Tag Archives: instrumental

electronic, Groove, instrumental, Jazz, vocal samples

DJ Shadow Entroducing

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Entroducing – DJ Shadow
If you need to send your brain to disneyland while you sink into some seriously deep grooves this is the album for you. Either way, it’s one of those albums that changed music, and showed what was possible when an amazing DJ flexes his mixing muscles, but serves the music.

Like most great albums and ones you can work to it takes you on a journey. It starts with samples and an introduction that might make you think it’s going to be a schizophrenic musical odyssey just before you hear, “Building Steam with a Grain of Salt.” When the bass kicks in a most relaxed way, you get a feeling for the  groove that marks this album out like an albino at a tanning salon.

A mix of hip hop, samples, ambient, and light electronic. The whole album was recorded at DJ Shadow’s house, with minimal technology, before he finished it off at the studio of Dan the automator.  Now this kind of mix of genre and beats is commonplace, but at the time was a landmark of groove and production. The album is a stand out and has not aged.

Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead have cited it as a key influence on the making of OK Computer. This is an album a lot of musicians love, so it inspired a lot of the music of the late nineties. Entroducing made it bigger in the UK than the US, but has grown as a classic album beloved by many, including critics.

There was talk of it being the world’s sample only album, but there are spoken word parts  that have not come from samples. It sampled  David Axelrod, Nirvana, Bjork, T-Rex, Marlena Shaw, and Twin Peaks to name a few.

Released
1996

Lyrics
No only samples. Shadow’s aim was to make a completely sample based piece of music, and it makes do with only a few vocal contributions from Gift of Gab and Lyrics Born.

Mood
Slow groove music, instrumental hip hop, electronic

Good to work to
This is a slow groove album. One I love listening to, and takes me into a relaxed place. For listeners who aren’t used to listening to any hip hop, or sampling, i.e. Not listening to music in coffee shops, the samples may grate to some extent to some extent, but they are purely part of the musical journey, and can help provide mini-breaks or re-sets in your thinking.

Like
While this kind of album that is commonplace now, at the time it was groundbreaking. It’s  still a classic album. This genre of instrumental hip hop and house music is very main stream now. I can see aspects of this in artists like Bonobo, and lots of mood DJs like Wax Tailor. DJ Shadow takes it to a darker place.

The Artist/s
DJ Shadow aka Josh Davis is one of the world’s most influential DJs.

Other works
It’s a great mix with samples and nods to tracks such as Tears by Giorgio Moroder in Blood Donor. It leads to a lot of music, but this is perhaps what I’d see first.

The story is that after this album he realised that most of the money was going to the many people he had sampled when it was a high selling album. DJ Shadow followed it up with “The Private Press” another well received album, although his later output has not scaled the same heights as Entroducing.

Lovers of the slow groove may also like Bonobo, but Entroducing is definitely the superior album

For some reason this album reminds me of the Bitches Brew, a similarly dark cut and paste album you can read about.

He has some good albums, but his latest is my favourite  at the moment. The Mountain with Fall, a different style album with tracks with collaborators like Run the Jewels rapping on the second track.

 

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
You can get this album anywhere. I’ve had it in multiple formats, I love my vinyl copy, but iTunes is as good a place as any to get a copy.

The Verdict
I can’t recommend this album enough, but it’s not going to work as a writing album for everyone. You’ve got to be able to relax into these grooves for it to work for you. For me it takes me to another place.

acoustic, Classical, electronic, Groove, High Tempo, instrumental, magical, Music to write to, World

Charanjit Singh – Ten Ragas to a disco beat

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Charanjit Singh – Ten Ragas to a disco beat
Disco and ancient indian music. A strange mix that’s not for everyone, but perfect for others. With a late eighties disco electronica sound it’s been called early acid house trance before it’s time. Well, it wasn’t very successful at the time, but it has been rediscovered by a later generation.

The story goes session muso Charanjit Singh thought he’d do something a bit different. He mixes traditional Ragas with a disco beat, and the results are a trippy, trancey, disco pop eastern masterpiece, with all the hallmarks of the technology of the time.

Released
1982, re-released in 2002 and 2010

Lyrics
All instrumental with just a smidge of vocoder vocals.

Mood
Upbeat electronica, with endless Raga grooves. Put this on your mixtape and you’ll definitely spin out your friends.

Good to work to
This album has a frenetic pace and is designed to either send you mad or kick you into a higher gear. For me I love it. It works like a charm for getting my fingers skimming over the keyboard,

Like
Amongst the music I’ve written about you might think it shares most in common with Ravi Shankar’s, Three Ragas album, but I’m not so sure. It has elements of trance and electronica. I wouldn’t really compare it to any of the electronica on this site, it’s got to much of an eastern feel. If you like this you might find Kraftwerk and Lemon Jelly too bland.

For me this album has more in common with Miles Davis’s Bitches Brew than any of the albums on this site. The music has the same power to melt your head and completely go through you. With that said it takes me to another place where the worries of the day can’t touch me and I’m free in my head to put words down.

The Artist/s
Charanjit Singh was a session muso on Bollywood films and albums from the sixties through the eighties. This album first came out on cassette which was cutting edge in 1982.

Other works
You can try Experiments in Calypso his later record. I haven’t been able to find it so good luck with that. I could affiliate this with other world music, but I’m not sure it fits.

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
You can get this album on iTunes. I found the vinyl but expect to pay a premium if you want to get it on vinyl.

The Verdict
I love this, very trippy.

instrumental, Jazz, magical, Music to write to, soundtrack

Vince Guaraldi Trio – A Charlie Brown Christmas

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Existential cartoon kids and their dog Snoopy make TV Christmas special, bring on the piano jazzman with music tailormade to chilling by the fire. One of the best selling Christmas albums of all times, it’s made up of a mix of standards and remakes with a jazz tinge.

The Vince Guaraldi Trio don’t rock, but definitely swing A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Charlie Brown and his friends were very popular from the fourties through to the nineties. There were movies, the regular cartoon strips, and merchandising, Charlie Brown and Snoopy were everywhere. The characters in Charlie Brown were flawed, sweet, selfish and funny. They had human stories that touched on simple truths. Guaraldi with his jazz roots was a natural to do the soundtrack

I’m a sucker for the little drummer boy and the version that’s here is a killer. Have a listen I can’t really do it justice with words. It puts me in a happy place.

Released
1965, re-released 2006

Lyrics
Instrumental mainly piano, bass and drums, but on a few of the tracks there is a sweet little children’s choir.

Mood
Happy and festive you can’t go wrong with this little number. It’s a really sweet piano album that makes me feel calm and happy. It’s also better than your average Christmas album.

Good to work to
Definitely great for work, but maybe ideal for more contemplative tasks. Very calming, at least for me.

Like
A cross between a Christmas album and a soft jazz album.

The Artist/s
Vince Guaraldi was a jazz groover putting out a steady number of jazz recordings and soundtracks from the 50s to 70s. It’s all chilled music. He reported chest discomfort to his doctor who advise him he had nothing to worry about. He died unexpectedly of a heart attack.

Jerry Granelli – drums
Vince Guaraldi – piano, Hammond organ, arrangement
Fred Marshall – double bass
Additional musicians
Colin Bailey – drums on “Greensleeves”
Monty Budwig– double bass on “Greensleeves”
Children’s choir of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in San Rafael California.

Other works
Although of a totally different genre, this is a commercial album commisioned by the Coca Cola company, just like LCD Soundsystem‘s cracker album  45:33 was commisioned for Nike. Maybe they both paradoxically felt free of commercial constraints when they made their album.

Guaraldi has stacks of other albums like this one below, but I’m not enough of a connossieur to recommend anything in particular. Much as I don’t like to do it, but how about you listen to his best of and see what tickles your fancy.

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
You can get this album most places. It was such a popular album that it has ensured it stayed in print. Of course you can also get it digitally on iTunes. I really like this album, but maybe I’m just sentimental.

The Verdict
Thumbs up, buy it.

Classical, magical, Music to write to, Native American, World

Moondog in Europe

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Moondog  In Europe
Moondog had lived and performed on the streets of New York for years before he was taken to Europe, lauded and given the freedom to make albums such as this one. It’s not his most eclectic album, but he has fairly high standards of eclecticism. If a modern day DJ mixed native american beats, classical arrangements and jazz they would be lauded. When Moondog mixed these styles sixty years ago, he was considered a talented Kook.

Moondog a.k.a Louis Hardin grew up and lived in the west of America. It is said that the seminal moment in his life was when his father took him to a Sun Dace of the Arapaho tribe. He is said to have sat on the lap of Chief Yellow Calf and played a tom tom during the ceremony. Moondog can truly be seen as a product of times that will never come again. He was an unwitting pioneer of world music, influenced by jazz, and the classical music training available to him by chance after he was blinded in his youth.

I am quite verbose on many topics, but the music of Moondog speaks for itself. He has inspired countless people and thinkers. The first thing you don’t necessarily need to know but adds a little spice to the listen is, that it was all done by a giant blind man dressed as a viking who lived on the streets of New York. This might not be all you need to know, but hopefully it is enough to interest you. Moondog is in his own genre.

Released
       1978

Lyrics
                Not a one

Mood

The album is fairly eclectic, with the first half a bit of everything before moving into the second half which focuses on Church organ. I guess the first half is more eclectic and contains many of the standard Moondog sounds such as glockenspiel, native american drumming, as well as Church organ.

Good to work to

Absolutely fantastic to work to. Meets all the requirements, it takes you beyond and has few associations with anything of my brain to cling to and divert me with. While I learnt to love Moondog because of his diversity, this album has more steady motifs than most and is excellent for focus. I always like working to Moondog’s music, but I find the first half is great for shaking things up and removing my head from the day to day. The second half with it’s slower Church organ music that really gets me going and in the mood for writing.

Like

I can think of nothing like this album and artist. Don’t let it discourage you though. Moondog mixes classical, church, native american, and be-bop.

Other artists on this site he is similar to from the point of view of being consider a minimalist are Philip Glass and Steve Reich. Moondog is definitely on the experimental side of the coin though.
He also gets compared a lot to a guy called Harry Partch who was also a virtuoso who made his own instruments, but I think their musical sensibilities are not of the same ilk.

The Artist/s

Louis Hardin who later took the name of Moondog had a fascinating life. Brought up by his father near to an indian reservation. He was sent completely blind when he was sixteen. A blasting cap he was holding in his hands exploded. He was sent to blind school and received a musical education he said he could have afforded otherwise. Perhaps because of the loss of his sight, he became quite the amazing musician.
I lose track of the story when he moved to New York and decided to live on the streets dressed as a Viking. He had some amazing encounters with potential collaborators like Stravinsky, Bernstein, and Charlie Parker that all seemed to go wrong at one stage or another. After many years on the streets, with sporadic recording contracts, he eventually moved to Germany. The Germans recognised his genius and took him under their wing and allowed him to record a number of eclectic albums  such as this one, using Sax, Church organ, and many other instruments. Oh yeah, and he also invent various musical instruments.

Other works

Moondog had a long and eclectic recording career, from the New York, to latter day German eclectic renaissance. Other albums such as The Viking of Sixth Avenue, Moondog, Moondog2, Elpmas, H’art songs,  Moondogin Europe, Sax Pax for a Sax, and various other lesser known albums released from a random mix of countries in Europe and America. I would get everything if I was you, but maybe check whether you like this album first.

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats

This is not always the easiest album to find in any format other than electronic, but thanks to iTunes it’s a pretty easy one to find these days.

The Verdict

Get out there and buy it as soon as you can.

Classical, High Tempo, Music to write to

Steve Reich – Music for 18 instruments

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Steve Reich – Music for 18 instruments
Music for 18 instruments is considered a minimalist classic. It pulls you in and keeps you moving. The musical themes are repeated making listening to it a particularly meditative experience.

It is classical music, but modern classical. It has obviously really good musicianship, but repetitive grooves that work for you without getting too clever or distracting, whilst at the same time being quite riveting. It’s probably not an album I’d listen to when I wasn’t working as it really sends you to that meditative place I don’t always want outside of work hours.

Released
1978

Lyrics
No lyrics, just orchestra.

Mood
There is a pace to this piece, but I am conscious that it seems to move in cycles as it plays. It is one of those albums that has a fast tempo that keeps you moving without overdoing it. I would say it is a driving piece of music. I certainly feel guilty when I’m not typing along to this.

Good to work to
Music for 18 instruments is consistently listed as one of the top albums to listen to when you’re writing, for good reason. There is nothing in this album to distract you. The musical motifs are present, and the tempo is driving. Like other classical music it’s not going to bother the hit parade, but it is music that sends you inside yourself, which is just where you want to be when you’re writing

Like
Steve Reich is usually mentioned in the same breath as Phillip Glass. Reich and Glass are both minimalist composers. The only work of Glass I have on this site is Powaqqatsi. I have got other classical music but little in a similar vein to this album.

Something like “Music for 18 musicians” reminds me more of electronic music more than anything. The difference is that not many electronic albums sustain a motif the whole way through, although some do of course.

If you know any other albums of a similar nature that are good to write to please let me know and I’ll do a little piece on them.

The Artist/s
The eightenn musicians in the Steve Reich Ensemble are
– Steve Reich – percussion (tuned drums, marimba), piano, whistling
– Pamela Wood Ambush – vocals
– Rebecca Armstrong –  vocals (soprano)
– Marion Beckenstein –  vocals (soprano)
– Bob Becker    – percussion (tuned drums, marimba, xylophone)
– Phillip Bush – piano
– Jay Clayton – vocals (alto), piano
– Tim Ferchen – percussion (marimba, xylophone)
– Ben Harms –  percussion (tuned drums, marimba)
– Russell Hartenberger – percussion (tuned drums, marimba, xylophone)
– Garry Kvistad – percussion (glockenspiel, marimba, xylophone), piano
– Jeanne Le Blanc – cello
– Richard Rood – violin
– Elizabeth Lim – violin
– Edward Niemann – piano
– James Preiss – percussion (tuned drums), vibraphone, piano
– Joseph Rasmussen – percussion
– Scott Rawls – viola
– Todd Reynolds – violin
– Cheryl Bensman Rowe – vocals (soprano)
– Gary Schall – percussion (tuned drums)
– Leslie Scott – clarinet, bass clarinet
– Mort Silver – piccolo
– Nurit Tilles – piano, electric organ
– David Van Tieghem – percussion (glockenspiel, marimba, xylophone, tuned drums, claves), piano
– Glen Velez – percussion (tuned drums)
– Thad Wheeler – percussion (tuned drums, glockenspiel, marimba, maracas)
– Evan Ziporyn – clarinet, bass clarinet

Other works
Although this album is the biggie he has a gazillion other works, I just don’t know any of them.

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
You should be able to get this most places, It’s a bit pricey with Vinyl, but it’s defintely on iTunes. You might even get the chance to see it in concert.

The Verdict
Your not going to get much a better album to tap away to. The sound is completely immersive and just what you need when you need to block out the world. This is a really good album to work to. The motif takes you in and blocks everything else out.

Classical

Franz Liszt – Years of Pilgrimage

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Franz Liszt – Years of Pilgrimage (Annees de pelerinage)
Whenever Haruki Murakami mentions a piece of music in one of his books, interest and sales in that music spikes. He usually picks music with emotion and drama, and years of pigrimage is no exception.

Lizst’s Year of Pilgrimage was referenced within, and in the title of, Murakami’s latest book Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage, released in english translation in 2014. Murakami name checks these three piano suite’s and in particular Le Mal du pays, a piece from the Swiss suite.

Lizst’s The years of pilgrimage was originally titled with reference to a novel by Goethe, Wilhelm Meister’s Journeyman Years, which was originally referred to the years of wandering in the title.

Lizst’s work came from the period of the romantics and is full of tracks dedicated to famous people of the time like the Emperor Maximillian, references to works by other artists such as Byron, Petrach, artworks by Raphael and Michelangelo, Dante, biblical quotes, family members and nature. Despite the works not straying from piano they encompass a scope of emotion and thinking prevalent at the ideas. His fields of reference point to a well educated man with exposure to the best art and literature available at the time.

The three pieces contained have drama, and different moods having been written over four years.

Released
1838

Lyrics
No lyrics just lots and lots of piano

Mood
There is a real dramatic sweep to the different pieces of music in these suites. It drags me along, but as the three suites were written over two or three years there is a range of moods , which is good for writing.

Good to work to
I find the range of emotion and pace contained in the years of pilgrimage to be perfect for my writing. When I write I go through periods of pace and others of reflection. The music takes me away from the distractions that surround me, and can drive me on when I’m writing. I don’t always stick to the pace of the music, but if I’m not feeling inspired the different pace points can kick start me. Once I get into a bit of a flow I’m often oblivious to the music, but when I stall I can lean on its rhythm to get me moving.

Like
I’m not an expert in classical music so you’re on your own. Haruki Murakami is a fan of dramatic classical music and one of the others he name checks that I find works for writing is Janacek’s Sinfionetta. The Sinfionetta is perhaps a more dramatic work, with horns and a full orchestra, but they both work the same way, going through a range of moods and great to work through.

The Artist/s
Franz Liszt (1811 to 1886) is one of the big guys of classical music. He was a Hungarian composer, conductor, and mazing pianist. He learnt from Saleri in Vienna and through him got access to Hungarian and Austrian aristocratic circles. In those days they were the best paying clients. As with many famous composers of the day he would tour the European courts. He was a superstar of the day and hung out with the leading artists of the day like Heinrich Heine, and Victor Hugo. He had a life full of glamour, affairs, and celebrity, to the extent his fame was called Lisztomania.

Unlike many others in his position he was able to wind down from performing and concentrate on composition. He was a patron of other artists like Wagner

Other works
Liszt was a prodigious composer. He was a working musician and was singing for his supper. I could keep writing in this vein, but I have no idea. Instead I’d refer you to some other classical works Murakami recommends, or some other classical music that works for writing.

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
You should be able to get this in most formats. Murakami makes the point that like most classical music the performer effects the performance. If you’re after the particular version that Murakami mentions which is performed by Lazar Berman.  Later on he mentions another performance, and like all classical music there are different styles of performance and they’re all pretty good.

The Verdict
This is a great piece to work to. It picks you up and then moves through the emotions. There are three suites so you can pick what works for you or listen to all three.

Classical, World

Ravi Shankar – Three Ragas

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Ravi Shankar – Three Ragas
When Ravi Shankar put out this album in 1956, the world was a small place, and Rock n’Roll was still an infant. Ten years later and Ravi Shankar had taught George Harrison how to play sitar and you could hear it on Beatles and Rolling Stones albums across the world. Beatles tracks like Norwegian Wood and Within You Without You, certainly gave the western ear their first taste of the distinctive tones and made it cool. Earlier than that even Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones had immortalised the ringing introductory sounds of Paint it Black.

A great album to put you into a trance, where your fingers fly across the keys and the next thing you know you have completed some words and are feeling better for it. This is one of the earliest and most famous Sitar albums and certainly one that will suck you in, if for nothing else, as an extremely effective tool to help you write.

A raga comes from the Sanskrit for colour or passion. The raga is based on a scale or set of notes with a set of motifs to create a mood. The form of the Raga has specific themes and cultural associations such as with the time or season. The raga is typical associated with the sounds of the tabla and sitar that are associated as the classical music of India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. As a non-musician despite these associations I can hear blues, jazz, and gamelan related themes.

Released
1956

Lyrics
No lyrics

Mood
I don’t know how to describe the mood. The three tracks can go from slow to frenetic often in the same track. I like this variation of place and it can get me onto a real roll of fast typing. I smell incense when I listen to this music and it definitely has its own mood.

Good to work to
These ragas put you into a trance of typing and word production. It is a meditative piece that will take you away from yourself. I find this music takes me away from the cultural references that I tie music to when I hear it. This taking away from the everyday and normal, is essential to my creative process. When I’m listening to this music it clears away some of the static in my head. It certainly blocks out the other distractions that can get in the way of the flow of words.

Like
Sitar music is pretty unique. With that said, I can only compare it to other Sitar music. He is an acknowledged master of the sitar so rest assured it’s not too shabby a recording. I did look online to look at all of the other classical artists of the genre, but I don’t know enough of their work to give any worthwhile recommendation.

The Artist/s
Ravi Shankar is world music royalty. John Coltrane named his son Ravi after him. He is the father of Norah Jones. After touring the world with his brothers dance group. In 1938 he commenced studying sitar under the tutelage of Allauddin Khan. Through the forties and fifties Shankar performed and gained acclaim in India. In 1956 he toured the world and  and recorded this album the three ragas.

Subsequently Shakar educated western audiences in Indian music. His most famous pupil was George Harrison of the Beatles who popularised the sitar for western audiences using it on multiple trances.

Born in 1920, Shankar died in 2012 after a long career winning multiple Grammys.

Other works
Shankar recorded many albums including Full Circle:Carnegie Hall 2000. I haven’t heard all of his music, but I can’t imagine that if you like this there won’t be much of his output you can’t get your hands on.

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
You should be able to find this in any format you want. Although you might have to search for a little while to find it on vinyl. You should have no problem finding it on CD or as an MP3 from the usual commercial suspects.

The Verdict
I give this album a big thumbs up. This may be what you’d call a gate way drug that could send you into a world of Classical Raga enjoyment.

electronic, Groove, Jazz

Bonobo – Black Sands

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Bonobo – Black Sands – writing music
This is a contemporary electronic groove mood album that bubbles along. No doubt at some stage it will be considered cliqued along with its production values, but for me it works. It all fits together and despite the fact there is some cleverness the music fits together thematically and maintains the grooves that work for my brain to keep typing away.

This album is put together tightly and works without the kind of distractions that may throw you off track while you’re writing. There are lots of tight drums, keyboard, the occasional sample, violin, bleeps, but all very smoothly worked in.

Tom the french dude who works in my local coffee shop put me onto this album, and it is certainly flavour of the last few years, and prime grooving in the coffee shop kind of music. If this album were a colour it would be warm and tasty, kind of like caramel. It has good production, but it is quite subtle. Definitely not and in your face kind of album.

Released
2010

Lyrics
Some but not a lot of lyrics. There is the odd downbeat songs with lyrics, but not the kind where the vocals feature to an extent where they are used as much more than another instrument. Groove lounge music.

Mood
This is a really chilled out groove album that is more reflective and downbeat than anything else. It’s not really the kind of music that is going to have you opening a vein, but don’t expect any chuckles. The whole reflective tone of Black Sands is exactly what you want when you are writing.

Good to work to
I got it as a safe birthday present for my brother and it works well for dinner parties and for writing when you are already on track and know what you want to write. Sometimes when you’re in the groove a metaphorical athletic support can help everything on its way.

This is a great album to work to for all styles of workers. It is an experimental style of music, but done in a very safe way. It might not sound that attractive, it’s something you could play for your mum without any fear of upsetting her.

Despite this mixed review, take it from me just plug it in and you’ll start working. It’ll get you tapping. The nice thing about this album is that it keeps moving. For me all that is important is to keep moving, keeping on typing and the music has done its job. You might even enjoy it after a while I definitely have.

Like
This is one of those albums that used to be included in ministry of sound compilations, that are played at groovy bars and coffee shops.

The Artist/s
Bonobo also known as Simon Green is an English DJ.  Bonobo has been releasing music side 1999. I have only known about him for the last few years, but that means nothing. His work has been described as trip hop electronica, and many other strange words, such as ‘new downtempo’.  New downtempo, give me a break!

Other works
Bonobo’s more recent offering is called “the North Borders’ is quite a good album also and comparaitive in quality for your writing aid.

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
You should be able to find this everywhere. I’m sure this sounds great on vinyl, but I don’t know whether I’d bother, I like it but more in the background when I’m doing things.

The Verdict
This is a good one to listen to first before making the perfect. I think it works really well, but I don’t think this groove album is for everyone. Black Sands definitely takes you on a journey. It is a seamless journey but a journey nonetheless. I find this whole concept of a journey really important in an album I write to it gives my head some peaks and troughs. Who knows whether some of the sounds will appear dated in a few years, regardless I think it will still serve its purpose. The one thing I will say is that for some people this music will not different enough to take you into a different headspace.

Classical, Haruki Murakami music

Bach – Brandenburg Concertos

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Brandenburg Concertos
The Brandenburg Concertos are a series of six instrumental works of the Baroque period. I am not a big classical music fan, but find this a good album to work to. Universities like Standford have done studies of people’s brains while listening to baroque music and noted the increase in brain activity and concentration. With that said a lot of the music of this type makes me want to rip my ears off. This will be a familiar sounding album, as it is one of those classics you’ve heard in the background of movies, and performances a million times before. It is also name checked in Haruki Murakami’s novel Hard Boiled Wonderland and the end of the world.

Bach composed these pieces over a long period of time while working as the Kapellmeister (person in charge of music in a chapel) of Kothen. Bach uses around 17 instruments, because this was the number of musicians he had at his disposal in his job as Kapellmeister. There is a real mix of strings, brass, woodwind, you name it lots of harpsichord etc. This mixture of instruments was one of the reasons it was send out on the holder record which is a phonograph record containing a broad sample of the sounds, language and music of the planet, as sent into space with the two voyager probes.

Baroque music is said to work on your brain in a different way to other classical music. The tempo various instruments working in different tempos is said to stimulate both sides of your brain. As soon as I heard this I went on the hunt for some. I can’t say I really love classical music, so this is at times akin to eating food you hate because you’ve been told it’s good for you. However I find this is an enjoyable piece of music to listen to.

These concertos innovated with the traditional forms of the period, and in line with the name baroque ornamented the sound. This and other baroque works made music more complex than it had ever been before.

Baroque music such as this has a tempo of 50 to 80 beats per minute. Researchers at John Hopkins University say this leads listeners into intense focus in the alpha brain wave state. They note that listening to this kind of music improves learning vocabulary, memorisation, and reading. They note that different kinds of music help with different feelings you may want to engender.

Another source I found says that rhythms of around 60 beats per minute is similar to a resting heart rate.

Released
1721

Lyrics
No lyrics, all instrumental.

Mood
The mood is very ye olde advertisement for mead with some freaks in smocks with bowl haircuts wandering across the screen. It flows along and despite all the connotations that usually cause me to switch off, successfully bypass that fuse in my head and keeps moving till soon I’ve forgotten it’s on in the background.

Good to work to
Good for anything that requires concentration. This is a good one to concentrate to. The fact it isn’t like any of the other music I listen to or like helps a lot.

Like
There are many other artists of the Baroque era, but I have no real background in this type of music. However, I would recommend other classical music like Lizst might work for you.

The Artist/s
Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the big guys of classical music. You name it he did it.

This work was commissioned for Christian Ludwig, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt. This music was from an era where artists worked under the patronage of a rich, usually royal protector. You name it they did it from playwrights like Shakespeare, painters like Leonardo, and of course the musicians. Classical musicians were contemporary musicians at the time and many like Bach moved around with work, but at least his role as a musician could get him jobs.

Other works
Hell yes, Bach was a working musician. Mentally I can’t put myself through listening to a plethora of classical music. This is a goody though.

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
You should be able to pick this up in multiple formats, by multiple orchestras. I think they are all going to be fairly good vaue, so I wouldn’t worry too much which one you get your hands on.

The Verdict
Yes a simple an easy pick. If you just want a bread and butter album that will be able to deliver you some concentration this is the one to go for.