Category Archives: Arachnophonia

Arachnophonia: For the Audiophiles

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item(s) in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Esther (class of 2025) and features our new portable record player and an opera LP to go with it. Thanks, Esther!

For the Audiophiles

Vinyl LPs

I love exploring different mediums of storage when it comes to art. I initially became interested in physical art forms because of film photography; as a musician, it was inevitable for me to stumble into the world of sound storage mediums. From VHS tapes to 8-track cartridges to cassette tapes to vinyl records, there were so many different forms of music over the years I did not know about. There seems to be controversy over what form sounds best, but we can respect all the different presentations!

LP stands for “Long Playing” due to the extended playing time (around 22 minutes per side) that resulted from the larger discs spinning at 33 ⅓ rpm. (As compared to EPs which are smaller and held about 10-15 minutes of material per side.) They are also referred to as vinyl records because of the material the physical discs are made of. These discs can transmit sound waves when placed on a turntable because the stylus placed on top of the disc moves through the small grooves along the record. As the stylus is reading, the tip of it vibrates and the microscopic bounces are transmitted along the bar. Ultimately, an electrical signal is generated and is played through the stereo speakers!

I appreciate the history of music storage forms, especially because of the wide availability we have for any song nowadays that significantly contributed to the relationship between the listeners and producers. Though I prefer the pros of digital music over analog with the technology we have today, the nostalgia of LP records is appealing as well. One of my fondest memories of growing up was listening to opera on the cassette tape player with my mother.

So, when I found out about a new addition to the music library — a portable record player — I had to recommend this LP to go with it!

Ten Tenors, Ten Arias

Ten Tenors Ten Arias LP cover

Though you are welcome to play it on your turntable, and in addition to the record player that lives in one of our study rooms, the Music Library also has a portable vinyl player available for anyone to check out for a week at a time!

Record Player

Arachnophonia: Wicked

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student assistant Isaac (class of 2025) and features the piano/vocal selections score for the 2003 musical Wicked. Thanks, Isaac!

Wicked

Wicked

I remember my mom waking me up to go watch my first musical in the downtown of my city, much to my chagrin. I never showed an interest in musicals––really, ever––so spending the first few hours of my weekend attending a show about a movie I’d seen a billion times was never on the top of my bucket list.

Finding our seats in the dark and cramped theater after buying $8 bottles of water just added to my annoyance, especially after finding out that ushers would be watching vigilantly for phone users, so I couldn’t even resort to that. And then the show started. Immediately, I knew this was definitely NOT The Wizard of Oz I’d grown up watching. The dynamic expressions, the mercurial lighting, and the most handsome of musical notes filled every corner of my surroundings: I smiled, I relented.

The cast of Wicked, from the verdant “villain” of the story to the anthropomorphic bat-monkey-things that legitimately frightened me, were equal in energy to the score that is still stuck in my head. “Are musicals my new thing?” I thought to myself. Maybe not fully. Was I puerile to dismiss them in their entirety? Definitely.

So if you haven’t, I would highly recommend watching Wicked, it remains one of my favorite Saturday 12:10 pm’s ever; if you can’t attend a full show (they can be pretty popular), check out the score and imagine yourself on the indelible yellow brick road.

Arachnophonia: OutKast “Aquemini”

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Deisy (class of 2024) and features OutKast’s 1998 album Aquemini. Thanks, Deisy!

OutKast

Aquemini

OutKast - Aquemini

The dynamic duo that swept the Hip hop scene in the late 1990s/early 2000s, OutKast consisted of André 3000 and Big Boi. With only six studio albums and 32 singles, OutKast made a big name for themselves in hip hop, and disbanded in 2007. They have very memorable songs that many have heard in movies and radio such as “Hey Ya!” And “Ms. Jackson.”

Many of their albums live in the Parson Music Library at UR. My favorite of the bunch must be Aquemini, released in 1998. Their music is the type to transition into our current media in the best way possible. This album can be a refreshing break from the current hip hop and musical scene. Songs to check out form the album include: “Chonkyfire,” “Mamacita,” and “Da Art of Storytelling.” Aquemini is definitely worth checking out from Parsons Music Library.

Arachnophonia: Nilsson

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item(s) in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Eli (class of 2024) and features a couple of albums by and a biography of American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson (1941-1994). Thanks, Eli!

Harry Nilsson

Harry Nilsson

This Arachnophonia post is centered around Harry Nilsson, an underrated and somewhat forgotten artist, at least by younger generations. Known for his “pioneering vocal overdub…, returns to the Great American Songbook, and fusions of Caribbean sounds,” Nilsson was an international phenomenon in the early 1970s. Sometimes referred to as the “American Beatle,” Nilsson is best known today for his songs “Without You” and “Everybody’s Talkin’,” both of which have over 100 million plays on Spotify.

Aerial Ballet
Nilsson - Aerial Ballet

I find Nilsson to be somewhat of an outlier in his stardom. He achieved great success, winning Grammy awards for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance & Best Male Contemporary Vocal Performance and produced three international top 10 singles. Yet, Nilsson rarely performed live and never took regular tours. He instead remained relevant through his consistent innovation and unique role within the music industry. Music historians credit Nilsson as the inventor of the “mashup,” thanks to his 1967 cover of the Beatles’ song “You Can’t Do That,” which Nilsson overlaid with vocals from over a dozen other Beatles songs.

Nilsson Schmilsson
Nilsson Schmilsson

Nilsson existed during a transient musical space, providing a smooth link between the psychedelic music of the 60s and the classic singer-songwriter era of the 70s. Rolling Stone lists Nilsson as number 62 on the “100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time,” and The Beatles themselves once revealed that Nilsson was their favorite American artist. In a musical world so dominated by The Beatles, Nilsson managed to differentiate his sound while collaborating with the superstars. He became friends with John Lennon and Ringo Starr and became a strong gun control advocate after Lennon was assassinated in 1980. Nilsson died in 1994 from a heart attack while recording his final album Lost and Founnd, which was posthumously released in 2019.

Nilsson: The Life of a Singer-Songwriter by Alyn Shipton
Nilsson Bio

My personal favorite Nilsson album is Aerial Ballet, released in 1968, while his most popular album is Nilsson Schmilsson, released in 1971. Both are available on CD at Parsons Music Library as is the leading biographical work on Nilsson, Nilsson: The Life of a Singer-Songwriter, by Alyn Shipton.

Arachnophonia: Taylor Swift “folklore”

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Marissa (class of 2025) and features Taylor Swift’s 2020 album folklore. Thanks, Marissa!

Taylor Swift

folklore

Taylor Swift - folklore (album cover)

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in July 2020, American singer-song writer Taylor Swift released her 8th studio album titled folklore. This album was vastly different from anything she had produced previously, drawing in a new crowd of indie folk fans.

While Swift’s usual songs are written about events that took place in her personal life, folklore takes a different route: each song tells a fictional story with the same cast of characters throughout the album. The tracks “cardigan”, “betty”, and “august” all center around a love triangle between the characters Betty, James, and Augustine. Most of these songs include only Taylor Swift‘s vocals, however the track “exile” features the band Bon Iver as well.

If you are interested in anything Taylor Swift, learning more about this love triangle, or are already a fan of indie folk music, I’d recommend checking out this CD today from Parsons Music Library. You can find the item here: folklore.

Arachnophonia: Casablanca

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Eliana (class of 2024) and features insert title info here. Thanks, Eliana!

Casablanca: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Casablanca soundtrack

Among the shelves of CD’s in Parson’s music library sits the soundtrack of Casablanca, one of the most famous movies of all time with a score that certainly holds its own. The score, composed by revolutionary Austrian composer Max Steiner, will transport you to the 1940s and fill you with the triumphant energy of World War II cinema. Steiner not only utilizes leitmotifs in his scoring, but his songs provide formal and rhythmic continuity for the film as a whole, making his composition a true masterpiece.

The beating heart of the film is the song “As Time Goes By,” originally written by Herman Hupfeld in 1931. It is rumored that Steiner disliked this song and wanted to scrap it altogether, but he was forced to use it because the female lead (Ingrid Bergman) cut her hair for a different production and wouldn’t be able to reshoot any scenes with a new theme song. Notwithstanding Steiner’s disdain, the song is a true masterpiece with the context of the film. “As Time Goes By” represents not only the love that Rick and Ilsa have for each other, but also the past that they shared. When the song is not present in scenes between the two of them, the strain on their relationship becomes all the more apparent. Conversely, the song’s presence denotes a sense of calm between the two. Steiner weaves the song’s melody throughout the film to somehow bridge gaps between scenes, allude to strife, and foster love all at once. It is his compositional ingenuity that sets this film apart from many others.

Other notable songs present in the film are “La Marseillaise,” “It Had to Be You,” and “Die Wacht am Rhein.” You can listen to these, as well as the rest of the score, from the Casablanca CD located in the Parsons Music Library.

Arachnophonia: Table Songs of Georgia

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student assistant Nikoloz (class of 2026) and features collection of traditional Georgian choral music. Thanks, Nikoloz!

Table Songs of Georgia – The Tsinandali Choir

Table Songs of Georgia - Tsinandali Choir

Although the country of Georgia is small, its history and culture are rich with no bounds. Over the millennia of struggle, Georgia has amassed history and myth. It’s hard to take in all of it, but one can experience a small piece of Georgian culture by listening to the traditional choir songs passed down through generations. The songs often talk about freedom, victory, faith, tradition, family, brotherhood, and more.

The Music Library has 3 CDs with mesmerizing collections of Georgian songs, for example, Table Songs of Georgia. This is a collection of songs that are, of course, commonly sung at tables during feasts.

The other 2 CDs are Supra / Iberi and Georgia the resounding polyphony of the Caucausus [sic].”

Students can come by the Music Library and listen to these CDs in one of our study rooms!

Arachnophonia: Writing in Music

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by Music Library associate Melanie and features a guide to writing about music.

Writing in Music: A Brief Guide by Lynne Rogers, Karen Bottge & Sara Haefeli

Writing in Music: A Brief Guide book cover

A new school year is upon us and everyone is getting back into the rhythms of classes and activities.

You’re excited about the new music class you’re taking this term, but feeling a bit trepidatious because the syllabus says you have to write a research paper/review/analysis as a big part of your grade. How on earth do you approach even picking a topic, much less writing a paper about it?

Worry not! The Music Library has useful resources like Writing in Music: A Brief Guide to get you started.

This pocket-sized style guide offers a practical introduction to many aspects of writing about music in an academic context. It offers useful tips and tricks for all stages of the writing process from choosing a topic and creating a thesis to the nitty gritty of researching and drafting a research paper.

Writing in Music will help you explore writing about music from a historical and cultural context and/or writing from a musical analysis point of view (or both!). This comprehensive intro will get you on your way to creating a great paper, thus making your professor happy and making the class a more enriching learning experience for you!

Writing in Music and many more helpful resources are available in the Parsons Music Library – just ask our friendly staff for help.

Arachnophonia: Staatskapelle Dresden

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record(s) for the item(s) in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Eli (class of 2024) and features several recordings made by the Staatskapelle Dresden orchestra. Thanks, Eli!

Staatskapelle Dresden Orchestra

Staatskapelle Dresden orchestra

While studying abroad, I was lucky enough to be able to attend a concert from the Staatskapelle Dresden, one of the world’s finest and most historic orchestras. Founded in 1548 by the Duke of Saxony, the Staatskapelle is now celebrating its 475th anniversary. The Staatskapelle plays in the famed Semperoper opera house, first built in 1841 in Baroque and Neo-Renaissance styles. Numerous composers have been linked with the orchestra throughout the years (most notably Strauss and Wagner), and the orchestra has held countless world premieres.

Sempoper - Home of the Staatskapelle

In 2009, the orchestra announced that Christian Thielemann would take on the role of chief conductor, a position he still holds. Thielemann, winner of the Richard Wagner Award and recipient of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, is renowned for his balance between technical precision and expressive interpretation. Under his leadership, the orchestra continues to shape classical music and fascinate its audiences.

If you, too, would like to enjoy the Staatskapelle’s signature sound, the Parsons Music Library has quite the collection of their recordings. I highly recommend Strauss’ Alpine Symphony (M1002.S91 op.64 2007 DVD), Eugen Onegin by Tchaikovsky (RM1500.T35 E8 1988), or Mozart’s Requiem Mass (RM2010.M89 1991).

Arachnophonia: George Harrison “All Things Must Pass”

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Danny (class of 2023) and features George Harrison’s 1970 album All Things Must Pass. Thanks, Danny!

All Things Must Pass
George Harrison

George Harrison - All Things Must Pass (1970)

When analyzing each of the Beatles independently, their lives, and their careers, I often always associate each of the members with each other. I find comfort in coming back to their time as the Beatles. I rarely step out of the Beatles discography and engage with the solo art of each of the four. If you are an avid music listener, this is where you can place your condemnation upon me. Because, I must admit, I have missed out on a lot of music by these four. All four Beatles had taken solo careers and were highly successful. Although I knew this to be true, I still could not bring myself to actually listen. I have no doubt heard some of the famous songs written by one of the four, but never chose to immerse myself in their entire discography.

It was only very recently that I had heard a song by Paul McCartney in his solo career that I had never heard that made me want to scour the internet and find as much as I could about these four men and the masterpieces they put together outside of their time with the Beatles. Stylistically, I assumed a lot of their music would end up being similar to the songs they released while together. Going back to my original thought, that song was “Live and Let Die” by Paul and his band Wings, made to be the theme in the James Bond film of the same name. I had heard the song at 5:00 am over spring break on the radio, waiting in the car for my Amtrak to arrive and take me back to the University of Richmond. And afterward, instead of playing the next song, there was a bit of a discussion by the radio DJ about the song. Usually, I am not a fan of these, which is why I typically just connect my Spotify account and play accordingly, but, I am glad I listened. In it, the DJ said that McCartney needed only 15 minutes to come up with the main structure of the song. That absolutely blew me away. If McCartney can create one of the most iconic movie songs in the history of cinematic production in just fifteen minutes, then I could only imagine how many other songs he had the potential to release.

McCartney was fun and I had my short fix on his music with Wings, but I really wanted to then see the works of George Harrison, whose music constantly became underappreciated and one-upped by Paul and John during their tenure with the Beatles. I knew he must have had a lot of pent up music that he wanted to have released with the Beatles that was passed up on. This music surely had to be released during his solo career.

And, if I am being completely honest, although I believed this, I never actually listened to any of his albums. The only non-Beatles engagement I had with him was “Got My Mind Set On You” from his album Cloud Nine, and the songs that were released by The Traveling Wilburys. The Traveling Wilburys are a fascinating story, and probably worthy to have their own post another day. So, I decided randomly that I would pick an album that was earlier in his solo career. The winner was All Things Must Pass, George’s first album after the breakup of the Beatles.

All Things Must Pass, released in 1970, was unapologetically George. As mentioned earlier, a lot of George’s music was not really put into Beatles works and the other members were not 100% sold on his abilities as a writer. His role was ultimately to play the guitar and act as backup vocals. Years of beautiful work were ultimately kept to himself, as he was not going to release these songs alone while in the studio with the Beatles. I for one actually like George’s songs the most. And so, his style and his writing were way more pleasing to my ears than the other songs of the quartet.

The album is a long one, so I will recommend to be ready. It has a run time of 106 minutes long (1 hour and 46 minutes), and features six sides that were later transformed into two discs. One of the more interesting artists that joined forces with George on the album was Eric Clapton. The relationship between the two has generated some extremely powerful and good music. One of my favorite Beatles songs, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” features Eric Clapton’s guitar prominently, creating an elegant sound that creates a weeping noise.

All in all, I do not want to spoil much of the beauty that comes through in this album, and I would advise having a listen. If you want a physical CD copy, come to the Parsons Music Library on the third floor of the Modlin Center (second floor of Booker Hall) and check it out today.

All Things Must Pass poster insert (1970)

George Harrison photographed at Friar Park, 1970 – poster insert for original release of All Things Must Pass