SPECK ‘N U (32): Autumn Sonata in the Key of D(og)
The falling leaves
Drift by my window
The falling leaves
Of red and gold
Although I know only the English version, the much recorded ballad “Autumn Leaves” was originally a French song “Les feuilles mortes” (1945). This version was performed by Yves Montand in a 1946 French film. The following year it was translated and recorded in English in the US and immediately became a hit (Wikipedia).
One of the most famous versions came in 1950 when Edith Piaf recorded the song using a combination of both French and English lyrics. Of course (thankfully) it’s on YouTube, listen here.
A recent version came in 2010 on a CD from Eric Clapton. I recommend it! Listen here.
Italy loses a beloved musician: Lucio Dalla
Yesterday, Italy lost one of its multi-generational popular music icons, Lucio Dalla. The singer-composer was on tour in Switzerland, according to news reports, cause of death a heart attack. Dalla was only three days away from his 69th birthday.
Outside of Italy, Dalla may be bestknown as the composer of the song “Caruso” which was recorded by several musicians, most prominently Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, and Josh Groban.
Click on the screenshot above to see a video of Dalla performing “Caruso” with Pavarotti in 1992.
Link of the week: Vangelis interviewed (Jan 21, 2012)
In a feature titled Vangelis: A message of hope, the Greek composer gives a rare interview to Al Jazeera. He discusses his ideas about beauty, music and culture. Click on screenshot below to listen (25 min approx).
Eric Clapton: Running on Faith
Antonio Pappano talks about Rome and Respighi
In yesterday’s missed links post, I included a link to a Guardian interview with Antonio Pappano, music director of Rome’s Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. Googling around later, I found this 2009 short EMI Classics video of Pappano discussing Rome and the music of the Italian composer Respighi.
The video’s too good to be tucked away into obscurity, I think.
People Have The Power: Patti Smith
In solidarity with the protesters in Egypt
Another time, another place. Same battle. “”Marching up to freedom land” Joan Baez)
No need to roll over, Mr. Handel: Random Acts of Culture
On Saturday, October 30, 2010, the Opera Company of Philadelphia brought together over 650 choristers from 28 participating organizations to perform one of the Knight Foundation’s “Random Acts of Culture” at Macy’s in Center City Philadelphia. Accompanied by the Wanamaker Organ – the world’s largest pipe organ – the OCP Chorus and throngs of singers from the community infiltrated the store as shoppers, and burst into a pop-up rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s “Messiah” at 12 noon…
Una pausa: Clapton and a few peers, a few years back
Bello! (“A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan” (1996)
More Rosey Chan
Can’t resist posting another Rosey Chan video (previous here).
Listening on a lazy Saturday afternoon: Rosey Chan
Piano performer Rosey Chan — “A day in the life…” (J S Bach).
Isn’t it a pity: Eric Clapton
Singing merrily in Rome: Russell Crowe
For celebrity watchers, this is fun. Russell Crowe was in Rome yesterday promoting his new film, Robin Hood. And singing. See local news report here.
Crowe also appeared as a guest on popular Italian talk show Che Tempo Che Fa and he and his fellow co-stars sang again.
For always and always: Francesco De Gregori
Francesco De Gregori – “Sempre e per sempre”
Globalization as music: Syrian National Orchestra
This is globalization that isn’t from the business pages, for a nice change. That was my thought when I saw the article today in the Global Post about a different style of music that the Syrian National Orchestra is creating (“Classical music, with a Syrian twist” by Theodore May, May 10, 2010.)
As May describes it, the orchestra is blending “the classical music of Europe with traditional Arab sounds, violins and French horns against an oud and a tambourine.”
Wow. Curious I went looking for a video so I could hear a sample of the music. Found a news report on YouTube from The National Newspaper (Abu Dhabi). It features an interview with the orchestra conductor, and a brief selection of the orchestra performing.
Excerpt from the interview with Conductor Missak Baghboudarian:
I’m sure that we’re going to have more than one hundred orchestras in Europe playing better than us. They have tradition and they know how to play that music. And nobody’s working to have the oriental music in the classical style, in the classical language. So maybe you have to try to do this, and it’s going to be our speciality…
Fools: Diane Birch
Love this. “Fools” from the cd Bible Belt – Diane Birch
Art’s got to be controversial: Jovanotti
Q. What do you think the Iranian government is afraid of? Essentially the question is, why do governments censor music?
A. Of losing control. They’re just afraid of losing control, I think. Control is what they’re afraid of losing. Because a free guy.. a guy who is free to express himself is… uh… how do you say in English? … is a pain in the ass. For the power, for the government, he’s a problem. (Excerpt from Jovanotti talk at Harvard)
The world has many wonderful musicians. And then, in those rare cases, there are musicians who also are poets. Jovanotti is one of the latter. (Bios here and here.)
His music often celebrates joy and expresses a deep love of living. He also is a political and social activist, especially in regard to human rights.
Last month, Jovanotti was invited to be the star speaker in a panel discussion at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. The subject was about how music and social activism intersect (“Music and Human Rights: Success and Limits” April 27, 2010).
Fortunately, the Harvard people made a video of the talk (1:40 — not the best production, but pazienza) which I’ve posted below. I’m also first posting a video of Jovanotti’s extraordinary music video (and one of his most famous songs) – Mi fido di te (I trust you).
Three glasses of Italian red and a little Eric Clapton
Friday night and reaching back in time to a favorite Eric Clapton classic, to a time (early 70s) when his band was Derek and the Dominoes. Bell bottom blues – this performance Japan 1999, live.
Buon compleanno, Vivaldi!
Today is the anniversary of the birth of Antonio Vivaldi – March 4, 1678. He was born in Venice. Vivaldi is especially famous for his concertos. One of the most well-known is “The Four Seasons.” Another of his best-known works is “Gloria.”
In this video, cellist Yo-Yo Ma is performing selected segments from both these works.
The rising star of Kiran Ahluwalia
From Putumayo World Music, a video spotlight on musician Kiran Ahluwalia. She was born in India, grew up in Canada and now lives in New York City. With the streets of India as background, Ahluwalia talks about her music.
