Off the Scale #30 - Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 14 (otherwise known as the "Moonlight Sonata")

Hello everyone!

As promised all the way back in episode 2, I now bring to you Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Just like the last one, Rhapsody in Blue, I didn't mean to leave it so long to celebrate this, it's just sort of happened as I've been trawling through my archives for classical music to celebrate.

Enjoy...

Off the Scale #29 - Highland Cathedral by Michael Korb

Hello everyone!

Today, on bringing my series shining the light on my favourite classical violinist, André Rieu to a close, I thought I'd focus upon one particular member of his Johann Strauss Orchestra; Manoe Konings.

I first heard "Highland Cathedral" from André's latest CD "Amore" that I got for Christmas last year and was instantly captivated, in part, I think, because I have quite a strong Scottish heritage which, apart from the fiery temperament, means there's always something particularly moving about the bagpipes I find.

It's as though (if you can pardon me whilst I make quite a detour for a moment!) it appeals through my blood to me from my ancestors. I feel, if I'm honest, it's as though it's some kind of ancestral gift passed down through previous generations; to fully feel and appreciate the music of my heritage as though it courses through my very bloodstream.

Have a listen for yourself and you can make your own mind up...

LS025 - Let The Focus be on God's Glory, Not My Own

Hi everyone!

First off, thanks for your patience whilst I took the time away from my blog, I needed that break more than I would probably care to admit. Yes, it was longer than I anticipated to be away from blogging, but that's just the way it goes sometimes; you realise that you need more space than you thought you needed at the time.

Anyway, I'm back now so whilst the quantity might drop over the next few weeks, aside from my weekly series celebrating classical music, I want to aim for the quality to remain the same as it was before I took my break...

Off the Scale #28 - Mama by André Rieu

Hey everyone!

How are you liking this series I've been doing celebrating the performances of André Rieu? I hope that you have enjoyed them so far because we are not quite finished yet.

This time, I thought I would celebrate one of his own compositions, a piece simply titled "Mama"...

Off the Scale #27 - Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah

Hey everyone!

This week I'm aiming for something a little different as I'm linking you to a song I've liked ever since I heard a Jeff Buckley cover some years ago and was instantly hooked. The man who wrote this, Leonard Cohen, is someone that a lot of you may have heard of (or not depending on where you are reading this from). For me, when André Rieu covered this track last year as a tribute to Cohen, it was like re-discovering the comfort of an old coat I used to enjoy wearing all over again.

If you will pardon that laboured metaphor, I am sure that you will agree that, whilst classical music will survive without the incessant need to connect with a younger audience, covers like these cannot do the genre any harm at all...