Curated Video
First Synthetic Pigment
The story of how a contaminated reaction in the early 1700s led to the accidental discovery of blue pigment, the first synthetic paint. Chemistry - Reactions - Learning Points. In the 1700s, paints were colored using naturally occurring...
Music Matters
What to Do With the Rule of the Octave - Music Composition
This music composition lesson follows on from an earlier video about the rule of the octave and you may well want to watch our other video first. In this lesson we examine the linear implications for part writing using the chord scheme...
Music Matters
What is the Baroque Orchestra? - Music Appreciation
The standard orchestra did not become established until the Classical period but the Baroque orchestra was well under development and this video explores how the orchestra got underway during the Baroque period in Italy, France and...
Music Matters
Baroque Opera - Music Appreciation
We trace the origins of Opera from the Camerata in Italy in the late 1500’s through the early efforts of Peri and Caccini, through to Monteverdi and onwards to Caccini, to Lully in France, to Handel in England, and back to Pergolesi in...
Music Matters
Who Needs the Rule of the Octave? - Music Theory
This music theory lesson summarises the rule of the octave and explains how it offers insight into harmonic thinking and into Baroque harmony in particular. The rule of the octave begins with the notion of harmonising an octave of the...
Music Matters
Harmonising a Bach Chorale - Writing Four Part Harmony
How to harmonise a Chorale in the style of JS Bach.If you want to improve your harmony skills or learn how to harmonise a Chorale melody in the style of Bach this video is for you. This video takes you through a Chorale harmonisation...
Curated Video
Italy, Venice - Church of San Zaccaria
There are more than 250 churches in Venice, both consecrated and desecrated. Obviously, the sacred ones are first of all places of worship, but all together they make up a cultural, artistic and human heritage of inestimable value.
Odd Quartet
Music History - Who Is Buried In Bach's Grave?
One of the great mysteries of classical music. We explore the death of Bach and try to piece together where his remains actually ended up after all these years.
Curated Video
Latvia, Jelgava Palace
Jelgava Palace, designed by the famous Russian court architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli, is the biggest architectural monument in the Baltic states. The museum explores the history, architecture, history of construction, interior...
Curated Video
Italy, Venice - Santa Maria Formosa church
There are more than 250 churches in Venice, both consecrated and desecrated. Obviously, the sacred ones are first of all places of worship, but all together they make up a cultural, artistic and human heritage of inestimable value.
Curated Video
Italy, Venice - San Salvador church
There are more than 250 churches in Venice, both consecrated and desecrated. Obviously, the sacred ones are first of all places of worship, but all together they make up a cultural, artistic and human heritage of inestimable value.
Curated Video
Italy, Venice - San Moise church
The church was built initially in the 8th century. It is dedicated to Moses since like the Byzantines, the Venetians often considered Old Testament prophets as canonized saints. It also honors Moisc Venier, the aristocrat who funded the...
Curated Video
Italy, Venice - Santa Maria della Salute church
There are more than 250 churches in Venice, both consecrated and desecrated. Obviously, the sacred ones are first of all places of worship, but all together they make up a cultural, artistic and human heritage of inestimable value.
Curated Video
Italy, Venice - San Giacomo di Rialto church
There are more than 250 churches in Venice, both consecrated and desecrated. Obviously, the sacred ones are first of all places of worship, but all together they make up a cultural, artistic and human heritage of inestimable value.
Curated Video
Italy, Venice - San Vidal church
There are more than 250 churches in Venice, both consecrated and desecrated. Obviously, the sacred ones are first of all places of worship, but all together they make up a cultural, artistic and human heritage of inestimable value.
Curated Video
Italy, Venice - Santa Maria Zobenigo church
There are more than 250 churches in Venice, both consecrated and desecrated. Obviously, the sacred ones are first of all places of worship, but all together they make up a cultural, artistic and human heritage of inestimable value.
Curated Video
Italy, Caserta gardens and nymphaeums
Of all the royal residences inspired by the Palace of Versailles, the Reggia of Caserta is the one that bears the greatest resemblance to the original model: the unbroken balustraded skyline and the slight break provided by pavilions...
Curated Video
Latvia, Baroque Rundale Palace
The palace suffered serious damage in 1919 during the Latvian War of Independence. During their retreat Bermontians partially burned the palace. In 1920 after Latvian agrarian reforms the palace became the property of the Ministry of...
Music Matters
How Motifs are Used in Baroque Style - Music Composition
This music composition lesson unpacks Bach’s Sinfonia in B minor, drawing attention to the three motifs used to compose this piece. The three motifs are unpacked and we explore both the differences and the common ground between them. We...
Curated Video
Italy, Campania - Caserta Palace
The construction of the palace was begun in 1752 for Charles VII of Naples, who worked closely with his architect, Luigi Vanvitelli. When Charles saw Vanvitelli's grandly scaled model for Caserta, it filled him with emotion "fit to tear...
Curated Video
Judith Slaying Holofernes, Artemisia Gentileschi: Great Art Explained
Women were excluded from almost all cultural and social resources in the centuries from 1400 to 1900 when so much of the world's great art was created. And visual art was almost entirely a male industry before modern times. Having an...
Curated Video
Italy, Venice - Santa Maria della Presentazione church
There are more than 250 churches in Venice, both consecrated and desecrated. Obviously, the sacred ones are first of all places of worship, but all together they make up a cultural, artistic and human heritage of inestimable value.
Curated Video
Italy, Venice - Santa Maria dei Miracoli church
There are more than 250 churches in Venice, both consecrated and desecrated. Obviously, the sacred ones are first of all places of worship, but all together they make up a cultural, artistic and human heritage of inestimable value.
Curated Video
Italy, Venice - Church of Saint Stephen
There are more than 250 churches in Venice, both consecrated and desecrated. Obviously, the sacred ones are first of all places of worship, but all together they make up a cultural, artistic and human heritage of inestimable value.