Vocal music that you might actually enjoy on ice

[TontoK]

Although I'm not sure it would translate to European and Asian audiences (non-universality is my major concern with vocals), I'd love to see a ladies short program to something by Patsy Cline.

She had an amazing voice, one that transcended the "country music gal" box that some relegate her to.

"Walking After Midnight" has the potential to be more soulful and sultry than the ladies' standard, "Fever."

"Sweet Dreams" is another great Patsy song, but not so sure how it would be to skate to.

 

[Krislite]

Great lyrics.

I'll just leave this here. "You'll remember me when the west wind blows..."

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

I actually expect "Fields of Gold" to be the next Carmen once vocals are allowed next season.

Despite all the fears that skaters will start using vulgar pop music, I think it's more likely that skaters will use "proven" vocal music as they do when they pick warhorses to skate to.

 

[Krislite]

I think skaters will likely venture into musical/opera songs with lyrics, particularly those that have proven popular in the past. I honestly don't expect them to start using pop music at first. (Except maybe Sotnikova, who might break out the full Aguilera discography over the next quad. ) So Carmen will remain popular, and we'll finally get to hear the lyrics to "Habanera" or "Toreador". Likewise with Les Miz and Turandot. Maybe more highly regarded "classics" of modern music will become popular, too, like "Fields of Gold". Surely choreographers will be mindful that more popular music can be polarizing, unlike vocal-less classical music, and could alienate some audience and judges who dislike a particular genre or singer.

This is my wishful thinking anyway. Who knows? Maybe Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Beyonce will be gracing ice rinks with their shrilly vocals next season...

 

[RABID]

It may seem counter intuitive but I cam SEE great skate potential with this meditative piece from Sheila Chandra.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPFH89P6f0Y

 

[ghislaine]

Sigur Ros. Everyone needs to skate to Sigur Ros. Would make for intense, emotional long programs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc6zXSdYXm8
Jonsi's solo album has a few gems on it as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1WomtTi0wY

 

[w_darling]

My personal opinion -- the lyrics should not be a problem for a physically and emotionally mature skater -- say at least 17 for girls and a little older for boys.

I think that solo piano + soprano will NOT sound good on arena sound systems. I would advise against it for any live (therefore any competitive) program for that reason. For a made-for-TV artistic program for which the sound can be adjusted in the studio it could be OK.

I hadn't thought of acoustics but that's a good point! Perhaps this is a question better suited for the other thread about choosing music, but I wonder if skaters/their choreographers make deliberate choices re: acoustics as well. Even with classical music, different performances or arrangements can have different sound balances... On the other hand, I don't think ice skating rinks necessarily have the best acoustics to begin with so maybe they don't care so much about what would probably amount to a very subtle difference at most.

Now that I've thought more about it, Kristlite probably has the right of it re: skater's music choices. They'll probably want to stick to more conventional vocal music if at all.

 

[gkelly]

There are probably several different questions here:

What vocal music would you love to see interpreted on ice by an expert musical skater whose first priority for this program would be interpreting the music?

This would be talking about professional or show programs, where vocal music has already always been allowed anyway.

What vocal music do you think could be crafted into an artistically satisfying short program or well-balanced freeskate as performed by an artistically inclined competitive skater whose priority would be earning as many points as possible, for program components as well as technical elements?


This would be our dream programs, which could result in masterpieces by a competitive skater or team at the peak of his/her/their technical and artistic abilities -- as with instrumental music, we'll be lucky to get a handful of such programs in any given year. What do you think your favorite artistically inclined skater competing in 2014-15 would be able to handle while executing all the technical elements needed for competitive success?

What vocal music do you think would serve well to showcase technical and artistic skills in the context of a short program or well-balanced freeskate by a senior international competitor of average musicality and presentation ability, whose top priority is getting those difficult jumps landed and interpreting the music a distant second at best?

More realistically, more commonly -- What would you recommend for a jock who wants to win over both judges and audiences?

What vocal music would be pleasant to listen to and somewhat easy to interpret for skaters of lesser skill levels?

What would you recommend for a kid who just wants to get out there and show what s/he can do?

 

[Mathman]

The acoustics in the arena are actually so bad that it is quite impossible (at least for me) ever to make out the lyrics, even when you have live singers lip-synching to a state of the art sound system. So if the skater intends to act out what the words are saying, he has to go with songs that everyone knows the words to.

For skaters in gkelly's categories 1 and 2 I think the best choice would be one in which the voice is used as a musical instrument and the actual words are not so important. Someone mentioned Edith Piaf. The advantage to U.S audiences would be that non-francophones wouldn't know what the words were about anyway (probably love), so you could interpret the musical phrasing rather than act out the words.

For the last category (children), if they have a favorite song that speaks to their heart, go for it. Sandra Bezik tried to talk Tara Lipinski into using more mature music for the 1998 Olympics, but Tara put her size two foot down -- et voila!

 

[altuixde]

The Seal Lullaby

This music would be great for an exhibition program. Perhaps it's not a good choice for a competition program, though, because it's so mellow.

The Seal Lullaby is my favorite song right now. I think that if skaters performed well to it they would get standing ovations.

Edit: The entire song is on YouTube, but I'm not sure about posting a link, because of copyright reasons.

It's more than four minutes long, but it goes by so fast!

 

[NoNameFace]

Song which I would love to hear in EX program is Elbow's "Friend of ours" - it has some magic, Waltz-alike tempo and little details which can be praised only by an artist like Takahashi. I thought also about Virtue & Moir doing a program to this, it would bring me to tears for sure , here's the live version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGXDzqnJ-zw

 

[thinspread]

Allowable under current rules: Danielle Licari, Concerto Pour Une Voix; Bilitis OST, Scene D'Amour

Since Doris brought up a Dire Straits number: Water of Love (for FD); Setting Me Up (for singles fun piece); Once Upon A Time In The West (for FD); Angel Of Mercy (for FD); Single-Handed Sailor (for singles lyrical piece); Six Blade Knife (for FD)

Serge Gainsbourg/Jane Birkin: Chez Les Ye-Ye; Melody Nelson; Je Suis Venu Te Dire Que Je M'en Vais; La Javanaise; Couleur Cafe

Other choices for skating programs:
Eagles, Wasted Time
Alan Parsons, Don't Let It Show
Mountain, Theme From An Imaginary Western
Faye Wong, Tian Kong ("Sky")

 

[mskater93]

Current USFS rules allow vocals at some levels and for "interepretive" (artistic) events. One of the big considerations for that music (especially interpretive events) is whether the lyrics are understandable in various rinks and whether the concept/interpretation will stand on it's own if the sound system is terrible. That would be my biggest concern going with music with lyrics at an even higher level or for something super "important" like a World Championship...

 

[CoyoteChris]

Yes!

Broadway musical tunes!

 

[CoyoteChris]

The acoustics in the arena are actually so bad that it is quite impossible (at least for me) ever to make out the lyrics, .

Many arenas are like that but some are made to handle singing events better than others....I have been to so many I am trying to think of the best but I think San Jose had a good sound system and acoustics....
Lots of times it depends where you are sitting also....(What the heck? I cant hear anyways...I have a notch filter in my hearing in the human voice range....first time I heard "There's a bad moon on the rise" I heard
"There's a bathroom on the right"