SEARCH RESULTS FOR: Minato
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c. 1627–98, Italian Poet and librettist Count Nicolo Minato wrote 11 texts for the Venetian opera houses, including Cavalli’s Pompeo Magna (‘Pompey the Great’, 1666). In 1669, the Emperor of Austria, Leopold I, appointed Minato his court poet, and some very exciting opportunities opened up for the count. At that time, the court composer ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie

shows that Handel’s genius remained vibrant even towards the unhappy end of his operatic career. Composed: 1738 Premiered: 1738, London Libretto unknown, after Silvio Stampiglia and Count Nicolo Minato Act I Serse, King of Persia, sings in his garden, watched by his brother Arsemene and his servant, Elviro. Romilda, Arsemene’s secret lover, sings ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie

one of the earliest to be produced in opera. Marais’ fourth opera, Sémélé, was produced in 1709. Introduction | Early & Middle Baroque | Opera Personalities | Count Nicolo Minato | Early & Middle Baroque | Opera ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie

Dancing is as old as time, and its one constant is music that you can do it to. And while not all music is designed for dancing, some revolutionary dance music has been produced since records began. Some of it is intentionally disposable, but it is surprising just how much of the dance music made in the last ...

Source: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music, general editor Paul Du Noyer

Billy F. Gibbons (b. 1949), also known as the Reverend Willie G, led his Texas boogie band, ZZ Top, to international superstardom in the early days of MTV, combining a unique image with driving Southern rock and a series of eye-catching videos. At the music’s core was Gibbons’ tasteful blend of rhythmic crunch and fiery soloing, ...

Source: Rock Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin

‘King of the Surf Guitar’ Dick Dale was born Richard Monsour in Boston, Massachusetts in 1937. Dale learned to play drums, ukulele and trumpet before taking up the guitar, inspired by country music. His first break in music was winning an Elvis Presley soundalike contest. Dale began playing guitar in clubs, solo at first, but later ...

Source: Rock Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin

(Vocal/instrumental group, 1982–present) Ben Watt (guitar) and Tracey Thorn (vocals, bass) travelled a fascinating road, from the jazz-inflected indie of their self-titled debut in 1984 to the trip hop and drum’n’bass of Walking Wounded in 1996. This crossover was catalyzed by Thorn’s guest appearance on Massive Attack’s Protection in 1994, and DJ Todd Terry’s remix of ‘Missing’, ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley

(Vocal/instrumental group, 1969–present) A visually distinctive Texan trio comprising Billy Gibbons (vocals, guitar), Dusty Hill (bass, vocals) and Frank Beard (drums), ZZ Top honed their southern boogie through constant gigging. Supporting The Rolling Stones brought them to a wider audience and the third album Tres Hombres (1973) was the band’s commercial breakthrough. They went on to experience million-selling ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley

Growing out of Belgian ‘Hoover’ tracks (seemingly featuring the sounds of insanely trumpeting harmonic vacuum cleaners) by the likes of T99, and old hardcore tunes such as Beltram’s ‘Energy Flash’, a Dutch strain of rave added an absurdly fast Roland 909 drum machine to the music. This shuddering, rapid kick-drum sound took off in Rotterdam, which was attempting ...

Source: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music, general editor Paul Du Noyer

Jungle was a reaction against happy rave’s crossover commercialism. The music did not so much die as go back underground, becoming darker and more sinister in order to reflect the prevailing, early 1990s mood. By this time in dance music, there had been plenty of media scare stories about ecstasy fatalities. As drug use spiralled for some clubbers ...

Source: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music, general editor Paul Du Noyer

It has been argued that all rap is political: a genuine black street statement, giving voice to those outside the musical or social establishments in a way that connects with a similarly dispossessed audience, and so its very existence is a political act. While many will be justified in thinking this is patently nonsense, it is, actually ...

Source: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music, general editor Paul Du Noyer

The popularity of jazz hit a peak after the Depression years of 1929–33. By the end of 1934, huge numbers were tuning in to the NBC Radio series Let’s Dance, which broadcast performances by The Xavier Cugat, Kel Murray and Benny Goodman Orchestras. Goodman’s orchestra in particular caught on with the public and created a demand for live ...

Source: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music, general editor Paul Du Noyer
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