Sticky music thread

[thebookshop]

Here is a Sydenham based band, releasing an EP on Jan 30th and grateful of local support:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOe9NkR8ZKQ

http://www.zieglercompany.co.uk

[CaptainCarCrash]

Here is a Sydenham based band, releasing an EP on Jan 30th and grateful of local support:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOe9NkR8ZKQ

http://www.zieglercompany.co.uk

It's a bit Greek sounding, Eurovision winner may be

Well produced, quite interesting, good luck.

[Tim Lund]

For many years my favourite album. Maybe still is

[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebjZzJVbe1w[/youtubes]
[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XflcAgfs15c[/youtubes]
[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDU5kAnHB8I[/youtubes]
[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIkD9sRR_BI[/youtubes]
[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhnPVP23rzo[/youtubes]

[Robin Orton]

I listened to an interesting programme on the radio this lunchtime about Bach's Art of Fugue, and was moved to post this, my favourite piece from it and the greatest piece of counterpoint I know. It's a triple fugue (I' m told) , and the most sublime passage is from 3.04", when the simple and very moving third subject kicks in, to the end.

Having said that, I find Glenn Gould's tempo changes in the course of the piece quite irritating. The version I have, by Joanna MacGregor, takes the whole piece a lot slower, which means there is a solemn, steady and inexorable build-up to the climax of the last section which I find quite overpowering.

[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRRw-mMbykM[/youtubes]

[Robin Orton]

I had to listen to this three times before I began to have any inkling of what the musical point to it might be. When I first heard it, I thought that, like all rock music I have tried to listen to, it was just monotonous - a series of melodic, rhythmic and harmonic clichés strung together (a criticism which to be fair, I have heard levelled against Mozart and renaissance polyphony), without any sense of formal development or progression (it's not going anywhere) and all very much on one level emotionally. A bit like Ravel's Bolero, but without the excitement of the long crescendo and gradually thickening orchestral texture.

But, on subsequent hearings, the light seemed to begin to dawn, and I thought I could dimly sense some interesting musical complexity. But what sort of complexity? I'm not a good enough musician to be able to identify it without help; but I think one's appreciation of music (or indeed any art form) can be enormously enhanced if one knows what's going on formally. If only there were technical 'programme notes' one could read about this sort of music. Variations on a theme or a ground bass? A chaconne? Symphonic transformation of themes? It would be good to know.

[Tim Lund]

If you want music to tell a story, you just can't beat good ol' Country music

[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXu9QDLL4Bo[/youtubes]

Unless perhaps Phil Spector

Spector himself called his technique "a Wagnerian approach to rock & roll: little symphonies for the kids"

[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEkB-VQviLI[/youtubes]

Interesting to see the use of two lead singers as well.

[Robin Orton]

I have a friend who will only listen to Opera because he requires a story to the music he listens to. Of course, there is equally a story in a symphony - perhaps he hasn't located it yet.

I think the 'stories' which opera libretti and symphonies tell are of a very different kind. The 'story' in a symphony can be analysed (in terms e.g. of how themes are developed, transformed, fragmented, combined, reprised) but I don't think you can 'translate' it into a verbal narrative of the 'Once upon a time' kind.

The relationship between the two kinds of stories in an opera is interesting and mysterious. They illuminate and enrich each other in ways I find it impossible to explain. Wagner is of course the classic example. Why, in Die Walkuere, is it so heartbreakingly moving when you hear the 'Siegfried' motif for the first time when Sieglinde announces she is pregnant (with Siegfried) and, again, when it blazes out at the end announcing that it is Siegfried who is going to come and rescue Bruennhilde from the magic fire in which she has just been imprisoned?
[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuRMOt4TKHA[/youtubes]
It's not just that the motif comments on the narrative or gives the listener information about it - it somehow lifts the narrative on to a quite different plane.

Finally, I have seen music categorized as either a tonic or a drug. So...Verdi would be the tonic and Wagner the drug.

I disagree with this on two counts. First, it reflects a very reductionist aesthetic which I don't think that anyone would dream of applying to poetry or painting. Secondly, to characterize Wagner's music as a drug totally ignores the formal and dramatic elements of his genius. (Which Verdi also had, although in a very different way - setting Verdi and Wagner against each other as opposite poles is, in my view, often unhelpful.)

[Robin Orton]

On the other hand....
[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQxxsAdVhj0[/youtubes]

Eheu fugaces Postume Postume
labuntur anni ...

[Tim Lund]

I was talking to someone in market research yesterday, who commented that in a telephone conversation, with the distractions of face to face, people can be much more open. It made me think of songs where a phone call is the framing device, and the emotional impact this can give. So an excuse for three of my favourites:

[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGMHSbcd_qI[/youtubes]

[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Smlaq1ezQRM[/youtubes]

[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suy-bbKzTjk[/youtubes]

[Robin Orton]

Seeing as it's a Sunday, I offer you two pieces of sublime music.

I know the Bartok a bit, but I'm grateful to Rod for reminding me how good it is.

As for the Liebestod, well, I agree that it's an amazing piece - is it the longest continuous melody in Western classical music? But when I listen to it I can't get out of my mind the fact that I actually rather dislike Tristan and Isolde as an opera. Four hours of gloomy Schopenhauerian (or Buddhist?) preaching about redemption through erotic annihilation is more than I can take, however sublime the music.

[Robin Orton]

Another childhood memory. My father used to conduct an evening institute light opera group - Gilbert and Sullivan was the standard repertory, but occasionally he would get the students to put on a concert of part songs. This is one I remember particularly.

[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOtkjKB-0zU[/youtubes]

The Glasgow Orpheus Choir were much admired when I was a child - they sound very dated now. Here is one of their greatest hits. I was quite upset when the music master at school told us scornfully how sentimental it was.

[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcPnsBWOTyk[/youtubes]

[Tim Lund]

[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr8Wn1Mwwwk[/youtubes]

Not exactly a favourite, but pretty good, and topical today ...

[Robin Orton]

The discussion in the Town Pub about the monarchy brought this to mind. It has been sung at every coronation since it was written in the eighteenth century, and explains why I am such an enthusiastic monarchist.


[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIFpf5JxzHA[/youtubes]

[Manwithaview1]

[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPPP3BXurHk[/youtubes]

[Robin Orton]

The song (from Des Knaben Wunderhorn) which first made me see the point of Mahler. This wonderful performance is by Lucia Popp, with the Israel Philharmonic under Bernstein.

[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJpfwPoi70k[/youtubes]

[14BradfordRoad]

Thought some of you might enjoy this:

[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MSmmeDiY9I[/youtubes]

Notice the play on words/names here which wasn't entirely intentional as I do enjoy Tiffany Lunn's music, which she writes most of herself. I know that she is not a particularly well known musician but I believe very worthy of posting here and great music if you enjoy Vangelis or other atmospheric or ambient forms of music. Hope you enjoy!

Why not check out her other material.

[Robin Orton]

Liked the opening bars, until the sax (?) cut in.

[14BradfordRoad]

Liked the opening bars, until the sax (?) cut in.

Thanks Robin, it's all a very feely sort of ambient thing really. All recorded via sequencing
from a single keyboard, a Korg Triton, the same as the one that I experiment with myself,
although I would really struggle to achieve what Tiffany does. The synthesized sax sound,
I believe to be an edited guitar pad attempting to add some tecture to the rolling clouds intro.
It doesn't work for everyone but pleased that you enjoyed the rolling cloud intro, very soothing!

[Robin Orton]

Andre Popp, the composer of this, died last month. Eurovision 1960 - before the rot set in, when popular singers could really sing and you could hear the words.

[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYxRIujyKgg[/youtubes]

It beat this into second place:

[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2GivwSboXM[/youtubes]

[14BradfordRoad]

Enjoyed the orchestral intro, then the singing started!

All seems a bit tame now against all the spectacular light shows, acrobatics and glitzy media
coverage. Who'd have thought that guy with a beard and in a dress with make up could have won it this year, did have a brilliant voice though! Wonder how they will top that next year!
[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_fJQ-aOTv4[/youtubes]
Words were very clear too Robin.