Music is the arrangement ofsound to create some combination ofform,harmony,melody,rhythm, or otherwiseexpressive content. Music is generally agreed to be acultural universal that is present in all human societies.Definitions of music vary widely in substance and approach. While scholars agree that music is defined by a small number ofspecific elements, there is no consensus as to what these necessary elements are. Music is often characterized as a highly versatile medium for expressing humancreativity. Diverse activities are involved in the creation of music, and are often divided into categories ofcomposition,improvisation, andperformance. Music may be performed using a wide variety ofmusical instruments, including thehuman voice. It can also be composed, sequenced, or otherwise produced to be indirectly played mechanically or electronically, such as via amusic box,barrel organ, ordigital audio workstation software on a computer.

Music often plays a key role in social events andreligious ceremonies. The techniques of making music are often transmitted as part of a cultural tradition. Music is played in public and private contexts, highlighted at events such asfestivals and concerts for various different types of ensembles. Music is used in the production of other media, such as insoundtracks to films, TV shows,operas, and video games.

Listening to music is a common means ofentertainment. The culture surrounding music extends into areas ofacademic study,journalism,philosophy,psychology, andtherapy. Themusic industry includes songwriters, performers,sound engineers, producers, tour organizers, distributors of instruments, accessories, and publishers ofsheet music andrecordings. Technology facilitating therecording and reproduction of music has historically includedsheet music,microphones,phonographs, andtape machines, with playback ofdigital music being a common use forMP3 players,CD players, andsmartphones. (Full article...)

General images -load new batch

The following are images from various music-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1ARhodes College student listening to the 1969Yes LP on campus,c. 1970 (fromAlbum era)
Image 2c. 379 CE Bas relief ofSassanid women playing thechang inTaq-e Bostan, Iran (fromHistory of music)
Image 3J. S. Bach (fromHistory of music)
Image 4A young couple listening to music on aniPod Mini, 2006 (fromAlbum era)
Image 5Frank Sinatra (c. 1955), an early pop album artist (fromAlbum era)
Image 6A radio broadcasting system from 1906 (fromMusic industry)
Image 7TheBull Headed Lyre of Ur, found in theRoyal Cemetery at Ur, is the best known of the ancientLyres of Ur (fromHistory of music)
Image 8An audience watching aconcert (fromMusic industry)
Image 9Stevie Wonder, among the era's innovative artists (fromAlbum era)
Image 10A studio engineer working with anaudio mixer in a recording studio (fromMusic industry)
Image 11The portableDiscman CD player, which was released in 1984 and precipitated the displacement of LPs (fromAlbum era)
Image 12Frances Densmore at theSmithsonian Institution in 1916 where she was recordingBlackfoot chiefMountain Chief for theBureau of American Ethnology. In this picture, Mountain Chief is listening to a recording. (fromMusic industry)
Image 13The Japanese boy bandArashi, who had the world's best-selling album (5x20 All the Best!!) in 2019 (fromAlbum era)
Image 14The monumentalBianzhong of Marquis Yi of Zeng,c. 5th century BCE, from Hubei (fromHistory of music)
Image 15Alleluia nativitas byPerotin from the Codex Guelf.1099 (fromHistory of music)
Image 16Two musicians of theEastern Han Dynasty (25–220 CE),Shanghai Museum (fromHistory of music)
Image 17A musician in a recording studio (fromMusic industry)
Image 18A smartphone displaying playlists onSpotify, 2010. Thestreaming service became a dominant and redefining platform for music consumption through the decade. (fromAlbum era)
Image 19Clara andRobert Schumann (fromHistory of music)
Image 20AnLP record on a phonograph (fromAlbum era)
Image 21The Beatles have been credited by music historians for heralding the album era. (fromAlbum era)
Image 22US vinyl sales in units, 1995–2020; while album sales overall declined, those in thevinyl format rose toward the end of the 2010s. (fromAlbum era)
Image 23Platinum records byElvis Presley,Prince,Madonna,Lynyrd Skynyrd, andBruce Springsteen, atJulien's Auctions (fromAlbum era)
Image 24Beyoncé (2016) popularized thesurprise-album strategy of the 2010s. (fromAlbum era)
Image 25AnHMV record shop inWakefield, England closing its operation in 2013 (fromAlbum era)
Image 26The Rolling Stones in 1967 (fromAlbum era)
Image 27Notation indicating differing pitch, dynamics, articulation, and instrumentation (fromElements of music)
Image 28As LPs fell out of favor to CDs,hip hop producers repurposed them assampling sources, contributing to the development ofrecord collecting. (fromAlbum era)
Image 29Sheet music for part of theMissa Papae Marcelli byGiovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (fromHistory of music)
Image 30Circular definition of "musicality" (fromElements of music)
Image 31Pink Floyd (1973) performingThe Dark Side of the Moon, a leading commercial success of the LP era (fromAlbum era)
Image 32An example of mechanically printed sheet music (fromMusic industry)
Image 33Guillaume Du Fay (left), withGilles Binchois (right) in ac. 1440 Illuminated manuscript copy ofMartin le Franc'sLe champion des dames (fromHistory of music)
Image 34Drawing of the tablet with the Hymn toNikkal (c. 1400 BCE), the oldest of the Hurrian songs (fromHistory of music)
Image 35The logo forApple Inc.'s onlineiTunes store, which sells digital files of songs and musical pieces–along with a range of other content, such as digital files ofTV shows andmovies (fromMusic industry)
Image 36A young man browsing through arecord store inBonn, West Germany, June 1988 (fromAlbum era)
Image 37Musicians working in arecording studio (fromMusic industry)
Image 38Terracotta statue of a Parthian lute player (fromHistory of music)
Image 39Kanye West (2007) emerged during the decade as an important hip-hop producer and album artist. (fromAlbum era)

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Featured articles are displayed here, which represent some of the best content on English Wikipedia.

Image 1

The composer (c. 1940–1945)

TheSymphony No. 8,JS 190, was the final major compositional project of the Finnish composerJean Sibelius, occupying him intermittently from the mid-1920s until around 1938, though he never published it. During this time Sibelius was at the peak of his fame, a national figure in his native Finland and a composer of international stature. A fair copy of at least the first movement was made, but how much of the Eighth Symphony was completed is unknown. Sibelius repeatedly refused to release it for performance, though he continued to assert that he was working on it even after he had, according to later reports from his family, burned the score and associated material, probably in 1945.

Much of Sibelius's reputation, during his lifetime and subsequently, derived from his work as asymphonist. HisSeventh Symphony of 1924 has been widely recognised as a landmark in the development of symphonic form, and at the time there was no reason to suppose that the flow of innovative orchestral works would not continue. However, after the symphonic poemTapiola, completed in 1926, his output was confined to relatively minor pieces and revisions to earlier works. During the 1930s the Eighth Symphony's premiere was promised toSerge Koussevitzky and theBoston Symphony Orchestra on several occasions, but as each scheduled date approached Sibelius demurred, claiming that the work was not ready for performance. Similar promises made to the British conductorBasil Cameron and to the FinnishGeorg Schnéevoigt likewise proved illusory. It is thought that Sibelius's perfectionism and exalted reputation prevented him ever completing the symphony to his satisfaction; he wanted it to be even better than his Seventh. (Full article...)
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"Alejandro" is a song by American singerLady Gaga from her thirdextended play (EP),The Fame Monster (2009)—thereissue of her debutstudio album,The Fame (2008). It was released as the thirdsingle fromThe Fame Monster on April 20, 2010.Interscope Records intended "Dance in the Dark" to be the EP's third single after "Alejandro" initially received limitedairplay, but Gaga insisted on the latter. Written and co-produced by Gaga alongside Moroccan-Swedish producerRedOne, "Alejandro" was inspired by Gaga's fear of men and is about her bidding farewell to herLatino lovers named Alejandro, Roberto and Fernando. Musically, it is asynth-pop song withEuropop andLatin pop beats, and opens with asample from the mainmelody ofVittorio Monti's "Csárdás".

Upon its release, "Alejandro" received generally mixed reviews frommusic critics; some praised the song'scatchiness and production while others criticized it as unoriginal, mainly due to the influence from the Swedishpop groupsABBA andAce of Base. Retrospective reviewers ranked the song as one of Gaga's best singles. Commercially, "Alejandro" was a global success, topping therecord charts in Croatia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Mexico, Poland, Russia and Venezuela. It was aTop 5 hit single in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United States. In a 2017 journal, which studied structural patterns in melodies ofearworm songs, theAmerican Psychological Association (APA) called "Alejandro" one of the world's catchiest. (Full article...)
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"Deja Vu" (stylized inall lowercase) is a song by American singer-songwriterOlivia Rodrigo. It was released on April 1, 2021, throughGeffen andInterscope Records, as the second single from her debut studio album,Sour (2021). Rodrigo wrote the song with its producerDan Nigro, withTaylor Swift,Jack Antonoff, andSt. Vincent receiving writing credits for itsinterpolation of Swift's 2019 song "Cruel Summer". An incorporation of variouspop androck sub-genres, "Deja Vu" explores themes of nostalgia, heartbreak, and the complexity of moving on from a past relationship. Olivia Rodrigo reflects on the memories associated with her previous relationship and the struggle to let go, even as she acknowledges that the new couple is creating their own memories.

"Deja Vu" received acclaim from music critics, many of whom considered it a strong follow-up to "Drivers License" (2021) and praised its lyrics. In the United States, the song debuted at number eight on theBillboard Hot 100 and made Rodrigo the first artist to debut their first two singles in the chart's top 10. It eventually peaked at number three. "Deja Vu" reached the top 10 in Ireland, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada, Latvia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, and the Czech Republic. (Full article...)
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Sir Adrian Cedric Boult,CH (/boʊlt/; 8 April 1889 – 22 February 1983) was a British conductor. Brought up in a prosperous mercantile family, he followed musical studies in England and atLeipzig, Germany, with early conducting work in London for theRoyal Opera House andSergei Diaghilev's ballet company. His first prominent post was conductor of theCity of Birmingham Orchestra in 1924. When theBritish Broadcasting Corporation appointed him director of music in 1930, he established theBBC Symphony Orchestra and became its chief conductor. The orchestra set standards of excellence that were rivalled in Britain only by theLondon Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO), founded two years later.

Forced to leave the BBC in 1950 on reaching retirement age, Boult became principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestra had declined from its peak of the 1930s, but under his guidance its fortunes were revived. He retired as its chief conductor in 1957, and later accepted the post of president. Although in the latter part of his career he worked with several other orchestras, including theLondon Symphony Orchestra, thePhilharmonia Orchestra, theRoyal Philharmonic Orchestra, and his former orchestra, the BBC Symphony, it was the LPO with which he was primarily associated, conducting it in concerts and recordings until 1978, in what was widely called his "Indian summer". (Full article...)
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Berlioz byAugust Prinzhofer, 1845

Louis-Hector Berlioz (11 December 1803 – 8 March 1869) was a FrenchRomantic composer and conductor. His output includes orchestral works such as theSymphonie fantastique andHarold in Italy, choral pieces including theRequiem andL'Enfance du Christ, his three operasBenvenuto Cellini,Les Troyens andBéatrice et Bénédict, and works of hybrid genres such as the "dramatic symphony"Roméo et Juliette and the "dramatic legend"La Damnation de Faust.

The elder son of a provincial physician, Berlioz was expected to follow his father into medicine, and he attended a Parisian medical college before defying his family by taking up music as a profession. His independence of mind and refusal to follow traditional rules and formulas put him at odds with the conservative musical establishment of Paris. He briefly moderated his style sufficiently to win France's premier music prize – thePrix de Rome – in 1830, but he learned little from the academics of theParis Conservatoire. Opinion was divided for many years between those who thought him an original genius and those who viewed his music as lacking in form and coherence. (Full article...)
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Ho Ho Ho, also known asVH-1 Presents RuPaul: Ho Ho Ho, is aChristmas album and the third studio album by American singer anddrag queen RuPaul. Released on October 28, 1997, by the record labelRhino, it is RuPaul's first album featuring Christmas music and serves as a follow-up to his 1996 albumFoxy Lady. RuPaul co-produced the album withFenton Bailey andRandy Barbato from the production companyWorld of Wonder.Ho Ho Ho consists of thirteen tracks, including ten covers ofChristmas standards andcarols, and three original songs written by Joe Carrano and RuPaul.Music critics frequently described the album as an example ofcamp though RuPaul clarified that it included several more serious covers, specifically "All Alone on Christmas" and "Hard Candy Christmas".

Ho Ho Ho was praised by critics following its release and during retrospective reviews; its cheerful and humorous compositions were frequently cited as the album's highlights, though some commentators responded negatively to the record's use of humor and the lack of clarity in its overall message. It was included in a 2016 parody list discussing thealt-right, the"War on Christmas", and thebathroom bill. The album peaked at number 27 on theHeatseekers Albums Billboard chart, selling a little more than 4,000 copies in one week. To support the record, RuPaul filmed a television special as part of hisVH1 talk showThe RuPaul Show. (Full article...)
Image 7
"Spinning Around" is a song by Australian singerKylie Minogue for her seventh studio album,Light Years (2000). Written by Ira Shickman,Osborne Bingham,Kara DioGuardi andPaula Abdul, the song was initially meant to be recorded by Abdul for her own album, but was given to Minogue after the plan never came to fruition. Produced byMike Spencer, thedisco-influenceddance-pop song was then released in Australia and the UK as thelead single fromLight Years on 19 June 2000, throughMushroom Records andParlophone. Lyrically, the song addresses the theme of reinvention, with Minogue claiming that she has changed as a person and learned from the past.

Upon its release, "Spinning Around" received favourable reviews frommusic critics, who singled it out as one of the highlights from the album and praised Minogue for returning to her signature musical style. Commercially, the single was a success and became Minogue's "comeback" single following the critical and commercial disappointment of her previous albumImpossible Princess (1997). It entered theAustralian Singles Chart at number one, becoming Minogue's first chart-topper since "Confide in Me" in 1994. The single also debuted at number one in the United Kingdom, where it became her first single to peak atop the chart since "Tears on My Pillow" in 1990. Elsewhere, it reached the top five in several countries, including Croatia, Czech Republic, Ireland, New Zealand and Russia. "Spinning Around" wascertified platinum in Australia and the United Kingdom. The song won the 2000ARIA Music Award for "Best Pop Release". (Full article...)
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"Your Power" is a song by American singer-songwriterBillie Eilish and the thirdsingle from her second studio album,Happier Than Ever (2021). It was released on April 29, 2021, through Darkroom andInterscope Records. Adowntempo indie folk ballad backed by anacoustic guitar, the song is a plea for people to stop abusing their authority, and it mainly addresses men who exploit vulnerable women. Its lyrics narrate a damaging sexual relationship between a female high school student and an older man, exploring the topics ofdomestic abuse,sexual harassment, andstatutory rape. Eilish wrote "Your Power" with her producer who is her brother,Finneas O'Connell.

Named one of the best songs of 2021 inVariety andThe Guardian, "Your Power" was praised for its candid songwriting, the emotional impact of its critiques of abuse, and the relevance of its lyrics to contemporary society. It wonBest Video with a Social Message at the2021 MTV Video Music Awards. During its opening week, the song received 64.2 millionstreams and sold 8,600digital copies worldwide. "Your Power" reached the top 10 in over 20 countries; it was Eilish's fifth top 10 song and third top 10 debut in the United States. It peaked at number 6 on theBillboard Global 200 chart, her second top 10 single there. (Full article...)
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"Can I Get It" is a song by the English singerAdele from her fourth studio album,30 (2021), written with the Swedish producersMax Martin andShellback. The song became available as the album's sixth track on 19 November 2021, when it was released byColumbia Records. Apop song withpop rock andcountry pop influences, "Can I Get It" has acoustic guitar, drum, and horn instrumentation and a whistledhook. The song is about moving on from a breakup and explores Adele's search for true love and the thrilling and wondrous parts of a new relationship.

"Can I Get It" received mixed reviews frommusic critics, who were generally positive about its acoustic portion and lyrics, but highly criticised its whistled hook. Some thought that what they called the song's "brazen" pop production catered to the tastes of mainstream radio, which made it an outlier on30, and compared it toFlo Rida's single "Whistle" (2012). It reached the top 20 in Sweden, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Finland, and Norway and entered the top 40 in some other countries. (Full article...)
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"The One" is a song by American singerTamar Braxton from her second studio album,Love and War, which was released on September 3, 2013. Braxton co-wrote the song with its producer,K.E. on the Track, along withLaShawn Daniels,Christian Ward,Jean-Claude Oliver, and Shaunice Lasha Jones.Epic andStreamline Records issued it as the album's second single on May 7, 2013. "The One" is about commitment to a romantic partner, and the production uses asample ofMtume's "Juicy Fruit" (1983) and a portion ofthe Notorious B.I.G.'s "Juicy" (1994).

The song received positive reviews from critics who associated it with summer and praised Braxton's vocals. Reviewers commented on the use of samples, believing they were already overused in past music. The single peaked at number four onBillboard'sBubbling Under Hot 100 and number 34 on theHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and wascertified Gold by theRecording Industry Association of America.Gil Green directed the music video, which features Braxton on a date at theSanta Monica Pier. Braxton further promoted "The One" through live performances, including on herLove and War Tour in 2014. (Full article...)
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Alicia is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter and pianistAlicia Keys. It was primarily recorded atOven Studios andJungle City Studios, both in New York, after her 2016 albumHere and her judgeship on the singing competition seriesThe Voice, before being released byRCA Records on September 18, 2020. Written and produced largely by Keys, the album also features songwriting and production contributions fromSwizz Beatz,Ryan Tedder,Johnny McDaid,Ed Sheeran, andThe-Dream, among others. Keys collaborated with more artists on the recording than in her previous albums, enlisting vocalists such asSampha,Tierra Whack,Diamond Platnumz,Snoh Aalegra, andJill Scott for certain tracks.

Alicia's mostly low-tempo and melodically subtle music reconciles the experimental direction ofHere with her earlier work'sbass drum-drivenR&B and piano-basedballadry. Throughout, individual songs incorporate sounds from a wide range of other genres, includingorchestral pop,progressive soul,funk,ambient,country, andCaribbean music. Thematically, they explore the concept of a multifaceted identity,sociopolitical concerns, and forms of love within the framework of impressionistic lyrics, personal narratives, andself-knowledge. Keys has described the album as therapeutic and reflective of greaterintrospection, and as expressing ideas and feelings of hope, frustration, despair, ambivalence, andequanimity shared in her memoirMore Myself (2020), which was written duringAlicia's recording. (Full article...)
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"Love Is Embarrassing" (stylized inall lowercase) is a song by American singer-songwriterOlivia Rodrigo from her second studio album,Guts (2023). Rodrigo wrote the song with its producer,Dan Nigro. It became available as the album's ninth track on September 8, 2023, when it was released byGeffen Records. Anew wave song, "Love Is Embarrassing" hasself-deprecating lyrics in which Rodrigo derides alove interest and expresses embarrassment about how much she was attracted to him.

Music critics found the lyricism of "Love Is Embarrassing" relatable and compared Rodrigo's vocals and the production to the work of other artists. The song reached the top 30 in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United States and entered the charts in some other countries. It received platinum certifications in Australia, Brazil, and Canada. Rodrigo included the song on the set list of her 2024–2025 concert tour, theGuts World Tour. She suffered awardrobe malfunction while performing the song during the London tour stop, which critics believed she handled well. (Full article...)
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Romance is the eighthstudio album by Mexican singerLuis Miguel. It was released byWEA Latina on 19 November 1991. Although the production was originally intended as another collaboration withJuan Carlos Calderón, that plan was scrapped when Calderón was unable to compose songs for the album. Facing a new-material deadline in his recording contract, at his manager's suggestion Miguel chosebolero music for his next project. Mexican singer-songwriterArmando Manzanero was hired by WEA Latina to co-produce the album with Miguel. Recording began in August 1991 at Ocean Way Recording in Hollywood, California, withBebu Silvetti thearranger.

On the album Miguelcovers twelve boleros, originally recorded from 1944 to 1986. The first two singles, "Inolvidable" and "No Sé Tú", reached number one on theBillboard Hot Latin Songs chart in the United States and spent six months atop the Mexican charts. "Mucho Corazón" and "Cómo" were in the top five of the Hot Latin Songs chart, and "Usted" and "La Barca" receivedairplay throughout Latin America. Miguel promoted the record with a tour of the United States and Latin America. The album was generally well received bymusic critics, who praised Miguel's singing and the record's production. The singer received several accolades, including Luis Miguel's fourthGrammy nomination forBest Latin Pop Album. (Full article...)
Image 14

First solo violin part, as used for the first performance of the cantata

Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern ('How beautifully the morning star shines'),BWV 1, is a church cantata for Annunciation byJohann Sebastian Bach. In 1725, when the cantata was composed, the feast of theAnnunciation (25 March) coincided withPalm Sunday. Based onPhilipp Nicolai'shymn "Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern" (1599), it is one ofBach's chorale cantatas. Bach composed it in his second year asThomaskantor inLeipzig, where theMarian feast was the only occasion duringLent when music of this kind was permitted. Thetheme of the hymn suits both the Annunciation and Palm Sunday occasions, in a spirit of longing expectation of an arrival. As usual for Bach'schorale cantata cycle, the hymn was paraphrased by a contemporary poet who retained the hymn's first and laststanzas unchanged, but transformed the themes of the inner stanzas into a sequence of alternatingrecitatives andarias.
Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern is the lastchorale cantata of Bach's second cantata cycle, possibly because thelibrettist who provided the paraphrases for the middlemovements of these cantatas was no longer available. Bach scored the work for three vocal soloists, afour-part choir and aBaroque instrumental ensemble of twohorns, twooboes da caccia, two soloviolins,strings andcontinuo. The chorale melody of Nicolai's hymn appears in the opening and closing choral movements of the cantata. All instruments play in the opening festivechorale fantasia, in which thesoprano sings thehymn tune, and the two soloconcertante violins represent the morning star. An oboe da caccia accompanies the vocal soloist in the first aria. The strings, including the solo violins, return in the second aria. An independent horn part crowns the closingchorale. (Full article...)
Image 15

Side A of retail US single

"Like a Rolling Stone" is a song by the American singer-songwriterBob Dylan, released on July 20, 1965, byColumbia Records. Its confrontational lyrics originated in an extended piece of verse Dylan wrote in June 1965, when he returned exhausted from a gruelingtour of England. Dylan distilled this draft into four verses and a chorus. He recorded "Like a Rolling Stone" a few weeks later for the albumHighway 61 Revisited as its opening track.

During a difficult two-day preproduction, Dylan struggled to find the essence of the song, which was demoed without success in³
₄ time. A breakthrough happened when he recorded it in arock format and the rookie session musicianAl Kooper improvised aHammond organ riff. (Full article...)

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Image 1
Griselda (A. Scarlatti)
Manuscript:Alessandro Scarlatti
Griselda is anopera seria in three acts by the Italian composerAlessandro Scarlatti. First performed in 1721, it is based on the story ofPatient Griselda fromGiovanni Boccaccio'sDecameron. Thelibretto is byApostolo Zeno, with revisions by an anonymous author. This manuscript copy by Scarlatti, held at theBritish Library, is of act one, scene one.
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Image 2
Fervaal
Illustration credit:Carlos Schwabe; restored byAdam Cuerden
Fervaal is an opera with a prologue and three acts by the French composerVincent d'Indy. Fervaal is the son of a Celtic king and is destined to be the last advocate of the old gods. His mission is to save his homeland from invasion and pillage, but in doing so he must renounce love. This illustration, by the Swiss painterCarlos Schwabe, relates to the 10 May 1898 premiere of the opera at theThéâtre de l'Opéra-Comique in Paris. Here, Fervaal is depicted ascending a mountain while carrying the body of his beloved Guilhen at the end of the opera, as the pagan gods and their worshippers fade out of existence with the dawn of Christianity.
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Image 3
Nina Sublatti
Photograph:Ailura
Nina Sublatti (b. 1995) is aGeorgian singer, songwriter, and model. Having previously won the 2013 Georgian edition ofIdol, she achieved international attention when sherepresented her country inEurovision Song Contest 2015 with her song "Warrior". She has since served as a judge onX Factor Georgia andIdols.
More selected pictures
Image 4
Hayley Williams
Photograph:Sven-Sebastian Sajak
Hayley Williams (born December 27, 1988) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and businesswoman. She serves as the lead vocalist, primary songwriter and occasional keyboardist of therock bandParamore. Born in Meridian, Mississippi, Williams moved to Franklin, Tennessee, at the age of fifteen after her parents divorced. In 2004, she formed Paramore alongsideJosh Farro,Zac Farro, andJeremy Davis. The band currently consists of Williams, Farro and Taylor York. They have released five studio albums:All We Know Is Falling (2005),Riot! (2007),Brand New Eyes (2009),Paramore (2013) andAfter Laughter (2017).
More selected pictures
Image 5
Vexi Salmi
Photo:Teemu Rajala
Vexi Salmi is a popular Finnishlyricist who has become popular through the successes of theplatinum-selling music artists for whom he writes. During his prolific career, he has written the lyrics for over 4,000 songs, more than 2,400 of which have been recorded by prominent artists such asIrwin Goodman,Jari Sillanpää, andKatri Helena. A music writer's award, the Vexi Salmi Award, is named after him.
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Image 6
Le mage
Poster credit:Alfredo Leonardo Edel; restored byAdam Cuerden
Le mage is anopera in five acts byJules Massenet to a Frenchlibretto byJean Richepin. First performed at theParis Opera in 1891, it has rarely been performed since its premiere run of 31 performances, and is one of Massenet's least-known operas. A rare complete concert performance took place at theMassenet Festival inSaint-Étienne in 2012. This poster byAlfredo Edel was produced for the opera's premiere on 16 March 1891.
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Image 7
William Grant Still
Photograph credit:Carl Van Vechten; restored byAdam Cuerden
William Grant Still (1895–1978) was an Americancomposer of nearly 200 works, including fivesymphonies and nineoperas. Often referred to as the "Dean of Afro-American Composers", Still was the first American composer to have an opera produced by theNew York City Opera. His first symphony, entitledAfro-American Symphony, was until 1950 the most widely performed symphony composed by an American. Born in Mississippi, he grew up inLittle Rock, Arkansas, attendedWilberforce University andOberlin Conservatory of Music, and was a student ofGeorge Whitefield Chadwick and laterEdgard Varèse. Still was the first African American to conduct a major American symphonyorchestra and the first to have an opera performed on national television. Due to his close association and collaboration with prominent African-American literary and cultural figures, he is considered to be part of theHarlem Renaissance movement.

This picture of Still was taken byCarl Van Vechten in 1949; the photograph is in the collection of theLibrary of Congress in Washington, D.C.
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Image 8
Hera Hjartardóttir
Photo:Kyle Cassidy
Hera is an Icelandicsinger-songwriter who emigrated to New Zealand as a teenager. She is known for her facial art, which is "inspired bymoko and also byCeltic warrior paint" and intended to represent both her Icelandic and New Zealand heritage. In 2002 she was named Best Female Singer at the Icelandic Music Awards.
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Image 9
Elvis Presley meetsRichard Nixon
Photograph:Oliver F. Atkins
American singerElvis Presley meeting then-presidentRichard Nixon on December 21, 1970. During the meeting, the singer expressed his patriotism and his contempt forhippies, the growingdrug culture, and thecounterculture in general. Presley then asked Nixon for aBureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs badge, to signify official sanction of his patriotic efforts. Nixon gave Presley the badge and expressed a belief that Presley could send a positive message to young people and that it was therefore important he retain his credibility.
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Image 10
Henrik Freischlader
Photograph:Stefan Krause
Henrik Freischlader (b. 1982) is a German blues guitarist and singer. He began his career in 1998, and established his own label, Cable Car Records, in 2009.
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Image 11
Zürich Opera House
Photograph:Roland Fischer
TheZürich Opera House is anopera house in theSwiss city ofZürich. Located at theSechseläutenplatz, it has been the home of theZürich Opera since the current building was completed in 1891. It also houses theBernhard-Theater Zürich.
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Image 12
Simon Neil
Photograph:Achim Raschka
Simon Neil (b. 1979) is aScottish vocalist,guitarist, andsongwriter. Born inIrvine, he established the bandBiffy Clyro in 1995 withJames andBen Johnston. He has also played with JP Reid ofSucioperro inMarmaduke Duke, using thepseudonym "The Atmosphere", and started a solo career.
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Image 13
Ane Brun
Photo: Benoît Derrier; edit:Keraunoscopia
Ane Brun (b. 1976) is a Norwegian songwriter, guitarist and vocalist. She has recorded eight albums, starting in 2003 withSpending Time with Morgan.
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Image 14
Mike Dirnt
Photograph:Sven-Sebastian Sajak
Mike Dirnt (b. 1972) is an American musician, songwriter and composer. He is best known as the co-founder,bassist, backing and occasional lead vocalist of American punk rock bandGreen Day. He has played in several other bands, includingThe Frustrators.
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Image 15
Lina Rafn
Photo:Jepsen
Lina Rafn (b. 1976) is a Danish singer, songwriter and producer active with the bandInfernal. She had previously been aVJ on the showThe Voice TV Danmark.
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... thatRued Langgaard said that hisSymphony No. 6 depicts the struggle between Jesus and "spiritual wickedness in high places"?
... thatLinda Anne Hutchison performed as a leading soprano of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, including during its first visit to continental Europe since the 1880s?
... thatAileen Davies sang roles on the first two D'Oyly Carte Opera Company recordings using the new electrical-recording technology?
... that theAcademy of Music was the name of three different theaters located on the same property on theAtlantic City Boardwalk which were all destroyed by fires?
... thatYamada'sSymphony in F major had to be reconstructed after a maritime accident and after thebombing of Tokyo during WWII?
... that the music ofFontaine inGenshin Impact was performed by theLondon Symphony Orchestra?