Because I have christened June Mendelssohn Month, there will be more entries about Mendelssohn's works.
Just for your information, Dvorak entries will still be accepted, but everything else will be DELETED!!! (Just kidding! :P)
Anyway, July shall be Modernist Month, celebrating modern composers.
August shall be Mahler Month. (I can already hear half of you celebrating!)
September shall be Dvorak Month. (DAHA! BREAKS ALLITERATION!!! Anyway, that month is my birthday month!)
So from next month onward, each month shall have a theme, which I shall decide.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Camille Saint-Saen's Bacchanale from Samson and Delila
I know, in the light of our disastrous exam yesterday, it is strange for me to be writing anything positive concerning the French, however I have been listening non-stop today to this piece played in my version, by the Orchestre de Paris. Oooh, now where have I heard about them before. :)
Taking an arabic influence from the setting, one of the most famous melodies from Saint-Saens popular three-act opera, begins slowly with a winding arabic melody while the strings slwoly build on the lively theme as the orchestra begins to awake and flows into a dramatic build-up as the strings play out the themes, subsiding to allow the horns to gradually dominate the lyric before the strings come back in unison to re-instate the main theme before dying down. The arabic influences once more build as the peculiar reminiscent instrumentation winds like a river through the music, with an intricate interplay with the string and brass sections.
The music continues without much major development, simply and gently variating on a new theme, more slow and in a more romantic aura. The woodwind and brass play gracefully with the melody, before the strings once more enter, buildign in volume and number as had been the pattern throughout the Bacchanale.
The final minute sees the main theme re-instated through the strings before giving away to a powerful entry from the horns, finishing with the rolls of the drums, the clash of the cymbals and a final call from the horns.
A fantastic piece, and highly recommended. Find it anyway you can.
Taking an arabic influence from the setting, one of the most famous melodies from Saint-Saens popular three-act opera, begins slowly with a winding arabic melody while the strings slwoly build on the lively theme as the orchestra begins to awake and flows into a dramatic build-up as the strings play out the themes, subsiding to allow the horns to gradually dominate the lyric before the strings come back in unison to re-instate the main theme before dying down. The arabic influences once more build as the peculiar reminiscent instrumentation winds like a river through the music, with an intricate interplay with the string and brass sections.
The music continues without much major development, simply and gently variating on a new theme, more slow and in a more romantic aura. The woodwind and brass play gracefully with the melody, before the strings once more enter, buildign in volume and number as had been the pattern throughout the Bacchanale.
The final minute sees the main theme re-instated through the strings before giving away to a powerful entry from the horns, finishing with the rolls of the drums, the clash of the cymbals and a final call from the horns.
A fantastic piece, and highly recommended. Find it anyway you can.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Eurovision Aftermath
Well! What do we think? Ukraine was seriously scary, but the commentator once again proved himself a genius and overall a good Eurovision. Serbia actually had a decent song, and my favourites, Latvia, got owned. Oh well, there were some very good songs. Now to try and get the CD without paying $5491282957202. Preferably without paying one measly cent.
So, which songs were the best? Which songs were the worst? Who had the worst costumes? (The most fun category!) How political was the voting this year?
My personal favourite songs were those of: Latvia, Serbia, Romania (No, there isnt a pattern.) Also Russia, Greece, Slovenia, France and many more were worthy of the title 'Decent.' Even Finland!
The worst songs? Ireland and Ukraine actually had very good music backing the singers. The singers however were akin to Banshees. I have heard more musical talent from a chainsaw.
The worst costumes? Well, as always the French know how to surprise, and while their song was quite good, the costumes were, Pink and all over the place. Even without the horrid, garish colouring they were bad! But, nothing was to compare to the Ukraine. Whoever designed that horrible silver dress, worn by a rather plump man with huge glasses who somehow resembled the actresses from Thelma and Louise, SHOULD BE SHOT, HUNG, DRAWN AND QUARTERED, AND MADE TO SIT THROUGH A LECTURE FROM WARD!
And finally, to a topic which is always enjoyable. Political voting. Some of the biggest offenders were once again there. Scandinavia exchanged votes, Greece made sure South-Eastern Europe was looked after, and Poland didn't give any votes to Germany. Not that they probably deserved that many.
These factors are all quite interesting, and made for a thoroughly enjoyable Eurovision. Can't wait till next years!
So, which songs were the best? Which songs were the worst? Who had the worst costumes? (The most fun category!) How political was the voting this year?
My personal favourite songs were those of: Latvia, Serbia, Romania (No, there isnt a pattern.) Also Russia, Greece, Slovenia, France and many more were worthy of the title 'Decent.' Even Finland!
The worst songs? Ireland and Ukraine actually had very good music backing the singers. The singers however were akin to Banshees. I have heard more musical talent from a chainsaw.
The worst costumes? Well, as always the French know how to surprise, and while their song was quite good, the costumes were, Pink and all over the place. Even without the horrid, garish colouring they were bad! But, nothing was to compare to the Ukraine. Whoever designed that horrible silver dress, worn by a rather plump man with huge glasses who somehow resembled the actresses from Thelma and Louise, SHOULD BE SHOT, HUNG, DRAWN AND QUARTERED, AND MADE TO SIT THROUGH A LECTURE FROM WARD!
And finally, to a topic which is always enjoyable. Political voting. Some of the biggest offenders were once again there. Scandinavia exchanged votes, Greece made sure South-Eastern Europe was looked after, and Poland didn't give any votes to Germany. Not that they probably deserved that many.
These factors are all quite interesting, and made for a thoroughly enjoyable Eurovision. Can't wait till next years!
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Eurovision Song Contest
Greetings. As you may, or may not know, the final of the Eurovision Song Contest is airing on television tonight, which more or less means that we should avoid the news tonight, lest some idiotic news anchor spoils the surprise.
So, what be it that define Eurovision? Bad fashion, atroscious singing, ridiculous songs and, hopefully again this year, an incredibly funny commentator whose one desire is to make fun of the entire thing. Despite appearances, it actually becomes great fun.
We are treated to the best and absolute worst of Europe's songwriters and singers. There are rock bands, pop and dance numbers, ballads and electric violins. Occasionally, there are also monsters. (See the winning entry from Finland last year, which had nothing to do with Finland adopting a nuclear power program at the same time.)
Not wanting to get to commerical, it airs on SBS tonight at 7:30, (oh well, just have to record Robin Hood) and is highly recommended for those who are not subject to sudden heart attacks.
So, what be it that define Eurovision? Bad fashion, atroscious singing, ridiculous songs and, hopefully again this year, an incredibly funny commentator whose one desire is to make fun of the entire thing. Despite appearances, it actually becomes great fun.
We are treated to the best and absolute worst of Europe's songwriters and singers. There are rock bands, pop and dance numbers, ballads and electric violins. Occasionally, there are also monsters. (See the winning entry from Finland last year, which had nothing to do with Finland adopting a nuclear power program at the same time.)
Not wanting to get to commerical, it airs on SBS tonight at 7:30, (oh well, just have to record Robin Hood) and is highly recommended for those who are not subject to sudden heart attacks.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Prokofiev's Second Piano Concerto
Greetings, once more. I thought this was going to be a blog about classical style music, however the almighty Administrator Stuart, has decided to go on about Rodger and Hammenstein musicals. Which, you may think would prompt me to write about Les Miserables. However, I am however going to review what is viewed as a masterpiece or as an innovative rendition of Hannibal crossing the Pianos. While mostly chaotic, and with the veneer of a total lack of structure, however throughout the Concerto, many themes begin to develop to create an atmosphere or apprehension and a subtle tremble of the mind, failings in society perhaps. My favourite movement, is the first, a movement that sees the piano create immense tension, with increased interplay from the string section, before my favourite section, a cadenza around eight or nine minutes into the movement, which sees a series of glorious progressions from the piano culminate in a sublte, but still dramatic apex with the strings before subsiding with a feeling that everything is not all right.
I dont have time for a full review, so I'll leave it there, I'll update the entry some other time.
I dont have time for a full review, so I'll leave it there, I'll update the entry some other time.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Dvorak's Song to the Moon (from the Rusalka)
Dvorák's Song to the Moon from the Rusalka is Dvorák's most famous aria.
It is an amazingly heart-wrenching aria.
It begins with a short string introduction, then the voice comes in. The voice is occasionally interrupted at a climax by a very pastoral woodwind imitation of the previous phrase. This helps create a feeling of loss and makes it a very beautiful aria.
The story of the Rusalka is basically a cross between the Little Mermaid and Undine, with elements of Czech mythology.
It was recently performed by Opera Australia. I really wanted to go.
It is an amazingly heart-wrenching aria.
It begins with a short string introduction, then the voice comes in. The voice is occasionally interrupted at a climax by a very pastoral woodwind imitation of the previous phrase. This helps create a feeling of loss and makes it a very beautiful aria.
The story of the Rusalka is basically a cross between the Little Mermaid and Undine, with elements of Czech mythology.
It was recently performed by Opera Australia. I really wanted to go.
South Pacific
As you may know my school is doing South Pacific with MacRob.
It is by Rodgers and Hammerstein, otherwise known as the guys who wrote the Sound of Music.
The story is basically Nellie the Nurse meets Emile the French Plantation Owner. They fall in love. While this is happening, Lieutenant Cable falls in love with Bloody Mary (the Tonkinese souvenir seller)'s daughter, Liat. Nellie decides she can't love him when she finds out that Emile had a Polynesian wife, who died and left him with two children. Cable decides he can't marry Liat, because she is of a different race. Emile and Cable feel very dejected and go on a very dangerous mission, in which Cable gets killed. Nellie realises that she shouldn't reject Emile on the basis that he has had a previous relationship with a Polynesian woman, and gets all cut because she thinks Emile is dead. Emile returns safely and they all live happily ever after.
It's full of great songs, such as There is Nothing Like a Dame (which is basically guys singing about how much they want sex, which is very funny), Happy Talk (sounds like a euphemism for sex, but it is about dreams), Some Enchanted Evening (hmm... the cheesy obligatory love song), A Cock-eyed Optimist (such a bad name, but is fairly good), Dites-Moi (which is in French, and I can understand it, but it is about love, so another cheesy love song made much better because it is in French), Bloody Mary (which is about Bloody Mary, who provides comic relief, and who's skin is tender as Di Maggio's Glove, who ever the hell Di Maggio is), I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out-a My Hair (which is a very catchy song about Nellie getting rid of Emile, which doesn't happen until later), Bali Ha'i (which is about this mysterious island, which everyone seems to visit), Honey Bun (which is part of the play-in-a-play part, which is all about this mysterious Honey Bun, who is 60 inches tall (150 cm) and weighs 1o1 pounds (45 kilos)), Younger than Springtime (which has a musical sex scene, with all sorts of random things going on such as Aug 4ths and a bit of chromaticism thrown in for good measure) and my favourite, Incidental (well not actually my favourite, actually I hate it).
I give it a 9/10
It is by Rodgers and Hammerstein, otherwise known as the guys who wrote the Sound of Music.
The story is basically Nellie the Nurse meets Emile the French Plantation Owner. They fall in love. While this is happening, Lieutenant Cable falls in love with Bloody Mary (the Tonkinese souvenir seller)'s daughter, Liat. Nellie decides she can't love him when she finds out that Emile had a Polynesian wife, who died and left him with two children. Cable decides he can't marry Liat, because she is of a different race. Emile and Cable feel very dejected and go on a very dangerous mission, in which Cable gets killed. Nellie realises that she shouldn't reject Emile on the basis that he has had a previous relationship with a Polynesian woman, and gets all cut because she thinks Emile is dead. Emile returns safely and they all live happily ever after.
It's full of great songs, such as There is Nothing Like a Dame (which is basically guys singing about how much they want sex, which is very funny), Happy Talk (sounds like a euphemism for sex, but it is about dreams), Some Enchanted Evening (hmm... the cheesy obligatory love song), A Cock-eyed Optimist (such a bad name, but is fairly good), Dites-Moi (which is in French, and I can understand it, but it is about love, so another cheesy love song made much better because it is in French), Bloody Mary (which is about Bloody Mary, who provides comic relief, and who's skin is tender as Di Maggio's Glove, who ever the hell Di Maggio is), I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out-a My Hair (which is a very catchy song about Nellie getting rid of Emile, which doesn't happen until later), Bali Ha'i (which is about this mysterious island, which everyone seems to visit), Honey Bun (which is part of the play-in-a-play part, which is all about this mysterious Honey Bun, who is 60 inches tall (150 cm) and weighs 1o1 pounds (45 kilos)), Younger than Springtime (which has a musical sex scene, with all sorts of random things going on such as Aug 4ths and a bit of chromaticism thrown in for good measure) and my favourite, Incidental (well not actually my favourite, actually I hate it).
I give it a 9/10
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