Music

BRP, you seem to know a good amount about this stuff - are there any famous classical musicians today who do improv?

Only if you buy that there are any famous classical musicians today

I’m not aware of any who do improv as part of public performance, except when they also play (or are even more comfortable in) other genres. Then again, I do the majority of my listening from recorded works, particularly the radio; as you might expect, Washington’s classical station has an impressive collection! Obviously I would expect a lot of them—particularly the ones who compose—do a good deal of it out of the limelight.

I think one of the best things to happen to classical piano lately is that a number of people have tracked down piano rolls, resurrecting long-forgotten recording artists and giving a little taste of how things really sounded, at least in the late 19th century. A lot of people have the unfortunate tendency to treat the past as if it’s this dead, dour, pickled thing which is of course not how it was.

Probably not my favorite interpretation of the piece, but I'm a sucker for Rubinstein's Chopin. His dynamics feel more dynamic, but I'll also admit I'm not particularly well-educated even within my preferred genres. The Cortot just feels... unemotional? Given that the appeal of Chopin, especially his nocturnes and preludes, is largely in their evocativeness, this interpretation leaves me a little hollow.

What are you, Methuselah!? [the joke is that there are two famous pianists Rubinstein and as far as I know the only recording one of them has is a voice clip from 1890]

Unemotional is the opposite of how most people would describe Cortot’s playing! If you poke around the many recordings he’s made, you may find he just nails it on some interpretations. Or maybe you’ll just find that you’d rather stay away from his style, or old styles entirely, who knows. He was not the only Romantic-era pianist recorded, just the last.

That said, he does zig a lot of places where I’d rather zag. And despite that I agree (Arthur) Rubinstein is absolutely a brilliant interpreter of Chopin, there’s something a bit off about his Prelude 4, not that I could hold a candle that or anything.

That article about Josh Bell is interesting! Related: is it true that street musicians in DC have to audition in order to busk legally? I heard that somewhere but I dunno if it's apocryphal.

Also, speaking of Pictures at an Exhibition, I found this really impressive classical guitar version of it on Youtube just now:

SpoilerShow

The allegro part of Baba Yaga's Hut sounds badass on guitar

I certainly can't speak to Cortot's oeuvre, and didn't mean to imply as much about it: I've never (knowingly) listened to a recording of his before this one. I just meant in this particular case, his interpretation of Prelude 4 felt less impassioned than I'm typically accustomed to hearing it. And, again, I'm a bit of a philistine! It might be a totally unfair criticism to level, it's just how it felt to me.

That article about Josh Bell is interesting! Related: is it true that street musicians in DC have to audition in order to busk legally? I heard that somewhere but I dunno if it's apocryphal.

I know the WMATA holds auditions if you want to perform at Metro stations, which is what that probably is. And there are places where buskers regularly operate untouched without needing permission or anything. It is not welcome on federal property, however.

(And maybe one day I’ll pick up guitar! But it is not this day. Love guitar stuff, but don’t know much about stringed instruments really. Other than that you can have a lot more fun with unconventional tunings than most instruments afford.)

It might be a totally unfair criticism to level, it's just how it felt to me.

Hey, it’s only two minutes anyway. Besides, there are definitely people of impeccable taste who don’t care for any of it so you wouldn’t be in bad company.

bossa nova w/ strings

OK

SpoilerShow

And here's some semi-related oddities I found along the way;

Not going to be here regularly again (BRPXQZME knows why), but I figure I owed at least a post or two.

SpoilerShow

Hey Supes you know how we were talking about how Sonic 3's music was inspired by New Jack Swing

Well, this happened

SEGA SWING is an EP inspired by the late 80s/early 90s Pop and R&B sound of early Sega Genesis soundtracks. All synth instruments were ripped directly from the games and with a chipmusic ethos in mind, limited to a small pack of sounds. It has been intertwined with real drum sounds of the period that games like Sonic the Hedgehog sought to emulate, thus merging the inspiration and the inspired into one complete release.

I dunno how I feel about it. Endless Loop is entertaining in a New Order sort of way, I guess. But it's not funky at all, despite what it promises.

Word. That pretty much sums up my feelings re: vocal effects.

I posted that album because I thought the concept was interesting, but I agree with you that the compositions just aren't that memorable. Even without the cloying vocals I'm not sure if I would like it. Disappointing :/


Also: one thing I really like is the combination of heavy distortion and autotune, as in that Sebastian track. It makes vocals sound like a fuzzed-out guitar. It's weird as hell and I dig it.

SpoilerShow

https://grooveshark.com/s/A+Day+Like+Any...6rSv?src=5

SpoilerShow

Ignore the corny video, this song is gorgeous. Ryuichi Sakamoto is a great composer and David Sylvian's vocal performance here is one of his best. Actual chills.

There's also a shorter, more synth-y version of the song; not sure which one I like more.

SpoilerShow

Some piano versions of his songs. It's neat how well these translate to piano.

SpoilerShow

Good use of vocal effects here at 1:08 and 1:37 imo.

SpoilerShow

Also, sorry to post this artist again, but I just can't figure out what makes the sound at 0:06 below.

SpoilerShow

Holy shit YMO on Soul Train

SpoilerShow

YMO on Soul Train

I realize that groups like Kraftwerk and YMO had a huge influence on 80s hiphop/R&B, but still

Looks like it got pretty big when it first came out. I guess that's not surprising - seems like every other week Pitchfork, the Village Voice, etc. are hyping some new electronic artist who's The Next Big Thing and Blowing Up The [x] Scene, who is then promptly forgotten.

Still, I like this album. Fun stuff.

Man, it's been a while since I've listened to that album. Forgot how good it was.

BABAAAAAAAAAY DON'T YOU LEAVE MEH

SpoilerShow

So after playing Sound Shapes I've felt the urge to hunt down non-bluegrass banjo music. Any of you music buffs got any leads for me? Youtube searching hasn't gotten me very far.

This is pretty much all I've found so far, but any interesting takes on banjoing would be swell.

SpoilerShow

First thing that comes to mind is jazz banjo player Bela Fleck:

SpoilerShow

Between the Buried and Me also use banjo subtly on a few tracks off their new album (which I'd highly recommend to anyone who likes metal):

SpoilerShow

That's all I can think of for non-bluegrass banjo right now. I'm sure there's more, but this isn't really my area of expertise.

Oh yeah, there is also the ascendent piece of silliness that is Ensiferum's Stone Cold Metal:

SpoilerShow

So today, me and a bunch of people found the saddest, most miserably awful genre known to man.

What started off as a joke conversation involving a trol seasson related project soon became a disgusted conversation over the very real genre of music known as hentaicore.

Fuckin' hentaicore man. Not making that up. Yes the genre has a clear definition and yes said definition is very filthy. (It is shitty-ass techno centered around anime girl voice samples, usually "sexy" ones.)

No I won't link it you perv, search it up yourself ew.

liking it is is the one thing i will judge you without question for mind you.

That said, Maidloid songs are a thing and some of them ain't bad at all

SpoilerShow

uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh

In other news, the list of collaborators for Deltron 3030's new album is ridiculous:

Damon Albarn, Mike Patton, the Lonely Island, Rage Against the Machine's Zack De La Rocha, Emily Wells, Jamie Cullum, actors David Cross, Amber Tamblyn, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and chef David Chang.

Guess who is the proud new owner of a Mandré 8x10 glossy promo, wearing his original chrome mask and throwing up the horns

It's me baby

\m/ ( - ) \m/

Photos after I frame it

Haha awesome

SpoilerShow

the Mike Patton joint is already out, actually! He doesn't really have a big part but it's pretty cool.

SpoilerShow

#dadjams

I find myself completely taste-blind. I can easily enjoy any music that doesn't make a deliberate effort to appeal to fear psychologically, and it'd take a strong one of those to actually be a turn-off.

Hahahaha I'm glad I was wrong

SpoilerShow

I'm a little surprised how much I like this album. Never had any interest in Vampire Weekend before it came out. It's good, though! Interesting lyrics and arrangements, catchy songs.

^I like this

Also Worms Armageddon yessssss that game was my childhood. Never heard the GBC soundtrack before, though.

SpoilerShow

Weird British stuff

EDIT: Woah, after listening to more of that Atlantic Starr album, I realized that my dad used to play it all the time when I was younger