Soon

This is uncommonly excellent, a cover of a portion of "The Gates of Delirium" from the Relayer album. You really really got to listen to this fellow Tim sing, especially if you know a little about Yes.



I strongly recommend the whole Yes song in context, especially if you appreciate intricate progressive rock - listen here and purchase here. The band is solid on this album, with Steve Howe on guitar and Patrick Moraz on keys.

There is a brief moment toward the end of "Soon" that sounds just like a motif from Wagner's Parsifal - a good side note considering my last post.

There are plenty of great videos of Yes doing this song on YouTube as well. The number of likes on those videos is just overwhelming.

Yes - "Soon" Live in 2002 & 1975

Currently you can also find the entire Yessongs video and even Jon Anderson's Olias of Sunhillow, all great stuff (especially watching a young Steve Howe perform "The Clap" on the former video... check it out.)

Yessongs
Olias of Sunhillow 

Next, Patrick Moraz is an absolute genius. Check this out -



Unbelievable.

Cheers,
Angus

Transformation Music

We will not talk here about Richard Wagner the person, nor will we talk about how awfully obtuse the plot of Parsifal is. Instead, we will focus on the music, first the opening Prelude:

Georg Solti is a magician with this kind of music and many other kinds as well. I'm willing to say if there's one thing to hear by Wagner other than the flying Valkyries, this is it. Anyway, the motifs that surface here pop up thematically to season the rest of this Bühnenweihfestspiel (now is a good time for a beer). Let me leave you with two things; first, the entire libretto translated:

http://www.monsalvat.no/trans0.htm

Then, one of the key scenes, "Verwandlungsmusik,"
or Transformation Music...

Download here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?w7fcqwqyrdmws1y

....in which you will hear the motifs from the Prelude as well as an enormous musical surprise unlike anything I've ever heard. It is awe-inspiring, and beautiful. Only a man with an ego the size of Wagner's could have thought it up. This version is performed by James Levine and the New York Met. Levine takes it slow - lets that grandeur sink in deep.

What else do I like by Wagner so far? Well, I think Tristan und Isolde is perfect, both for the music and the plot. The star-crossed lovers in that music drama are red-blooded, spiteful, feisty creatures. It is enjoyable every step of the way. The other is Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, because it is so filled with melody and celebration. I have not heard the Ring cycle in its entirety. Then again, I haven't even turned 40; there's time yet for that.

Cheers,
Angus

Nokia Lumia 900

Well, it's time for another commercial break. Windows Phone rocks! Check it out - go to a store and play around with one. I got the Nokia Lumia 900 in black, though the cyan pictured here is cool too. The phone is easy as hell to use, plenty quick, and versatile. I understand Windows 8 is coming soon, but as of now this is hands down the best contract deal for a smartphone on AT&T. Thumbs up! 

You can read my review here.

Cheers,

Angus

1966

The classic recording of William Walton's Symphony No. 1. The first premiere of the entire work was in 1935; this recording is from 1966. Love the opening. Am addicted to the finale. What's in the middle is just as engaging. This is among the finest bright lights, big city orchestral statements made in the twentieth century. Previn made it happen, the jazz, the anxiety, angst, energy, endurance - whatever words describe the music, it's all right here. I think of this symphony as the Western equivalent of Shostakovich No. 5 in the sense that both symphonies depict struggle, one with totalitarian regime, the other with the individual's place in the hustle of the free world. You may hear something different, which is OK. That's the whole joy of hearing tunes without words.

Download here (no password):
http://www.mediafire.com/?gpzeseukilj33d6

Buy HERE (Collected Works... A+). Also check out Walton's Second and the Viola Concerto HERE. Or Belshazzar's Feast HERE. And a whole bunch of other great stuff HERE.

Cheers,
Angus