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This really just doesn’t get old.
Hallelujah (Original by Leonard Cohen)
I’ve heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don’t really care for music, do you?
It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty in the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Baby I have been here before
I know this room, I’ve walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you.
I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah
There was a time when you let me know
What’s really going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you?
And remember when I moved in you
The holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah
Maybe there’s a God above
But all I’ve ever learned from love
Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you
It’s not a cry you can hear at night
It’s not somebody who has seen the light
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah
You say I took the name in vain
I don’t even know the name
But if I did, well really, what’s it to you?
There’s a blaze of light in every word
It doesn’t matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah
I did my best, it wasn’t much
I couldn’t feel, so I tried to touch
I’ve told the truth, I didn’t come to fool you
And even though it all went wrong
I’ll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah
From the Internet Cello Society:
Gaspar Cassado was a Spanish contemporary of Pablo Casals, who lived from 1897 to 1966. In fact, he may have been Casal’s youngest pupil, when he studied with him in Paris in 1910. He was born in Barcelona, the son of a church musician. His father started teaching him music when he was five, and at the age of seven he began cello lessons with a prominent Barcelona cellist, who worked at the Mercedes Chapel with his father.
When Cassado was nine years old, he played his first public performance, where he was heard by Casals, who immediately offered to give him lessons. He was given a scholarship by the city of Barcelona to go to Paris and study with Casals there. He also studied composition with Manuel de Falla and Maurice Ravel.
At the end of World War I, Cassado started touring internationally, and became a world famous cellist. He played under most of the leading conductors of his time, including such greats as Furtwangler, Beecham and Weingartner. His performance of the Brahms Double Concerto with Joseph Szigeti was especially appreciated.
Cassado loved Italy, and settled in Florence, where he lived for over thirty years. As a cellist he was more austere and noble, than flamboyant in his approach. He was a good composer, and his pieces are still played today, in particular his Requiebros, and his Concerto in D Minor, which he dedicated to Casals.
In 1964 Cassado premiered six unpublished cello sonatas of Boccherini, and performed them on a Strad cello that was once owned by the composer. Eve Barsham, his accompanist, had discovered the manuscripts in the archives of the Duke of Hamilton in Scotland. Cassado died in 1966 of a heart attack, after a strenuous tour of a flood stricken area of Florence where he was raising funds for those who had been devastated by the natural catastrophe.
This is what has been on replay in my head for the last month. I’m thinking of dancing to it one day, though I’m afraid that it would turn into more of an interpretive dance jumble than a belly dance performance. Maybe I’ll keep the dance private for now.
Schubert wrote this in the last years of his life after learing of his illness that would eventually kill him. It’s a testament to death of sorts.
When I think of music, I think of wordless stories, little wisps of smoke rising from instruments that provide a canvas for each listener to project their own emotions upon. I couldn’t think of a better piece for this sort of projection.
I suppose that is why this is one of the most well-loved string quartets out there.
Voices of Light is a pretty recent musical composition (1994) that was inspired by the French silent film “La Passion de Jeanne d’Arc” (1928) recommended to me by my friend Daniel. Written by Richard Einhorn and performed by Anonymous 4 (an all female a capella group as the voice of Jeanne) and the Netherlands Radio Choir and philharmonic, it provides an incredible accompaniment to the original film.
The acting in the film is otherworldly. The music tells its own story. It’s a tall order, about an hour and a half, but totally worth the watch.
Megitza Quartet and Roby Lakatos….
Loving this tonight, especially knowing that it’s coming out of Chicago, and out of some super young and talented musicians I adore.
One of my favorite Andrew Bird tunes for this morning… (it’s a cover of a Blind Willie Johnson tune with the same name.)
From “Fingerlings”
Concerto No.2 Part 1
I heard this while at a cute little bakery and had the dough boy (well.. maybe just the check out boy) write the name of the piece down for me.
The piece was written by Henryk Wieniawski, a Polish composer and violinist of the 1880s. Genius, huh?
The violinist is Michael Rabin, a bel canto American violinist who sadly passed at 35, not 40 years ago.
This piece of brilliance composed by Erik Satie was arranged by Seth Ford-Young for his self titled album on Porto Franco Records.
I’m in love with the violin and accordion solos on this track.
Bass & Arrangement: Seth Ford-Young
Rhythm Guitar: Jason Vanderford
Violin: Evan Price
Accordion: Rob Reich
The director, Erika Janunger, is a Swedish musician and designer.
A short dance/architectural movie, about defying gravity.
In bedroom Malin Stattin
In livingroom Tuva Lundkvist
Directed by Erika Janunger
Scenography Erika Janunger
Photography and lightDavid Grehn
Costume Johanna Adebäck
Hair and Makeup Klara Janunger
Editing Josefine Truedsson
Postproduction Gustaf Holmsten
Music/ Lyrics-
and Vocals Erika Janunger
PercussionPontus Langendorf
Keyharp Erik Rydvall
Saxophones Nis Bäckvall
Produced by Henrik Svensson
