Is classical music just one big remix? | So, Hear Me Out

Expect a whirlwind tour through Luciano Berio’s mashup masterpiece Sinfonia, complete with Mahler, Beckett, and a generous helping of 1960s political angst.

Then it’s off to a galaxy far, far away to explore how Star Wars composer John Williams borrowed from the greats to create some of the most iconic music in film history (spoiler: Holst and Wagner would probably want royalties).

In this episode of So Hear Me Out, your ever-curious hosts Gillian Moore and Linton Stephens dig into how classical music has been sampling, stealing from (sorry, paying homage to), and reinventing itself for centuries.

This episode asks, is anything truly original? Do composers all have a secret sampling habit? And can reworking the past speak to the world today?

In this episode:

08:51 Luciano Berio’s Sinfonia Movement No. 3

13:43 Analyzing Berio's Sinfonia

23:01 Intertextuality in music: Beckett, Mahler, and 1968

23:51 The radical politics of the 1960s in classical music

24:28 Breaking the fourth wall in music

25:28 A memorable performance at the Southbank Centre

26:25 John Williams and the Influence of classical music

29:22 The genius of John Williams: Star Wars and beyond

31:46 Iconic melodies and orchestration techniques

33:53 The familiar sound world of Star Wars

37:19 The influence of classical composers on John Williams

42:04 The brilliance of John Williams' scores

47:29 Remixing and reworking classical music

50:18 Closing thoughts and farewell

Chapters:

• 00:04 - Introduction

• 05:35 - Historical context of remixing in classical music

• 13:48 - Berio's influences: The Beatles, Beckett, Mahler, and 1968

• 23:19 - Berio’s Resurrection Symphony

• 26:31 - The Influence of Classical Music on Modern Composers

• 32:25 - The legacy of John Williams' film music

• 39:54 - Exploring the classical homages in Star Wars

• 46:18 - The Impact of John Williams' Music

• 50:18 - Closing thoughts and farewell

Featured music:

• Sinfonia Movement No. 3 (1969) Luciano Berio

• Star Wars (1977) John Williams

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