20 Pieces of Music That Changed The World: Robert Harris
The Sunday Edition | CBC News | Posted: March 13, 2015 3:46 PM | Last Updated: January 29, 2018
One of the most popular features ever aired on The Sunday Edition, is a series called 20 Pieces of Music That Changed The World.
Our music guru, Robert Harris takes us on a cultural journey through music. In conversation with Michael Enright, Robert explains why each piece (idiosyncratically chosen by Robert himself) made such an impact on the hearts and minds of listeners. These 20 pieces of music resonated so strongly, that they have entered the cultural firmament and stayed with us through the decades -- indeed, through the centuries.
Although the series has been unavailable for some time, we continue to receive requests for it. So we are delighted to be able to offer it to listeners again. Enjoy!
Please note: Due to copyright restrictions on the music, we are unable to offer any of Robert's material in podcast format, and we cannot make it available online to listeners outside of Canada. If you're outside Canada, a list of the music discussed can be found at the bottom of this post.
Robert Harris' Picks:
- Elvis Presley's That's Alright Mama
- Giovanni Battista Pergolesi's La Serva Padrona
- We Shall Overcome
- Enrico Caruso singing Pagliacci
- Bob Dylan's set at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival
- Ludwig van Beethoven's Eroica
- Louis Armstrong's West End Blues
- Bob Marley's I Shot the Sheriff
- Public Enemy's Fight The Power
- Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
- Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive
- Richard Wagner's The Prelude from Tristan und Isolde
- Gregorian Chants
- The Beatles' Please, Please Me
- Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring
- The Carter Family's Will The Circle Be Unbroken
- From the Broadway musical Show Boat, Old Man River
- The French national anthem La Marseillaise
- Charlie Parker's Ornithology
- Camille Saint Saens's Danse Macabre
ABOUT ROBERT: Robert is a long-time music journalist, writer, teacher and broadcaster. From 2000-2008, he was the host and producer of "I Hear Music", a weekly show presented on CBC Radio 2. He is the author of two books, What To Listen For in Mozart, and What To Listen For in Beethoven.