What Are You Listening To Right Now? #25

British string band plays well-known movie theme ...

 

Oh, I'm not done. I have had the same idea as you, that some "classical" pieces could work well, adapted to hard rock, Hip Hop, or what have you-- but it's hard to find any that really do that, effectively.

This person advertises Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu, but after the fast opening, he goes into the E-flat Nocturne (see my prior post), not the lovely melody of the Impromptu.





Here is the actual "Fantasy Impromptu." In this case, I think Arrau balances the two themes well.





But here is a video performance of Daniil Trifonov, leaning more into the center section. Also notice his enhanced slowings (ritardando) at various places.






In contrast, this third rendition plays the central section more softly than the opening & closing. Looking at the sheet music, I can see that every pianist adds a bit of, wholely, their own interpretation, making changes that are not in the actual directions. This includes not really following the directions that are in the music: that opening section is meant to be far more dynamic-- that is, is designated to make far greater jumps in volume, from quiet ("piano") to loud ("forte")-- than any seem to play it.






Incidentally, this piece, like the Nocturne you'd liked, is also in c sharp minor.

 

That reminded me of a "band" joke, I once heard: what's the difference between a squirrel and a trombone player, run over by a car?

The squirrel, might have been on his way to a gig.

 

@pitbull ,

Unsurprisingly, Chopin's funeral march-- from his second piano Sonata, in b-flat minor-- is also one of the pieces I saw being used as the basis for a heavy metal overhaul. This first one, is the sort of thing I am guessing you'd been looking for, with the nocturnes. While it's got something going for it, it actually only uses the Marche Funébre's first theme, and not even all of it, to which it adds its own material.






This electric bass rendition, is atmospheric, and pretty slick. It is also the only cover which uses both of the March's themes:






Here is thrash metal variation. This may also have been what you'd had in mind, for its rhythmic drive; and I do get the vibe, the guitarist is creating. But it is still rather removed from the original music, since most of this thrasher's version of the "March" concentrates on only a snippet, out of the first theme.





While the Marche-- though this movement is without musical precedent, in the sonata form-- is most effective, played in the context of the entire Sonata (of which it is part), I urge you to listen, at least, to the movement preceding the funeral march, of the sonata's third movement. It is a great piece of music, on its own, but it also perfectly sets up the Marche.

This second movement has a short opening and closing, which are both animated and agitated. But the meat of the piece, the part I absolutely love, is the middle section, sweetly lyrical but sensitively layered with so much contrasting emotion. Simon performs it, excellently.





3rd movement, Funeral March.




Notice how the march ends to give way to a lullaby, which I take to obviously be representing that next state, after corporeal life, as sort of a dream state. But it is only a temporary respite, for the march returns, but this time, I feel the inexorable pounding of the beat, is like the pulsing of blood through one's newly incarnated form, driving the previously deceased, back into the waiting clutches of life. It should be noted that Chopin suffered terribly, most of his life, with tuberculosis, from which he ultimately expired, at the age of only 39. So being alive, was no picnic for him.

 

RIP Robbie Robertson

 

Happy 76th to one of the greatest front men in Rock history

 

Post #1, of at least 2.
@pitbull

I know you had specified Chopin's nocturnes, that you were interested in finding the Metal or Techno covers for, but I had come across a few other pieces, I might as well pass along to you. Two of them were etudes, which are actually pieces written for piano students to practice some technical element of playing-- which is appropriate enough, because that is all I get from these Metal covers: a display of technical skill. But maybe you will appreciate them more. First, though, I'd like to share a Chopin Etude that I have always liked, in E Major (Opus 10, #3), starting with a rendition by Tamás Vásáry





Now, for a live performance video, this is the sensitive interpretation of Jenny Chen. By the way, this piece is subtitled, "Tristesse," which means "sadness," or "sorrow."





This next pianist is on the young side, so hasn't developed all of the refinement of the others, but she's impressively good, notably for her ability to convey her emotion, in the music.





This is one of Chopin's pieces with broad appeal, which was (like his Fantasie Impromptu) used for a pop song, back in the day: "No Other Love," sung by Jo Stafford.





I'll wrap up this post, with this video of Cyprien Katsaris who, despite a couple of slight rough spots, does a good job, as well. And his sad face, at the end, is one of the best.

 

Post #2 (continued from last).
@pitbull


Here are those Metal, etude covers. The first is in the relative minor of the Etude I've been playing-- c# minor-- and followed it (as #4) in Chopin's Opus 10.







The other, also has a drummer, and is in a minor.






I have one more video of the E Major Etude, played by Stephanie Elbaz (if anyone's interested), but you'll have to follow the link to YouTube.







That brings us to Preludes. I'll give you the cover, first. This is one of the best known of these works-- Chopin's "Raindrop" Prelude, in D-flat Major. I'm not exactly sure what musical style, you would call this cover. As I'd noted with covers of the Funeral March: though this uses a good part of the song-- that one part, is all it uses.





And here is the full version of the piece. I believe the pianist is Chrisoph Eschenbach.

 

I would've given you a like, but Catalinacat had just posted the exact same You Tube video, on the previous page.

http://www.politicalforum.com/index...-right-now-25.562489/page-172#post-1074364922


I'd given a "like," to that one-- and so had you.

 

broken hearted I am

 

My main motivation for telling you this, had been I guess an over concern, that you might think I had been ignoring your posts. There is an uncertainty, in being friendly with another member in some threads, while barring no holds, addressing that same poster, in certain other threads.

A supplementary point I suppose I might have been hoping to achieve, was that you might try paying a little bit more attention to recent postings, and making some small effort, to not so quickly repeat them. However, it's no biggie-- not worth any unkind words.

As I'd said, I'd just wanted to be sure you wouldn't get the wrong idea from my giving a "like" to B. Larset's posting of "The Weight," while not to your adjacent posting. Not for a moment, though, had I ever wondered if you might not be able to soldier on, without my explanatory post.

 

another great one from the GD

 

I don't like hip hop. ...Er, I didn't... Starting to come around.