The spaces between . . . bridged by Bernstein.

In this week's episode of Mid-week Musicology, we get schooled by the legendary educator.

Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts were the way into classical music my generation seems to have missed. This is my humble attempt to reawaken general curiosity in the philosophy of music through critical analysis.

These hour-long impassioned explorations of the fundamental building blocks of [Western Classical] music are engaging and entertaining. The points he makes are direct and deep; there's a reason he could be so economical and get so much from an orchestra.

In the 32nd installment of this series, he explores the phenomenon of the interval. When listening to music, it is the interaction of pitch that we listen to. Consonance and dissonance can only occur between notes. Unrelated harmonic shifts are really what startle us; these moments we sense as imbalanced often without understanding why. Even when listening to drone music, it's the interaction of overtones and sympathetic resonances that create interest.

Live in the space between for a little while. It's ok; Lenny will catch you. It's in five parts:

 

Part 1:

 

Part 2:

 

Part 3:

 

Part 4:

 

Part 5:

 

 Stay tuned to Classic 107 for more Mid-week Musicology; a new edition every Wednesday!