Conscientious | Music

Music: Thelonious Monk

2009-03-10T17:33:51Z

Given that Fridays are now dedicated only to photo books, I think I'll stop posting music clips (or maybe just show something here and there). This one I really want to share, though, because of the amazing piano solo in the middle.

Friday Music Mix: Orff's Carmina Burana

2009-02-27T18:06:49Z

Everybody knows the first (and final) part of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, but what about the rest? Well, here we go. This is Jean-Pierre Ponnelle 1975 film version, which, depending on your point of view, is either überkitsch, total trash, or art house (or maybe all at the same time). If you want to hear what this piece was supposed to sound like you can find a great recording here (overseen by the composer himself, and very percussion heavy).

]]>

(just in case you're wondering the final part repeats the very first part)

PS: In my personal book, Orff deserves a lot of credit for his Schulwerk: "The Orff approach of music education uses very rudimentary forms of everyday activities in the purpose of music creation by young individuals. This includes singing in groups and performing voice instrumental music, rhymes and playing instruments such as the metallophone, xylophone, glockenspiel, and other percussive instruments." When I was in elementary school, I was able to attend Schulwerk classes, and I am convinced that part of my own personal preference for strongly percussive music originated there.

Friday Music Mix: Beatboxing

2009-02-20T20:50:45Z

I was looking for something entirely different, but then I came across this...

Friday Music Mix: Buraka Som Sistema

2009-02-13T05:11:29Z

I know nothing about this music...

(Updated below)

]]>

And this video can't be embedded, but you really want to have a look.

Update: It helps tremendously to have readers all over the globe who can provide information. Duarte Amaral Netto wrote me: "Buraka is a Lisbon hard suburban zone (in fact it belongs to other city called Amadora, known for it's emigrants) and can also mean a hole, Som Sistema is (easy) Sound System. Their name has irony and humor but it's not sarcastic. They mix Angola's Kuduro (Portugal's ex colony) with electronic/dance music, and they've been clubbing all over Europe with great success. They are now touring in Australia. You can go to their label (they created it) and see other projects: http://www.enchufada.com/". Thanks, Duarte!

Friday Video: Autechre's 'Gantz Graf'

2009-01-30T14:31:29Z

Friday Music/Video Mix

2009-01-23T17:10:55Z

I came across this combination of a music and video mixing session by chance - unless you're interested in electronic music and/or in video art, you probably want to skip the rest of this post.

]]> part 1:

part 2:

part 3:

part 4:

part 5:

part 6:

Music Mix: The Monks

2009-01-08T17:24:52Z

The Monks live on German TV, back in 1965. One more:

]]>

Friday Music Mix: Stereolab (pre 1995)

2008-11-14T21:49:25Z

Pre-1995, Stereolab were just amazing. After that... Not so much any longer...

]]>
And this one looks cool, what with the compression and colour artifacts:

Friday Monday music mix: Gary Numan

2008-11-10T21:10:04Z

The very first record I ever bought was actually a tape (!), and my dad had to take me to the record store, since I was only 11 and somewhat clueless about how that all worked (my dad didn't know, either, which didn't help). At the record store, they told me they couldn't find what I was looking for (an album by Tubeway Army that had "Are Friends Electric?" on it), but they noted that Gary Numan was pretty much the same thing. So they ordered (!) Gary Numan's "The Pleasure Principle" for me, and about two weeks later (did I mention I grew up in the middle of nowhere?) the tape arrived. When I heard "Metal" I thought it was about the coolest thing I had ever heard (which, of course, doesn't mean all that much when you're only 11). I should note that Gary Numan's amount of personal awkwardness evident from that promo video pretty much matched mine at age 11.

]]>
Needless to say, in my home town nobody had ever heard of Gary Numan before or knew what to make of the music. My best friend, however, was fairly critical, since Gary Numan used actual instruments instead of just synthesizers (he used to count the number of beats in Kraftwerk songs, so I could always tell myself that I was still fairly normal).

These days, Gary Numan (along with Kraftwerk) is one of those really cool people, with cover versions produced by people like Trent Reznor...

... or Afrika Bambaata. For me, the original still is the best.

Friday Music Mix: Dälek

2008-10-31T10:56:34Z

I'm seriously tired after this week's series of posts, so for today it'll only be underground/avantgarde hip hop act Dälek. One more:

]]>

Friday Music Mix: Mulligan & O'Haire

2008-10-17T12:15:51Z

A bit of comedy, courtesy of Reeves & Mortimer. My favourite bit is their interpretation of somebody else's song, using slightly unusual musical instruments. Another one:

]]>

Friday Music Mix: Guitars, guitars, guitars

2008-10-03T04:11:32Z

Maybe the right stuff, after the VP debate - this only works if you play it really loud. Mogwai. And a classic:

]]>
My Bloody Valentine

Henryk Gorecki: Symphony No. 3, 2nd movement ("Lento e Largo")

2008-09-26T04:41:10Z

Henryk Gorecki: Symphony No. 3, 2nd movement ("Lento e Largo")

Friday Music Mix: Life During Wartime

2008-09-19T19:41:23Z

My favourite Talking Heads song (and I love the... well... "dance" moves). Another real classic, an early version (I usually like their earlier, sparser stuff better):

]]>

Friday Music Mix: Pizzicato Five

2008-09-12T15:17:26Z

I have been sick for a few days now, so it's time for something light and groovy.

]]>