Stretta Journal

Dear Musical Friends,

Music and sheet music are part of our everyday life at Stretta. But music also enriches our lives outside our daily work. At Stretta, musicians work for musicians.

Let us share our enthusiasm and expertise with you in our Stretta Journal! Arouse your curiosity for current topics from the wide world of music, travel reports, interviews, reviews, puzzles and many interesting facts about your instrument.

Discover all about music with the Stretta Journal. We hope you enjoy reading and browsing!

Rapflexion: How young people grow beyond their expectations with rap - an interview with Carlos Utermöhlen

Rapflexion: How young people grow beyond their expectations with rap - an interview with Carlos Utermöhlen

The name "Rapflexion" of Carlos Utermöhlen's youth project perfectly describes what he and his team do: through the musical form of rap, they help young people reflect on themselves. In addition to learning musical techniques, young people from disadvantaged areas in Germany and South America also rediscover language and gain a new sense of self-worth and community. In this interview, Carlos talks about his diverse experiences from nearly 20 years of youth work.

read more
CHORstimmen - No. 3: Voice training with the Vienna Boys' Choir

CHORstimmen - No. 3: Voice training with the Vienna Boys' Choir

The Vienna Boys' Choir will celebrate its 525th anniversary in 2024. The school, which is specially tailored to musical training, offers the children singing development at the highest level with plenty of stage experience. We meet Alice Rath-Stépán, opera singer and singing teacher, who puts her heart and soul into training the young voices of the Vienna Boys' Choir and the Vienna Girls' Choir.

read more
Michele Galvagno – Artistic Score Engraving

Michele Galvagno – Artistic Score Engraving

Cellist Michele Galvagno became a music engraver in order to provide other musicians with the best possible editions of sheet music. Find out in our interview how he is committed to the composers Friedrich Dotzauer and Alfredo Piatti, how time-consuming the work process from manuscript to finished edition is and how scores have changed over the course of history.

read more
Stretta Christmas Emoji Quiz

Stretta Christmas Emoji Quiz

We have visualised the titles of 24 Christmas carols here as a series of emojis. Do you recognise them all?

read more
Florian Hatzelmann: A Tubist Embracing Classical, Brass Music, and Hip Hop

Florian Hatzelmann: A Tubist Embracing Classical, Brass Music, and Hip Hop

Florian Hatzelmann excels as a tuba player across diverse styles, whether in the orchestra of the Zurich Opera House, with Ernst Hutter & Die Egerländer, or in the hip-hop dance ensemble Fättes Blech. Discover how he manages this unique crossover and finds success on social media as @_tubaflo in our exclusive interview.

read more
Music: A Field with Future?

Music: A Field with Future?

Given the current crises in the world, advancing digitization, cuts in the cultural sector, and in music education, one can rightly ask: Will the music profession still exist in the future? Music educator Kristin Thielemann discusses current challenges and opportunities in the professional music sector and encourages a career related to music.

read more
10 reasons for music lessons

10 reasons for music lessons

Do you know the saying "Music makes you smart"? Music teacher Kristin Thielemann is sick of hearing it! This phrase misappropriates music, using it as a vitamin for "performance boosting." Here are 10 reasons why engaging with music can be crucial for a young person, beyond the overused phrase "Music makes you smart."

read more
What is a Diatonic Accordion?

What is a Diatonic Accordion?

Diatonic accordions are an integral part of the traditional music of many countries. Whether it's the alpine "Steirische Harmonika", the Italian diatonic accordion, or the Basque Trikitixa, they all differ in their playable keys and mechanics. Accordionist Irene Urrutia Martín guides us through the various terms.

read more
World Pianist Jean Kleeb

World Pianist Jean Kleeb

Classical, Jazz & Indigenous Music InterwovenWorld Pianist Jean Kleeb(25.07.2023)Jean Kleeb is a composer and pianist, born and raised in Brazil, who has lived in Germany since he was 28. His passion is to weave together the various styles of the world, from classical music to jazz to indigenous music, just as people and nature are interconnected. In the interview, he discusses, among other things, what world music should be, how much jazz is in Josquin and Wagner, and the role of his current project,...

read more
Intro: Reggae – The sound, the classics and the vibe

Intro: Reggae – The sound, the classics and the vibe

We want to examine what makes reggae musically unique, which songs are considered absolute classics, and the typical roles of individual instruments, so you can try out your instrument at the next reggae jam. An introduction with many audio examples.

read more
CHOIRvoices – No. 1 Melanie Schlerf: Choir Conductor, Singer & Professional Choral Singer

CHOIRvoices – No. 1 Melanie Schlerf: Choir Conductor, Singer & Professional Choral Singer

ur new interview series is dedicated to the diversity in the choir world. In this first interview, we speak with the talented choir conductor, singer, and professional choral singerMelanie Schlerf. Learn first-hand what qualities and experiences are essential for a successful career as a choir conductor, and discover intriguing answers on topics such as programme selection, digitalisation, choir rehearsals, and the challenges of recent years for choral singing and her choirs.

read more
International Accordion Competition Klingenthal – 60 Years of Accordion History

International Accordion Competition Klingenthal – 60 Years of Accordion History

The International Accordion Competition in Klingenthal is one of the most prestigious accordion competitions and takes place annually in the small town in the Vogtland region near the Czech border. Since 1963, the competition has been a reference point for accordionists around the world.

read more
Random Progressions: Practicing Jazz with Chance

Random Progressions: Practicing Jazz with Chance

Quality beats quantity. This also applies to practicing. Much more important than the number of hours we spend with our instrument is how we use that time. Endless, monotonous repetition of difficult passages is not always helpful. Creativity is the key. Or chance: Random Progressions allow us to easily create a variety of personalised exercises that are perfectly suited to our abilities.

read more
The Sounds of Spring

The Sounds of Spring

As nature awakens from hibernation, floral scents fill the air. Fresh leaves give the world a green hue, and gardens and meadows start exploding with colour... Can all of this be captured in music? Stretta editro David Rauh went looking for anwsers, guided by his own personal Spring Music-Highlights.

read more
A 150th anniversary retrospective on Sergei Rachmaninoff

A 150th anniversary retrospective on Sergei Rachmaninoff

"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music". This was the sentiment of Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff, who was born in Russia 150 years ago. Eleonora Paolin remembers the "last romantic" by looking at some remarkable aspects of his life and work.

read more
Musicians, show your tongue! An exercise to relax the tongue for a better sound

Musicians, show your tongue! An exercise to relax the tongue for a better sound

Musicians, show your tongue! An exercise to relax the tongue for a better sound by Sophie Stahl (31.01.2023) Showing one's tongue in public is often associated with disgust, displeasure or insult. For musicians, however, sticking out the tongue in a controlled manner can improve articulation, coordination and regeneration ability and have a positive effect on free breathing. Here is my tip: If you want to put this exercise into practice, choose the place and time wisely to experience the great effect...

read more
The Bigband

The Bigband

Composing and arranging for big band today is no easy task, as Jazz Award winner Thorsten Wollmann knows from personal experience. Here is a brief overview of the past and present of this quintessential jazz ensemble.

read more
Women in music: initiatives that make a difference

Women in music: initiatives that make a difference

Despite progress in achieving gender equality in various fields, there is still a significant lack of female representation in the world of classical music. To address this issue, many countries have established initiatives to support female musicians in their careers, including associations and music festivals.

read more
Antonio Oyarzábal – Unveiling the Hidden Gems of Female Composers

Antonio Oyarzábal – Unveiling the Hidden Gems of Female Composers

The London-based Basque pianist talks about his latest album "El Fin del Silencio" (The End Of Silence) of works by Latin American women composers and the challenges he has faced in his career in finding repertoire and scores by women composers.

read more
Learn Guitar with Tatiana Stachak

Learn Guitar with Tatiana Stachak

In a class of its own: Tatiana Stachak's innovative teaching method, “First Class Guitar”, has many followers worldwide. The focus of the music educator, composer, and guitarist is on the joy of making music. Through early duet play with the teacher, initial success quickly occurs, and motivation is maintained. In the interview, Tatiana Stachak provides insights into her work.

read more
How you succeed in reaching your practice goals

How you succeed in reaching your practice goals

As the new year begins, many of us experience a yearning for change, a drive to establish goals and incorporate new habits into our daily routine. However, noble aspirations alone are insufficient, as without tangible measures, our resolutions for the new year rapidly become meaningless. In this piece, Aloisia Dauer outlines effective strategies for setting significant musical objectives and realizing them.

read more
Violeta Gil – The importance of a positive mindset for a professional musician

Violeta Gil – The importance of a positive mindset for a professional musician

The “restless” flautist talks about when she found her passion to learn the flute, her musical education, social media for musicians, the support of family & friends and the importance of “keep going” after setbacks and why unsuccessful auditions aren’t failures. Furthermore she shares with us her favourite musical pieces and scores.

read more
Between Easy and Hard Listening - The Musical Legacy of Burt Bacharach and Friedrich Cerha

Between Easy and Hard Listening - The Musical Legacy of Burt Bacharach and Friedrich Cerha

Despite the disparate music styles of Cerha and Bacharach, both composers were avant-garde in their own way. Their work demonstrates the wide range of musical expression. A plea for diversity and against the categorization of music.

read more
Learning the organ for beginners, re-entrants and autodidacts

Learning the organ for beginners, re-entrants and autodidacts

The world-renowned organist Ulrike Theresia Wegele talks about her popular "Organ Method With Hands and Feet", which covers everything you need to work through all the organ literature in three volumes. Find out how versatile and exciting the textbooks for beginners, returners and autodidacts are structured, why it doesn't take unicorns, knights and fairies to inspire children to learn the organ and the very personal motivations that have led to her life's work.

read more
Portrait of the renowned organist and textbook author

Portrait of the renowned organist and textbook author

Ulrike Theresia Wegele is one of the leading organists of her generation. She teaches in Graz and Eisenstadt and lives in Vienna, where she published her popular "Organ School with Hand and Foot" with the Doblinger publishing house. Read here how her path to becoming an organist began on "Blood Friday," what a thrill her entrance exam was, and which scores are close to her heart.

read more
Learning to play the drums - 20 questions for Franco Hänle

Learning to play the drums - 20 questions for Franco Hänle

"It is always a pleasure to witness the sense of amazement on the faces of new music students as they step into the classroom and become wide-eyed, unable to shake off their amazement, upon learning that all of the instruments in the large room can eventually be played by them." In order to assist with the decision-making process for selecting a new instrument, we have asked percussionist and conductor Franco Hänle to answer our musical questionnaire.

read more
Marc le Gars in Focus – From Award Winning Guitarist to Celebrated Composer

Marc le Gars in Focus – From Award Winning Guitarist to Celebrated Composer

The guitarist Marc Le Gars is known especially in France for his compositions for solo guitar and chamber music. Over the years, he has published dozens of sheet music from which is readily selected for guitar examinations and competitions. In this video interview, he talks about his career and his music.

read more
From Sound to Emotion - How Music Affects Our Feelings

From Sound to Emotion - How Music Affects Our Feelings

How can music evoke emotions? How can music calm and reduce stress? Systematic musicologist Bettina Zeidler introduces us to the world of music psychology.

read more
Vocation: Composer - An Interview with Sophie Lacaze

Vocation: Composer - An Interview with Sophie Lacaze

How does one become a composer? What are the different stages in the composition process? How can the world around us inspire us to create musical works? These are the questions we asked French composer Sophie Lacaze.

read more
Young and Under Pressure - From the Lives of Budding Professional Musicians

Young and Under Pressure - From the Lives of Budding Professional Musicians

The start of a career in music can be particularly challenging for young people. Alongside rehearsal stress and the constant pressure to keep practicing and developing, the fear of auditions and thoughts of all the competition out there can take a hold of everyday musical life. Why do young people take all of this on and how do they deal with it all? A conversation about the pressure to perform with five aspiring professional musicians.

read more
Instrumental Up-Keep in Winter - What Should I Consider?

Instrumental Up-Keep in Winter - What Should I Consider?

What would Christmas and New Year be without concerts and music? Unfortunately, many instruments don't like the winter temperatures at all, and the dry air from our heating can also cause problems. What might happen and how can I protect my instrument from damage?

read more
The New Performance Option for The Christmas Oratorio – Orchestra vs Organ

The New Performance Option for The Christmas Oratorio – Orchestra vs Organ

For many musicians, it is as much a part of the Advent and Christmas season as the Christmas tree or minced pies... Of course we are talking about the Christmas Oratorio by the Leipzig Thomaskantor Johann Sebastian Bach, which fills almost every church with festive sounds in wintertime. It is well known to us all in its original form with four soloists, mixed choir and orchestra with basso continuo, but the circumstances are not always suitable for such a grand performance. Good thing there's now a new option to perform this masterpiece without orchestra!

read more
Learning to play the Bassoon – 20 Questions for Anselma Veit

Learning to play the Bassoon – 20 Questions for Anselma Veit

“I think the bassoon gives the music a nice depth - literally and figuratively. Precisely because the tone is so wonderfully warm and velvety. No matter what formation.“ Bassoon player Anselma Veit anwsers our musical questionnaire in the hopes of making the choice for a new instrument a bit easier.

read more
The Life and Work of a Classical Composer Today – An Interview with Zdeněk Král

The Life and Work of a Classical Composer Today – An Interview with Zdeněk Král

Zdeněk Král is one of the most prominent figures in modern Czech classical music and, with more than 1000 compositions, he is extremely prolific. In an interview with Tomáš Ibrmajer he talks about his life as a composer: from his inspirations, the creative process and the challenges, to the final performance.

read more
Día de Muertos – Music in Mexico

Día de Muertos – Music in Mexico

Every year on the 2nd of November, Mexico celebrates one of its most important holidays, Día de Muertos. As the name suggests, the "Day of the Dead" commemorates the deceased. But unlike many funeral and commemoration ceremonies in Europe, it is a lavish and colourful festival with great hustle and bustle on the streets, festive parades and exuberant music and dances.

read more
What’s the Deal with John Cage's 4'33''?

What’s the Deal with John Cage's 4'33''?

A brief insight into John Cage's important yet controversial work, its background, and the composers intentions.

read more
What Exactly is a Decibel?

What Exactly is a Decibel?

We clarify why this unit of measurement exists, what it means, and how it can affect us musicians.

read more
Learning to play the Recorder – 20 Questions for Vera Petry

Learning to play the Recorder – 20 Questions for Vera Petry

“What fascinates me about the recorder is the warm, soft sound and the natural playing style: the direct contact of the fingers to the wood and the wonderful feeling, similar to singing, of bringing the instrument to life with your own breath.” Recorder player Vera Petry anwsers our musical questionnaire in the hopes of making the choice for a new instrument a bit easier.

read more
WMC Kerkrade Retrospective: What is the Status of Wind Music Today?

WMC Kerkrade Retrospective: What is the Status of Wind Music Today?

The opinion is growing amongst wind musicians that the scene seems to be in a difficult situation. Which direction should wind music take in order to reach as many people as possible in the future? Perhaps the WMC, World Music Contest, in Kerkrade in the Netherlands, often referred to as a “laboratory for wind music” can give us an insight into the scene…

read more
How Rhythmic Speech Can Make it Easier to Learn your Instrument.

How Rhythmic Speech Can Make it Easier to Learn your Instrument.

In music lessons, rhythm often receives less focus than other aspects of the music. In this article, drummer Manu Holmer shows us the first steps to help us use speech to overcome rhythmic uncertainty.

read more
The Art of the Encore!

The Art of the Encore!

What makes a good encore? We asked eight professional musicians to try and answer this question. Let their answers inspire you for your next concert!

read more
Practicing in Summer: More, Less, or Differently? How to Take Care of Your Body in Any Situation

Practicing in Summer: More, Less, or Differently? How to Take Care of Your Body in Any Situation

Summer is here, and it brings some changes to daily life that affect your music practice. Do you play much more than usual during this season? Do you take a break? Or do you bring your instrument on vacation? In this article, you will find tips on how to be mindful of your body in any situation.

read more
StrettaCast – Film Music: From Brünnhilde to Blade Runner

StrettaCast – Film Music: From Brünnhilde to Blade Runner

What would 2001: Space Odyssey be without Richard Strauss? What would Back to the Future be without Chuck Berry? What would Alfred Hitchcock have done without Bernard Herrmann? It is hard to imagine our favourite films without music. But the first films were produced without any sound at all! From the first moment someone pushed a piano onto the stage at a silent movie theatre, this wonderful musical genre sprung to life.

read more
Loop Me, Pachelbel! Creative Practice with Loop-Apps

Loop Me, Pachelbel! Creative Practice with Loop-Apps

Do your students find repeating scales, exercises, or tricky phrases monotonous? Then why not try a Loop-App! These easy-to-use helpers create fascinating pieces of music from unpopular exercises in no time at all, which will delight beginners and advanced users alike!

read more
One love, one heart – About Reggae and Its origins

One love, one heart – About Reggae and Its origins

Reggae – these are summer vibes on the always sunny Caribbean island of Jamaica, Bob Marley, dreadlocks, and marijuana. While these common clichés are not unfounded, they only reflect a very small part of the music style. Christian Geiger takes a journey through the history of reggae (through ska and rocksteady) and answers the question: What exactly characterizes the style?

read more
Learning to Play the Tuba – 20 Questions for Rupert Gratz

Learning to Play the Tuba – 20 Questions for Rupert Gratz

‘The tuba has become a cult instrument. [...] Children are impressed by the size of the instrument and the beautiful sound.’ Tuba player Rupert Gratz answers our musical questionnaire to help you decide on a new instrument.

read more
10 Music Films You Should Have Seen

10 Music Films You Should Have Seen

Since the very first silent films, music and film have always gone hand in hand! For us as musicians, however, it is particularly interesting when we reverse the terms ‘film’ and ‘music’, and focus on the genre 'music films'. Here, the music itself is the subject, and each and every film provides numerous musical numbers. Ten members of the #StrettaSquad recommend their favorite music films, and every single one is an absolute must-see!

read more
The Sounds of the Forest

The Sounds of the Forest

The forest has undergone an amazing transformation: from a place of a multitude of dangers, to a preservation area of untouched nature. It serves as a seismograph for the general state of the environment. But what role does the forest play in music? Do hunting horns and birdsong really emanate from the forest? Holger Slowik from the #StrettaJournal spoke to musicologist Georg Högl, an expert on the forest in music.

read more
Learning to Play the Accordion – 20 Questions for Nadine Soppa

Learning to Play the Accordion – 20 Questions for Nadine Soppa

“The accordion is a very physical instrument, so a good awareness of your body gives you a clear advantage. You have to play with your whole body and "breathe" with the instrument.” Accordion player Nadine Soppa anwsers our musical questionaire in order to make deciding which instrument you would like to play a bit easier.

read more
Understanding and Experiencing Breathing - Part 2: Three Practical Exercises

Understanding and Experiencing Breathing - Part 2: Three Practical Exercises

The first part was about understanding breathing, the second part is about experiencing it! Physiotherapist and oboist Sophie Stahl shows you three practical exercises to relax, train or regenerate your respiratory muscles. They are ideal for everyday musical life - before, during or after a rehearsal.

read more
Learning to play the guitar – 20 questions for Adrian Hommel

Learning to play the guitar – 20 questions for Adrian Hommel

"The learning curve for guitar is extremely steep and therefore usually very motivating." Guitarist Adrian Hommel answers our musical questionnaire to make it easier for you to decide on a new instrument.

read more
Learning to play the Cello - 20 Questions for Liana Pereira

Learning to play the Cello - 20 Questions for Liana Pereira

"I am particularly moved by the Cello Concerto by Edward Elgar." Cellist Liana Pereira has completed our musical questionnaire to aid you in selecting a new instrument.

read more
Pretty Wild! Practical tips for educating restless students

Pretty Wild! Practical tips for educating restless students

Do you know that feeling of standing up in front of a group of children, but some of them are fidgety, and the restlessness starts to spread? What do you do when a private student finds it difficult to concentrate and their mind keeps wondering off? Kristin Thieleman collected a large selection of practical and effective tips.

read more
Spooky Tunes – Three Eerie Musical Journeys Guaranteed To Give You Goosebumps

Spooky Tunes – Three Eerie Musical Journeys Guaranteed To Give You Goosebumps

We take a look at a few questions about dark music: Why do we get goosebumps and what does that say about us? Do you know the melody of death that has been creeping through music history for centuries, quoted by many great composers, and even features in children's films like _The Lion King_? Embark upon our eerie musical journeys and let yourself be inspired. Some answers and examples might scare you...

read more
Playlist: Freaky Film Music

Playlist: Freaky Film Music

Now the horror really begins. Atonality, dissonance, specifically developed, weird instruments, rhythmic unrest, menacingly deep tones or bone-chilling high notes - there are no limits to the imagination of film composers to make us uncomfortable, to accentuate terrible images or to forebode disaster.

read more
Playlist: Terrifying Pop & Rock

Playlist: Terrifying Pop & Rock

So, you think that after “Scary Classical” and “Freaky Film Music”, nothing can frighten you anymore? You're probably right, since popular music tends to be more entertaining and generally tries not to be too disturbing. It's often the backstory that frightens us the most, like with the first song on this playlist…

read more
Playlist: Scary Classical

Playlist: Scary Classical

Come into the cool catacombs of the most catastrophic classical compositions! Crisp as a cat, you can listen to the clear, concert call in the cold cellar of a cathedral with clattering teeth. Is that an organ I hear? No, for at the beginning of this playlist, one of the most important pieces of all time was arranged for orchestra, in order to be even more effective. Discover the terrific depths of classical music!

read more
The Sounds of Summer

The Sounds of Summer

Shimmering heat, balmy evenings, thunderstorms… Summer has many faces, tones moods, and sounds. In this Stretta Journal article about the sounds of summer, Holger Slowik presents his selection of summer music favourites.

read more
Learning to sing – 20 questions for Sven Fürst

Learning to sing – 20 questions for Sven Fürst

"To experience what the human voice is capable of in terms of expression and art makes you very grateful, happy and humble!" Opera and concert singer Sven Fürst answers our musical questionnaire to help you make the decision to learn to sing.

read more
Learning to play the Trumpet – 20 Questions for Kristin Thielemann

Learning to play the Trumpet – 20 Questions for Kristin Thielemann

"I think the trumpet helps people discover something very valuable: openness and straightforwardness." Trumpeter Kristin Thielemann answers our musical questionnaire to help you decide on a new instrument.

read more
Learning to play the Clarinet – 20 questions for Flavia Feudi

Learning to play the Clarinet – 20 questions for Flavia Feudi

"The clarinet has the widest range of all woodwind instruments and can produce very soft but also very loud sounds in different registers." "To assist you in choosing a new instrument, clarinetist Flavia Feudi has provided responses to our musical questionnaire.

read more

"The world needs more artists" – in memoriam Chick Corea

Chick Corea, one of the greatest jazz pianists, has left the stages of the world forever at the age of 79. For Stretta Journal, composer and musician Jan Reinelt describes the significance of the brilliant improviser for the music world—and for him personally.

read more
Joy of Music – Rare Discoveries from the Schott Archives

Joy of Music – Rare Discoveries from the Schott Archives

While the word 'archive' rarely inspires joy, the opposite can be said of the "Joy of Music" series, which Schott produced for its 250th birthday. There are five volumes containing mostly virtuosic, sometimes meditative, but always entertaining treasures from the publishing house's archive. It’s an exciting insight into the music culture of the 19th century!

read more
Great choral works in small scorings

Great choral works in small scorings

How can large-scale choral masterpieces be performed by smaller choirs? This question has not only arisen from the corona pandemic, there have always been many reasons, including financial, to reduce the forces. Carus-Verlag regularly expands its series of choral works with reduced orchestrations with new, exciting releases. So the Stretta Journal team chose to take a closer look at these editions and present some of them in detail.

read more
Verband deutscher MusikschulenBundesverband der Freien MusikschulenJeunesses Musicales DeutschlandFrankfurter Tonkünstler-BundBundes­verb­and deutscher Lieb­haber-OrchesterStützpunkt­händ­ler der Wiener Urtext Edition

© 2004–2024 by Stretta Music. Order and buy sheet music online.

Your specialist for all kinds of sheet music. Online shop, sheet music, music scores and play along for download, books, music stands, music stand lights, accessories.

There is a separate Stretta website for the country Worldwide. If your order is to be delivered to this country, you can switch, so that delivery times and shipping conditions are displayed correctly. Your shopping cart and your customer account will remain the same.

en-netswitch to Stretta Music Worldwideen-dkstay on Stretta Music Denmark