Which music would you love to see skated to (& by who)?

ForeverFish said:

This may be random, but I'd love to see Yuna skate to "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy." It's not an easy piece to interpret, since it's soft and lyrical and graceful throughout, but Yuna is one of the few ladies who could pull it off with finesse.

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I think classical ballet would be the worst choice Yuna could make. Dynamic music is much more suited to how she moves. Les Mis was in the right direction even though it has been used so very much.

russell30 said:

That Music belongs to Maria Butyrskaya and Maria interpreted it so beautifully so I don't think Yu Na should skate to that

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Disagree Maria had the penultimate skate to Otonal but one of her better performances. Don't think it will do much for Yuna. Another Bond soundtrack would suit her-there are many, and it would make people connect with her snazzy winning SP in Vancouver. I think she should do another homage to Kwan. Aranjuez is over used but something Latin with strong melody and places for her giant jumps. I think Wilson likely has considered so much music for her. Someone wanted to see her do Carmen, but to me that would be like she was copying Debi and Witt. I wish I knew more music to suggest an LP that hasn't been done, but she needs fast paced dramatic music as she uses her arms and hands a lot, as they all do these days, to excess.

I trust Wilson will find her suitable music that has not been done to death. She really can't lose if she skates clean. But soft, slow, adagio type sequences will be rare. That just isn't her forte. It will be very exciting to see what all the top ladies choose for Olympic season. I am very interested to see what Caro chooses and Wagner. Also Akiko. Besides Mao, I think these ladies have the most tpo offer in interpretation, along with Osmond. She is such a fabulous skater/performer, I am hoping she has the programs of her young life. The Russian girls still leave me cold. I didn't really like any program that much last year. I hope the performance side catches up to the technique with the top girls. Liza already has a distinct style, which some find very overdone. I hope she is able to pull together good music, choreo and costume. I really am not a fan of what I saw last season. Sadly, CoP does not lend itself always to beautiful programs. I am not looking forward to cookie cutter spins. Wagner and Caro and Akiko, along with Mao still manage to convey classic lines, detail and beauty in parts of their programs.

I find myself watching more 6.0 older programs. I really liked seeing slow sections, and beautiful spirals. Gee, skating has changed so much. I want to see someone sakte like Janet Lynn to Debussy. I guess that's over.

ForeverFish said:

This may be random, but I'd love to see Yuna skate to "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy." It's not an easy piece to interpret, since it's soft and lyrical and graceful throughout, but Yuna is one of the few ladies who could pull it off with finesse.

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She could do this, but only if she used the Deviations Project version of it (Gracie Gold used it for her SP in Juniors) as it's clever and different in how it's constructed.

As it is, I wish someone WOULD use something else from Deviations Project. They have a piece called "Medication" which is their version of "Meditation" by Thais which I really think could be amazing.

icellist said:

For Mirai's other program, I hope a rendition of Sorceror's Apprentice and Holst's Uranus maybe with exciting Bebe Liang choreo.

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Which reminds me, back when she was 15 I wanted to see her skate a Goldilocks-themed program using Dvorak's Humoresque for the walking through the forest part. I figured it would have to be someone of that age and Mirai at 14 had the right sense of energy and mischief -- afterward there's too much pressure to prove one is "mature" and ready for seniors.

But all grown up now, it'd be great to see that side of her again, which your music suggestions could bring out.

I'd love to see the Shibs skate to Simon & Garfunkel's Sound of Silence.

Has anyone ever skated to the LOTR soundtrack? It's odd if no one has.

In light of today's news, maybe Plushy should skate to something from Return of the King - not that I expect him to, but wouldn't it be fun?

And how would this be for Alissa Czisny?:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im5CIpMFo4Q

I think she has the aetherial/graceful quality to bring it off.

I'd love for someone to skate to the Dark Knight Rises soundtrack

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLNX25YHRoY&list=PL0DCA38488ED57BE6

but I suppose for the men it would be a question of costuming - and the risk of ending up looking far more like Adam West than Christian Bale. So, maybe if one of the ladies - Akiko Suzuki or Yuna Kim, for instance - were to do Catwoman?

mskater93 said:

She could do this, but only if she used the Deviations Project version of it (Gracie Gold used it for her SP in Juniors) as it's clever and different in how it's constructed.

As it is, I wish someone WOULD use something else from Deviations Project. They have a piece called "Medication" which is their version of "Meditation" by Thais which I really think could be amazing.

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That's actually the arrangement I had in mind when typing that post. It's not TOO soft and princess-y (it has some good strong beats that Yuna could work wonders with), but it still captures the ethereal magic of Tchaikovsky's ballet.

Of course, it'll likely never happen, seeing as how Yuna seems to prefer fiery, emotional music with changes in style throughout.

LRK said:

Has anyone ever skated to the LOTR soundtrack? It's odd if no one has.

In light of today's news, maybe Plushy should skate to something from Return of the King - not that I expect him to, but wouldn't it be fun?

And how would this be for Alissa Czisny?:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im5CIpMFo4Q

I think she has the aetherial/graceful quality to bring it off.

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Great suggestions! I'd also add this one from the LOTR soundtrack: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgsieRxp34c

On the subject of underused soundtracks: has anyone skated to music from Legend of Zelda? Gymnast Elsa Garcia from Mexico used a Zelda medley as music for her floor exercise last year, but I can't recall any skater using it. These are all great:

- Ballad of the Goddess: for Kanako, maybe?
- Gerudo Valley ver1 and ver2: someone fast (Gracie?)
- Main theme: Yuzuru

Also, I'd really love to see someone (maybe Akiko?) skate to this tango. It's beautiful and really underused - I can only think of a few programs to this music (Mao's 2008-2009 EX, Davis/White tango FD in 2010-2011, Castelli/Shnapir FS last year).

Here is my wish: "Jupiter" from Gustav Holst's "Planets" for Daisuke Takahashi!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay-irGLvTJo

Karajan's version with Berliner Philharmoniker, of course.

Or, Calude Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a faun. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PivptEk6IxU
As for his SP, something from Bach's Cello Suites, please. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHzfD6XLK7Q

If the skating god hear me and let him pick up one of these, I will be over the moon! :yes:

I'd love to see one of the up-and-coming ladies skate to an orchestral version of "Don't Rain on My Parade," which is, I think, from the musical "Fanny."

It's upbeat, and I think the melody has parts that would choreograph nicely to accommodate a short program.

Also, I don't recall anyone skating to this before... although I'm sure someone will prove that to be wrong.

LRK said:

Has anyone ever skated to the LOTR soundtrack? It's odd if no one has.

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Todd E. did for his 2001/2002 Olympic free skate (BTW, just for the record, he was originally planning to skate to the music from the "Band of Brothers" soundtrack (a beautiful, moving score, too).

Thanks! I immediately had to look it up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NWQmpaw6TU

I don't know how I could have forgotten (I can only blame it on having been ill - which I was, and I have only very sketchy memories from a few years there, but still... ); I really enjoyed watching that. It also goes to show that the music is very well suited for skating.

Glad you're better, LRK! Now you can savor every moment of skating, and you can always relive the ones you missed with a visit to YouTube. Stay well!

Aww! Thanks Olympia! 'Tis true, I seem to be trying to make up for the time I've lost by hanging in front of the computer, reading this forum, and all kinds of things - and thank goodness for Youtube! - it's a treasure trove indeed!

To keep on topic, I simply adore this song from The Hobbit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC-JOW2YafM

I wish they had sung the whole thing:

http://thorinoakenshield.net/misty-mountains-lyrics/

Anyway, I'd love to see someone skate to it.

Or, as I often refer to it, YouTube University. You can gain quite a body of knowledge with a bit of investigation. Thanks for the links from Hobbit! I hadn't seen those before.

I love that between them, Tolkien and filmmaker Peter Jackson have managed to make an epic romantic hero of a dwarf. They have completely un-Disneyfied the species, thank goodness.

I wonder whether you've ever heard this version, from a 1970s animated version of The Hobbit. I think folksinger Glenn Yarbrough had something to do with this score, if I recall correctly. He had a beautiful tenor with a distinctive vibrato (though he doesn't sing on this song). This version is simpler in structure than the new one, but I think it's very effective. (Again, deep gratitude to YouTube. All sorts of treasures buried in its depths.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUXP8VEXWMs

Olympia said:

Or, as I often refer to it, YouTube University. You can gain quite a body of knowledge with a bit of investigation. Thanks for the links from Hobbit! I hadn't seen those before.

I love that between them, Tolkien and filmmaker Peter Jackson have managed to make an epic romantic hero of a dwarf. They have completely un-Disneyfied the species, thank goodness.

I wonder whether you've ever heard this version, from a 1970s animated version of The Hobbit. I think folksinger Glenn Yarbrough had something to do with this score, if I recall correctly. He had a beautiful tenor with a distinctive vibrato (though he doesn't sing on this song). This version is simpler in structure than the new one, but I think it's very effective. (Again, deep gratitude to YouTube. All sorts of treasures buried in its depths.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUXP8VEXWMs

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No, I hadn't - thanks for sharing that!

If you liked Richard Armitage as Thorin, you should - if you haven't already - give North & South a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn7cQZ0FO7A&list=PL37C4F50AE2843168

Also, I'd love to see someone skate to this!

And some other BBC costume drama soundtracks I'd love to see used:

Little Dorrit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsBlmwzGJLg

Lorna Doone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acPt_e2009Q

I think they might suit some of the ladies and pairs especially - though I'm not sure who exactly. I think North & South and Little Dorrit might suit Zijun Li, maybe? Maybe Lorna Doone might suit Liza well? Thoughts?

Also other pieces of music that I think might be unusual

- I love this Asterix & Obelix piece:

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

And this from the Babylon 5 movie In the Beginning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl-AjNiEXX0

I think there is a lot of skateable music lying around unused - or virtually unused.

ETA - Oh, and this soundtrack from Black Beauty:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St7goBjvPAA

Glad you're better, now. LRK. We all those movie soundtracks, don't we? And, as Olympia said, thank goodness for Youtube University!

iluvtodd said:

Glad you're better, now. LRK. We all those movie soundtracks, don't we? And, as Olympia said, thank goodness for Youtube University!

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Thank you, iluvtodd - you and Olympia remind me why I adore GS, and being a member. Yes, sometimes tempers can run high - but essentially this is a really friendly place, with lovely people.

And yes, we do! There are indeed some really great soundtracks out there - some barely used! (Though that is probably a subject for another thread - but why does some music get overused, and some underused?)

LRK said:

And yes, we do! There are indeed some really great soundtracks out there - some barely used! (Though that is probably a subject for another thread - but why does some music get overused, and some underused?)

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Do you want to start that thread?
I think it would be relevant to this one.

That's a good question, LRK. I've often wondered why skating folk don't explore music more aggressively. Many skaters (and presumably their coaches and choreographers) seem to like what they hear but don't seem to hunt up anything on their own. One exception was Lori Nichol during the Kwan years. I think the Taj Mahal program was set to the music of an Azerbaijani composer, for example, and of course the Salome was from the Richard Strauss opera (with bits from a movie soundtrack and from Ippolitov-Ivanov's Caucasian Sketches). I think Sandra Bezic is intrepid about music. I'm always a bit disappointed in Tarasova's choices, which are almost invariably warhorses. I mean, even just looking at other works by the composers she always uses would net her some unusual and powerful pieces of music for programs. For example, Rachmaninoff wrote three symphonies in addition to his piano works, plus an absolutely heart-melting cello sonata, plus the elegiac trios. (Lori Nichol used a bit from Rachmaninoff's first Elegiac Trio, if I'm not mistaken, in that great 1998 short program for Michelle.) Even the much-used Tchaikovsky has barely been touched except for a few central works and has many surprises available.

As for movie soundtracks, there are heaps of untouched ones, including major works such as Field of Dreams and Legends of the Fall by James Horner, and some lovely passages by John Williams. Here's one of the best sections of the Harry Potter soundtracks, Mischief Managed from the third movie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUGtOHqpS-A

And then there are Williams' more obscure movies, such as Hook, which give us this buoyant score, which I actually prefer to Harry Potter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xekV12yTKOQ

Not to mention Miklos Rozsa's splendid score for The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, which any "woman of mystery" could skate to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G2eEdznS2I