A Better Place to Be..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNz9MhrzDfo
Harry Chapin was a great singer of sad songs..
I "discovered" Harry when we were given tickets to a small venue performance at Georgetown University ..
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A Better Place to Be..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNz9MhrzDfo
Harry Chapin was a great singer of sad songs..
I "discovered" Harry when we were given tickets to a small venue performance at Georgetown University ..
Another favorite. This is by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and to my ear the finest version of this lovely piece. James Horner left us far too soon :(
In my archives, I have many recordings by orchestras in eastern Europe, the majority of which were done prior to the collapse of the USSR. They made these recordings as a way of supplementing their income. During my years in Montreal I would come home on Friday nights. In the Dorval Terminal there was a store that had a collection of these works on cassette tapes. I would buy one or two every Friday night---I never regretted buying any of them. The cost was more than reasonable and the quality excellent.
Two from one of my favorites, the Fabulous Thunderbirds...:cash:...Ben
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcXT1clXc04
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51270i8F3mU
In an email to patrons of our local symphony (Williamsport Pa) our conductor who recently returned from conducting the St Petersburg Russia Symphony offered the following comment which I thought appropriate to share in this thread:
"Without music, life would be a mistake," Nietzsche, the great poet and philosopher
In other conversations, I have followed that quote with the observation that "strict Muslim doctrine abhors and criminalizes music. Life in Muslim lands is a mistake."
Some songs hold a special honor for me, not always based on tremendous technical or artistic composition but something in the lyrics connects on a personal basis.
One such song; In the Living Years is one of those for me. My father was, to put it mildly, a stern task master and our relationship was held together by rather thin threads. I heard this song for the first time (or at least the first I actually "heard" the song) the morning my father died.
For those of you who still having living parents there is a lesson to he learned here.
And to add a bit of levity to this I have included a picture that was on Amazon Prime today as an advertisement, I removed the text but had to save the picture since an instant smile came to my face when I looked at it, may it do the same for you.
Thanks, Dave...Very timely too in this election season...My Mom and I are polar opposites in the political arena, and I've noticed myself biting my tongue to keep from saying something in haste...
I'll go by and see her today...http://smileys.emoticonsonly.com/emo...m/mom-3546.gif...Ben
One of my all time favorite musicals is Les Misérables and one of the greatest songs is Stars song by Philip Quast in the 10th Anniversary Concert.
Another great song done by Colm Wilkinson is Bring Him Home.
....and before I go---Ruthie Henshall---I Dreamed a Dream.
Oh, that is wonderful!
I came to Les Misérables late, only when the movie came out. The production in the movie was terrific, but they chose to go with actors who could sing a bit rather than singers who could act a bit. The stunning music carried the day, and I loved it, but it wasn't until I bought the DVD with the YouTube performances Dave posted that I got to hear the production first class. Each of the singers is supurb, and, of course, they have hundreds of performances of their song to lend to their perfection. Wolverine was decent in the villain role, but Quast with that rich baritone that I love here as the villain is thrilling. No comparison, and the voice of Wilkerson against the fine acting of Russel Crowe (one of my favorites) is not even close.
Some day I hope to attend the stage performance where it will all be as intended.
You have to do that Joe! I have never seen the movie but have no desire to either---on the other hand I will see the play every chance I get. The only "bad" thing of seeing the play is that I know when the end is coming---and I don't want it to stop :uhuh:Quote:
Some day I hope to attend the stage performance where it will all be as intended.
Added in edit:
Another great artist who played Jean Valjean is Alfie Boe (Alfred Giovanni Roncalli), here with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
As an aside, I spent extensive time working in Italy, much of it in the small town of Falignio in the region of Umbria. I "lived" at the Villa Roncalli the 17th century home of the Roncalli family. Another famous Roncalli: Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, AKA Pope John the 23 :cool:
During my Utah years I was introduced to another musical jewel that I had not previously known: The Orchestra at Temple Square here performing "A Night in Vienna: Music of Haydn, Mozart, and Strauss."
I guess when you share a house (and stage) with the likes of the The Mormon Tabernacle Choir it is easy to become lost in the noise.
Much to my wife's disappointment they were performing across the street in a venue that did not do them full justice while their normal venue was being redone.
Too rich for my blood. I spent a vacation on the Isle of Capri 25 years ago in an apartment on that island. The apartment could best be described as what we would call an "efficiency apartment" with fold down bed, etc. I was told our host paid over a million dollars then for the place, which was in a building several hundred years old, but in a prime location in one of the world's elite spots. I imagine the villa you occupied was unbelievably and unattainably expensive.
Italy remains our destination of choice. Unfortunate, my wife's condition makes long travel impossible.
I was not paying the bills, they were paid by the company. The Villa has an excellent restaurant and also about a dozen hotel rooms. I would normally only dine there one or two nights a week. When you are surrounded by the magnitude of fabulous dining options the last thing you want to do is fall into a "rut".
One small drawback with dining there was that dinner began at 8 and never ended before 11. While every minute of that was marvelous, during the week my day began at 5 the next morning. I like to think that atmosphere is not all that important---but the Villa is one of those places that make me forget that---and enjoy the value in it. Most of the ceilings were vaulted and covered with frescoes.
I have attached a few photos of the interior and also the court yard---I loved to get back from the plant by about 7 and sit silently in the court yard while sipping a vino locale with classical or opera in the background. BTW--the chairs seen in the dining room were made by Knoll who I worked for.
I can accurately say that I have never had a bad meal in Italy.
I don't believe they coexist. Even the plant cafeteria served exceptional food---and on every table, three bottles, one of water, one white wine and one red wine--and when they got low they were immediately filled. In my extensive time there I never saw anyone who appeared to have drank too much. An interesting little twist, if you did not provide lunch for your employees in the plant you had to give them a minimum of two hours off so they could go home.
Another great, The Phantom of The Opera.
My first Broadway show was in thee early 70's when my wife and I went to see Jesus Christ Superstar. It was a different day and time---some of the audience (not us) was freely smoking pot during the performance!
Latter, I worked for Knoll International (for 20 years) whose headquarters were in Manhattan and we would have quarterly staff meetings there which would last for two or three days. During those meetings they would make arrangements to go to a Broadway Play on one evening. That was were I first saw Phantom of the Opera. When my wife found out it wasn't long until I saw if for the second time :hatoff:
The link above is from the stage performance. Joe rightly pointed out the difference between vocal artistry of on stage and film, the same applies here.
My #1 movie and musical remains My Fair Lady.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wefP_aEl6_I
Here is another change of pace.
This is Andreas Vollenweider. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I have two or three of his albums and when I tell people what the featured instrument is they are always a bit astounded---as was I when I first heard him.
And a second selection, this another of my favorites.
This was just playing and always manages to pull me away from my work.
When I was only 18 and going to Army school at Ft. Devens MA (near Boston) I met a young lady who was in her early 20's---and I had a fake ID that made me the same age. It was a wonderful time---I was making about $70/month but managed to supplement my income through various entrepreneurial endeavors which allowed me to entertain my lady in reasonable style. Weekends would find us at our favorite intimate cabaret---dark, smokey, and filled with the music of 1962/63---and of cabarets. Moon River, I left My Heart in San Francisco, Stranger on the Shore, Morgan, Autumn Leaves. We would dance into the early morning hours almost not moving on the floor. It was a wonderful time for the Mennonite farm boy playing in a different world---and one I immediately fell in love with. Eva Cassidy can take me back to that place in a moment. Sadly she is no longer with us.
Aahhh, Eva Cassidy! She touches me. Gone far too soon. We hardly knew her.
Autumn Leaves is one of my most favorite tunes. Cassidy changed it up, but she could get away with it.
Mark Steyn is one of my favorite political commentators, but he also has written extensively on music talents and music. Here is one explaining a lot of history of the tune, Autumn Leaves, which I found quite instructive.
http://www.steynonline.com/7187/autumn-leaves
Curiously, he made no mention of the song with the prelude you seldom hear, but which I find is the best part of the song when it is sung, which is exceedingly rare, unfortunately.
Here, Nana Mouskouri sings it exquisitely —
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bHpklu4F92A
Thank you Joe, I always appreciate your comments and insights in this thread. The essay was very interesting--plus you have introduced me to another wonderful voice in Nana Mouskouri, who as I type is singing a song in French--I think her voice a perfect match for the French language. To me, music is like enjoying an endless Italian meal for which my appetite never is fully quenched.
Added in edit: I just looked on Amazon and find much of Nana Mouskouri's recordings are free on Prime--I now have an extensive library of her music---very :cool: Again I thank you :hatoff:
Another that left us far too early. I think the strongest aspect of this is the image it so clearly and sincerely creates in my mind as I listen.
Thank you Mr Vandross for sharing this :hatoff:
I can luckily say that I have only had food poisoning twice in my life, once as a child and the other in Macau---I remember both with far too much clarity:wah:
And Joe---I have to offer this as thanks for introducing me to Ms. Mouskouri.:bowdown:
Plaisir d'amour---The Pleasure of Love
At one time not so long ago (haven't checked lately), Nana Mouskouri was the overall highest selling female recording artist in history. She was much better known in Europe than here. Her early work is wonderful, but in her long career she lost that something as her voice aged. Sad how that happens, right? Streisand's last album indicates some few can defy those odds that other exquisit voices like Biaz and Joni Mitchell succumbed to long ago.
With your interest in French language singers and of the Mouskouri vein, I would recommend again the singer I think picked up Nana's reins best, Lara Fabian, one of the great true divas in the best sense of word. She is another enormously popular in Europe, yet hardly known here at all. She is of French/Canadian/Italian heritage and sings in many languages wonderfully.
Here's another by Fabian (she writes many, like this one, of her songs btw!) —
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7ON0iKXVUPw
The literal translation of the title for the Lara Fabian link: Je suis Malade is "I am sick"--a statement that is repeated throughout the song---OK if you allow the French to simply roll by, a little less soothing if you translate.
Here is one with a more enjoyable theme.
BTW, there is a lot of Ms Fabian's music also available free on Prime.
She went unnoticed to me---but I will try to remedy that now! I have at times done myself and artists a disservice by listening to concerts when their voice has passed its peak. One of the most unfortunate was a Peter Paul and Mary concert only a year or two before Mary passed. She had bloomed up on steroids (I believe) and her voice had lost all the clarity she once had, I went away sad. Joan Biaz recently had a 75th birthday concert on PBS---I wish she had not :shrug:Quote:
At one time not so long ago (haven't checked lately), Nana Mouskouri was the overall highest selling female recording artist in history. She was much better known in Europe than here. Her early work is wonderful, but in her long career she lost that something as her voice aged. Sad how that happens, right? Streisand's last album indicates some few can defy those odds that other exquisite voices like Biaz and Joni Mitchell succumbed to long ago.
It seems, in general, male singers fair better with age than the ladies do.
Odd that you would post her Caruso, as I was continuing to listen to some of her selections after I posted above and I always listen to that one when I'm on a Fabian kick - I love that rendition! I can't listen and watch too many of her's in a row because her emotion is just so intense though.
Speaking of Barbara Streisand, I hope you can see this article in the NYT about her performance this week at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn.
Nice to hear a critic say Babs still has it live, where it counts. I am a great fan of her singing, and hope we get treated to a video of that or like performance with a release soon. Her last album of duets was very good IMHO. It's in my truck memory along with some others of hers, and I always relish her voice when it comes up on rotation.
I've had Nana Mouskouri playing now for hours---thanks to Amazon Prime creating an instant free library for me---and your introduction! I can't thank you enough, I have no idea how she flew beneath my awareness this long.
As in her song "La Petite Rose" she sings of love being as a seed beneath the winter snow and only needs spring and the warmth of the sun to become a rose---I am blooming in the warm embrace of her voice.
Sharing on this thread is a joy to both. There is so much fine music undiscovered out there.
O.K., here's one I always enjoy when it comes up on my own rotation, Apache Indian's, Om Namah Shivaya, which is a strange blend of Hindu chant to a Reggae beat with even a Bible verse thrown in for good measure! The video is a distraction, but the music is enticing to me, because I love good Reggae despite the weird lyrics in most of it —
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OzmTDe5IQ44
The singer is an Englishman of Indian extraction who always sings with a Jamacan accent often about themes from India. From where the Apache part comes is a mystery to me. Eclectic to the neath degree, I guess.
Follow the sidebar suggestions at your own peril...
Interesting---that is the first rap sounding piece I have ever made it from front to back :peace:
Here is another possibly off the track piece----from an unlikely source. There is never an instrument in any of their offerings. I have to confess I "use" these sisters. While driving I seldom listen to anything other than the radio---but at times while sitting in traffic that seems never to move I will push the CD button and listen to one of their CD's---and quickly it seems not so important to get to where I was going :cool:
And I offer this for your thoughts as you listen: "Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." Ludwig van Beethoven
And we can never have enough Jazz.
And how could we talk Jazz without talking about Louis Armstrong.
And another from my cabaret days.
Taking off on YouTube from your Brubeck offering, I ran across this jazz interpretation of a favorite guitar concerto. It is spectacular jazz by suburb muscians. One of those wonderful surprise discoveries on YouTube worth a listen —
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-Mc2GPTZaxk
I am going to buy this for my play list as soon as I can find it.
On edit: I could only download the above by getting the entire album, whicj I did. Never having listened to Chet Baker, I am finding this a treat though. He has vibes in his band...I adore vibes. The name of the album is Jazz Moods — Cool: Chet Baker.
It is a tall order to beat smooth jazz!
Thanks to Amazon Prime I have a vast library of Chet Baker et al.
On occasion I reflect on how much I spent collecting music from that era--which included re-buying to move up to CD's----and now I get it for free---and they even store it for me :shrug:
It Never Entered My Mind, Miles David
For your end of day reflection time :cool:
How about a little bagpipe swing?:pimpgrin: