Year of the over-used music | Golden Skate

Year of the over-used music

rain

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
Is this the year of the over-used music or what?

I've been distinctly disappointed watching the Grand Prix events as the Olympics approaches and seeing so many skaters from all four disciplines pulling out the been-there done-that catalogue of music, blowing the dust off of it and thinking it will make an appropriately serious Olympic statement.

So far on my list: Kevin Van der Parren - recycling not only Yagudin's old music, but what looks like his choreography as well.

Pang and Tong: my favorite of the Chinese pairs, but Phantom of the Opera? Yawn.

Navka/Kostomarov - Carmen? For the love of God, why? Very likely they will win the Olympic gold medal, ice dance being what it is, but they get a thumbs down from me for a most uninspired music choice and choreography to match.

Chait/Sahknovsky - Maybe they should get a few points just for nerve, but why oh why did they pick Bolero?

And an honorary category - the just dump that music because it does nothing for you category:
First in line, Joannie Rochette (who I love to death). Instrumental Madonna? Just say no.
Next in line: the wacky stylings of Evan Lysaceck to Grease. Awful mishmash of cuts, cheesy theme.

I'm sure I've missed a few, so feel free to add your own musical frustrations of the season.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
In the "just dump it" category, Brian Joubert's Lord of the Dance LP. The reason Plushenko wins everything is that he presents himself as a person of substance, not a twerp. Brian must do this, too, starting with his music and choreography.

MM
 

rain

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
Mathman said:
In the "just dump it" category, Brian Joubert's Lord of the Dance LP. The reason Plushenko wins everything is that he presents himself as a person of substance, not a twerp. Brian must do this, too, starting with his music and choreography.

MM

Absolutely agree. Lord of the Dance comes off as music somebody else picked for him, not something he feels at all.
 

cygnus

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 7, 2003
Kevin is skating to "Pirates of the Caribbean: this year. I don't think Alexei ever used it did he? If so, it was as a pro, I would think, since the music dates back to only 2003, after he retired. I think Kevin's SP is the same as last year's (isn't it?), which is his techno one- I don't think Yagudin ever used it, either. The choreography is another story- but the music hasn't been used by very many of the top singles skaters yet, (I think), although you hear it a LOT at the lower levels (and I did like Ken Rose's program last year).

As for Joannie- I LIKE her SP music- as long as you can't use vocals, instrumental versions of pop/songs will usually sound a bit musak-y. But It's never been used before AFAIK. If one is complaining about overused music- when someone uses something a bit different and original I say more power to them. It's certainly better than another Carmen, ballet/'opera or girly tinkly piano music!
 

Saundy

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 2, 2004
cygnus said:
As for Joannie- I LIKE her SP music- as long as you can't use vocals, instrumental versions of pop/songs will usually sound a bit musak-y. But It's never been used before AFAIK. If one is complaining about overused music- when someone uses something a bit different and original I say more power to them. It's certainly better than another Carmen, ballet/'opera or girly tinkly piano music!

Agreed...and I'm not saying that because I'm a Rochette fan either.
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
I think every Olympic season we see a lot of the same music being used...

and every Olympic season we discuss if THIS season is the "year of over-used music" it's tradition! :laugh: Goodness, I love the Olympics!

rain said:
Next in line: the wacky stylings of Evan Lysaceck to Grease. Awful mishmash of cuts, cheesy theme.

He did that a couple of weeks ago
 
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gezando

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
Add to the list

Cohen's Dark Eyes, skating this the 4th time
Cohen's R&J yawn

I know this is off topic, but Lori's music choice for Kimmie, Queen of Sheba by Respighi, Yawn, even though no one has skated to it yet
 

julietvalcouer

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
Chait/Sahknovsky - Maybe they should get a few points just for nerve, but why oh why did they pick Bolero?

Delusions of grandeur?

Sorry, but Michelle Kwan couldn't pull it off. Neither can C&S. That music belongs to Torvill and Dean, and frankly, I don't think there's any real way to improve on it.
 

rain

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
julietvalcouer said:
Delusions of grandeur?

Sorry, but Michelle Kwan couldn't pull it off. Neither can C&S. That music belongs to Torvill and Dean, and frankly, I don't think there's any real way to improve on it.

Yeah, they're not the first to try it - I remember Alexander Abt attempting Bolero a few years back as well - but it's always a case of the music choice overshadowing the skater. When I hear Bolero start up my mind immediately goes to T/D, distracting me from whoever is actually skating to it in the moment. There's an inevitable comparasin.
 

Kasey

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
rain said:
Chait/Sahknovsky - Maybe they should get a few points just for nerve, but why oh why did they pick Bolero?
.

Actually, if you watched coverage of Cup of China, Chait and Sakhnovsky have a really great program to Bolero. Other than the aborted attempt by Abt and the forgettable program by Kwan, when was the last time an elite skater or team used Bolero after T&D?

Carmen, Alexander...overused. Could do without Takeshi's "Tosca" (And Evgeny's, if it's true he is now using that for SP).

I think the VanDerPerren comment was regarding his short program, cuts of which are similar/same to Yagudin's SP "Racing" (Safri Duo's music).

Sasha's Romeo and Juliet...not only is R&J quite overused in the past few years, but bonus points for being overused by HER.
 

boggartlaura

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
julietvalcouer said:
Delusions of grandeur?

Sorry, but Michelle Kwan couldn't pull it off. Neither can C&S. That music belongs to Torvill and Dean, and frankly, I don't think there's any real way to improve on it.
I think C/S's Bolero is fabulous. T/D don't own the music.
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
BronzeisGolden said:
Wasn't Plushenko's 2000-2001 SP "Bolero"? I seem to remember him wearing a purple costume and skating to this music.

he did skate to Bolero... but I thought it was after the 02 Olympics (then again I don't really pay attention to what/when he skates to anyway lol)
 

Piel

On Edge
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Navka/Kostomarov used "Bolero" for their 98/99 free dance. I love C&S's version.
 

diver chick

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 18, 2003
For me Bolero is T/D I think it was a once in a lifetime culmination of perfect music, perfect choreography and a couple who felt the music perfectly, I feel the same way about G/G's Moonlight sonata interpretation. It doesn't mean that other skaters can't use it I just think that they are giving themselves a mountain to climb before they even start, it is a bit like doing a cover of a song, you have to eclipse the original by either doing something totally different or doing the same thing but *way* better, otherwise no one will remember that you did it.

I haven't seen any of the programs this year so I can't comment on the music choices other than to say that the choice of music in an Olympic season is crucial and I think that many skaters take the 'safe' option by picking music that they know they can handle and interpret well and that the audience/judges will relate well too, it is just a shame that they cannot find some lesser used but equally good music to use.
 

KMK0902

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
diver chick said:
For me Bolero is T/D I think it was a once in a lifetime culmination of perfect music, perfect choreography and a couple who felt the music perfectly, I feel the same way about G/G's Moonlight sonata interpretation. It doesn't mean that other skaters can't use it I just think that they are giving themselves a mountain to climb before they even start, it is a bit like doing a cover of a song, you have to eclipse the original by either doing something totally different or doing the same thing but *way* better, otherwise no one will remember that you did it.

It's the same as when the kids on American/Canadian Idol pick songs that "belong" to a particular singer (for example "I will always love you" by Whitney Houston), when they do that they are not compared to the other skating/singing they are compared to the origional and that is never to their advantage.

K
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
The original to "I will always love you" is Dollie Parton. But no matter.

What I see in Figure skating music is it has been constant and anxiously awaits a new piece from the background music of the latest movie.

Can any female skater actually give a performance of Carmen without the idea that she was only a seductress? or a male skater show that the toreoador was not a captain in battle in the wars. Ho hum that's all you are going to get from the figure skaters.

Joe
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Another overused piece is West Side Story that Elena Liashenko uses for her LP, but I really like her program nonetheless.
 

Frau Muller

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Gregory/Petukhov are also guilty with their Romeo & Juliet FD!

Another Carmen: Mao Asada! [at least she's getting it over, early-on in her career]

Turandot (Sokolova) has made the rounds, too, throughout the years.

Sing-Sing-Sing is another warhorse (buttle) but at least Buttle's version has an unusual arrangement.
 
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