Archive for the 'BSG (and such)' Category
Classical music is tremendously distracting. Lately, nothing has helped me procrastinate as much. I’m on Spring Break, by the way. I have a lot of music to catch up on in my field, embarrassingly enough (Next endeavor is violoncello works? The Mozart violin sonatas? Beethoven string quartets? String trios?…probably trios…I really don’t know trios.) but these three in particular keep getting in the way of progress…and to some extent – dangerously – eating and/or practicing (Which is essentially the same thing, right?) (Just kidding.) (Maybe.):
+ Johann Sebastian Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F, BWV 1047 (with Brandenburg 3 in G coming in close…)
- Allow me yet another suspension of belief in stating that while simultaneously listening to these concertos and reading over numerous reviews and recaps of the Battlestar Galactica series finale that have popped online since its airing, somehow all the elegant yet simple complexities and details of both these compositions went hand in hand. Douglas Adams once wrote that he was convinced that Bach wrote the Brandenburgs when he was happy and I completely agree.
+ Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 5
- A few weeks ago, the university orchestra stumbled rather hilariously through the symphony as the conductor’s way of stressing how unforgivingly difficult this piece is (We perform it next month…I use the term “perform” loosely right now.) Last night, the Miami Symphony Orchestra put on a rather nice performance of the Mahler 4. Even more so than Brahms, Mahler is an interesting fellow indeed. There are so many ways to go about the guy. But he does write a mean melody, and I’m prepared to experience a lot of headaches and bright lights, or vice versa.
+ Robert Schumann: Piano Quintet in E Minor (aka the ~30 minute piece that I have been listening to for the last hour and a half)
- A successful quintet performance is a truly definitive marker of achievement. Five is a hefty number. Getting two people to cooperate and agree on the same page of thought for any period of time is already a difficult task. Any more with no mediation is asking for trouble. This is probably why I avoid playing quintets these days, though they may be my favourite ensemble setting. That could be another discussion sometime.
Last semester I accidentally stumbled across Lin-Cho Liang, Joseph Kalichstein, William de Rosa, Adele Anthony, and Roberto Diaz rehearsing this piece and the Brahms Quintet in f minor (another perennial favourite) for their Festival Miami concert. Watching them work (in stealth, as no lowly graduate student/stalker skipping work should dare disturb actual musicians) was addicting, but I am still stunned, after all these months, by the resulting pure, uninhibited music at the next night’s concert. After the performance, Mrs. Anthony commented to me that they had only worked on both pieces together for a day. I almost gave up on music right there and then, if she hadn’t also been very encouraging. Thank you.
And now time to actually let that fourth movement end…
Also, as a side maintenance note, I’m going backwards again soon to re-editing lots of old posts. My writing should evolve, but you readers shouldn’t have to suffer with all the old awfulness. Or reading this at all. Shoo.
March 23 2009 | BSG (and such) and music and travels | No Comments »
We should probably never forget that most of the things happening in our lives don’t actually concern us; that in the end, what is meant to be will be, and that most of the time, we really don’t have control over it either. Mostly because we can’t control humanity i.e. each other. Just ourselves. …right?
And more often than any of us would probably want to admit, we just don’t appreciate what’s already in front of us. In fact, we completely ignore it because want something else so badly and are blinded by that. Here, in these cases, do you persist even when there’s something just as, if not more, wonderful staring at you in the face? Would doing so mean surrendering, conceding – could it connotate weakness in giving up or strength by facing what is really true? How much do you have to hurt yourself in order to get what you want or go the “right” way…or maybe even possibly both?
For once, I’m starting to think I know where those shoujo manga writers are coming from.
Last episode of Battlestar Galactica tonight.
March 20 2009 | BSG (and such) and waffle | 1 Comment »
so here’s the news:
+++ Popular music producer Timbaland’s new album, Shock Value, is a really good project. In fact, it’s a beautifully composed album including a probably carefully selected hodgepodge of artists from many different mainstream mediums (“Something for everyone”, eh?), and the production is nothing short of brilliant. The two things that surprised me were his usage and manipulation of Nina Simone’s “Sinnerman” in his opening “Oh Timbaland” and a very understated, but effective, remix of One Republic’s emotional “Apologize.” I don’t think that the track should have been labeled “featuring One Republic”, though, when the song had been released at least a year and half now. As for sampling Simone, the action is both tributary and trivializing. One must wonder if Timbaland intends to recycle in order to puff up his credentials or just because the hook is one of the most amazing in Twentieth Century American music.
While I did admire the aspects of the album that I previously listed, overall, I wasn’t particularly impressed with the music itself. Hubris-filled music doesn’t appeal to me, which is probably why I’ve never been particularly taken with hip-hop. The lyrics on the album are moreoften unattractive and uncreative than not. Some beats and transitions are loose and weak. But then, I have weird standards. So don’t even bother listening to me on that particular line of thinking.
Due to this, and because the version I listened to is the rather illegal leaked version, I’m deleting the album and am quite sure I won’t miss it. But I do recommend that people give it a listen anyway. The work is worth hearing. And I don’t doubt that it’s going to garner rave reviews when it is officially released.
- Shock Value tracks that stuck with me (which means they’re the ones no one will care about hah):
- “Oh Timbaland” – posthumously ft. Nina Simone (don’t deny it!)
- “Give It to Me” – ft. Nelly Furtado, Justin Timberlake
- “Time” – ft. She Wants Revenge (I really honestly have no idea what to make of She Wants Revenge. I’ve heard a decent amount of their music and it appeals, attracts, and disturbs me- in the bad way – all at the same time.)
+++ Today in Battlestar Galactica world, the series decided to kick back into awesome gear just as the season ended. And so I am compelled to write:
Dear Mr. Moore and Mr. Eick,
Thanks ever so much for a great season finale that did not reflect on the preceding string of considerably bland episodes. Thanks ever so much for getting the amazing production ideas and gears you had running in seasons 1 and 2 back running smoothly.
No thanks whatsoever for reveling in the sadistic pleasure you receive from fraking with your fanbase so much that you’re making us speculate ourselves weary until 2008. Because you all know darn well sure that we’re going to do it.
Sincerely,
a fan
p.s. No thanks for turning Gaeta into a jerk. Please reconsider his character direction. Thanks.
March 26 2007 | BSG (and such) and music | 1 Comment »
A lot of thoughts arise after a first breakup.For one, breakups are not just called such because you break from the person you were with, but also because you get broken up.
…okey. So that wasn’t a terribly original or convincing thought. But you see what I mean? Empty-calorie thoughts run abound and break you up. Or at least they try. And then they make you forget to watch the one show your life revolves around. But Battlestar Galactica’s been in a bit of filler-funk anyway….so I’m not entirely depressed about that.
Comfort and glue comes in the reassurance from friends that finally reveal to you, mostly only after breakup, that your ex-significant other was a total asshole…to both you and as is. But don’t blame them…they have lots to consider as well. For one – your feelings. Friends are put in tough places when you take on a significant other. However, their thoughts deserve listening.
Breakups are made especially harder when about 70% of other friends around you are convincingly confident that they have already found their significant other…and 40% of those friends are formally engaged. So when two of your friends give their girlfriends (also friends of yours) rings within the same week that you get the slip, it kinda hurts.
Other than friends, music will help you. If you’re a girl, try some chocolate. A friend has introduced me to the wonders of hot chocolate and some whiskey. I recommend Southern Comfort. Especially if it’s your ex’s favourite. Makes the mixing of liquids that much more vindictive. The slight sweetness of the SoCo enhances the sweetness of the chocolate to make for something warm in many ways.
Here are a few songs that helped when friends couldn’t quite, and it wasn’t quite the right time to have alcohol. None of these are emo or whiny because I don’t have any of those. But what is it about these songs that help? I’m not sure. I’ll write down what I think it might be, but let me know what you think….
I do miss the romance. But I’d been missing it for a while anyway.
[all songs uploaded into savefile.com]
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[MUSIC]
please support the artists! Buy their CDs!
small note: I meant to upload some Manowar in this post. But sadly, I don’t have any of their music on my computer and I’m too lazy to rip them off the CD….
+ [Put Your Records On] – Corinne Bailey Rae
- This song is well-famous by now, but not without reason. The lyrics and music are both uplifting and optimistic without being bubbly. There’s just something beautiful and heartfelt about it all…
+ [London Town] – Bellowhead
- Funky English folk music. Yay funky. Yay violins. Yay for cheeky lyrics and charm. Those are what helped?
+ [Yume wo Mite ita Kingyo] – Yano Maki
- I discovered Yano Maki about a year ago, but only two songs of hers. She’s undeniably talented and I do hope to hear more of her songs sometime soon. Like Bailey Rae, there’s a certain sense of comfort in her voice…
+ [Ring Your Song] – Itou Eri, Yuki Kajiura (from Tsubasa Chronicle)
- okey, fine, so this song is a bit sad. And I do personally find Kajiura overrated when so much of her music sounds exactly the same. But Itou Eri’s voice is so (mostly) touching and when she sings “find me there/my tiny feathers” I KNOW she’s talking about the anime premise, but can’t help feeling some beautiful hopefulness anyway.
February 27 2007 | BSG (and such) and food and music and waffle | 2 Comments »
The other day, I was watching Avatar: The Last Airbender (which, by the way, is a fantastically entertaining show) with my roommate when one of the characters commented: “After all…love is brightest in the dark.” My roommate agreed with this statement. I, however, still don’t quite understand still.
Boyfriend is being useless in helping me discern its meaning.
—-
Major week ahead of tests and papers. Whee.
—-
[MUSIC]
Aside from the fact that my musician life doesn’t afford me much time to watch the television but my life revolves obscenely around Battlestar Galactica anyway, there are not many television shows on air today that I like consistently.
Gilmore Girls was fantastic for a few seasons until they got too much into the drama factor.
Kim Possible was one of the most brilliant cartoons in recent years except for that one small nagging fact that it was a product of the Disney Channel, thus forever doomed to massive amounts of embarrassing merchandising, masturbatory character and casting choices and – well – scorn. Poor Kim will probably never achieve the promising heights her character has, and may never receive as much acclaim as she deserves as a creation, because she is a Disney Channel tool and so many possibilities (no pun intended) would be ignored in lieu of catering to tween brains. May the upcoming renewal prove me wrong.
Firefly and Futurama were both previously canceled so I won’t talk about them and how they are proof that the FOX channel had absolutely no idea, until the last two years or so, how to do things.
…but moving on – I never appreciated the entertainment that was Scrubs when it first came out. But after being recently introduced to it by friends, I found myself watching reruns faithfully and loving every minute of the characters’ dysfunctional-yet-functional lives. Over Christmas break, a friend generously donated his collection of Scrubs soundtracks to me and they’re ingenious.
Thus, today I present two particularly beautiful songs off the Scrubs season 2 soundtrack and some other random songs that stuck out to me as I scanned over my music list in the “browse” window.
Enjoy! (again, all songs uploaded into savefile.com)
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+ [Half] – G Tom Mac
+ [Cindy] – Tammany Hall NYC
+ [Sakura no Toki] – aiko
- happy and rather jazzy Japanese pop. This song stuck with me from the moment I heard it and has never really left me since…
+ [Endless World] - Koichi Sugiyama (from String Quartet Dragon Quest)
- This two CD set of selected songs from DragonQuest games I-VII is one beautifully arranged album. I really can’t say much more than that except that everyone should take a listen. This piece is one of my favourites off the album, and not just because I get to play this piece with my band…
—-
Happy birthday wishes to Comms!
February 04 2007 | BSG (and such) and games and music | No Comments »
Battlestar Galactica is airing tonight at 9pm on SciFi! That’s one hour from now! Hop on it, people!
Got it wrong in that previous post. Oopsies.
*excited excited drowning in excitement*
October 07 2006 | BSG (and such) and Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
After the last post, the mobilputer decided to die.
Die….die…die….
Actually, it’s stuck in an eternal startup loop thanks to a corrupt startup file. So the last month (hah!) has been spent trying to get my hands on a copy of Win2K or XP and, well, revive the little chunk of wires and circuits.
Now I finally have a copy of Win2K AND XP…but have forgotten the commands I need in order to reinstall all the startup files without erasing my computer. Oops. There is a new mission now. (All help appreciated ^_^ Lara Croft I am definitely not.)
Return is imminent. But in the meantime, remember that Battlestar Galactica returns in 8 days (Oct. 9 @ 9pm) and there will be much wibbling. And I’ll try to update this thing as much as before because man oh man there are SO many things that need bashing (*coughs at the new “harajuku” line of clothing at Pacific Sun that is a disturbing marketing ploy of Gwen Stefani’s and makes such sad, shameless, tarnishing usage of robots*).
October 01 2006 | BSG (and such) and Uncategorized | 2 Comments »