The Classical Music Minute
The Classical Music Minute is a short, engaging classical music podcast that explores the stories, composers, and curious traditions behind the world’s greatest music.Ever wondered who the Florentine Camerata were? Where the conductor’s baton came from? Or what the difference is between opera buffa and opera seria?Hosted by Canadian composer and storyteller Steven Hobé, each episode offers a quick and entertaining journey through classical music history, uncovering fascinating facts about composers, famous works, opera, orchestras, and musical traditions.Whether you’re a lifelong music lover or simply curious about classical music, hop around music history with Steven—...
What Is the Circle of Fifths? | The Classical Music Minute
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It looks like a musical clock, but the Circle of Fifths is actually a map of how musical keys relate to one another. Discover how this ingenious diagram helps explain key signatures, harmony, and even how composers move from one key to another—all in just sixty seconds.
Love classical music? There's more to discover.
If you enjoyed this episode, you can read the companion article and subscribe on Substack at The Classical Music Minute. And for a brand-new narrated classical music story every day, download the Cl...
Why Can a Piano Play in Every Key? The Secret of Equal Temperament | The Classical Music Minute
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What if making music sound in tune actually requires making it slightly out of tune? Discover the ingenious compromise of equal temperament and how dividing the octave into twelve equal parts allows musicians to play freely in every key—all in just sixty seconds.
Love classical music? There's more to discover.
If you enjoyed this episode, you can read the companion article and subscribe on Substack at The Classical Music Minute. And for a brand-new narrated classical music story every day, download the Classical Minute app for iP...
What Were Goethe's Rules for Actors? | The Classical Music Minute
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Long before modern acting schools, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote a remarkable guide for performers. Discover why his advice on clarity, discipline, and natural expression still resonates with actors today—all in just sixty seconds.
Love classical music? There's more to discover.
If you enjoyed this episode, you can read the companion article and subscribe on Substack at The Classical Music Minute. And for a brand-new narrated classical music story every day, download the Classical Minute app for iPhone.
Until next time, I'm Steven Hobé. Tha...
How Did We Start Writing Music? | The Classical Music Minute
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Music wasn't always written down. Discover how a medieval monk named Guido of Arezzo helped revolutionize music with a system of notation that still shapes the way musicians read and perform music today—all in just sixty seconds.
Love classical music? There's more to discover.
If you enjoyed this episode, you can read the companion article and subscribe on Substack at The Classical Music Minute. And for a brand-new narrated classical music story every day, download the Classical Minute app for iPhone.
Until next time, I...
What Happened to Classical Music in the Early 20th Century? | The Classical Music Minute
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The early twentieth century was a time of enormous musical change. Discover how composers responded to a changing world by breaking traditions, experimenting with new sounds, and redefining what classical music could become—all in just sixty seconds.
Love classical music? There's more to discover.
If you enjoyed this episode, you can read the companion article and subscribe on Substack at The Classical Music Minute. And for a brand-new narrated classical music story every day, download the Classical Minute app for iPhone.
Until next time, I...
Drama Meets Music with Monteverdi | The Classical Music Minute
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Opera didn't appear overnight. Meet Claudio Monteverdi, the composer who transformed music into powerful drama and helped create one of the world's greatest art forms. In just sixty seconds, discover why he's often called the father of opera.
Love classical music? There's more to discover.
If you enjoyed this episode, you can read the companion article and subscribe on Substack at The Classical Music Minute. And for a brand-new narrated classical music story every day, download the Classical Minute app for iPhone.
Until next time...
Who Was the First Female Composer? (That We Know Of…) | The Classical Music Minute
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Let's travel back more than 1,100 years to meet Kassia of Constantinople, the earliest known female composer whose music still survives today. In just sixty seconds, I'll introduce you to this extraordinary Byzantine abbess, poet, and composer whose works are still sung today.
Love classical music? There's more to discover.
If you enjoyed this episode, you can read the companion article and subscribe on Substack at The Classical Music Minute. And for a brand-new narrated classical music story every day, download the Classical Minute app for iPhone.
<...Who Was the First Great Composer? | The Classical Music Minute
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Join me as I introduce you to Pérotin, one of the earliest known composers whose music still survives today. In just sixty seconds, you'll discover how this remarkable medieval composer helped shape the future of Western classical music
Love classical music? There's more to discover.
If you enjoyed this episode, you can read the companion article and subscribe on Substack at The Classical Music Minute. And for a brand-new narrated classical music story every day, download the Classical Minute app for iPhone.
Until next t...
Why Is Wagner So Controversial? | The Classical Music Minute
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Why does Richard Wagner remain one of the most debated figures in classical music?
In this episode of The Classical Music Minute, we explore the complex legacy of the German composer whose operas revolutionized music drama while also generating lasting controversy.
Wagner's artistic influence was profound. His innovations in harmony, orchestration, and storytelling shaped the future of opera and inspired countless composers.
At the same time, Wagner published antisemitic writings that remain deeply troubling. His music was later embraced by the Nazi regime, creating historical associations that...
Why Do Symphony Orchestras Have So Many Violins? | The Classical Music Minute
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Why are there so many violins in a symphony orchestra?
In this episode of The Classical Music Minute, we explore the role of the violin section and why it often contains more players than any other group in the orchestra.
Because a single violin produces a relatively delicate sound, many players are needed to create the rich, powerful sonority associated with orchestral strings. Violins also perform much of the orchestra’s melodic and harmonic material, making them central to the overall musical texture.
Large orchestras often include tw...
How Do Opera Singers Sing So Loud Without Microphones? | The Classical Music Minute
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How can opera singers be heard over an entire orchestra without any electronic amplification?
In this episode of The Classical Music Minute, we explore the fascinating science behind operatic singing. Contrary to popular belief, opera singers do not simply sing louder than everyone else. Instead, they train for years to develop breath control, resonance, and efficient vocal production.
One key advantage is the “singer’s formant,” a special concentration of sound frequencies that allows the voice to stand out above the orchestra. Combined with the acoustics of traditional opera houses...
Why Is Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony So Important? | The Classical Music Minute
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Why is Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony considered one of the most important works in classical music?
In this episode of The Classical Music Minute, we explore the revolutionary ideas behind Beethoven’s final completed symphony. Premiered in 1824, the work broke new ground by introducing a choir and vocal soloists into the final movement—something virtually unheard of in a symphony at the time.
The famous Ode to Joy theme, based on Friedrich Schiller’s poem, celebrates unity, friendship, and the common bonds that connect humanity. Combined with the symphony’s unpreced...
What Is the Difference Between Opera and Operetta? | The Classical Music Minute
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What is the difference between opera and operetta?
In this episode of The Classical Music Minute, we explore two closely related forms of musical theatre. Opera is usually larger in scale and often more serious in tone, with music driving the drama from beginning to end. Many operas deal with intense themes such as love, tragedy, power, fate, and betrayal.
Operetta, whose name means “little opera,” is generally lighter and more comic. It often includes spoken dialogue, catchy melodies, romantic plots, mistaken identities, and a playful theatrical style.
Po...
Why Did Beethoven Go Deaf? | The Classical Music Minute
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Why did Beethoven lose his hearing?
In this episode of The Classical Music Minute, we explore one of the most famous mysteries in music history. Ludwig van Beethoven began experiencing hearing problems in his late twenties, including ringing in the ears and difficulty hearing high sounds and distant voices.
By 1802, he knew the condition was serious and progressive. During a stay in Heiligenstadt, he wrote the deeply personal Heiligenstadt Testament, describing the distress caused by his hearing loss.
Although many possible causes have been suggested, including illness...
Why Is Pachelbel’s Canon Played at So Many Weddings? | The Classical Music Minute
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Why has Pachelbel’s Canon in D become one of the most popular wedding pieces of all time?
In this episode of The Classical Music Minute, we explore how a Baroque composition written centuries ago became closely associated with modern wedding ceremonies.
Known for its flowing melodies and repeating harmonic progression, Canon in D creates a calm and elegant atmosphere that naturally suits processions and ceremonial moments. Its adaptable instrumentation has also helped make it a favourite for string quartets, organists, pianists, and wedding ensembles of all kinds.
...
Why Is Vivaldi’s Four Seasons So Popular? | The Classical Music Minute
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Why has The Four Seasons remained one of the world’s most recognizable pieces of classical music?
In this episode of The Classical Music Minute, we explore the enduring popularity of Antonio Vivaldi’s famous set of violin concertos. Written in the early eighteenth century, The Four Seasons uses music to depict scenes from nature, including birdsong, storms, flowing water, hunting scenes, and winter winds.
This approach, known as program music, helped make the work vivid and accessible to audiences. Combined with energetic rhythms, memorable melodies, and dazzling violin writ...
Why Is Bach Called the Father of Classical Music? | The Classical Music Minute
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Why Is Bach Called the Father of Classical Music?
Why is Johann Sebastian Bach often referred to as the “Father of Classical Music”?
In this episode of The Classical Music Minute, we explore the lasting influence of one of history’s greatest composers. Although Bach lived during the Baroque period, his work laid the foundation for much of the music that followed.
Renowned for his mastery of counterpoint, Bach demonstrated how multiple independent musical lines could work together in harmony. His compositions, including The Well-Tempered Clavier and The Ar...
What Does “Opus” Mean in Classical Music? | The Classical Music Minute
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What Does “Opus” Mean in Classical Music?
What does “opus” mean when you see it in a classical music title?
In this episode of The Classical Music Minute, we explore the meaning behind this common musical term. Derived from the Latin word for “work,” opus numbers are used to catalogue and organize a composer’s compositions.
Typically assigned in order of publication rather than composition, opus numbers help distinguish one piece from another—especially when composers wrote many works in the same genre.
For example, Beethoven’s Moon...
Why Did Mozart Write So Many Operas? | The Classical Music Minute
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Why did Mozart compose so many operas during his short lifetime?
In this episode of The Classical Music Minute, we explore why opera played such an important role in Mozart’s career. In the late eighteenth century, opera was one of Europe’s most popular forms of entertainment, and cities across the continent regularly commissioned new works for their theatres.
Mozart was uniquely suited to the genre. Opera allowed him to combine expressive melodies, colourful orchestration, and theatrical storytelling into a single artistic experience.
Collaborating with librettists such...
Why Is Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 So Famous? | The Classical Music Minute
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Why is Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 one of the most recognizable pieces of music ever written?
In this episode of The Classical Music Minute, we explore the famous four-note opening that begins the symphony—often described as da-da-da-DAAA. This simple rhythmic motif becomes the driving force behind the entire first movement, demonstrating Beethoven’s extraordinary ability to develop a small musical idea into a powerful orchestral statement.
Premiered in 1808, the symphony also captures a dramatic emotional journey. It begins in the dark and tense key of C minor but eventu...
Why Do Orchestras Tune to the Oboe? | The Classical Music Minute
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Why Do Orchestras Tune to the Oboe?
Why do orchestras tune to the oboe before a concert begins?
In this episode of The Classical Music Minute, we explore the tradition behind the single tuning note that signals the start of nearly every orchestral performance.
Before the music begins, the principal oboist plays an A—typically A = 440 hertz—and the rest of the orchestra tunes to match it. The reason is practical: the oboe produces a stable and penetrating pitch that is difficult to adjust quickly. String inst...
Why Is Pachelbel’s Canon in D Played at Weddings? | The Classical Music Minute
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Why is Pachelbel’s Canon in D played at weddings?
In this episode of The Classical Music Minute, we explore how a small Baroque chamber work by Johann Pachelbel unexpectedly became one of the most popular wedding processional pieces in the world.
Written around 1680, Canon in D was originally composed for three violins and basso continuo, with no connection to weddings at all. Its famous repeating bass line supports a series of increasingly elaborate violin melodies, creating a sense of balance, anticipation, and gentle emotional build. Over th...
Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana Intermezzo: A Moment of Pure Emotion
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Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana Intermezzo: A Moment of Pure Emotion in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
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Mascagni was only 26 when Cavalleria rusticana premiered—and it immediately made him famous. The opera was written for a composition competition, which he won. Despite composing many works afterward, the Intermezzo became his most beloved music, often performed independently in concerts around the world
About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his musi...
Holst’s Mars: The Sound of War Approaching in 60 Seconds
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Holst’s Mars: The Sound of War Approaching in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
Fun Fact
Holst actually wrote Mars before World War I fully erupted, yet many listeners later assumed it was inspired by the conflict. In reality, the piece reflects the astrological character of Mars rather than a specific war—but its ominous power made it feel uncannily prophetic.
About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he c...
The Barber of Seville in 60 Seconds
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The Barber of Seville in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
Fun Fact
The opera’s opening night in Rome was a disaster — with onstage accidents and audience hostility — but it quickly became one of the most performed operas in history.
About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the dark...
La clemenza di Tito in 60 Seconds
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La clemenza di Tito in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
Fun Fact
Mozart composed La clemenza di Tito in about 18 days for the coronation of Emperor Leopold II in Prague — while simultaneously finishing The Magic Flute.
About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more sati...
Beethoven: The Bridge Between Two Worlds
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Beethoven: The Bridge Between Two Worlds in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
Fun Fact
By the time Beethoven premiered his Ninth Symphony, he was completely deaf. Unable to hear the applause, he had to be turned around onstage to see the audience cheering. It was a powerful moment—one that perfectly captured his role as a composer who transcended personal limitation and musical tradition alike.
About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in To...
Debussy and the Sound of Impressionism
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Debussy and the Sound of Impressionism in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
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Debussy disliked the term “Impressionism,” insisting it was borrowed from painting and misunderstood his music. He preferred to think of his works as “images” in sound. Ironically, the label stuck—and today it’s nearly impossible to imagine Impressionism without Debussy at its center.
About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of wor...
The Fugue: Discipline, Drama, and Design
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The Fugue: Discipline, Drama, and Design in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
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Bach’s The Art of Fugue was left unfinished at his death, ending abruptly mid-piece. Legend claims he was working on a final fugue spelling his own name in musical notes—B-A-C-H. Whether intentional or not, the idea feels fitting: a composer signing off using pure musical design.
About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his musi...
Theme and Variations: Order vs. Imagination
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Theme and Variations: Order vs. Imagination in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
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Some variation sets were written as showpieces to prove compositional skill. Brahms once joked that anyone could write a good theme, but only a real composer could write convincing variations. Beethoven agreed—he used the form repeatedly when he wanted to demonstrate both discipline and daring in equal measure.
About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through hi...
The Art Song: When Poetry Met Music
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The Art Song: When Poetry Met Music in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
Fun Fact
Schubert wrote over 600 art songs, many for informal gatherings with friends called Schubertiades. Performers often sang straight from handwritten manuscripts while the composer turned pages. Some of the most treasured songs in Western music began as living-room experiments rather than formal commissions.
About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range...
From Court to Concert Hall: The Shift from Patronage to Public Audiences
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From Court to Concert Hall: The Shift from Patronage to Public Audiences in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
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Beethoven famously tore the dedication page from his Eroica Symphony when Napoleon crowned himself emperor. The gesture symbolized a larger shift: composers were no longer servants flattering rulers, but artists answering to ideals—and to paying audiences. Independence sounded glorious, but it also meant chasing publishers, patrons, and ticket sales.
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Steven is a Ca...
Why the Symphony Became a Cultural Symbol
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Why the Symphony Became a Cultural Symbol in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
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Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony was the first to include a chorus in a symphony—an audacious move at the time. Critics were baffled. Today, its “Ode to Joy” theme is used as the anthem of the European Union, proving the symphony’s power to move from concert hall to cultural symbol.
About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto...
Music After World War I: Art in a Shattered World
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Music After World War I: Art in a Shattered World in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
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In 1918, Erik Satie described postwar music as needing “fewer perfumes and more reality.” Many composers shared this sentiment, favoring sharp edges and transparency over lush emotion. Audiences weren’t always thrilled—but history proved these reactions marked the birth of modern music, not its collapse.
About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his musi...
Bartók: When Folk Music Met Modernism
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Bartók: When Folk Music Met Modernism in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
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Bartók wasn’t just inspired by folk music—he treated it like scientific research. Armed with a phonograph, he recorded villagers singing in remote areas, often in harsh conditions. He transcribed songs note by note, preserving traditions that might otherwise have vanished. In the process, he became one of the founders of ethnomusicology—long before the term was widely used.
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The Oratorio: Opera Without the Costumes
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The Oratorio: Opera Without the Costumes in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
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When Messiah premiered in Dublin, audiences were asked to leave their swords at home and ladies were encouraged not to wear hoop skirts—so more people could fit in the hall. Even then, Handel was drawing a crowd. The famous tradition of standing during the “Hallelujah” Chorus came later and wasn’t Handel’s idea at all.
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Steven is a Canadian...
Erik Satie: The Unlikely Godfather of Les Six
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Erik Satie: The Unlikely Godfather of Les Six in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
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Satie gave his pieces absurd titles like Three Pieces in the Shape of a Pear—a jab at critics who accused him of lacking musical “form.” Les Six adored this irreverence. Poulenc once said Satie proved that “music could smile without losing its intelligence,” a lesson he took to heart.
About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto...
Les Six: Paris’s Modern Musical Short-Lived Spark
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Les Six: Paris’s Modern Musical Short-Lived Spark in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
Fun Fact
Les Six officially collaborated on only one major project, L’Album des Six (1920), before drifting apart. Ironically, the brevity of their partnership helped mythologize them: critics kept the label alive long after the composers stopped meeting, turning a short-lived collaboration into a lasting cultural brand.
About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he c...
Francis Poulenc: The Man and His Music
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Francis Poulenc: The Man and His Music in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
Fun Fact
Poulenc adored Parisian cabarets and often slipped their cheeky harmonic twists into his classical works. After a friend accused him of being “too frivolous,” he replied, “You must take me as I am—Ravel for breakfast and a good music-hall number for dessert.”
About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of wo...
Echoes Along the Nile: Music in Ancient Egypt
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Echoes Along the Nile: Music in Ancient Egypt in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!
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The sistrum—a sacred rattle associated with the goddess Hathor—was believed to ward off evil spirits. Priests shook it during ceremonies to “awaken” the gods. Archaeologists have found beautifully ornamented versions made of bronze and faience, proving even ancient noisemakers could be objects of stunning craftsmanship.
About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his musi...
