Friday, December 26, 2014

5 on Friday -- Set 253




Spinning Friday tunes since 2010...

For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.

December -- one final time for my monthly feature for 5 on Friday -- The Hit Makers.

Once a month throughout 2014 I've featured the songs or compositions that launched careers. I've looked at different musical styles and the groups or singers from those styles whom I've loved the best.

I've really enjoyed this project. I'm going to launch a brand new one for 5 on Friday in 2015 -- stay tuned.

To wrap up The Hit Makers, I'm turning now to an abiding love of mine: film scores.

Here are five of my favorite film composers and the scores that brought them into wider public recognition.


1 - Fiddler on the Roof - adapted from Jerry Bock's Broadway score by John Williams - 1971

My love affair with all scores John Williams technically began with his Star Wars score, when I sat cross-legged in front of our old stereo listening to the different themes with my 70s headphones (a cherished Christmas present.) Yet my family had already fallen for his Fiddler on the Roof soundtrack a few years earlier, initially borrowing and re-borrowing the soundtrack album from the library -- until it dawned on us that maybe we should just go ahead and buy the album for ourselves. You can definitely hear his signature orchestration in this piece.

John Williams won an Oscar for his work on this score. 







2 - Chariots of Fire - Vangelis - 1981

Vangelis' score for Blade Runner, which was released a year after Chariots of Fire, was the score that brought me to this composer. I also adored his score for The Bounty, and used a piece from his L'Apocalypse des Animaux (La Petite Fille de la Mer) for one of my university film projects.

The opening theme made it to #1 on the Billboard Top 100 as a single in the US, #12 in the UK and #21 in Australia.

Vangelis won an Oscar for his work on this score.  





3 - Batman - Danny Elfman - 1989

Basically, I've been a fan of Danny Elfman's since the beginning -- Pee-wee's Big Adventure. I even considered putting his Beetlejuice soundtrack as his breakthrough score, but then again I'm the exact target audience for his work. If I think in terms of the general public, in discussing this with my husband, we feel that the Batman soundtrack is the score that put Danny Elfman into the public spotlight.

He won a Grammy for his work on this score.






4 - The Lion King underscore - Hans Zimmer - 1994

I discovered Hans Zimmer's music through the amazing 2000 score for Gladiator. Like many others, I'd listened to Zimmer's work in many other films before then, but the Gladiator score is what made me a fan.

His work on 1994's The Lion King, adding additional underscore alongside the Elton John songs, brought him before worldwide audiences as well as winning Hans Zimmer an Oscar, a Golden Globe and a Grammy.






5 - Requiem For a Dream - Clint Mansell - 2000

The soundtrack that turned me into a Clint Mansell fan was the 2006 score for The Fountain (especially Death is the Road to Awe.)

General audiences will be most familiar with his theme from Requiem For a Dream, a cult movie hit that wouldn't be as recognizable to the public compared to this piece of music. The theme was picked up independently from the film and used heavily by studios as the music for newly-releasing movie trailers in cinemas.  



Thursday, December 25, 2014

I'm blogging at The Popculturedivas today



Join me at The Popculturedivas for Sometimes Reviewers Don't Always Get it Right, where I look back at the initial reaction to The Nutcracker.

Friday, December 19, 2014

5 on Friday -- Set 252




Spinning Friday tunes since 2010...

For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.

By this time next week, we'll be kicking the wrapping paper out of the way and cozying in to enjoy Boxing Day.

So for my final Christmas set of 2014, here are five of my favorite sacred pieces. Wishing you all a very happy and blessed Christmas.


1O Come, O Come Emmanuel  --  composer unknown, first documented in a French work dating from the 1400s -- performed by the Robert Shaw Chamber Singers     








2O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion -- composed by George Frideric Handel -- performed by Tafelmusik 







3Domine Deus  --  composed by Antonio Vivaldi -- performed by Nadine Nassar 



   




4 - Panis Angelicus  -- composed by Cesar Franck -- performed by Elina Garanca 









5 - Wolcum Yole!  --  composed by Benjamin Britten -- performed by Christ Church Cathedral Choir 



Thursday, December 18, 2014

I'm blogging at The Popculturedivas today



Join me at The Popculturedivas for Our Yankee Book Swap Tradition.

Friday, December 12, 2014

5 on Friday -- Set 251




Spinning Friday tunes since 2010...

For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.

I'm in such a Christmas mood! I'm rescheduling the final Hit Makers of 2014 to Boxing Day, because A Piece of My Mind is in the middle of the yuletide season.

This week I've got a romantic Christmas songs set for all you lovers out there. 


1 - Merry Christmas Darling -- The Carpenters 








2 - The Christmas Waltz  --  Frank Sinatra



   




3 - All I Want For Christmas is You  --  Mariah Carey    








4 - Santa Claus is Back in Town  -- Elvis Presley









5 - Merry Christmas Baby  --  Bruce Springsteen



Thursday, December 11, 2014

I'm blogging at The Popculturedivas today



Join me at The Popculturedivas for Facebook's 2015 Fee Rollout For Author Pages.

Friday, December 5, 2014

5 on Friday -- Set 250




Spinning Friday tunes since 2010...

For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.

Had a very busy week at my day job, getting trained myself on a new imaging system, as well as training other people on document recognition.

The final Hit Makers of 2014 will be posted next week -- until then, I'm in a massive Christmas mood, with my writers' group party coming up tomorrow.

Let's make merry, shall we? 


1 - Jingle Bells -- Frank Sinatra 






2 - Let it Snow  --  Diana Krall



   




3 - Marshmallow World  --  Darlene Love    






4 - Wonderful Christmastime  -- Paul McCartney and Wings









5 - Sleigh Ride  --  The Ronettes






Friday, November 28, 2014

5 on Friday -- Set 249




Spinning Friday tunes since 2010...

For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American readers!

My husband and I had a great evening at the Sarah McLachlan concert here in Halifax last week.




This week's 5 on Friday includes songs from her concert set list. 



1 - Adia 









2 - Angel    






3 - Sweet Surrender   








4 - River

This one was a request from the audience -- could she sing a favorite Christmas tune?

   





5 - The Sound That Love Makes

This was the last song of her encore, a tune by Luke Doucet  





Thursday, November 13, 2014

5 on Friday -- Set 248




Spinning Friday tunes since 2010...

For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.

Now that November has arrived, it's time for my monthly feature for 5 on Friday -- The Hit Makers.

Once a month I'm going to feature the songs that launched careers. I'll be looking at different musical styles and the groups or singers from those styles who I love the best.

This will come as no surprise to any of you -- my favorite music of all is ballet scores.

I know -- shocking, right?

Here are five of my favorite ballet composers and the scores that launched their careers in that musical form.


1 - Swan Lake main theme - composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikoksky - 1876

Main theme begins at the 1:46 mark and ends at the 3:22 mark







2 - Romeo and Juliet main theme - composed by Sergei Prokofiev - 1935 






3 - The Firebird final theme - composed by Igor Stravinsky - 1910

Final theme begins at the 37:33 mark and ends at the 40:26 mark






4 - Giselle main wilis theme - composed by Adolphe Adam - 1841

Wilis theme begins at the 6:05 mark and ends at the 8:42 mark







5 - La Bayadere's Nikia theme - composed by Ludwig Minkus - 1877

Nikia (who is the temple dancer or bayadere of the title) theme begins at the 0:00 mark and ends at the 3:13 mark



I'm blogging at The Popculturedivas today



Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Dona Nobis Pacem -- 8 -- Blog 4 Peace




Once again it is my great joy to take part in Blog 4 Peace, started by Mimi Lenox over at her blog in 2006.

I missed the very beginning of her challenge, but it didn't take me long to discover her peace movement rippling out over the blogosphere. 2008 was my first Blog Blast for Peace.

Today Blog 4 Peace takes place across all forms of social media. On Facebook, on Twitter, on Pinterest, probably on Tumblr and Instagram and more than likely on other platforms I haven't yet heard about.

The challenge that goes out to all of us each year is to bring the ideal of peace to the forefront of our collective consciousness by flooding the internet with messages of peace. Mimi's event has grown over the years to include participants from countries all across the globe.

Today, from my eastern Canadian part of the world, I'd like to share a piece of ballet with you that deals with forgiveness.

Many people who are drawn to Blog 4 Peace find themselves disheartened by the state of the world, currently fighting its share of battles politically, socially and in its most primal form -- environmentally.

When faced with such Big Picture issues, we're often advised to look within ourselves as the starting point for change.

One of the most difficult feats to achieve for any person is to experience forgiveness.

As hard as it is, it's still more common to forgive someone who has wronged us than to forgive ourselves.

In this ballet -- Giselle -- a nobleman betrays the peasant girl he loves by forsaking her in favor of his arranged marriage to a woman from the aristocracy. When Giselle dies of a broken heart, the nobleman Albrecht visits her grave in the forest where he is in danger from the Wilis, the vengeful spirits of wronged women.

Giselle, who has joined the ranks of the Wilis, reunites with Albrecht and they dance a pas de deux (or duet) of forgiveness.

The dance language in this piece between Giselle and Albrecht uses trust movements, support movements, risk movements, balance movements (as she makes the decision to forgive) and symmetrical mirror movements (to show how this couple has achieved a deeper connection following her death, now that her spirit understands his true remorse and as he acknowledges his wrongdoing.) 

Because forgiveness is a means of letting go, of refusing to let negativity entrap our futures, on this Blog 4 Peace Day I offer forgiveness as something we can do within ourselves to effect change.

The piece I'm sharing with you today begins at the 4:45 mark, and ends at the 10:11 mark.

Giselle is performed by Natalia Osipova, and Albrecht is performed by Vladimir Shklyarov.


  

Thursday, October 30, 2014

5 on Friday -- Set 247 -- The Halloween Edition



Spinning Friday tunes since 2010...

For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.


"A gypsy fire is on the hearth
Sign of the carnival of mirth
Through the dun fields and from the glade
Flash merry folk in masquerade
For this is Halloween!"

-- Author Unknown


Happy Haunting, Everyone!


1 - The Rite of Spring opening movements -- San Francisco Symphony, directed by Michael Tilson Thomas -- composed by Igor Stravinsky


The spooky theme starts at the 3:30 mark.





2 - Cinderella's Waltz from the ballet Cinderella -- composed by Sergei Prokofiev







3 - Olim lacus colueram (Once in Lakes I Made My Home) from Carmina Burana -- composed by Carl Orff







4 - Don Giovanni, a cenar teco m'invitasti (Don Giovanni, you have invited me to dinner)  -- Carlos Alvarez as Don Giovanni and Ildebrando D'Arcangelo as the Commendatore (Knight Commander) -- composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart







5 - Danse Macabre -- composed by Camille Saint-Saens



Friday, October 24, 2014

5 on Friday -- Set 246



Spinning Friday tunes since 2010...

For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.

Getting closer to Halloween, and following close behind is my Heroines and Vixens panel with Shawna Romkey at Hal-Con, Friday Nov. 7th at 2:00 pm, Halifax World Trade and Convention Centre, 1800 Argyle St.

Appearing at the convention this year is none other than the King of Hell himself, Mark Sheppard.

So looking ahead to both Halloween and Hal-Con, here's a Supernatural set to savour.



1 - Carry On My Wayward Son -- Kansas







2 - Broken Crown -- Mumford and Sons








3 - Scars -- Elegeion







4 - Paradise  -- Coldplay









5 - Crowley compilation fanvid





Bonus!



Thursday, October 23, 2014

I'm blogging at The Popculturedivas today



Join me at The Popculturedivas for The Power of Brainstorming.

Friday, October 17, 2014

5 on Friday -- Set 245 -- Writers' Retreat Edition



Spinning Friday tunes since 2010...

For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.

Just arrived at the cottage with Kelly Boyce for our annual writing retreat on Nova Scotia's gloriously red-orange-gold-brown-green South Shore. We made it here just as the hurricane started acting up a bit -- now that we're safely off the highway and our bottles of wine and prosecco are all lined up on the bar, it's showtime, folks. 

Here's to Retreat Number 10!


1 - Red, Red Wine -- UB40








2 - Food, Glorious Food -- Oliver! -- 1994 cast








3 - We're Here For a Good Time (Not a Long Time)  -- Trooper








4 - By the Sea, By the Sea, By the Beautiful Sea  -- Billy Murray and the Heidelberg Quintet









5 - Kodachrome  -- Paul Simon