Kairoff at the Keyboard

The word 'sonata' simply means 'sounded', but when it comes to the classical period in music, there's a lot more to it than that.

In this episode, Peter explores Robert Schumann's nostalgic Scenes of Childhood. The set of thirteen pieces paints different pictures of the composer's idealized childhood.

George Frideric Handel's Passacaglia is a series of wonderfully distinctive variations showing that the composer was all about that bass.

Time to whip up a nice fugue. First, mix yourself a short musical theme.

Viennese composer Franz Schubert's music formed a kind of bridge between the majestic compositions of Beethoven and the deeply expressive Romanticism of Johannes Brahms.

What if you took a long, metal string, stretched it out taut, and then plucked it with a feather quill? Admittedly, just one string pluck has a puny sound compared with the modern-day piano.

These days, if you have a tough time falling asleep, you might grab yourself a melatonin, turn in early and hope for the best.

You've probably heard about Impressionist painters, but what about Impressionist composers?

Remember Donny and Marie Osmond's TV theme song "A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock N Roll"?

When you think back on 17th century palace parties, you might picture a lot of stuffy aristocrats standing around in uncomfortable clothing with pointy shoes.

How did we get the title Classical to refer to an era in music? We can thank the ancient Greeks and Romans for this umbrella term.

Brahms was composing in the late 19th century, but he worshipped music of the past. In this episode, Peter shows us how Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven all find their way into Brahms' music.