Steve Hackman and the Art of the Classical Mashup
Playlists Schedule Programs Q2 Music Events Blogs Request Music Search wqxr.org WQXR log teve Hackman and The Art of the Claical Mahup Monday, October 31, 2016 12:00 AM Composer and conductor Steve Hackman (Courtesy photo from the artist) A musical mashup is when two or more songs are smashed together — for example, taking the bass from one, the rhythm and melody from the other and, more or less, creating a new composite song. In the early years of YouTube, a mashup was considered as one the most ear tickling experiences on the Internet. These combinations were mostly contained within mainstream music, one of the most famous being a Radiohead vs. Marvin Gaye mashup called “Sexual High,” a combination of Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” and Radiohead’s “High and Dry." Now, enter Steve Hackman, a Curtis Institute of Musictrained conductor and composer, with perhaps the most literal expression of classical crossover that has ever existed: Beethoven vs. Coldplay, Radiohead vs. Brahms, Copland vs. Bon Iver, and, most strangely, Björk vs. Bartók. What makes Hackman’s work special is that, in contrast to the YouTube videos of the mid 2000s, his mashups are performed live — with an orchestra! In truth, the word mashup doesn’t fairly describe Hackman’s work. The pop and classical elements aren't merely juxtaposed, but are dexterously woven together. At times, one isn’t sure of where the classical music ends and the other begins. This wholly original result isn’t just luck. Not only is Hackman an accomplished and decorated musician, fully capable of producing a compelling piece of music, but it's clear that he loves the classical and pop elements with equal force.
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