Apologies for this post – it’s gonna be dull, I feel it in my bones. Or perhaps, more mysteriously, in my water.I launched Tone Deaf to see if I could write about music. However musical examples are essential. YouTube works and there’ve been fascinating chases (eg, linking up with The Crow to find a decent Dvorak American quartet).
But, as my home page pic shows, I have my own resources. I could post via YouTube but techno-reasons discourage this. Instead, following Blogger, I have set up an intermediary site where I can store linkable files. I did this aeons ago when in a fit of hubris I recorded my own sonnets and I’ve resurrected the practise with Dame Janet (see Gilding the Gingerbread?).
This facility, provided by Box.com, is free but clunky. Click the link, then click Download, then click Run. This clunkiness is intentional since Box.com would love me to opt for smoothness at $15 a month. Believe me, I love you all but to the tune of $180 a year? Do you – after all – love me that much? Course you don’t. We’re very platonic here at Tone Deaf.
I mention this to explain the clunkiness and to ask you to forgive my parsimony. Incidentally, I get emails each time this facility is used so if news eventually percolates that I’ve cut my throat you can guess why. Oh wah! I wasn’t expecting love but wasn’t I worth a smidgeon of clunkiness?
Not only dull but maudlin. I’m ashamed. You all need something to help you wash out your eyes and ears. How about: the flute and harp concerto (WAM), Caravan (Joe Pass), Ticket to Ride (The Carpenters), the prisoners’ chorus (LvB - Ignore chat, coughing, metallic acoustic and too-quick tempo - it's got passion!). Links are all - ironically - YouTube.
My first thought on seeing the first link is Watteau, followed by Mozart in that order which says it all.
ReplyDeletePlutarch: Sorry about taking away the Watteau. But the rondo gives Marisa Robles (the harpist) more of the action and the sound is far better, In fact you'd imagine she was playing something far more portable than a harp; such agility. Brittany Ferries used to wake up cabin passengers on the overnight Portsmouth - Caen run with this concerto. Very humane.
ReplyDeleteI liked the Joe Pass version of Caravan, a virtuoso performance, and not the one you would immediately think of, as with the Karen Carpenter. Interesting selections.
ReplyDeleteLucas: I picked all four for significant personal reasons: flute/harp see re-comment to Plutarch, Pass - the first guitarist I've really warmed to, Ticket - my first experience of a cover version and of discovering that simply by slowing the tempo the song becomes something else entirely, Prisoners - the only genuine (and moving) masterpiece in an otherwise dodgy opera. LvB couldn't do vocal writing for toffee, the Ninth notwisthstanding.
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