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A Guide for Classical Radio Announcers - and whoever else is interested

Published by: JulieHarris on 9th Jan 2012 | View all blogs by JulieHarris
I stumbled across this website while I was looking for something else.   What a find!  

http://www.pronunciationguide.info/thebiglist.html   

A classical radio announcer has compiled an audio list of foreign names frequently used in classical music that might be challenging to pronounce correctly.   For example "Bayreuth".  You can't talk about Wagner without mentioning Bayreuth, but in some conversations I've overheard, it sounded like his operas were performed in Beirut!   

Among other things, I'm finally learning how to pronounce the name of one of my favorite composers:  Per Nørgård.   I don't know much about Danish, so I've been saying "pear nor-guard" all these years.   How embarassing, but also illuminating, to find that his name is pronounced:   pehr nör-gor.   I have to practice over and over, listening and repeating, listening and repeating,  until I get it just right.  In my Southernese it sounds like:  pear nur-gore.   But at least I'm closer!

This might become a favorite reference tool for those of us who talk a lot about classical music.   When in doubt, I'll just go listen to the pronunciation!

http://www.pronunciationguide.info/thebiglist.html

You can find this link under MyHome/eLearning/Dictionaries.

--Julie Harris


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