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Category: Music Composition

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New BARD Additions: December 2024

Posted by: Brian McCurdy

This month, the NLS Music Section has added many new titles to BARD (Braille Audio Reading Download). All of these selections are ready to be enjoyed on your computer or smart device, and can downloaded right now on the BARD app! Read on to find out about our latest additions!

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New BARD Additions: June 2024

Posted by: Brian McCurdy

This month, the NLS Music Section has added many new titles to BARD (Braille Audio reading Download). Read on to find out about the latest offerings that include guitar and piano lessons by Bill Brown, "Never Grow Up" by Taylor Swift in lead sheet format, and Preludes for piano by Olivier Messiaen.

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Song Stories: Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday”

Posted by: Brian McCurdy

For this week's NLS Music Notes blog post, we learn the story behind Stevie Wonder's song, "Happy Birthday."

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Hidden Gems of the NLS Collection: Béla Bartók’s “Allegro Barbaro”

Posted by: Brian McCurdy

This week, learn more about how ancient dialects influenced the composition of one of Bela Bartok's most famous works, "Allegro Barbaro."

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Remembering Ned Rorem

Posted by: Brian McCurdy

Ned Rorem, who passed away last month at the age of 99, left behind a wealth of music and literature. For this week's NLS Music Notes blog post, learn more about Rorem's life and creative works.

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Song Stories: Camille Saint-Saëns and “Danse macabre”

Posted by: Brian McCurdy

For this week's NLS Music Notes blog post, we take a deep dive into a piece that is often associated with the October tradition of Halloween: "Danse macabre" by Camille Saint-Saëns.

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Hidden Gems of the NLS Collection: Francis Poulenc’s Sonata for Flute and Piano

Posted by: Brian McCurdy

For this week's NLS Music Notes blog post, learn more about one of our newest items acquired via the Marrakesh Treaty: Francis Poulenc's Sonata for Flute and Piano. Commissioned by the Library of Congress and dedicated to Jean-Pierre Rampal , the Sonata has become a standard in the repertoire.

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Hidden Gems of the NLS Collection: The Music of Khruangbin

Posted by: Brian McCurdy

For this week's NLS Music Notes blog post, we uncover another "hidden gem" in our collection. Join us for a deep dive into the music of the Texas-based Thai funk band Khruangbin.