As a child, the word ‘Philadelphia’ meant a creamy cheese spread which I greatly enjoyed. As a teenager, I learned that ‘Philadelphia’ was a city in Pennsylvania. As an adult, I learned that the original city thus named was found in Asia and that the word itself meant...

Time signatures order rhythm for us; they help us to follow the beat. Four crotchet beats in a bar (common time or ⁴₄) represent a march; three crotchet beats (3₄) is most readily identified with the waltz. Time signatures tell a musician how many beats per bar (the...

The English are often thought of as a dour nation, lacking a sense of humour and possessing a somewhat grim sense of duty. Famed for our 'stiff upper lip', enthusiasm and excitement are, in this stereotype, frowned upon as evidence of excess which can ruin. There may...