Earlier in Journeys of Life, we’ve had an article on composers. This time we will deal solely with composers of film music. What would a great film be without great music? Original score, songs? The list below will present some of the most unforgettable, magnificent scores and their composers, and the film where the music appeared, whether awarded or not. But before reading any further, go and have a look at what Wikipedia has to say about film scores. Continue reading

Many of the following names have appeared previously in the article on Our Great Composers, published earlier here in Journeys of Life. Now we would like to bring forth the conductors (who very often compose as well), past and present. And here to the list is threefold for further scrutiny. And as in the Composers, you can see one sample work associated with each person in the last one, i.e the alphabetical list. Continue reading

Here’s yet another piece in Who Said That! Depicting what we people have uttered in a moment of elation, insight, inspiration, wisdom, despair – or any other emotion. Try to guess/remember first who said that, and if you don’t know, you’ll see who it was at the very end of the article. Remember to scroll very s l o w l y. GET RID OF THE SHITTY SOUND. LIFE IS TOO SHORT. Continue reading

Music heals. In the deepest abysses of sorrow, music heals, soothes, takes us somewhere with no time and space. Listening to a piece by Garth Brooks, Time by Hans Zimmer, Schindler’s List by John Williams etc etc, through the earphones at top volume and sobbing in rhythm with it all can be an utterly cleansing, cathartic experience. Here’s one more. On The Nature of Daylight by the British composer Max Richter. Continue reading

Fleetwood Mac in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2018. Photo credit Raph_PH The British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac - a band with their own unique beat that has garnered millions of die-hard fans till this day - was formed in London in 1967. By guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Jeremy Spencer. And joined a few weeks later by bassist John McVie for the band’s 1968 debut album Fleetwood Mac. And as you may know, the name of the band was formed by the merging of Mick Fleetwood’s last name and the Mac from John “Mac” McVie. Continue reading

Ever heard of the term earworm? I bet you have! Or if you for some inexplicable reason haven’t, I bet you have had the experience, time and time again! I hadn’t heard of the term (in any language, go fathom!) as I googled for an explanation why is it so hard to get rid of a melody in my mind. Earworm? What a strange word for such a neat thing. Continue reading

Bonngasse 515, Bonn two German composers, Johann Peter Salomon (1745-1815) and Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) were both born at Bonngasse 515 in Bonn, Germany? 35 years apart from each other. Beethoven who knew Salomon from his days in Bonn, wrote to fellow composer Ferninand Ries on hearing of his death, “Salomon’s death grieves me much, for he was a noble man, and I remember him since I was a child.” Continue reading

Welcome again to Language Day! If you haven’t read the introduction yet, please do it here. This time we’ll go through that simple but oh so useful and such an appreciated word: Thank You! Here presented the most simple form of it in different languages, more or less corresponding to the English Thanks. The way the word is written in its own language is given after the language designation. How it is pronounced is for you to find out! Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_8756” align=“alignright” width=“337”]Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Jerry O’Connell and Corey Feldman in Stand by Me (1986)[/caption] Many of us remember with fondness the movie with the same title as that fantastic piece of music, Stand by Me (released in April, 1961). The film premiered in 1986, and kind of gave that song to a whole new generation of music lovers! The movie is a coming of age story for four teenage boys, played by Wil Wheaton (as Gordie), River Phoenix (Chris), Jerry O’Connell (Vern) and Corey Feldman (Teddy). Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_7121” align=“alignleft” width=“177”]Paul, Peter & Mary[/caption] Peter, Paul and Mary was a popular American folk group active between 1961 and 2009. For many of us pretty unknown or just a distant reminder of the past. But as you watch them perform - albeit seemingly old-fashioned in style and tempo - the emotions you sense there are really no different from any age we live in. If you are feeling stressed and in need to slow down a bit, watching these three singing will do the trick. Continue reading

It is Wednesday, the 8th of April, 1668. Maria Elisabeth Lämmerhirt, daughter of a furrier and coachman in the German city of Erfurt, is about to marry Johann whom she has known since childhood. The wedding will take place in the old church, Kaufmannkirche, in Erfurt. Little does she know what impact that decision is going to have on the world. She is 24, he 23 years of age. Her future husband is a musician, and the home they will be sharing will one day be full of music! Continue reading

What would we do without music? The world would be a bleaker place, that much is for sure. To honor and commemorate our great composers, we present here a list that consists of composers of classical music, but also of more modern music, such as film music. It is nowhere near perfect, but attempts nevertheless to give the timeline of composers through ages. Some of these composers are perhaps better known as conductors, but they still composed their own music as well. Continue reading