The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: Bic on May 11, 2013, 11:01:36 PM
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Gustave Holst, Planets Suite, Jupiter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz0b4STz1lo
the theme for the Hymn "I vow to thee my country" begins at about 2:54.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Vow_to_Thee,_My_Country)
I hope it'll be played at my funeral in honour of those whose funerals which I have attended. ( not anytime soon I hope!)
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That's one of my all-time favorites and one of the greatest works of the 20th century.
Fun fact: The Planets was originally meant to be a piano duet.
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I've always liked Mars, Bringer Of War. Emerson, Lake, & Powell do a great job of it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJYWhK3Pfek
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Do you mean, "Emerson, Lake, and Palmer" at Lake Powell?
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Do you mean, "Emerson, Lake, and Palmer" at Lake Powell?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerson,_Lake_%26_Powell
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That's it Solus. It's not a great CD but it's not bad.
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I'm drunk now, so I feel I can comment more freely on this piece.
At the point in the movement you mention, I've always pictured it as a snapshot of my own life. At the beginning, you are clueless and kind of dumb. As you grow, you start to awaken. Finally at the end of the movement, you realize the majesty of the world around you and respect it's true beauty and revel in it, like a man looking down from the mountaintop on all of God's creation.
I've performed this movement many times in public. I'm a traditional man who doesn't cry or any of that baby shit, but hearing and performing Jupiter always chokes me up a bit. My only issue with the version you posted is that the largo portion of the movement was too up-tempo and not milked enough. Slowing it down a touch really makes it more effective. Mars is by far the most fun to perform.
I've also always loved Aaron Copeland's "Fanfare for the Common Man"
It's a ridiculously simple piece to perform but it's incredibly powerful
and my all time favorite is Antonin Dvorak's "New World Symphony"
The whole thing is great (including Karajan, the cardboard-stiff conductor), but the really great part starts at 32:00. For those of you who don't know, Vienna is the Cooperstown of classical music.
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And for perspective, here is Dudamel conducting the exact same thing. Start at 32min in the last one and now try this one. See how much difference a conductor can make. Dudamel is nuts, but he's a hell of a conductor.
And just for the record, that IS me pulling the semi truck in my avatar. Nothing says you can't be brutish and cultured at the same time.
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lhprop1,
Could it be that Dudamel is Catholic and his inspiration is sitting behind him in the middle of the aisle? He certainly bring the music to life in a way Karajan doesn't!