I'm convinced that to pass the music diploma exam (yes, if I haven't told you yet, I'm preparing for the ABRSM version), one's got to be a little schizophrenic.
Circa my program. All balanced programs span the various major music periods: baroque, classical, romantic, contemporary. All balanced exam programs also show off your skill. Which means a spattering of various types of pieces. From the fast to the slow, the control-freak kind to the emotional kind, the loud to the soft.
Before you read any further, video links to all the songs can be found below. =)
My own program starts with Bach's Prelude & Fugue in G Minor (BWV 861) that's emotional within an almost control-freakish kind of environment. Just look at Joanna McGregor's hands in the video below - not moving THAT much. But when you see her face and just listen to all the tones and voices that come out... wow. It's like listening to soaring music in a tall tall cathedral. And yes, this set requires me to bring out four voices (like the sop, alto, tenor & bass) at the same time...
Then we move on to Haydn's Sonata 48 in C Major. The first section is slow, kinda like a slow afternoon soiree by the river, but yet the music happens in.strict.timing. There's this sense of strong control that plays off the relaxed mood. Right. The second section is a rondo (aka a round), a polite word for what is almost a tiresome scruffy child running non-stop, daring you to catch him and put him in the bath. Oh, how he runs...
Third, we fall into the thick of the Russian winter with Tchaikovsky's January: By the Fireside that was written to match the seasons. It's such a quiet piece, and has all these flowing passages that really feel like little flames dancing around, much like what Lucy saw at Mr. Tumnus' house in the Chronicles of Narnia. Delightful flickering flames that pierce through the cold and warms the body.
Finally, we end off with George Gershwin's I Got Rhythmn and The Man I Love. Again, two songs with very different characters. I Got Rhythmn is darn fast. And if I may add, jumps all around the piano. The Man I Love is slower, with a swing beat, and is kinda sultry. Yeah.
So to summarize... we start in a tall cathedral, get tumbled into an afternoon soiree by the river, suddenly start chasing a tiresome running child, fall into an armchair by the warm and comforting fireplace, get all jazzed up and jumpin' around, and end sultry.
Hmmmm... haha. It makes no sense I know... but that's really it! I swear, I've got to train myself to be a little schizo to do this! And did I mention that I have to launch into each new mood within seconds of the last one? Loads of fun I'm going to have...
Bach's Prelude & Fugue in G Minor BWV 861
Haydn's Sonata in C Major, HOB 48
Not my favourite recording, but my favourite's been removed due to copyright issues. This version's still ok, though a little hasty. Also, embedding disallowed for these links heh.
Movement 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5F23s7a8uw
Movement 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqfHLqb47oE
Tchaikovsky's January By the Fireside
Gershwin's I Got Rhythmn & The Man I Love
Monday, December 07, 2009
It's 5pm now, New Delhi time, and I'm sitting in my hotel room typing this. "WHY ARENT YOU OUT THERE?!" some of you might be screaming. Well, that's just because India is really Incredible India.
~~~~~~~~~
Off on an Adventure
Yesterday was a day of excitement and apprehension as we travelled to Delhi. Besides the crying babies, restless hyperactive kicking-banging-stomping children, and the entertainment system and overhead lights that didn't work, the flight was rather pleasant.
Having no overhead lights meant I couldn't read after dinner. 2 hours to go. Options slowly made their way into my mind...
My senses were already shot through the roof, especially because of the jasmine scent that seemed to lace the air. So when we reached the hotel after an extremely smooth car ride, I felt like I was in heaven. The restaurant in the hotel (Zaffran in Palace Heights Hotel) smelt wonderfully welcoming, a foretaste of the breakfast we would have the next two days. And even though we didn’t order anything from the restaurant, they still served us water, and fussed about as our tour agent went through the paperwork with us. Ah, Indian hospitality… it puts Singapore toshame,
The room was wonderful too. Comfortable beds, fashionable clean-cut design (think blacks, browns, white)... and my favourite - the plasma TV. =) A room that has a plasma TV and cable tv channels can't be all that bad. I usually don't sleep well on the first night in a foreign room/bed. But I slept particularly well that night. Despite not being made of Egyptian cotton, the covers were cottony soft and oh-so-warm. My fingers and toes were nice and toasty the whole night. And, my friends, that was the first day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Expect the Unexpected
We had breakfast while overlooking the streets. Had some sambar (a vegetable soup), idli, vadar, a tomato paste that had ginger and some other spices in it, and a sweet coconut sauce. Beautiful. The best part? That was just the beginning. I finished breakfast with a curry potato stew served with fried indian bread, and washed it down with a cup of Chai. Ahhhh... I've not eaten so much in ages, and it was really wonderful.
With all that good food in our tummies, we went out, and a friendly Indian man started talking to us, that I shall call Mr. leather-jacket-with-pop-tee. Remembering what our waiter told us earlier this morning, "a lot of people will offer to show you places. Don't follow them because it's not worth it", we turned him down. Then another one spoke to us, telling us it's too early for the shops here to be open, and it's not safe for the foreigners because security only starts from 11am. Why not safe? Because of all the street people that lived under the aluminum sheets. It looked like a construction site lining the streets, and it was. But it was also home to many people with considerably darker skin than most of the other well-heeled Indians walking along the streets. They were undeniably of the lowest caste.
That was our undoing. No, we didn’t get held at gunpoint or anything like that. Rather, we were brought to those very touristy (and super expensive) emporiums that sold crafts, clothes, shawls, carpets, handicraft, jewellry, and spices. As we walked out, we also saw Mr. leather-jacket-with-pop-tee lounging in a nearby chair. He was obviously in the same organization as the guy who "conned" us. The shop people were extremely pushy, wouldn’t let you think, and kept on trying to sell the over-priced goods. Three or four shops later, we decided to head back to the hotel and walk the markets on our own. Even then, our automated rickshaw driver (yes, we took one of those little tuk-tuk things haha) tried recommending other places. No. “Take us back to the hotel” were our final words.
From there, the real fun journey began. We walked out for a coffee, and found a place that sells liver on toast. On top of brain cutlets with fries. And they were so innocently listed – just above chicken on toast and chicken cutlets with fries. They didn’t have a good variety of Indian drinks either, so we left.
Then we walked along the inner market circle of Connaught Place, popped in and out of a couple of salwar and costume jewelry stores, and finally came across a shop selling shawls. What a steal. Beautiful silk stoles for 500 rupees each, and he threw in a cushion cover as well, free. It was a sort of trade, because Madeline gave him her pilot pen with this bright electric blue ink. Still, a pilot pen for 2 such cushion covers? Remind me to bring along more such gadgets next time. =)
Lunch was at MacDonald’s. I like going into Macs in each country, and seeing what’s so different about it. I had the McAloo Tiki (25 rupees) and a coke (30 rupees). Wonderful veggie-potato-green peas-lentils patty with oh-so-fresh tomatoes and onions. Total cost? Less than $2 back home. My tummy was again, nicely satiated.
We walked some more, and came across this fruit seller who displayed his wares in a truly enticing manner! The pomegranates were displayed alongside one fruit that had been cut open to reveal its ruby red flesh. One cut pink guava flanked it, the pale coral of the pink guava playing off the ruby juiciness of the pomegranate. We bought 3. =) And amazingly, I managed to exchange 500 rupees with this fruit seller for smaller currencies, when MacDonald’s refused to accept my 500 rupees. Dad’s words came floating back “don’t see all of these hawker centre uncles wear thin white singlets, brown shorts and the Tai Sing slippers and assume they’re poor. Many of them drive Mercedes and wear Rolex.” Guess that applies all around the world.
Walking around after that was not quite as fun, as the shops started looking rather similar, and we ended up in the locals’ leisure land. Given the crowd and the lack of security guards there, we backtracked, and headed back for the hotel.
Eating the pomegranates was such an adventure! The translucent ruby red flesh revealed black seeds. The flesh was also divided into little kernel-like things (like corn), and encased in white fibre (like mandarin oranges). It was sweet sweet sweet! We dug out every last bit of goodness, and sipped the juice. Ah… bliss.
So now it’s coming to 6pm, and I’m getting hungry. Dinner’s going to be at Zaffran, and I’m looking forward to more good Indian food.
Don’t miss me too much! I’ll be back again telling the stories when I can. Till then, take care!
~~~~~~~~~
Off on an Adventure
Yesterday was a day of excitement and apprehension as we travelled to Delhi. Besides the crying babies, restless hyperactive kicking-banging-stomping children, and the entertainment system and overhead lights that didn't work, the flight was rather pleasant.
Having no overhead lights meant I couldn't read after dinner. 2 hours to go. Options slowly made their way into my mind...
- I could humour the little girl in front of me who kept on popping up and waving her hands in front of my face. And consequently blocked my view of the inflight video. Even when I was reading earlier, she tried to hit/touch my book to get my attention. Scratch it.
- I could try to sleep. But my mind was so alert to all the new sights and sounds, plus I had the joys of a manually-operated massage chair. Forget it.
- I could indulge in an hour of prayer. Sweet Hour of Prayer anyone? =)
My senses were already shot through the roof, especially because of the jasmine scent that seemed to lace the air. So when we reached the hotel after an extremely smooth car ride, I felt like I was in heaven. The restaurant in the hotel (Zaffran in Palace Heights Hotel) smelt wonderfully welcoming, a foretaste of the breakfast we would have the next two days. And even though we didn’t order anything from the restaurant, they still served us water, and fussed about as our tour agent went through the paperwork with us. Ah, Indian hospitality… it puts Singapore toshame,
The room was wonderful too. Comfortable beds, fashionable clean-cut design (think blacks, browns, white)... and my favourite - the plasma TV. =) A room that has a plasma TV and cable tv channels can't be all that bad. I usually don't sleep well on the first night in a foreign room/bed. But I slept particularly well that night. Despite not being made of Egyptian cotton, the covers were cottony soft and oh-so-warm. My fingers and toes were nice and toasty the whole night. And, my friends, that was the first day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Expect the Unexpected
We had breakfast while overlooking the streets. Had some sambar (a vegetable soup), idli, vadar, a tomato paste that had ginger and some other spices in it, and a sweet coconut sauce. Beautiful. The best part? That was just the beginning. I finished breakfast with a curry potato stew served with fried indian bread, and washed it down with a cup of Chai. Ahhhh... I've not eaten so much in ages, and it was really wonderful.
With all that good food in our tummies, we went out, and a friendly Indian man started talking to us, that I shall call Mr. leather-jacket-with-pop-tee. Remembering what our waiter told us earlier this morning, "a lot of people will offer to show you places. Don't follow them because it's not worth it", we turned him down. Then another one spoke to us, telling us it's too early for the shops here to be open, and it's not safe for the foreigners because security only starts from 11am. Why not safe? Because of all the street people that lived under the aluminum sheets. It looked like a construction site lining the streets, and it was. But it was also home to many people with considerably darker skin than most of the other well-heeled Indians walking along the streets. They were undeniably of the lowest caste.
That was our undoing. No, we didn’t get held at gunpoint or anything like that. Rather, we were brought to those very touristy (and super expensive) emporiums that sold crafts, clothes, shawls, carpets, handicraft, jewellry, and spices. As we walked out, we also saw Mr. leather-jacket-with-pop-tee lounging in a nearby chair. He was obviously in the same organization as the guy who "conned" us. The shop people were extremely pushy, wouldn’t let you think, and kept on trying to sell the over-priced goods. Three or four shops later, we decided to head back to the hotel and walk the markets on our own. Even then, our automated rickshaw driver (yes, we took one of those little tuk-tuk things haha) tried recommending other places. No. “Take us back to the hotel” were our final words.
From there, the real fun journey began. We walked out for a coffee, and found a place that sells liver on toast. On top of brain cutlets with fries. And they were so innocently listed – just above chicken on toast and chicken cutlets with fries. They didn’t have a good variety of Indian drinks either, so we left.
Then we walked along the inner market circle of Connaught Place, popped in and out of a couple of salwar and costume jewelry stores, and finally came across a shop selling shawls. What a steal. Beautiful silk stoles for 500 rupees each, and he threw in a cushion cover as well, free. It was a sort of trade, because Madeline gave him her pilot pen with this bright electric blue ink. Still, a pilot pen for 2 such cushion covers? Remind me to bring along more such gadgets next time. =)
Lunch was at MacDonald’s. I like going into Macs in each country, and seeing what’s so different about it. I had the McAloo Tiki (25 rupees) and a coke (30 rupees). Wonderful veggie-potato-green peas-lentils patty with oh-so-fresh tomatoes and onions. Total cost? Less than $2 back home. My tummy was again, nicely satiated.
We walked some more, and came across this fruit seller who displayed his wares in a truly enticing manner! The pomegranates were displayed alongside one fruit that had been cut open to reveal its ruby red flesh. One cut pink guava flanked it, the pale coral of the pink guava playing off the ruby juiciness of the pomegranate. We bought 3. =) And amazingly, I managed to exchange 500 rupees with this fruit seller for smaller currencies, when MacDonald’s refused to accept my 500 rupees. Dad’s words came floating back “don’t see all of these hawker centre uncles wear thin white singlets, brown shorts and the Tai Sing slippers and assume they’re poor. Many of them drive Mercedes and wear Rolex.” Guess that applies all around the world.
Walking around after that was not quite as fun, as the shops started looking rather similar, and we ended up in the locals’ leisure land. Given the crowd and the lack of security guards there, we backtracked, and headed back for the hotel.
Eating the pomegranates was such an adventure! The translucent ruby red flesh revealed black seeds. The flesh was also divided into little kernel-like things (like corn), and encased in white fibre (like mandarin oranges). It was sweet sweet sweet! We dug out every last bit of goodness, and sipped the juice. Ah… bliss.
So now it’s coming to 6pm, and I’m getting hungry. Dinner’s going to be at Zaffran, and I’m looking forward to more good Indian food.
Don’t miss me too much! I’ll be back again telling the stories when I can. Till then, take care!
Monday, November 02, 2009
There's just something about the latest architectural trends that make all the buildings look the same. Took a bus to work this morning, and as it lumbered down Orchard Road and Shenton Way (I missed pretty much everything else in between because I was snoozing. haha), I passed by at least 5 glass-and-steel complexes. Mandarin Gallery... Orchard Central... Twenty Anson... Mapletree Anson... Springleaf Tower...
They looked the same. It's the same shade of tinted glass, same kind of matt steel beams and pillars... suddenly the SMU campus, with its blue-ish tinted glass windows, greenery and concrete/brick pillars stands out from its other glassy peers.
It just makes me wonder what's with the glass and steel craze. Lower costs? More "green"? Want a deconstructed still-in-progress look? I have no idea. To those who designed the buildings, it may look different from the glass-and-steel complex nearby. But to the layperson like me, they all look the same. Heck, I even thought some of them were part of the same maze - Tower 1, Tower 2. Win those awards if you must, but don't be surprised if the commoners start ooh-ing and aah-ing at the "wrong" building...
They looked the same. It's the same shade of tinted glass, same kind of matt steel beams and pillars... suddenly the SMU campus, with its blue-ish tinted glass windows, greenery and concrete/brick pillars stands out from its other glassy peers.
It just makes me wonder what's with the glass and steel craze. Lower costs? More "green"? Want a deconstructed still-in-progress look? I have no idea. To those who designed the buildings, it may look different from the glass-and-steel complex nearby. But to the layperson like me, they all look the same. Heck, I even thought some of them were part of the same maze - Tower 1, Tower 2. Win those awards if you must, but don't be surprised if the commoners start ooh-ing and aah-ing at the "wrong" building...
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
I'm as happy as a lark. =)
All the blues from the book were chased away by this oh-so-healthy snack that I just discovered today. WOW. I mean, I tried the hot and spicy one before, but it didn't impress me.
Had a craving for seaweed chips today though, and found myself buying this instead (the pack of chips were too big for me to reasonably finish it without getting a sorethroat.) And... it was GOOD. Nicely salty, and the nori taste. Ah... umame, the fifth dimension of taste. That's bliss...
All the blues from the book were chased away by this oh-so-healthy snack that I just discovered today. WOW. I mean, I tried the hot and spicy one before, but it didn't impress me.
Had a craving for seaweed chips today though, and found myself buying this instead (the pack of chips were too big for me to reasonably finish it without getting a sorethroat.) And... it was GOOD. Nicely salty, and the nori taste. Ah... umame, the fifth dimension of taste. That's bliss...
It's 1.15am as I type this. I've got to be up in less than 6 hours' time and I can't sleep. My body's tired... exhausted... my mind's not working too well. Just a couple of words ago, I took maybe about 30 seconds to count that from 1.15am to 7am, it's about 6 hours.
Why? Because of Henry and Clare. That's the time traveller and his wife. In the book The Time Traveller's Wife.
It's such an utterly bittersweet story... they find each other, fall in love, and can't bear to leave each other. But because Henry travels through time (he's not very tolerant of stress) he disappears, and often. Clare says something in the book along the lines of it's better to have lived a wonderful life for a short time, than to live an ok life the whole time. I'm not so sure. All the pain that comes with having a wonderful life for a short time... it's just, unbearable. And it's depressing reading the book. I mean, it's a good book, very well written, and I loved how I was drawn in. But I don't like how it's making me feel now. Or making me cry. I don't even know why I'm crying... it's like this wave of sadness just washed over me and pushed little salt-tinged droplets out...
I think I'll stick with Nicholas Sparks and his books. Notebook was a delightful read... it was bittersweet, I cried, but the sweetness of the story lingered. A Walk to Remember was delightful to watch too. And yes, I cried, as expected. And again, the sweetness of the story lingered...
Oh well. I guess I'll just have to close my eyes and just try and sleep..
Why? Because of Henry and Clare. That's the time traveller and his wife. In the book The Time Traveller's Wife.
It's such an utterly bittersweet story... they find each other, fall in love, and can't bear to leave each other. But because Henry travels through time (he's not very tolerant of stress) he disappears, and often. Clare says something in the book along the lines of it's better to have lived a wonderful life for a short time, than to live an ok life the whole time. I'm not so sure. All the pain that comes with having a wonderful life for a short time... it's just, unbearable. And it's depressing reading the book. I mean, it's a good book, very well written, and I loved how I was drawn in. But I don't like how it's making me feel now. Or making me cry. I don't even know why I'm crying... it's like this wave of sadness just washed over me and pushed little salt-tinged droplets out...
I think I'll stick with Nicholas Sparks and his books. Notebook was a delightful read... it was bittersweet, I cried, but the sweetness of the story lingered. A Walk to Remember was delightful to watch too. And yes, I cried, as expected. And again, the sweetness of the story lingered...
Oh well. I guess I'll just have to close my eyes and just try and sleep..
Saturday, September 05, 2009
I swear, we sisters get our sense of humour from our Pops.
Mag was thanking me profusely (after being prompted) when she found out I was instrumental in persuading Mummy to let her stay over in the hotel on prom night.
So, off she went on her thank-you-spiel.
Thank you!
Xie xie!
Merci!
Allegato!
Kamsamnida!
And then she insisted that her spelling of allegato looks much nicer than the actual arigato. We concluded she's too Italian.
Then we talked about the potential stupid things she and her friends might do... and well, doing drugs is not one of them. As for smoking... you gotta love her reply - "eee smoking will kill my butiful lunchs!"
The bimbo strikes again.
Mag was thanking me profusely (after being prompted) when she found out I was instrumental in persuading Mummy to let her stay over in the hotel on prom night.
So, off she went on her thank-you-spiel.
Thank you!
Xie xie!
Merci!
Allegato!
Kamsamnida!
And then she insisted that her spelling of allegato looks much nicer than the actual arigato. We concluded she's too Italian.
Then we talked about the potential stupid things she and her friends might do... and well, doing drugs is not one of them. As for smoking... you gotta love her reply - "eee smoking will kill my butiful lunchs!"
The bimbo strikes again.
Monday, August 31, 2009
*GASP* Just realized that I clean forgot to post all the layouts I did for the Melb trip!
I *heart* My Melbourne Girls
When we first arrived! As you can see, we were a sight to behold... all weary and bleary eyed.
Being Oh So Silly!
It was a good thing that Bobbs was along to drive... because the rest of us were just making faces, stuffing our faces with chips, listening to music, trying to get everyone in the picture... He says he hasn't been too traumatized by the experience. haha...
Beauty-Full Mess
Vain shot! Wanted to buy the dress but didn't in the end because I couldn't figure when I'd ever wear it! Anyway, it's titled "Beauty Full Mess" because I'm in a pensive reflective mood, and just thinking about what a huge work-in-progress project I am. And yet, I know that God's working in my life, and I'm super duper comforted that He who started the work will be faithful to complete it in me.
Wicked
About our crazy adventure going for the "Wicked" lottery, winning it, and getting three really really good seats for a steal! I look back very fondly on that day... first time the three of us spent time alone together!
About our crazy adventure going for the "Wicked" lottery, winning it, and getting three really really good seats for a steal! I look back very fondly on that day... first time the three of us spent time alone together!
lunch at Fifteen
Ahhh... and what else can replace a good hearty meal at a restaurant set up by a famous chef to give disadvantaged young people an apprenticeship and thus help them be independent? I like the concept of the Fifteen restaurants, and loved my trip there!
First Reaction
On our last day, we finally made our way down to the Jam Factory, an old jam factory that's been converted into a shopping mall. The stained-glass ceiling was pretty, and the kitschy floor eye-catching, but what really got our attention was the distortion mirror. Here's one of the shots! It's about how our First Reaction when we saw the mirror, was to whip out our cameras and start snapping pics of short, stumpy, stout us!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
I'm such a sucker for good packaging. The latest brand to catch my eye? Waitrose. It's all Jasmine's doing (haha) for introducing me to the supermarket in Ion Orchard! Think it's called thirty seven or something like that. It's on the upper floors. Easily forgettable name, in the midst of all the prettily packaged stuff!
So so inspired by this that I want to translate this clean layout and type into my diploma programme booklet. Font sizes... fonts... something pretty. Eye-catching. Not the typical run-of-the-mill diploma booklets with pictures of a piano/harpsichord/Bach. Even if I have that, it'll be different. Like a silhouette or shadow or reflection... or something. Just... not the full-on picture.
Anyway, I'm going to record these pictures to remind me abt the inspiration. Here goes!
From the Design Year Book...
So so inspired by this that I want to translate this clean layout and type into my diploma programme booklet. Font sizes... fonts... something pretty. Eye-catching. Not the typical run-of-the-mill diploma booklets with pictures of a piano/harpsichord/Bach. Even if I have that, it'll be different. Like a silhouette or shadow or reflection... or something. Just... not the full-on picture.
Anyway, I'm going to record these pictures to remind me abt the inspiration. Here goes!
From the Design Year Book...
From Popsop.com...
My favourite? The tubs of stock. It's partly due to my biasness towards soup (i LOVE soup ok) and it just looks so warm and homey!
[Afterthought. And another lesson learnt. Blogging about food late at night is a bad idea. I'm hungry now. And craving for a thick omelette with potato, bacon, and cheese. Mmmmmm.... This is a bad idea, coz' even though someone says I'm too skinny and tried to stuff me with cake, it means my fat cells are going to have more neighbours. Ugh.]
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