Some Class, please no Sass

[Shinn]

Kempff do you happen to be a fan of Yoko Shimomura or perhaps Uematsu Nobuo? I am quite a fan of their work.

[kempff]

Between the two I find Nobuo's music much more refined and sure of itself, Shimomura has yet to truly, truly make a name and specific style of her own. KH fans will always remember "After the Battle", "Organization 13", but everyone will know "One Winged Angel" was by Nobuo Uematsu. His name is synonymous with gaming music perfection, or at least a very, very good quality.

I will say however, Shimomura's work in the Mana series is impressive, that series alone is something that at its peak very few fantasy games can ever hope to obtain. Nobuo is just more household and he has more experience, your history means quite a lot in a skill based profession.

Now in terms of Japanese Composers, I would say Yoko Kanno is also a favorite of mine, as well as Kenji Kawai. Unlike most emotion and angst filled music, these two composers have not only created their own sense, but a voice with the music. In my opinion, anyone they have worked with is worth listening to, simply because Kanno and Kawai do get a little too much credit just as Nomura does for KH, they work with many people to create what they do.

I forgot to mention Koji Kondo in here, who I believe to be an amazing composer. He is Nintendo's composer as Nobuo is Square Enix's. (Notice I did not say Sony.)

No songs/pieces for this post, I don't have enough time here. I'll post later.

[Shinn]

Oh yes I forgot to mention Koji, I can't believe especially with such fantastic works such as the Legend of Zelda and Super Mario games his work I especially favor since I practically grew up with his music.

[kempff]

So after a trip to the Krannert Center for the U of I Symphony Orchestra's last Performance of the season, I decided why don't I go ahead and share it with all of you? The Krannet Center by the way is one of the best acoustical halls in the country and perhaps the world, I would recommend you attend a musical event someday in the Foellinger Great Hall there. The sound is ominous and all at once, you don't find that often. In otherwords if you shuffle your feet on a rest in a song, everyone will hear it.

All videos are from youtube and therefore not of the UI's orchestra, sorry. That means I will be choosing which interpretation and arrangement I find the most pleasing to all kinds of ears.

On the concert list of that night was the following:

Mendelssohn's Scherzo from A Midsummer Night's Dream
(What's to say? Just enjoy.


Bartok's The Miraculous Mandarin Suite, op. 19
(I heavily advise you google this Suite, it's music for an opera and it'll help you understand it. The story is also interesting.)

Rachmaninov's Symphony No. 2 in E Minor. op 27
(This entire symphony is Mauler long, or for those of you not music savvy, VERY, VERY, LONG. The video above is part of the third movement I believe, however I advise you listen to Clarinet solo in the same movement, it's simply stunning and breath-taking.)

All in all a very nice student performance and from the other performances by this same group, they've progressed very nicely. I don't feel the need to say much else, enjoy these selections.

[windy]

Oh my, this is lovely!

You're quite the music afficionado, aren't you, Sir?

I am very fond of Nobuo Uematsu too.

Classic instrumental music makes me happy. I really should work on becoming as well-read on it as you.

^^

[kempff]

Find an instrument you like and then find a private instructor, then jump forward about a decade; that's my story with music. The tricky part is two fold though, you need to practice and you need to find a quality instructor and not just someone who wants to get your money. (This normally isn't the case, but quality is evident.) But I'm jumping to conclusions there.

However in note of Private Instructors, I attended what may be the last session with my longtime teacher of ten years for quite some time to come just recently. I was very lucky in getting an instructor who understood my hardships and personality and in the long run helped me more than I'll ever realize. Hopefully my schedule will allow me to continue with her.

So I don't get in the habit of not posting music, here's a little something to enjoy. Du'Pre is as good as it gets.

[kempff]

(Double post due to lack of activity. Seems I might as well just post in here and leave links, there's no reason for anyone but myself to post unless they want to leave comments. I'll probably start posting two video posts per week.)

You might know of a little something called Carnival of the Animals (Le Carnaval des Animaux in French), by Camille Saint-Saens, a satire of French society at the time of the composer's life. Saint-Saens could not openly exclaim this though! To do so would have been not only punishable, but something that could have cost his reputation. The full Carnival of the Animals was played only for his friends at private performances/parties; it is debated whether or not friends were even allowed or advised to not talk of the suite, since Saint-Saens was a famous composer and doing so would have certainly let the cat out of the bag.

Only Le Cygne, The Swan, from the suite was allowed to be publically played and therefore published in his lifetime. Saint-Saens allowed for the publication of the rest of the suite after his death, which since then has drawn great praise from the music world.

Here is The Swan played by Yo-Yo Ma. From all of the recordings I've heard of The Swan, Yo-Yo gives the most to this piece, emotionally charged, stirring, and in sheer musicianship; he is in every facet worthy again and again of being seen as one of time's very best. Now for an alternate interpretation of The Swan played by Mischa Maisky, a much more baroque and lush cellist. Unlike Yo-Yo, he plays a much more delicate but straight forward interpretation, which you may find yourself to prefer. (Maisky's video is one of a series of a special performance dedicated to Saint-Saens Carnival; if you are interested in it watch from here and each video's end will tell you where to go next.)

That is not the end of this post however, today I'm going to provide you with another piece that compliments The Swan incredibly well, something that may seem impossible but has been done.

Heitor Villa-Lobos a not so well known composer, but certainly well talented one, wrote Adagio Non Troppo, El Canto de Cisne Negro, or otherwise known The Song of the Black Swan. Unlike The Swan, this song is not very well known at all, so finding anything on its creation, inspiration, or many videos of it require extra effort.

Lobos was a composer who wrote lush tunes, dramatic in nature and seemingly perfect; however they are deceptive as they are in length. Too many see tunes such as The Swan or Song of the Black Swan and see a short easy to play piece, it is often the musicianship that is something almost insurmountable in how the piece if played and how any emotion is shown. (Maisky and Yo-Yo are evidence that if you cannot deliver in sheer term of ability, you will sound boring and well, bad.)

Here is Song of the Black Swan in a newer interpretation with a different piano part from older ones. And here is another, which you will find very different.

Song of the Black Swan in my opinion is just demanding as The Swan, but in terms of minute and sudden small musical changes and technical demands, slightly harder. I myself have had fun learning both and after many hours can produce a satisfactory play of each. But lord, you will not believe how often I am asked when someone learns I can play the cello, "Can you play The Swan?"

Wikipedia Articles on The Carnival of the Animals, Saint-Saens, and Villa Lobos.
The Carnival of the Animals
Camille Saint-Saens
Heitor Villa Lobos
These articles are so-so, the Carnival one is very, very, very lacking. As for the composer's pages you'll find enough, just nothing too special.

[xxx]

Lawl very strange >>

[kempff]

I suppose someone dedicating a thread to classical music would be odd, but thank you nonetheless!

No description for this one. One of Schubert's finest and a must see if you ever get the chance. (You should hear this live before you die, before a professional world class orchestra.)

Franz Schubert is one of the most well known of the romantic composers, and of "classical" in general merely for how melodical and stirring his music is unlike most before him; Schubert is devoid of the repitition and ABC themes of tradition.

[Shinn]

Bravo bravo! Very good I actually have heard that song before and thought it was amazing I just never found out who the person behind the music was thanks.

Oh I wanted to ask you this and completely forgot until now. Have you ever heard of the "Devils Thrill"? I think thats what it's called but a pretty good song that was rumored that the composer whose name escapes me was possessed by Satan when he wrote it.

[kempff]

I believe I have actually, however it's been some time since I've heard the name or even the composer.

This might be what you're thinking about. The composer is Giuseppe Tartini, which come to think of it I remember Tartini a bit better now.

Another possible one would this. Which seems to be a lot like Tartini's, just more modernized. In fact it is, just the second half of the song much faster.

Tartini is an interesting composer in himself.

[darkfire]

Odd, I'd always thought that your name was meant to resemble the sound Geist's dog makes when it eats frozen chicken nuggets.

Still, I much rather prefer the Toccata e Fugue ;3

[Memories]

I myself was never a great fan of Beethoven or his music. I much prefer a piece by Chopin, or Leonard Bernstein. I actually sang Leonard Bernstein's, Chichester Psalms a few years ago back in high school. Though if I had to choose, Chopin's work far outclasses Bernstein's.

Chopin

I could not find a good rendition of Chichester Psalms on Youtube so.......that sucks.

[Shinn]

Yes thats the song so amazing his Violin skills I heard that he was able to play this because he had an extra finger or something but still the skills are so amazing.

[kempff]

Two very fine choices, Bach and Chopin, of which I haven't heard in a while. I was going to feature some Mozart before Bach and then go to Haydn and Mahler, but both of those give some different variety. Thank you for both, Darkfire and Memories.

(I'm surprised Youtube doesn't have any better versions Memory! That's really disappointing!)

Tartini was an odd man Shinn, in fact Italian composers are very different from other European composers besides being rather unknown. (Opera seems to be their forte, sorry for the pun.)