Tag Archives: popular music

Egyptomania

There are quite a few historical moments to which I would like to have been a witness, not least the premiere of the Rite of Spring in 1913 (was it really as dramatic as is popularly believed?). The other cultural … Continue reading

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Running up that hill

My latest earworm is all the fault of Stranger Things. Kate Bush’s 1985 song Running up that Hill has been in the charts again lately, since featuring in a recent episode of the Netflix sci-fi drama series, Stranger Things. This … Continue reading

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Small but mighty

I was born and raised in the historical county of Monmouthshire, a small but populous county in the south-east corner of Wales….or possibly England. Map makers are confused, and no wonder. A history teacher at my secondary school commented that … Continue reading

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Female Singing Sensations Past and Present

In this blogpost I shall be discussing six female singers, past and present, who have contributed hugely to the world of music. I had never heard of this lady before but Rosemond Mountain nee Wilkinson was said to be the … Continue reading

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Spanning the decades – 20th century

I was musing the other day, while listening to the Early Music Show on Radio 3, about what it would be like to live in another time period. What would I miss? What would I enjoy? This particular episode of … Continue reading

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Blue Monday

What with lockdown and miserable weather, it’s probably not surprising if you’re currently feeling blue. There might be another reason this week too, Monday January 18th was cited on several media outlets as “Blue Monday” the most depressing day of … Continue reading

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Whose side are you on?

There was a new arrival in the Music Department at the UL, this week: a copy of Carl Wilhelm’s famous song, Wacht am Rhein, translated here, by Henry Brougham Farnie, as The Watch by the Rhine, or as it is … Continue reading

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A different track

This week, I have been busy laying out a small exhibition in the Anderson Room to commemorate the start of the Second World War. I had a very clear idea in my head of what I was going to do … Continue reading

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Minstrels

Music can be a great resource for researching your family tree, especially if you have ancestors, who were involved in popular music. I was reminded of this the other day when I received an email from a reader, who was … Continue reading

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To celebrate, to commemorate: A long weekend

It’s not as though music festivals are a new thing. The Proms will celebrate their 125th birthday in their current form next year, while the Bayreuth Festival is even earlier dating back to 1876. A programme for the “Dr. Who” … Continue reading

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