Passion for Pattern

September 10, 2021January 6, 2024 ~ CozyMedley

Repeated patterns are everywhere!

The fabric of music contains many kinds of patterns.
In many pieces, the composer lays the foundation by introducing a short pattern, called ostinato, that is repeated continually throughout the work.

A famous example for such technique is the opening bass line in Canon by Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706). The eight opening notes are repeated over and over, and more and more melodies are added. Enjoy a unique performance of this Canon featured in our post: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

The ostinato technique was widely used by many other Baroque era composers. Here’s Passacaglia by George Frideric Handel (1685-1759):

Composers of later periods used repeated bass lines too. Close your eyes and relax with Frédéric Chopin’s Berceuse (Lullaby) composed in 1844:

Repetitions create a meditative effect. Sink into your inner self with “Spiegel im Spiegel” (mirror in the mirror, composed in 1978) by
Estonian composer Arvo Pärt:

Let’s have fun with our last example: a repeated bass line in Boogie-Woogie music by Albert Ammons & Pete Johnson (1943):

For more repeated forms go around and visit our post:
Round and Round

July 17, 2021August 25, 2021 ~ CozyMedley

Hello, welcome to CozyMedley!
This blog celebrates the simple pleasures of life and great music of many styles: soothing Classical music, soft Rock and Pop, Jazz, Folk, and more.
Something like Mozart meets Shabby Chic and Bach in the country.
This is a mix of original photographs, pictures posted on the internet,
and You Tube music videos.
So take a short break, get cozy and enjoy beautiful images and music:

A Taste of France

February 20, 2021June 11, 2021 ~ CozyMedley

With so many stunning places, delicious food,
and oh so much charm everywhere,
it is impossible not to fall in love with France!

On top of that, France has a legendary musical heritage that inspired many people around the world. Join our musical tour and enjoy some highlights of France’ unique musical tradition.
Bon voyage!

CozyMedley The Hall of Mirrors, The Palace of Versailles — The famous Hall of Mirrors, The Palace of Versailles *A ballet term: an introduction for a set of dances or the initial appearance of a lead character.

On our first stop we are greeted with a grand entrée.*

Staged dancing, known as ballet, flourished in France mostly thanks to its famous patron, no other than “Sun King” Louis XIV (1643-1715) himself, who brought this form of dance into stage center:

No wonder ballet dancers twirl in “pirouette” and pairs in “pas de deux”, just to name a few of the still used French terms.

CozyMedley The Royal Opera The Palace of Versailles — The Royal Opera, The Palace of Versailles

On our next stop we leave those grandiose halls behind and go out into open air, where Impressionist artists used to look for inspiration and paint. Inspired by this artistic approach, French composers began to explore new “colors” in music. Enjoy Claude Debussy‘s
Arabesque No. 1 for piano:

A musical tour to France is not complete without the sound of a
French icon, the accordion. Even better when it accompanies another French icon, Édith Piaf:

The accordion was invented in Vienna. Read how it became a French symbol at www.completefrance.com

Did you know that the first recording device, the Phonautograph, was invented in France? It was invented by the bookseller and printer Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville in 1854!

End your day with an original “dinner and show” at the cabaret, home to the famous Can-can dance and chanson française.

A classic French chanson (written between 1930 to 1965) shows a lot of focus on lyrics. Enjoy
“Les feuilles mortes” (1945) performed by
Yves Montand:

For more French music visit our posts: Art Notes, Clair de lune, Clouds, Gardens in the Rain,
I Will Always Love You,
Reflections in the Water,
The Power of Wildflower

Hope you enjoyed our tour,
Merci et à bientôt!

Down by the River

August 10, 2020September 1, 2021 ~ CozyMedley

The Truckee River, USA, CozyMedley — It’s hot today, let’s go to the river!

Can’t go to the river right now? Just listen instead to “By the River”
by English composer Frederick Delius (1862-1934). The music is so soothing and lilting, it will make you feel like floating on a gentle stream, washing all your worries away. Delius wrote this piece after spending time in Florida, close to St. John’s River:

The Vltava, The Czech Republic, CozyMedley — The Vlatava Photo: Ofra Ben-Zvi

Let’s continue with the flow and enjoy a dreamy journey across the Czech countryside into the city of Prague.

With the famous “Vlatava” (The Moldau) by Czech composer
Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884), we follow the river as it expands from springs into a broad, majestic channel:

“The river is flowing, flowing and growing…”

“The River Is Flowing” is a Native American folk song, written in the 70’s by Sun Bear (born Vincent LaDuke, 1929-1992). The lyrics relate to the cycle of life and to the importance of water in our lives:

For music inspired by the sea visit our post: La mer

Round and Round

May 20, 2020September 1, 2021 ~ CozyMedley

“The eye is the first circle;
the horizon which it forms is the second;
and throughout nature
this primary picture is repeated without end.”

From “Circles”
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Reflections on the circle of life are vividly portrays in
“Circles of Motion” by composer Bob Chilcott to a poem by Joy Harjo:

* The poem’s original title is “Eagle poem” and can be found alongside
a recording of Joy Harjo reading it at www.poetryfoundation.org

Petroglyphs on Mount Karkom plateau, CozyMedley — “The eye is the first circle” R. W. Emerson Humans have been fascinated by the shape of the circle since the dawn of time.

The circle influenced musical structures too, like in Henry Purcell‘s
most known piece “Rondeau” (1695), in which the music is set in a circular form. The opening main melody is repeated after every other section and concludes the whole cycle. Or does it actually lead us
back to the beginning?…

Another example of this circular form, called “rondo”, is Mozart‘s
famous piece for horn and orchestra. The horn, a rounded coiled tube,
is considered a difficult instrument to play:

“We’re captive on the carousel of time
We can’t return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game”

“The Circle Game”
Lyrics & Music: Joni Mitchell

Spin into our Hands On post and discover how the motion of a spinning wheel inspired Franz Schubert.

Gardens in the Rain

March 16, 2020September 1, 2021 ~ CozyMedley

The 1928 song “A Garden in the Rain” is such a lovely hidden gem!
Grab your umbrella and stroll with us:

Photo: Karen Jaffe

“The raindrops kissed the flowerbeds…
But then the sun came out again and sent us happily on our way…””

Lyrics: James Dyrenforth (1895-1973)
Music: Carroll Gibbons (1903-1954)
Enjoy Diana Krall’s 1997 beautiful revival:

It’s drizzling, it’s raining, it’s pouring!
All of this appears in Claude Debussy‘s picturesque
piano piece “Jardins sous la pluie” (1903):

As mentioned in our Clair de lune post, a 1913 reproduction
presents some of Debussy’s piano works, played by himself!
Luckily, among them – “Jardins sous la pluie”:

For gardening themes, visit our posts:
In a Kitchen Garden, Purple Blossom

Raindrops on flowers — Photo: Karen Jaffe

Romeo and Juliet

January 28, 2020September 1, 2021 ~ CozyMedley

“My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.”
William Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s famous play was popular during his lifetime and is still
popular today. The play has been revised into many versions, including adaptions to opera, ballet, musicals and film.
Here are a few examples:

Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) wrote music to the
1935 ballet and originally included a happy ending!
Due to Soviet cultural circumstances he changed the ending to the
tragic, traditional one.

**Speaking of a non-traditional performance:
Watch ice skater Marina Anissina lift her dance partner
in a beautiful dance to excerpts from Prokofiev’s music
(To watch – click on YouTube):

The play is set in the beautiful city of Verona, Italy:

“There’s a place for us
Somewhere a place for us …”

“Somewhere” from “West Side Story”
Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Music: Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)

Although the 1957 musical “West Side Story” (and the 1961 film)
is set in New York City, it was inspired by the Verona story.
Enjoy a heart-melting performance by Julie Andrews:

“You and me, babe, how about it?”
“Romeo and Juliet”
Lyrics & Music: Mark Knopfler (“Dire Straits”)

The film “Romeo and Juliet” (1968) directed by Franco Zeffirelli is one
of the most popular adaptations of Shakespeare’s play. Its unforgettable music was composed by the famed Italian composer Nino Rota (1911-1979):

Love padlocks in Verona, Italy CozyMedley — Love padlocks in **Verona**

Pull Up a Chair

November 26, 2019June 3, 2020 ~ CozyMedley




"I'm gonna sit on the porch and pick on my old guitar ..."
Lyrics & Music: Johnny Cash (1932-2003)

Which chair would you pick?

Chairs in Siena, Italy CozyMedley — historical,

Chairs with a view, Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge, CozyMedley — a chair with a view,

A table for two CozyMedley — a chair with dinner,

A comfy chair CozyMedly — or a comfy one next to a window?

Ever wondered how it feels to sit in a queen’s chair?
Watch the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II along with music by
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759). The anthem “Zadok the Priest”
was composed for the coronation of King George II in 1727 and
since then was performed in all British monarch coronations:

And sometimes, you just can’t sit down…
Enjoy a high-energy part of the opera “Porgy and Bess”
by George Gershwin (1898-1937):

By the end of the day, all we need is “an easy chair”.
Relax with the beautiful love song, “Evergreen”, in our Evergreen post

Reflections in the Water

October 22, 2019March 13, 2021 ~ CozyMedley

“I see reflections in the water
Autumn colours, summer’s daughter …”

"Blind"
Lyrics & Music: Jon Lord (1941-2012, "Deep Purple")

The French Impressionist artists were obsessed with painting
watery scenes, particularly capturing reflections in water.
The acclaimed “Impression, Sunrise” painting (click to view)
by Claude Monet (1840-1926) depicts a reflection of the rising sun
in the water of Le Havre port in France.

And so did Impressionist composers, choosing to represent light and water
through sound. Feel the fluid textures in “Reflets dans l’eau”
(Reflections in the Water, 1905) by Claude Debussy (1862-1918):

Reflections in the Water, Venice, Italy — Photos: Karen Jaffe

The harp’s delicate sound fits beautifully in a different impressionist piece
of the same name – “Reflets dans l’eau” by Jacques Ibert (1890-1962):

In a Kitchen Garden

Image ~ September 15, 2019January 6, 2024 ~ CozyMedley

A kitchen garden, Zermatt Switzerland, CozyMedley — Since old times, families created small gardens close to the **kitchen** door, where vegetables were grown, often in a mix of herbs, fruit, and flowers.

“Down a Country Lane” by American composer Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
takes us on a pastoral walk. Don’t miss the lovely ending of this short
and beautiful video :

* Can you believe that “Down a Country Lane” was originally
commissioned and published by Life magazine in 1962 as
a piano piece for children?

Let’s enter the garden:

Growing Cherry Tomatoes, CozyMedley — Pick a juicy tomato

An Apple Tree, CozyMedley — Do not sit under the apple tree …

“Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme …”
The traditional English ballad “Scarborough Fair” became
known world-wide thanks to the Simon & Garfunkel version:

The incredible evergreen Rosemary:
not only does it have culinary and health benefits,
it is also drought tolerant, easy to grow, and
pest resistant.

“She said, “I love to watch the seeds I’ve planted
Grow up into what they ought to be.”
I thought she was talking ’bout tomatoes
But she was talking about her family…”

“Grandma’s Garden”
Lyrics & Music: Zac Brown

Although fresh produce is conveniently found today in markets and stores, how rewarding it would be to pick fresh veggies and herbs from your own backyard. Don’t have space for a kitchen garden? Learn how to create
a city vegetable garden at www.gardeners.com or join a local
community garden.

For more music by Aaron Copland fly into our post: Barns & Owls

CozyMedley

Simple Pleasures, Great Music

Author: CozyMedley