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What are you listening to? Part III

Snow4maen said:
I find classical music a bit overwhelming in terms of all the composers and styles, the sheer vastness of it. I'm ever learning, and gladly doing so. I've spent the past hour at least with Mozart, and it's been magical. Hard to imagine the likes of these composers, who can probably hear all this in their heads, and just write it down. I muck about with music, but what I make is so basic, and not very good. My compositions are so simple, and I find that challenging. I am NOT musically educated. But to imagine the mind of someone who can hear all this! You have to respect it.
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Of course, Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, and others are on an entirely different level when it comes to the compositional process. A normal process consists mainly of naming discrete musical inspirations, and a LOT of listening. And then trying out your own ideas, too.

And it's perfectly fine to be simple; in fact, it's encouraged in many spaces. We had our first rehearsal of the improvisation group the other day (which is actually a major ensemble here at my university). The director is absolutely amazing, I've taken probably 5 or 6 classes with him, in addition to being in IGLU, the improvisation ensemble. Anyway, as a preliminary exercise, he had us just play single notes. One note, couldn't deviate at all. And what we put together sounded AMAZING. A lot of new students in that group this year, and many of them said they were uncomfortable improvising at all. Single notes made them comfortable, I'm almost certain. In fact, the director often jokes that "simple" is his middle name.
 
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I'm enjoying the Wrath Of The Lich King World of Warcraft soundtrack. Takes me back to a time playing the game when I enjoyed it most. Amazing music in my humble opinion, by Derek Duke, Glenn Stafford and Russell Brower.
 
Two rather simple song structures to mashup, but because DJ Cummerbund threw in Metallica too, it earned a giggle from me.
Nein!!

 
Reissue of an early 70's recording, before Fleetwood Mac.


Buckingham_Nicks_3254_1600p.jpg
 
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Got Ari’s Funhouse on again. I’ve been listening to the whole thing every night before I go to bed to just let all the tunes sink in. It’s HARD music, and listening is perhaps the most important way to begin learning and practicing it outside of rehearsal.

This is the album we’re performing on this term’s LUJE (Jazz Ensemble) concert, WITH Ari himself. I’m super excited.
 
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Frank Duval - Lost Love (instrumental)

The theme music from Derrick - Eine Endstation (1994).
 
rm5 said:
Got Ari’s Funhouse on again. I’ve been listening to the whole thing every night before I go to bed to just let all the tunes sink in. It’s HARD music, and listening is perhaps the most important way to begin learning and practicing it outside of rehearsal.

This is the album we’re performing on this term’s LUJE (Jazz Ensemble) concert, WITH Ari himself. I’m super excited.
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Challenging music indeed! I'm listening a second time today.
I noticed the band is the Ben Markley Big Band, was Hoenig a guest musician? I'm guessing he's not the composer with the way he's mentioned on the Cover.
 
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BotchQue said:
Challenging music indeed! I'm listening a second time today.
I noticed the band is the Ben Markley Big Band, was Hoenig a guest musician? I'm guessing he's not the composer with the way he's mentioned on the Cover.
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A friend of mine told me that Ben Markley teaches at the University of Wyoming. I know nothing about the U. of Wyoming, but that’s cool. Anyway, I do think Hoenig is a guest on this album. However, the compositions are his. The arrangements are Markley’s. At least that’s how it appears on the sheet music for all these tunes.
 
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Listened to Arvo Pärt's "Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten," and noticed the end especially sounds remarkably similar to Hans Zimmer's cue "No. 6 Platform" for the film Blitz. I wonder if he was inspired by Pärt. Here are the two next to each other:


 
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Richard8655 said:
"The Unanswered Question" is also an interesting work of his that I've always been fascinated with.
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You might already know about this...but there is a dance piece, choreographed by George Balanchine, set to "The Unanswered Question":

For me, the work shows how Balanchine was both a great musician and a great choreographer. He could take "difficult" or non-traditional music and make interesting and meaningful dances. If he liked a composition, his musicality and creativity meant the music's genre or style truly didn't matter. I think the only current choreographer who comes close is Ohad Naharin.
 
KaliYoni said:
You might already know about this...but there is a dance piece, choreographed by George Balanchine, set to "The Unanswered Question":

For me, the work shows how Balanchine was both a great musician and a great choreographer. He could take "difficult" or non-traditional music and make interesting and meaningful dances. I think the only current choreographer who comes close is Ohad Naharin.
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I didn't know about this dance piece based on Ives' orchestral work. That must have been quite a challenge for Balanchine as the Ives piece is such a unique composition. I'll give the Balanchine performance a close look and listen.

rm5 has got us considering some interesting composers and compositions not that well known these days. Nice!
 
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Richard8655 said:
rm5 has got us considering some interesting composers and compositions not that well known these days
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I'd say a lot of people here are doing that (no disrespect intended for rm5, of course). Between this thread and the classical music thread, there's a lot of stuff that is well worth checking out!
 
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KaliYoni said:
I'd say a lot of people here are doing that (no disrespect intended for rm5, of course). Between this thread and the classical music thread, there's a lot of stuff that is well worth checking out!
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Not to disagree, but I don't see a lot of classical discussion (let alone interest) anywhere these days. But good there's some here. There is a classical forum that seems popular with classical music enthusiasts and performers:

www.talkclassical.com

Classical Music Forum

A forum community dedicated to classical music for musicians and other enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about composers, compositions, arrangements, collections, recordings, techniques, instruments, styles, reviews, classifieds, and more!
www.talkclassical.com www.talkclassical.com
 
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Okay.. there are some songs that are untouchable for covers, and some that you should never cover: for example, Bohemian Rhapsody is almost a sin to cover.. Nearly anything by Jimi Hendrix is impossible to cover (unless your name is Stevie Ray Vaughan).. The last person that covered Billie Jean... well, it didn't work out too well.

In the case of Fleetwood Mac, some songs are good to cover, and some are untouchable. In this case, because the song basically only has 2 part harmonies (I don't think Stevie sang on this one), and it is impossible to replace Christine McVie, covering Hold Me would be an impossible task...

Except if your band is the Hindley Street Country Club. They seem to pull off pretty much the impossible each and every time they release a song. But this one really got to me, because of three simple words:

SIX. PART. HARMONY.

2-part harmonies are always the easiest. 3-part is great. 4 or 5-part harmonies (like the Eagles) is distinct and second to none. But a 6-part harmony to a 2-part harmony vocal? They never cease to amaze. Enjoy.


BL.
 
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bradl said:
there are some songs that are untouchable for covers, and some that you should never cover
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That reminds me of something Roy Rogers—the blues slide guitarist, NOT the actor!, who in addition to his solo career was a key member of John Lee Hooker's band in the 80s—said when a friend asked him why he didn't play "Love in Vain" even though he does other Robert Johnson songs: There Are Some Songs You Just Don't Mess With.

I gotta agree...the Rolling Stone's cover of it doesn't add anything.


bradl said:
Nearly anything by Jimi Hendrix is impossible to cover (unless your name is Stevie Ray Vaughan)
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Unless you're a bunch of devolved art students...

...or a goth eyeliner and hairspray lover.

;-)
 
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