You’d think that people would have had enough of silly love songs.
I look around me and I see it isn’t so.
Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs.
And what’s wrong with that?
I’d like to know.

~ Paul McCartney

Silly or not, nearly everyone has a soft spot for love songs. And this will become even more evident on February 14, when we celebrate St. Valentine’s Day.

Actually, there is a scientific answer to the question about why we are partial to love songs: research indicates that they bring back sweet (and sometimes bittersweet) memories of – to quote one famous song, “the way we were.”

In other words, love songs allow us to re-live the emotions associated with a particular tune. In a way, it’s like watching a favorite movie time and again: you never tire of the memories and feelings it brings out.

“Thy presence is my light”

Though Barry Manilow famously sang, “I’ve been alive forever,
and I wrote the very first song ”
we suggest you take these words with a pinch of salt.

There is evidence that the world’s oldest love song may be thousands of years old. In 2001, a team of archeologists discovered a 4,300-year-old tomb of an Egyptian nobleman, which contained hieroglyphs suggesting that it was probably a song of love, honoring the deceased man’s wife. We don’t know what the song was about, but we are we are fairly sure Barry Manilow didn’t write it.

In the 3rd century, when St. Valentine lived and died, music was mostly religious, but romantic love songs became very popular in the Middle Ages. Those Medieval songs reflected prevalent mores of that time, which centered on the notion of a “courtly” love – very chivalrous and gallant. In those days, the dating process included long-drawn phases such as “admiring a fair lady from afar,” followed, after a certain amount of time spent pining and suffering, by proclamation of eternal love to her, on a bent knee.
In those days, traveling musicians known as the troubadours would serenade the ladies with most fashionable love songs, such as:

“Be thou my vision, Oh Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.”

Don’t these lyrics prove that the more things change the more they remain the same, at least as far as romance is concerned? The language might be outdated but the sentiment rings as true today as it did back then!

That loving feeling

Literally thousands of love songs have been written over the years – sad, happy, and everything in between. But have you ever wondered which musical instrument is the most “romantic” one?

There is no scientific research that we know of, which would shed light on this question. It is a totally subjective matter of personal preferences and affinities. However, just for the fun of it, we have checked out some online discussion forums and informal surveys focusing on this topic.

The four instruments that the users of these groups find most romantic are the violin, piano, guitar, and saxophone (with the last one rated as “the sexiest” rather than merely romantic).

Fall in love – with Manhattan music lessons

It so happens that we teach all of the above-mentioned instruments – the violin, piano, guitar, and saxophone – and many more.

One of our teachers would…love to come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office and give you music lessons on an instrument of your choice (or voice lessons, if that’s what you want).

We’ll help you bring the most beautiful love melodies into your life and the lives of people around you.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

The post Songs That Tug at Your Heartstrings – With Manhattan Guitar Lessons appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.

A spectacular end to the holiday season in New York occurs on December 31, when a gigantic ball slides down a pole to ring in the New Year at the strike of midnight EST. One million people gather in Times Square and a billion more watch the countdown in all corners of the world.

From its maiden voyage down the flagpole just over a century ago to the present day, “the ball drop” has been a cherished symbol of our city’s New Year celebrations. Not even NYC’s notorious cold winter weather can keep cheerful revelers from participating in what may well be the jolliest public New Year’s party in the country.

There is a lot you may not know about the ball drop beyond what you see on television, so here is a little “tutorial” to get you into the celebratory mood.

A New York tradition

The first ball, which was dropped in 1907, was built by a young Russian immigrant metalworker named Jacob Starr. For most of the 20th century, the company he founded, Artkraft Strauss, was responsible for lowering the Ball. In all, seven different versions of the ball – including one made of wrought iron – have been used in the past.

By the way, the first ball was made from wood and iron, was 5 feet in diameter, weighed 700 pounds, and featured one hundred 25-watt light bulbs. It was impressive by 1907 standards, but today’s version is far more advanced : constructed from aluminum, it weighs in at over five metric tons, is covered with wedge-cut crystals and more than 32,000 light-emitting diodes, and is capable of creating billions of kaleidoscopic color patterns.

All year round, the ball sits on top of One Times Square, getting ready for its December 31 one-minute drop: it starts at 11:59 pm and makes its spectacular 141-foot slide to the cheers of the crowds below.

Let us “drop” in!

Of course, no New Year’s celebrations would be complete without live music. The countdown show, “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” is a big part of the Ball Drop festivities. Since its beginnings in 1972, many famous artists had been featured; this year 38 musical acts are scheduled, including the headliner, Taylor Swift.

We at Hey Joe Guitar will also celebrate the New Year’s Eve with music. That’s because music is an integral part of our lives – not only on December 31, but also all throughout the year!

No matter what season, month, or day it is, our amazing teachers are always on call and they will come to your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office to give you lessons. Whether you or your child want to learn to play the guitar, piano, flute, or any other musical instrument, leave it to us – we’ll get the ball rolling!

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

The post When it Comes to Music Lessons, New York Piano School is on the Ball! appeared first on Hey Joe Guitar.