How come no one ever skates to the 1812 Overture?
Another little used piece from Carmen is the Nocturne. I've loved this piece for a long time, I think it's absolutely gorgeous, especially with the violin solo. I don't know of any Carmen programs that use it, but if someone knows of one, let me know because I want to see it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N5x4XPpKKo
When it comes to Besame Mucho which has been used by at least just about every Finnish skater () there's a fresh interpretation by Kaplan. I find it very beautiful!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6LiXpFlNlg
On Spotify there is a longer version which would be perfect for SPs.
Last edited by ankka; 03-31-2011 at 07:21 PM.
Oh and out of the Nutcracker, "Arabian Dance" is beautiful yet very little used. I would love to see someone do justice to it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywMOMedVVZs
Does anyone have an answer for that
And why so little skating to Respighi?
Fountains
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABU-Y...eature=related
Ancient Airs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvJC5t7-zQk
Pines
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYz7PfHrDWk
I think it might be too overwhelming. A tiny skater whirling delicately about while a thousand church bells are gonging their hearts out, cannons booming, Moscow in flames, the army of Napoleon sweeping forward on the wings of La Marseillaise...
But then again, someone did Beethoven's Fifth last year.
Yeah, Respighi is such a wonderful orchestrator that I'd love to hear someone skate to him, especially Fountains of Rome. Or the third section of the Botticelli Triptych, the Birth of Venus:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdQ9ONMsxd8
I always wait for someone to skate to this piece. I thought Caroline Zhang in her heyday would have been awesome since the ballet dance calls for very flexible moves which Caroline could translate to the ice so well.
I can't wait for an ice dance team to take on "Past the Point of No Return" from POTO. That score is used so much but that piece not really, and if used it is always part of a medley. It would be nice to see it as a standalone Tango, maybe for a SD one year.
Or we could just say Yagudin has retired and none of today's Men are up to it.
Thinking ahead to 2014, perhaps the returning Olympic champion could bring 1812 with him to Sochi. He seems to like warhorses and it would be fun watching him skate to 1812 as Grandpa once again tries to prove he is the tango king.
By that time Chan will have finaly mastered his "Phantom" program only to find ou too late the judges are sick of it![]()
Concerning Respighi; There are a few skaters that have used it a U.S. Nationals, but not successfully. I think the problem may be the dynamic shading of his music. When I listen to Pines of Rome I find myself having to adjust the volume more than once. If I'm in the car, I can never hear half of the catacomb's section and I can't begin to get the full effect of the Appian Way. I think Respighi's music is enjoyed best in live performances.
I'm sure an expert sound engineer could overcome these issues. It only needs a skater with some funds to cut the music well and Pines of Rome could become one of the great skating "warhorses".
Just like I love those chords in Daphnis and Chloe, I thrill to the way that "Pines of the Appian Way" gets all the way there and leaves me feeling complete. With the right skater it could be a masterpiece.
As with Daphnis and Chloe, I can't find a really good version of Pines of the Appian Way on youtube.
Last edited by A.H.Black; 04-01-2011 at 11:11 AM.
In response to the poster who asked if Nocturne from Carmen had been used-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bgiMdbiPHk
Just that once, I believe.
I have also never heard of anyone using Clara's pas de deux:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=742QkQYRmqE
You're right about the audio in "Pines" and "Fountains" also, but the Botticelli one has a pretty constant volume, and it accelerates beautifully in tempo. It could make a lovely short program, with some cuts. There's a bit in the end where the music stops and then starts again...I always imagined a pair routine with death spiral that became airborne there, the way Grinkov used to spin Gordeyeva into the air for a rotation or two in pro programs.
Math, I'm still chuckling over your description of the 1812 Overture as a vehicle for a ladies' singles skater. Don't let Mao see your post, or she'll commission TAT to choreograph it for her! And I've got her pegged for the Botticelli piece.
Postscript: Speaking of warhorses, no one's mentioned Dvorak's New World Symphony. Wouldn't that be a rich trove of music, some suitable and some not so much. The first movement especially, with that fierce A theme and the serene B theme, would have lots of potential.
Last edited by Olympia; 04-01-2011 at 11:45 AM.
OMG YES! I love that selection--and it is very dynamic. It has lots of levels, and if edited correctly, could make a wonderful program!
In general, I've found Dvorak to be the "forgotten" composer in skating. He doesn't get as much play as Tchaikovsky, Bizet, or the others.
I would also like to see Elgar's Cello Concerto. Very elegiac, yes, but for the right introspective skater, it could be a masterpiece.
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