Music History Monday: The First Professional Composer

Music History Monday: The First Professional Composer

Author: Robert Greenberg August 5, 2024 Duration: 22:32

Easy Times! We’ve been having a good time, an easy time here at Music History Monday these last few weeks. Five of our last six MHM posts have featured fairly recent musical events from the “popular” side of the musical aisle.  Music History Monday for June 24 focused on Disco; on July 1, the invention and marketing of Sony’s Walkman; on July 8, the American crooner Steve Lawrence (who was born, as I know you recall, Sidney Liebowitz); on July 22, Taylor Swift; and on July 29, Cass Elliot (born Ellen Naomi Cohen). Today we get back to the historical repertoire.  But let me assure you: the composer we will focus on was as ground-breaking as Sony’s Walkman; his music as gorgeous as the silken voices of Steve Lawrence and Cass Elliot; his rhythmic sensibilities as sharply honed as those of the Bee Gees and Taylor Swift (though, to my knowledge, a concert of his music never simulated a magnitude 2.3 earthquake in downtown Seattle, as did Ms. Swift’s on July 22, 2023). Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for Guillaume Du Fay! We celebrate the birth on August 5, 1397 – 627 years ago today – of the composer Guillaume Du […]

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Every Monday, join Robert Greenberg for a deep and engaging look at the events that have shaped our musical world. In Music History Mondays, Greenberg-a composer, author, and celebrated professor-applies his signature blend of expertise, wit, and storytelling to the dates that matter. Each episode focuses on a specific anniversary, weaving together biographical sketches, cultural context, and insightful commentary to reveal how a premiere, a birth, a death, or a scandal changed the course of music. You’ll hear about the fierce rivalries, personal dramas, and brilliant innovations behind the notes, all presented with a conversational energy that makes centuries-old stories feel immediate and relevant. This isn't a dry lecture; it's a weekly journey into the heart of why music moves us, hosted by a guide who makes every detail fascinating. Tune in to this podcast for a regular dose of historical discovery, where each story connects the past directly to the music we know and love today.
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