Whitney Houston – National Anthem – Super Bowl XXV
An evening pause: A performer giving her all. What a tragedy that she destroyed herself at such a young age.
Tag: music
A brief history of rock n’ roll in 100 riffs
Rufus Wainwright – Albatross
An evening pause: I once awoke from a powerful and indescribable dream, its searing images (soon lost) invoked by this haunting song as performed by Judy Collins from her 1967 recording. Here it is performed beautifully here by Rufus Wainwright and set to some very appropriate visuals from the various Pirates of the Caribbean films.
And in the night the iron wheels rolling through the rain
Down the hills through the long grass to the sea.
And in the dark the hard bells ringing with pain,
“Come away, alone.
Come away, alone.
With me.”
Feist – 1234 & Mushaboom
Kate Wolf – Looking Back At You
Marilyn Monroe – Heat Wave
Enya – Only Time
What the hell is Matt 2012?
An evening pause: More information about this video here. They note that “The dancers in Syria are blurred for their safety.”
THE BANGLES- MANIC MONDAY
Passacaglia – Chedeville
An evening pause: The group is called Passacaglia. The music is by Nicolas Chedeville (previously attributed to Vivaldi). The players are Annabel Knight (recorder), Reiko Ichise (viola da gamba), Robin Bigwood (harpsichord).
Joe Hisaishi – The Path of the Wind from My Neighbor Totoro
An evening pause: One of Joe Hisaishi’s most beautiful film melodies, “The Path of the Wind,” from Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece, My Neighbor Totoro.
The Beatles – All You Need Is Love
An evening pause: From a 1967 live television performance, one of the first ever broadcast by satellite around the world. Though this version has been colorized, the synch is off in the original. Also, in doing the colorization they cleaned up the recording, making it much clearer.
It is especially fascinating to watch Lennon and McCartney work together, chewing gum as they sing. And keep your eye out for Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and other rock performers in the audience.
Dancing Birds
SONNY & CHER – I Got You Babe
Billy Joel – Piano Man
Vaughan Williams – Sea Songs
Blondie – Dreaming & Heart Of Glass
An evening pause: Two songs, performed live October 5, 1979. Deborah Harry is of course amazing (despite her inserting a silly politically-correct anti-nuke message during the second song), but watch the other musicians, especially the drummer.
Loudon Wainwright – One-man Guy
Don McLean – American pie
Sammy Davis, Jr. – Mr. Bojangles
An evening pause: From an 1985 performance in Germany, only five years before his death. By this time, Davis was not only performing this song as a tribute to Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, he was performing it as a testament to his own life in entertainment.
Bryn Terfel – Turtle Dove
An evening pause:
Fare you well, my dear, I must be gone
And leave you for awhile.
If I roam away I’ll come back again
Though I roam ten thousand miles, my dear,
Though I roam ten thousand miles.
Doc Watson – Windy and Warm
An evening pause: In tribute to Doc Watson, who died last week at the age of 89. Blind from the age of 1, Watson is widely considered one of America’s best folk guitarists. Watch what he does here in this 1991 live performance.
Longplayer
An evening pause: This piece of music has been playing since 1999 and will continue until 2999. Very meditative.
Kate Wolf – Eyes of a Painter
An evening pause: Kate Wolf sadly passed away prematurely in 1986. Here is a live performance from 1985.
Antonio Breschi – Language of the Land
An evening pause: Antonio Breschi again, this time with a piece of his own, from his album At the Edge of the Night. Last week I posted a breathtaking piano performance by Breschi, but unfortunately, I can’t find a video of him playing this particular piece, which I first heard back in the mid-1980s. Nonetheless, the music so beautiful it is really doesn’t need fancy visuals.
Carole King – Tapestry
The first notes in the longest and slowest piece of music in history, designed to go on for 639 years, will be played on a German church organ this Wednesday.
The first notes in the longest and slowest piece of music in history, designed to go on for 639 years, will be played on a German church organ this Wednesday.
But is it really music?
The first notes in the longest and slowest piece of music in history, designed to go on for 639 years, will be played on a German church organ this Wednesday.
But is it really music?
Patti LuPone – Sleepy Man
Joe Hisaishi – theme from My Neighbor Totoro
An evening pause: Composer Joe Hisaishi conducts and plays piano in this live performance of his music from the animated film, My Neighbor Totoro.
I just watched the film again with family, and my opinion of it only grows with each viewing.
The Shirelles – Will You Love Me Tomorrow
An evening pause: Performed live by the Shirelles, 1964, with Shirley Alston Reeves as lead and Beverly Lee, Addie “Micki” Harris, and Doris Kenner as backup.