On the origins of Symbols for Dynamics
The Milan Lectures, part 3 David Whitwell On the origins of Symbols for Dynamics Here we discuss the symbols for dynamics used in the notation of music—the lower case p of the Italian word piano and the lower case f of the Italian word forte. Today we teach these symbols primarily as representing levels of […]
Where does Music exist?
The Milan Lectures, part 2 David Whitwell Where does Music Exist? In the first lecture in this series I mentioned that Aristotle invented a new branch of philosophy called Aesthetics. He also was the first to point out that if you speak the word dog this word is only a symbol of the real animal, […]
What is the purpose of performance?
The Milan Lectures, part 1 David Whitwell What is the Purpose of Performance? This is a very important decision for which every conductor must make a choice in preparing a performance: Am I going to give an aesthetic performance or an entertainment performance? What do we mean by the word Aesthetic? Aesthetic was a subject […]