Music & Culture

Music & Culture

Listen Back To A 1988 Conversation With Composer Gunther Schuller

2:05pm June 22, 2015

The composer, conductor, teacher and music historian who coined the term Third Stream for his synthesis of jazz and classical music, died Sunday in Boston from complications of leukemia. He was 89.

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After his shocking ballet, The Rite of Spring, Igor Stravinsky branched out in surprising directions.

Music & Culture

Igor Stravinsky's 'Rite Of Spring' Counterrevolution

11:31am June 22, 2015

by NPR Staff

Not long after his shocking ballet, the composer branched out into a broad range of styles, ushering in new musical trends far from the violent tone of his iconic Rite of Spring.

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Music & Culture

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musician Gunther Schuller Dies At 89

8:07am June 22, 2015

Gunther Schuller, who bridged classical music and jazz, has died at age 89. The Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, conductor and educator ranged widely in his musicianship.

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Erik Jensen portrays rock critic Lester Bangs in the new one-man play How to Be a Rock Critic.

'Lester, You Changed Our Lives': Channeling Bangs In 'How To Be a Rock Critic'

6:42pm June 20, 2015

by NPR Staff

Husband-wife team Erik Jensen and Jessica Blank talk about their play based on the life and writings of legendary rock scribe Lester Bangs.

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Store Helps Students Find The Right Instrumental Fit

10:40am June 20, 2015

by Kyle Norris

Putting up with the squawks and squeaks of elementary school band takes patience. A Michigan music store is helping kids stick it out by making sure they choose the right instrument.

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Jay Z performs a B-sides and album tracks at a concert in New York City on May 17, 2015.

Music & Culture

A Rational Conversation: Are B-Sides For Die Hards, Or Everybody?

2:33pm June 19, 2015

by Eric Ducker

Should more superstar musicians follow Jay Z's lead and play shows filled with lesser-known songs? Is the format a live music innovation or the last gasp of a nostalgia machine?

'Love & Mercy' Brings The Life Of Brian Wilson To The Big Screen

1:46pm June 18, 2015

Screenwriter Oren Moverman talks with Fresh Air's Terry Gross about the film's depiction of the Beach Boy's troubled life. We'll also listen back to an interview Gross recorded with Wilson in 1988.

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Neil Young says he supports Bernie Sanders — and that Donald Trump shouldn't have used his song "Rockin' in the Free World." He's seen here performing in Los Angeles earlier this year.

Neil Young Is Displeased That Donald Trump Was 'Rockin' In The Free World'

5:27pm June 17, 2015

by Bill Chappell

When Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he's running for president, the soundtrack at the rally was Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World," which was played loudly and repeatedly.

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Music & Culture

Neil Young Tells Trump To Quit 'Rockin' In The Free World'

8:30am June 17, 2015

Donald Trump has added his name to the list of Republican presidential candidates. Neil Young's song "Rockin' in the Free World" was played at Trump's event. Songwriter Neil Young wasn't pleased.

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Giorgio Moroder in 1979, the year his longtime collaborator, the singer Donna Summer, had a hit with "Hot Stuff."

Music & Culture

From Here To Eternity: A Giorgio Moroder Primer

11:50am June 16, 2015

by Barry Walters

The iconic dance producer — his first album in two decades, Deja Vu, is out now — is having a moment. Here's a guide to the highlights of his career, from the popular to the obscure.