From a recent Royal Philharmonic Society lecture, Alex Ross, a classical music writer for The New Yorker, discusses the history of applause at chamber music recitals:
Then, in the early years of the twentieth century, the idea took root that one should remain resolutely silent throughout a multi-movement piece. By imposing such a code, we [...]

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have uncovered ten unreleased tracks recorded during the making of The Rolling Stones’ 1972 album, “Exile on Main Street”, which will now be included as bonus tracks when the iconic album is re-released on 18 May this year.
On May 18th, Universal Music Group is re-releasing the album with 10 [...]

An interesting post at Yeah Right, which paraphrases a Twitter discussion, on the apparent fall from grace of jazz, and the genre’s transformation into “high art”.
So what happened? Did jazz get too self-consciously cool? Too mannered, wrapped-up in an artistic bubble, esoteric? If you’ve ever heard a group of jazz musicians wailing in an improv [...]

High definition sound. High quality sound. Musician John Harrison has reworked the cones (hmm) in speakers and amplifiers, replacing the paper with hemp, resulting in a sound that is said to be more “polished and smooth”.
Why hemp? It’s durable. It’s renewable. And, Harrison says, it sounds amazing. “Hemp kicks ass,” he says. “There’s [...]

The Political Studies Association in Britain has published a long list of politically themed songs from which it will eventually compile a top 20 listing.
Choosing the top song will be a tricky task though… Sex Pistols and “God Save the Queen”, anyone?

The Future Music Festival is on at Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse this Saturday, 6 March. If inthemix had their way though, it would be just one of many such events to to be staged in Australia each year.

The music of 1960s guitar legend, Jimi Hendrix, may have benefited from his ambidexterity, or “mixed-right-handedness”, as US psychologist Stephen Christman refers to it.
Although he played his right-handed guitar upside down, and used his left hand to throw, comb his hair and hold cigarettes, Hendrix wrote, ate and held the telephone with his right [...]

Buying music recorded on cassettes seems to have some appeal, albeit limited, in London, so what’s the go? Do cassettes have a retro-chic desirability or something?
In a digital age artists are turning to the cassette as an intriguing and challenging format – a ready-made frame for sound art. In London, a tiny label called The [...]

Just waiting to ruin your concert, or live gig, going experience, gig pigs…
Everyone there was into the band. These four people though – two guys, two girls – were getting under everyones’ skins. They were loud. Really loud. They knew every word too. I timed it to the second where someone turned around and [...]

Classical, or chamber, music recitals were not events I went along to a whole lot until I was introduced to the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) last year.
Going to see a band, either in concert or at the local pub, seems – to me – like something that requires no thought it’s so natural, but [...]