Carmen Overload

[Mathman]

I admired what Frank Carroll did for Michelle Kwan, always looking for unusual and different pieces of music for her performances.

I think Lpri Nichol deserves a lot of credit, too. Nichol maintained a very large music library and worked closely with a music consultant, Lenore Kay.

[layman]

I personally like Carmen.

I get that some people really like Carmen (skaters seem to be in love with the piece) but I think there out to be an automatic 10-point deduction for any skater (or team) using Carmen. Maybe then we might get more variety of music choices.

[blue dog]

Actually, one pleasant surprise is Christina Gao and her SP music. I have never heard of the song, "Close without Touching," the album it came from, "The Spirit of Olympia" or the artists that did it, David Arkenstone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Arkenstone <---- he sounds absolutely fascinating. And the guy has FORTY studio albums, so plenty to choose from.

This was actually used in skating before. It was Michelle Kwan's short program in 1996.

[Mrs. P]

This was actually used in skating before. It was Michelle Kwan's short program in 1996.

Doh! Well I didn't follow skating super seriously then....and of course more attention was on her FS. Still, it's not a war horse and I admire Christina for picking something of some significance to her -- being too close, but not touching the podium.

But this speaks to my point that the guy has 40 albums, surely skaters could find other songs to skate to.

[hrmsk8ngnutt]

Which is why I admire Akiko Suzuki's programs this year, in particular her free, where she uses the Cirque du Soleil's O music. I'm sure there has been other skaters who have skated to Cirque du Soleil, but given the wide library of shows that company puts out, it's not hard to find some new music.

I think the challenge is to find music cuts that work with the technical elements. But I would think that would be part of the fun!

Actually, one pleasant surprise is Christina Gao and her SP music. I have never heard of the song, "Close without Touching," the album it came from, "The Spirit of Olympia" or the artists that did it, David Arkenstone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Arkenstone <---- he sounds absolutely fascinating. And the guy has FORTY studio albums, so plenty to choose from.

This was actually used in skating before. It was Michelle Kwan's short program in 1996.

Actually, it was Karen Kwan who used Close Without Touching in 1996: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ0xJoshfkw

I was struck in the similarity in costume color. Here is Christina's SP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k258izqOONU

[Mrs. P]

Actually, it was Karen Kwan who used Close Without Touching in 1996: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ0xJoshfkw

I was struck in the similarity in costume color. Here is Christina's SP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k258izqOONU

Yes, indeed very similar. OK, I was tripping up a bit because I didn't think Michelle did a program to that music, but I following skating more casually -- watching it on tv when it was on mainly -- back in the 90s.

[fallingsk8er]

There's no such thing as Carmen overload! ...its kinda like chocolate overload!! Bring on the Carmens!! Patrick Chan should skate to Carmen too. He's already got the pants from last years costume.

[Rachmaninoff]

I guess that I am in the minority; however, I don't care what music skater skates to. They could all skate to the same music and it would not bother me.

I'm in a different minority; I rather like to see common pieces of music interpreted by skaters, if they can do a good job with it and perhaps give it their own unique flair. As CAS put very well:

...for me overused music is only boring if the skater/s skating to it are boring

I like to see skaters using great music that is suitable for a figure skating program, and that they can really interpret and perform in a memorable way. Sometimes that's common skating music; sometimes it's unfamiliar music. Sasha Cohen used a lot of familiar skating music, but she did it very well, and I always liked to see what she'd do with it. If I think a skater's going to do a particularly good job with an "overused" piece of music, then I'm eager to see it.

Really the only time I complain about too many programs being done to a certain piece of music, is when I was bored by the music in the first place. And I'm far from bored with "Carmen."

[blue dog]

There's no such thing as Carmen overload! ...its kinda like chocolate overload!! Bring on the Carmens!! Patrick Chan should skate to Carmen too. He's already got the pants from last years costume.

At the competitions, they need to add a separate division: Carmen Interp

[Mathman]

But Michelle's actual SP music in 1996, Romanza, did have a Carmenesque vibe to it.

Here she is, age 15. Olé!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1imuQWeIi4Q

[layman]

At the competitions, they need to add a separate division: Carmen Interp

All Carmen, all the time...that's what figure skating is becoming. The ISU might as well make Carmen mandatory compulsory music for all programs in all skatng divisions. It will be so much easier to compare apples with apples. Why not change the name of the sport from "Figure" skating to Carmen skating?

[ImaginaryPogue]

Oh, come on. We had one competition, and unfortunately we had three Carmens in one day. I get that it's tough to take given how used the music is. But we're getting seven Phantom of the Operas, which is like being bludgeoned to death with a fruitcake. At least Carmen is awesome music.

[drivingmissdaisy]

I think the music helps some of the ladies come out of their shell a bit, because they are forced to take on a familiar character to sell the program. I haven't seen a Carmen I've enjoyed as much as Witt's, although Michelle's Fate of Carmen SP comes close.

[all that]

For me, V/M's Carmen is like listening to the music for the first time. All the other Carmens I've seen were nothing but fridge breaks. This kept me glued to the screen.

[emma]

I guess I'm a fence sitter on this one. I love some of the "war horses" because I love the music. For example, I love, love, love Turandot especially Nessum Duram. I also love the Nutcracker. going to movies - I love the Mission so much it is ridiculous. So, I would miss these.

But I also love variety and range especially, of course, when done well. So, with Michelle - I found her skating to music that was (until later in her career) 'unique' and I loved that uniqueness - as I did, say, last year with Carolina Kostner, and correct me if I am wrong but Dai's choices (some were very familiar with Blues from gymnastics and 1990s ice dance, but I was not, and wasn't familiar with in the garden of souls). Or Jeremy's use of Muse - to me that was such an interesting choice. But back to 'overused' - Chan's Aranjuez - one of my all time favorite pieces ever, I absolutely adored his program, yet, didn't LOVE (as in over the top love, just little love) the particular cuts or version he chose.

Go figure (pun somewhat intended) - I think my point is, that besides intentionally fence sitting on this one, it's the particular version, the particular cuts, and perhaps even the particular choreography for each version taht makes me 'love' or 'hate' a war horse; love or hate something unfamiliar to me as well.