I've been for quite a few performances this year, and just want to share some stuff about the beauty of music!

Went to watch Postcards from Spain by the SSO on Fri, and it was wonderful. Had 3rd row stall seats, so it was a different experience - I usually get circle 1 seats =) Loved my seat though, because I could literally FEEL the music from where I was. It was like feeling the power of a breeze and a wind.. the subtle differences in breeze strengths and all... And the facial expressions of the orchestra members.

But strangely enough, the musicians whose works were played were all... French. But they've been influenced by Spain, and written works that are oh so Spanish. Say Hola!

Pianist Noriko Ogawa performed one piece with the SSO, but somehow the tones just didn't match so well... It was like... a lone child's high-pitched voice reciting a poem with a huge group of adults... She's a good pianist. I just didn't like how the instruments sounded together...

But anyway, the song that left the largest impression on me that night was Maurice Ravel's Bolero. It's a very familiar tune, very Spanish in nature, and the beautiful thing is that the orchestra plays the same tune over and over again, with more instruments joining in. And oh the snare drum! He started the whole song, and played for the entire 13 minutes. Same beat, same rhythmn... WOW-WEE. So steady. He didn't falter at all! And all the soloists - bravo! Even though the picolo player went out of key (right tune, wrong key haha)... but the rest of the orchestra members had this cheshire cat look on their face... it was the "i know you're playing something weird, but hey i'm going to pretend it's all ok...".

So, anyway, here're two video clips of Bolero. Enjoy!
p.s. Gotta hear the whole two videos to appreciate the build up in volume and what makes this piece so deceptively simple yet difficult. The amount of control needed by all the musicians... WAAAAAAAH

Never realized it! But Gounod's version of Ave Maria is based on Bach's Prelude in C Major from the Well Tempered Clavier collection of music. wow.

Was just listening to Accuradio, and I found the introduction very familiar. Then there was singing. And that's how I found out! Btw, the prelude is what I played at Dave & Steph's wedding. Very beautiful, pleasant and flowing piece that's commonly used at weddings.

Bach's Prelude in C from WTC 1


Gounod's Ave Maria as sung by Chloe Agnew from the Celtic Women when she was just 18