If you were an Olympic figure skater... what would your music be

Really great thread!!

SP : Main Title from Hidalgo ~ James Horner. Have thought from the first time I ever heard it, it would make a wonderful Short for someone out there.

or

Flaming Red Hair from The Fellowship of the Ring : The Lord of the Rings ~ Also known as Bilbo's Party Music. I've always thought that would make an awesome SP too.

Long Program

The Lord of the Rings Movie Trilogy ~ I can't believe we've gone through another Olympics and no LOTR programs. Especially no LOTR programs based on music from The Return of the King. Especially the music that goes along w/The Lighting of the Beacons. There's one crensendo when we're flying over the mountains watching them be lit...I always see a big throw or triple Axel/Quad landed there. It just screams Olympic Gold Medal winning music, so why it's never been used for the last two Olympic cycles...!?!

or

Alatriste ~ This move based on a series of books in Spain about a Mercenary in the dying years of the Spanish Empire has some wonderful music and would make a really fantastic program for the right person.

Gala

My favourite song has been skated by Chris Mabee, but didn't do it justice. That would be Great Big Sea's Ordinary Day. I've got it all choreographed in my head. Pity I can't skate it the way I can in my head, because it really would be a kick *** show number.

Tigger said:

The Lord of the Rings Movie Trilogy ~ I can't believe we've gone through another Olympics and no LOTR programs. Especially no LOTR programs based on music from The Return of the King. Especially the music that goes along w/The Lighting of the Beacons. There's one crensendo when we're flying over the mountains watching them be lit...I always see a big throw or triple Axel/Quad landed there. It just screams Olympic Gold Medal winning music, so why it's never been used for the last two Olympic cycles...!?!

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Somehow I just knew you'd be the one to mention LOTR... We've discussed it before, aren't there any skaters lurking about who will take this suggestion?

SerpentineSteps said:

FS: 4'33" by John Cage
I'm really looking forward to my choreography and costume for the FS. It will be SUPER appropriate for the dramatic music.

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SerpentineSteps wins the thread.

Here's a particularly moving full orchestral version (although the solo piano version also has a lot going for it).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUJagb7hL0E

Buttercup said:

Somehow I just knew you'd be the one to mention LOTR... We've discussed it before, aren't there any skaters lurking about who will take this suggestion?

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I aim to please!!

Seriously though, there's just so much good music among all three movies that...!?! I don't get it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6paZtB6DeQ
Yes, it's perhaps somewhat unskateable...but I always loved Beethoven's Tempest Sonata.

To stay with the "stormy weather" theme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZDw5Wp-Bfo&feature=related

And if everyone has to skate to Tchaikovsky all the time, he wrote more than just "Swan Lake" and "Nutcracker" (great though they undoubtedly are... the "Nutcracker" is basically one "super hit" of classical music after another ):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E05ltqcIVNo

In the same vein: Stravinsky? Did more than just "Firebird". "Rite of Spring" might possibly make the judges' heads explode, I know, (though come to think of it, what about Pechalat/Bourzat? They like to do offbeat stuff ), but "Petrushka" is great, too. And very well suited to skating IMO.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkg_lJeHmjs

And I always wanted someone to skate to Glass's soundtrack for the Bela Lugosi "Dracula". It's beautiful, haunting music. I know people criticize him for his endless wavy tinkling, but I love it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXLRzQcpYTs

Two pieces I think would lend themselves to a skating performance with style are Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and Richard Rodgers' "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" from the musical On Your Toes.

The Gershwin piece has several tempo changes and wonderful melodies. Oddly, though I recall people skating to An American in Paris and, this year, his Piano Concerto in F, I don't remember anyone skating to this, and it's about as rhythmic and powerful as they come.

The Rodgers piece was originally a ballet within the musical. I believe the first person to perform it on Broadway was Vera Zorina, and Gene Kelly did a version of it in one of his movies (with Vera-Ellen, I think). Here's an orchestral performance of it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diA5vUZJDvA

A Tchaikovsky piece that would be great to perform some extract of is his Suite number 3. There's a haunting waltz section in minor key, and the final movement is a monumental theme and variations that was once actually choreographed by Balanchine.

Olympia said:

Two pieces I think would lend themselves to a skating performance with style are Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and Richard Rodgers' "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" from the musical On Your Toes.

The Gershwin piece has several tempo changes and wonderful melodies. Oddly, though I recall people skating to An American in Paris and, this year, his Piano Concerto in F, I don't remember anyone skating to this, and it's about as rhythmic and powerful as they come.

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Ilia Kulik skated to Rhapsody in Blue (his free skate) at the 1998 Nagano Olympics and won gold.

Olympia said:

Two pieces I think would lend themselves to a skating performance with style are Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and Richard Rodgers' "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" from the musical On Your Toes. .

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Hough and Ladret skated to Slaughter on Tenth Avenue for their LP for the 87/88 season. IMO, the best performance of it was at 87 Skate Canada in Calgary, which was also the Olympic Test Event for Figure Skating that Season. If you can find it over at YouTube, watch it, as it really is one of the best competitive routines they ever skated IMO.