Caroline, where is Thais?

[Tinymavy15]

To take it a little farther -- there is absolute music (what you call pure music) and there is program music. Not only does absolute music have "no story to tell", it has no reference to any scene, mood, image, tone painting, external programmatic theme, etc., etc. either.

The goal is that for ALL choices of music (absolute or programmatic) the skaters are ALWAYS supposed to add something to the music by their movement. That is the whole point. In all schools of choreography there is a fundamental principle that the movement should not "lean" on the music. The movement is supposed to complement and add to the music, so that the music and the movement together are more than the sum of their parts. If the choreography relies on the viewer knowing what the music is about, or if it is the music leading the viewer through the program then the choreography has failed. There are very few skating programs that come even close to meeting this ideal, which is why the presentation components for most skaters rightfully deserve to be in the toilet.

:agree: :agree:

like sasha's malagunea. that stood on it's on two feet.

 

[SeaniBu]

But which season is first in nature?

I knew that was going to be a comment :agree:

In any event they are numbered Op 8, 1-4 with spring first and winter last (not how I listed them).

So there is an order. Hunh, go figure.

Sorry, meant in jest. The past few post I have sounded kind of snippy when I read over them and I don't mean it that way. It is OK to disagree, I just had issue with someone saying my interpretation of nature's story put to music was wrong. I was also backed up by my HS choir director saying it is to him and some, but others do insist it is a "storyless refection."

I think both schools of thought on the subject are acceptable.

 

[gkelly]

But which season is first in nature? . . .
In any event they are numbered Op 8, 1-4 with spring first and winter last (not how I listed them).

And programs to that music use only part(s) of one or more but usually not all four concertos. So they're not telling the same story that Vivaldi was anyway.

If they choose to use that music tell a story of a frolicking zebra, who's to say it's wrong?

 

[gsrossano]

If they choose to use that music tell a story of a frolicking zebra, who's to say it's wrong?

me

 

[Mathman]

OK, why the "yes"????? I didn't ask or say she didn't???

Oh, sorry, it was Joe who brought up Fumie (post 24 above). I just natually assumed...

 

[Mathman]

If they choose to use that music tell a story of a frolicking zebra, who's to say it's wrong?

Is that what he was going for?

 

[redhotcoach]

I actually saw a coach teach a skater to flap her arms like a tweety bird and run on her toepicks when doing choreography yesterday.......so I expect to see a frolicking zebra next (and not only on africam)

 

[gsrossano]

I actually saw a coach teach a skater to flap her arms like a tweety bird and run on her toepicks when doing choreography yesterday.......so I expect to see a frolicking zebra next (and not only on africam)

Nothing wrong with a frolicking zebra program if it is done to frolicking zebra music (whatever that might be).

 

[hockeyfan228]

Mao at Worlds used a Hungarian theme which made her look cute, and that's sellable.

Joe

Very sellable. However, the music itself is a flirtation of extended line, and then pull back. There was nothing in Asada's interpretation that suggested the music, with the exception of the rink-length footwork. She skated right over it 4/4.

 

[Mathman]

Nothing wrong with a frolicking zebra program if it is done to frolicking zebra music (whatever that might be).

To hear Zebra Music, click here. (It's pretty soft -- turn the volume way up to hear it.)

http://www.musichefurlane.com/udinese.html

 

[gsrossano]

To hear Zebra Music, click here. (It's pretty soft -- turn the volume way up to hear it.)

http://www.musichefurlane.com/udinese.html

ooooooooooooooooooooh kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

(you have too much time on your hands )

 

[SeaniBu]

That is sooo funny!

 

[gio]

To hear Zebra Music, click here. (It's pretty soft -- turn the volume way up to hear it.)

http://www.musichefurlane.com/udinese.html

How did you find that???
Do you know what's this Mathman? These is the hymn sung at stadium to cheer the soccer team from Udine (Italian city in the Northeastern part of the country, between Venice and Trieste). The site isn't in Italian, because in Udine people speak another language, the Friulan language. Similiar to Italian, though. I'll say between French and Italian.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

the non fans of Lambiel can't bring up the 3A anymore because it has come back to life. So let's get at the zebra outfit. I don't know why he didn't burn it. It did bring him a world championship.
Maybe in his dreams he saw Vivaldi's music picture had a giraffe running over the veld.

Joe

 

[Mathman]

Lambiel has no non-fans. There are three skaters that everyone likes, at least in the U.S. Stephane Lambiel, Alissa Czisny and Beatrisa Liang. I have never seen a negative post about any of these three.

 

[alicelouise]

skater fitting the music

Great idea. I could consider:

A quintet of skaters doing the Quintet in Die Meistersinger.
A trio of skaters doing the Trio from Der Rosenkavalier.
A sextet of skaters doing the Sextet from Lucia de Lamamoor.

Nice thought but it won't happen.

Joe

I've only read the first page of this thread. In general music fitting the skater is a sound guideline. However, it can be taken too far. In the 2007 US Nationals Novice Ladies Division one skater skated to the music from the movie "Ladies in Lavender". The ladies were Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. So would this be an inappropriate choice for a young skater? Listening to the music by itself; it would seem a very good music option.

I can see questioning the choice of "Tosca" with a very young skater(I always think of Maria Callas in that role). "Thais" is a not very well known opera by Massenet. The Meditaion music has been used with great effect over the years. Being 4+ minutes in length, it's tailor made for long programs. Here's hoping it won't be trotted out so often we get sick of it (think Malguena, Swan Lake, Carmen, or anything Tchaikovsky).

Btw good suggestion for the skating programs with Opera themes. A good pairs or dance program might be the scene with Tosca and Scarpia. These are two enemies so it would be a challege.