentals of music theory, the scale. On this episode, we discuss what a scale actually is, how they can be shifted to create different modes, and explore some lesser-known scales used primarily by twentieth-century composers. This episode is a little more technical than our normal episodes, but have no fear! We still break everything down as we always do, and no prior knowledge is needed.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

How Attention Works

Mon, 04 May 2020 07:42:00 -0300

Today we are joined by Stefan van der Stigchel, Professor of Cognitive Psychology at Utrecht University and author of How Attention Works: Finding Your Way in a World of Distraction and Concentration: Staying Focused in Times of Distraction. We discuss the varying scientific definitions of attention, the psychology of how our attention actually works, and ways that we can improve our attentional capacity. For more information on Prof. van der Stigchel's books, click here.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Symphonies Draft!

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 12:31:42 -0300

Here's the audio from our fantasy football-style draft of the best symphonies with five players constructing a team of their favorite symphonic works numbered 1-9! To vote on your favorite team, click here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/S7VTLPH. And for the full video, list of rankings, final team rosters, and playlists with all of the symphonies mentioned, visit https://www.attentiontodetailpod.com/symphonies-draft.html! If you enjoy the draft, be sure to rate, subscribe, and leave us a comment!

Music and Meditation

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 12:08:07 -0300

Today we're joined by Mary Meckley, host of the Daily Meditation Podcast and founder of the Sip and Om app, to discuss the connections between listening to music and meditation. We talk about how to start meditating, how it can improve attention and focus when you are listening, and the many positive benefits that it can have on one's life! To hear Mary's mini-meditation exercise with music, go to 38:30.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

ANNOUNCEMENT: Symphonies Draft

Sat, 18 Apr 2020 17:03:23 -0300

Big announcement! Next week, we will be doing our own classical music version of the NFL Draft here on Attention to Detail, picking a roster of symphonies from 1 to 9. Check out this announcement mini-episode for all the details of what we'll be doing, and keep an eye out for the draft episode and video next week!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Lesser-Known Symphonies: Saint-Saens Third

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 15:47:00 -0300

Today we are joined by Sasha Scolnik-Brower to break down Saint-Saens' "Organ" symphony, the next stop in our tour of lesser-known symphonies!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Lesser-Known Symphonies: Nielsen's Fourth

Fri, 10 Apr 2020 07:30:00 -0300

Our first in a series of episodes examining lesser-known symphonic gems, today we explore Nielsen's "Inextinguishable" Fourth Symphony.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Top 10: Symphonic Endings

Sun, 05 Apr 2020 14:03:14 -0300

Today we're joined by Josh Joyce to rank our top ten endings of symphonies. Sometimes you feel like eating dessert for breakfast, and sometimes all you want to listen to is the closing minutes of some great pieces. So we cut right to the chase and listen to some epic finishes!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Ten Days of Mahler: Mahler Symphony No. 10

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 19:50:08 -0300

Today we close our Ten Days of Mahler project with the first movement of Mahler's unfinished Tenth Symphony. To help us break down this piece we bring on a special guest, Josh Joyce, a Mahler enthusiast who happens to be Jacob's brother!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Ten Days of Mahler: Mahler Symphony No. 9

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 20:21:09 -0300

Today we're joined by conductor Sasha Scolnik-Brower to break down Mahler's heartfelt and tragic Ninth Symphony. Happy listening!

1st Mvt: 6:40

2nd Mvt: 28:45

3rd Mvt: 42:30

4th Mvt: 54:50

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Ten Days of Mahler: Mahler Symphony No. 8, Part 2

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 22:08:43 -0300

We continue breaking down the second part of Mahler's Eighth Symphony, based on Goethe's Faust. Find the recording we provide timestamps for here.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Ten Days of Mahler: Mahler Symphony No. 8, Part 1

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 20:00:48 -0300

Today we start our two-part review of Mahler's Symphony No. 8, often called "Symphony of a Thousand" due to the massive number of musicians required. Keep an eye out for Part 2 tomorrow!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Ten Days of Mahler: Mahler Symphony No. 5

Sun, 22 Mar 2020 18:49:08 -0300

Today we're joined by Richard Friedman, Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School and Mahler enthusiast! We break down Mahler's stormy and triumphant Fifth Symphony and lament the absence of Michigan Athletics in wake of the coronavirus. Timestamps for our discussion of individual movements are below:

1st Mvt: 6:20

2nd Mvt: 23:20

3rd Mvt: 43:00

4th Mvt: 57:00

5th Mvt: 71:40

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Ten Days of Mahler: Mahler Symphony No. 7

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 21:59:57 -0300

Today we're joined by Ben Manis, Assistant Conductor of the Houston Grand Opera, to break down Mahler's dark and broody Seventh Symphony. Timestamps for where we start talking about individual movements:

1st Mvt: 7:05

2nd Mvt: 28:30

3rd Mvt: 39:55

4th Mvt: 49:15

5th Mvt: 55:05

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Ten Days of Mahler: Mahler Symphony No. 6

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 22:17:18 -0300

Hannah is back to help break down Mahler's tragic Sixth Symphony, a massive and complicated piece that takes a while to break down! For your convenience, here is where we start talking about each movement:

1st Mvt: 12:30

2nd Mvt: 28:25

3rd Mvt: 39:45

4th Mvt: 50:15

And here is a link to the recording of the last movement we refer to!

Ten Days of Mahler: Mahler Symphony No. 4

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 23:11:51 -0300

We're joined today by Alex Amsel, Assistant Conductor of the Fort Worth Symphony and a friend of the pod, to break down Mahler's heavenly Fourth Symphony!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Ten Days of Mahler: Mahler Symphony No. 3, Part 2

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 01:53:11 -0300

We continue on with the second half of Mahler's massive Third Symphony, movements 2-6. Enjoy!

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Ten Days of Mahler: Mahler Symphony No. 3, Part 1

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 11:06:31 -0300

We continue today with the massive Third Symphony of Mahler, starting with the enormous first movement. Later today we will review movements two-six, so be sure to stay tuned!

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Ten Days of Mahler: Symphony No. 2, Part 2

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 19:04:11 -0300

The second part of our review of Mahler's Second Symphony, on this episode we review the titanic last movement. Enjoy!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Ten Days of Mahler: Mahler Symphony No. 2, Part 1

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 11:14:34 -0300

Today we're on to the Second Symphony of Mahler, starting by breaking down the first four movements on this episode! Part 2 coming later in the day.

5:38 First Movement

24:54 Second Movement

27:55 Third Movement

40:06 Fourth Movement

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Ten Days of Mahler: Symphony No. 1

Sun, 15 Mar 2020 16:16:48 -0300

We embark on our Ten Mahler Symphonies in Ten Days project by starting with Mahler's First Symphony, a fantastic, exciting, highly dramatic piece. As we mention in the episode, we suggest listening to a movement before you listen to the breakdown, so you can follow along more easily!

8:45 First movement

26:10 Second movement

32:25 Third movement

45:00 Fourth movement

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Ten Days, Ten Mahler Symphonies!

Sat, 14 Mar 2020 15:43:32 -0300

Due to the coronavirus apocalypse, we imagine many of our listeners have a little extra time on their hands these days. So for the next ten (hopefully!) days, we'll be breaking down one of the ten Mahler symphonies - what better way to ride out this craziness than by exploring the epic works of one of the greatest composers of all time!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Gesture in Music

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 06:15:00 -0300

On today's episode, we explore the concept of gesture in music. We ask what a musical gesture actually is, examine how music is constructed as a series of gestures, discuss some of the most common types of musical gestures, and listen to some famous pieces through this new lens. If you enjoy the episode, remember to rate, review, and subscribe!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Minisode #3: Bob Dylan and Britten

Wed, 04 Mar 2020 15:08:00 -0400

On our third minisode, we examine our Mapping technique in the context of the lyrics of Bob Dylan. We listen to Jacob's favorite song, Mr. Tambourine Man, and compare it to the music of the great English composer, Benjamin Britten!

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Top 10: Chamber Music

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 16:14:46 -0400

On this week's Top 10 list, we explore the massive world of chamber music with Austin Huntington, principal cellist of the ISO and cellist in the Indianapolis Quartet. We throw out our favorite pieces and movements, talk about performance of chamber music vs. orchestral playing, and geek out on famous cellists!

Playlist of pieces: Here

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Minisode #2: Maroon 5 and Pachelbel's Canon

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 14:41:57 -0400

On our second minisode, we examine our technique of Grouping in the context of two songs, Maroon 5's Memories and Pachelbel's famous Canon in D. We break down what a harmonic progression is, and how you can use that knowledge to listen to some of your favorite pop songs with a little more attention to detail!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

What Does the Conductor Do?

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 15:35:31 -0400

In this episode, we explore one of the most enigmatic positions in classical music: the conductor. Jacob explains what he thinks are the four most important elements of being a conductor, and we discuss ways to evaluate and appreciate conducting as you listen to music! Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast - we also love to hear from our listeners, so send us a message with your thoughts at www.attentiontodetailpod.com!

Minisode #1: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Mon, 03 Feb 2020 16:27:54 -0400

In our first minisode, we revisit our technique of Hearing Ideas through Mozart's variations on the familiar children's tune, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Our minisodes are all dedicated to exploring the four fundamental techniques of this podcast more deeply, through fun and familiar pieces!

Recording here.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Top 10: Miniatures

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 07:30:00 -0400

We're back with another of our Top 10 episodes, and this time we're talking about miniatures, short stand-alone pieces that are usually under five minutes! For those who want to listen on their own, the names of our pieces are:

Bach, Prelude to Cello Suite No. 3

Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 30, Mvt. 1

Schubert, Impromptu Op. 90 No. 3

Schumann/Liszt, Widmung

Brahms, Intermezzo Op. 118 No. 2

Ravel, Jeux d'eau

Rachmaninoff, Variation 18 from Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini

Prokofiev, Piano Sonata No. 7, Mvt. 3

Ligeti, Continuum

Youtube playlist: Click Here

Bonus Episode: Help Support the Podcast!

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 07:30:00 -0400

We're coming to you, our beloved and devoted listeners, to briefly talk about ways you can help the podcast reach as many people as possible! Throw us a rating, a review, and subscribe, and be sure to tell your friends to listen and do the same!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Top 10: Symphonies

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 07:30:00 -0400

We're back, with our first episode in a new series we're calling Top 10! On this episode, we discuss what listening to a symphony feels like, how to judge the greatness of different pieces of music, and we throw out some of our favorites. Be sure to let us know what you think of our list, and what your Top 10 symphonies are! Contact us at www.attentiontodetailpod.com, or hit us up on our social media channels!

Beethoven 2020: What's So Great About Beethoven?

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 07:30:00 -0400

Happy new decade from Attention to Detail! We're back with our first episode of 2020, which marks the 250th centennial of Ludwig van Beethoven's birth. In honor of the greatest classical composer, we spend this episode talking about his life, listening to his music, and asking why he is so great after all!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

A Holiday Music Listening Guide!

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 18:23:47 -0400

Happy holidays from Attention to Detail! On this special episode, we decided to bring our listening techniques to the world of holiday music, to give our followers a primer on how to listen a little more attentively during this music-filled season. Plus, we offer a few suggestions for some new years resolutions, Attention to Detail style!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Guided Listening w/ Lincoln Center: Bruckner's Fourth

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 17:55:32 -0400

In the first episode of our exciting new partnership with Lincoln Center, we preview the LA Phil's upcoming performance of Bruckner Symphony No. 4 with some guided listening! Whether you can attend the concert or not, we take you through some simple approaches to listening to Bruckner that you can practice at home and bring with you to the hall.

For additional resources on Bruckner 4 and more information, visit www.attentiontodetailpod.com

www.lincolncenter.org

Form, Part 2

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 08:30:00 -0300

We continue our discussion of form with an overview of three of the most common formal archetypes: sonata, theme and variations, and rondo. Although we throw out a bit of musical jargon in this episode, we encourage you to wade through the technical details - you'll come out the other side prepared to listen to entire movements of pieces!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Form, Part 1

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 09:00:00 -0300

We start our two-episode exploration of form with by discussing what musical form actually is, how to listen to decisions that composers have made, and going on long, non-musical tangents. We also introduce a first for this podcast, assigning our listeners some homework! Link to the recording is here: https://youtu.be/NdSKxPwf6Ek

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Rhythm

Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:15:00 -0300

We're back with our final episode on the nuts and bolts of music, and this time we're talking about rhythm! We discuss what rhythm actually is, why we all know exactly when our favorite DJ is going to drop the beat, and how music is unique in the way it unfolds over time.

For a list of techniques, playlists of what we listen to on the pod, and more, visit www.attentiontodetailpod.com.

Harmony

Fri, 27 Sep 2019 16:38:11 -0300

What is harmony, and why is it so important? In this episode, we will continue to break down the nuts and bolts of music, discussing the reasons why we have harmony, what to listen for in your favorite pop songs, and why classical music is the best cure for the adult version of chicken pox, shingles.

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

What Makes a Great Melody?

Tue, 10 Sep 2019 12:34:25 -0300

In this episode, we explore one of the most important parameters of music: melody. We discuss what makes a great melody, why it's difficult to sing the national anthem in tune, and who are the best composers of catchy tunes!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Summer Review!

Thu, 29 Aug 2019 12:09:37 -0300

We're back! After our brief hiatus, we've returned with a discussion of our summers, the difference between American and European conducting styles, and what plans we have on the horizon!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Composer Pairings

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 14:37:58 -0300

Who are your favorite composers and why? Whether you are a music buff and can answer this question with the strongest of opinions, or you have no clue, this episode is for you! We talk about some of the most famous composers in the classical music world, and connect them and their styles to other things in our lives that might be more familiar.

To give us your own favorite composer pairings, contact us at www.attentiontodetailpod.com!

Live Performance Series #2: Musical Decisions

Mon, 01 Jul 2019 10:11:23 -0300

In our second episode on live performance, we tackle the question of how to listen for musical decisions. We'll listen to how a performer's choice of tempo, dynamics (loudness), and articulation can change the entire meaning of the piece.

For more information, visit www.attentiontodetailpod.com!

Live Performance Series #1: Technique

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 14:47:47 -0300

On our next three episodes, we will discuss listening to live performance and how to identify and appreciate the many choices that performers make. On this episode, the first in our three episode series, we will introduce this mini-series, and discuss the technical execution required to make music with our colleagues Roger Roe and Kent Cook!

www.attentiontodetailpod.com

Why Listen to Classical Music?

Mon, 03 Jun 2019 11:56:11 -0300

On this episode, we tackle the tough question of why we should listen to classical music at all. We discuss why art is important, if there is meaning behind music and how to find it, and end up talking way too much about birds!

For more information, visit www.attentiontodetailpod.com!