Unused pieces in old warhorses | Golden Skate

Unused pieces in old warhorses

blue dog

Trixie Schuba's biggest fan!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 16, 2006
Many of us have complained that figure skaters tend to use old warhorses, rather than trying new music. Some of us have said that there is a way to reinvent old warhorses; just do your own interpretation.

Do you know of any unused selections in old warhorses that do not seem to get any "play" in skating that just might be good for a program?

I'll start--

Micaela's Aria from Carmen. There are two nice orchestral versions (one conducted by Andre Kostelanetz), but I cannot find it on youtube, so here is the one sung by Angela Gheorghiu:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jWqkJvdp-k
 

sillylionlove

Medalist
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Oct 27, 2006
When I first read the title I was like what?????? But this is a great thread topic.

There are sections of swan lake that are just wonderful that aren't used. I guess this is on my mind since I just saw the Pennsylvania Ballet do swan lake.
 

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
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Jul 28, 2003
I would love to see Jeff Buttle skate to Beethoven's 6th symphony - the Pastoral. It would be awesome.
 

silverlake22

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Nov 12, 2009
Dance of the Dryads including Queen of the Dryads from Don Q. Great music, but not used in most of the Don Q programs we see from skaters.
 

ing

Rinkside
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Dec 17, 2008
I'm not to good at old warhorses so I hope you will forgive me for posting something new, when I first heard it I thought it could be suitable for an exhibition program. It' has only been performed once and there's no good quality recording.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liv45Xno9XI
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
When I first read the title I was like what?????? But this is a great thread topic.

There are sections of swan lake that are just wonderful that aren't used. I guess this is on my mind since I just saw the Pennsylvania Ballet do swan lake.
The music in the last scene of Swan Lake is to die for (figuratively, and literally). I think it's Tchaikowsky's best in that whole score. I am sure when he got to the end he said: Sorry, no more instructions, I'm going to end this my way. He did! Absolutely glorious.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
I completely agree, Joe! I've played just that section many a time, and have been just transported by it.
 

A.H.Black

Final Flight
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Feb 1, 2004
The 2nd (quiet) movement of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 is rarely (if ever) used. I always thought it would be a lovely short program for a sensitive skater.

From the Nutcracker - the battle between the soldiers and the mice, and the snow scene. In the past I think the snow scene has been overlooked because of the chorus, but I think newer rules would allow this music to be used. The only time I have seen this music used was a Christmas exhibition program by Meno/Sand. It was lovely.

Resphighi's Pines of Rome - the end is wonderful. The problem with Pines of Rome may be that the soft parts are too soft and the loud parts are too loud.

Finally - No one has ever done justice to Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe I know Sarah used it in 2002, but her program totolly ignored the wonderful chords in the middle that absolutely make the piece. The best recording is by the Philadelphia Orchestra under Ormandy. I haven't ever been able to find this recording online.

I have others but they aren't "warhorses"
 
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miki88

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Dec 28, 2009
Finally - No one has ever done justice to Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe I know Sarah used it in 2002, but her program totolly ignored the wonderful chords in the middle that absolutely make the piece. The best recording is by the Philadelphia Orchestra under Ormandy. I haven't ever been able to find this recording online. I have others but they aren't "warhorses"

I thought Yukina Ota did a great job with that piece. Her program remains one of my favorites. I think the piece should be used more by skaters.
 

A.H.Black

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 1, 2004
I thought Yukina Ota did a great job with that piece. Her program remains one of my favorites. I think the piece should be used more by skaters.

It's a nice program. On the plus side she did use the beautiful impressionistic beginning, although not to it's fullest potential. On the minus side, her program was from the ballet. I prefer the music from the suite (No. 2. I should have been more specific). Her program also ignored those fabulous chords. Finally, I'm picky in that, in this one piece, I prefer the versions without the chorus. I just found a version by the Boston Symphony on youtube that's quite good - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0RcXfm1eSI part 1 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX6jr7DEMjg&feature=related Part 2. The chords are at about the 4:10 mark of part 2. They aren't what the Philadelphia and Ormandy make of them but they will give you an idea.
 

A.H.Black

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 1, 2004
I was wondering about "Light Cavalry Overture" and all I could find was a 16 year old Victor Petrenko skating to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty9Glw_a3uA


Has this been used by others? It is certainly a warhorse and the gallop is very well known.

Here is a better recording:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF5nhMIyeqI

I can see Ryan Bradley hamming it up to the hilt with this old warhorse whether in competition or in shows.

Why not. If Stephane Lambiel can make me forget the Lone Ranger with his use of the William Tell overture, I'm sure someone could use the Light Cavelry Overture to good advantage.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
I completely agree, Joe! I've played just that section many a time, and have been just transported by it.
I think it was Klimkin who actually used it. He was a master interpreter of music on ice. I believe his choreographer died and while Klimkin continued to skate according to the norms of figure skating, he was no longer special, imo. Also the era was dominated by that master jumper, Evgeni. c'est la vie.

It would make a good topic to name Interpretation Skaters, i.e. skaters who moved you emotionally. and why they did, especially through the music and without stories. :think::think:
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
I can give a long list of those, Joe! Michelle and Kurt would be at the top of the list--not coincidentally, they are at the top of my life list of skaters. Gordeyeva definitely, no matter whom she skates with. Even in that Canadian TV show where she skated with Bure, the hockey player, she made magic of the music. (In fact, she skated to a James Bond piece.)

As for warhorses, I think The Pines of Rome is a splendid idea. A.H. Black, you've put an interesting interpretation on the question. I was thinking of "warhorses" strictly as pieces that skaters had used over and over, but you're using the term to apply to pieces used often on the concert stage. This opens the topic out invitingly! For example, there truly are bits of Wagner that could be used for a skating program if one really looks. "Siegfried's Rhine Journey" has some great jumping passes in it, for example. And can you envision a narrative formed from Puccini's La Boheme for a suitably emotional pair? Not to mention Firebird. That's a ballet to begin with, so it's made for movement. I always thought Sasha Cohen would make a great firebird in some sort of ensemble piece.
 

iluvtodd

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Mar 5, 2004
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I would love to see Jeff Buttle skate to Beethoven's 6th symphony - the Pastoral. It would be awesome.

Oh, what a gorgeous symphony!

I love All of the music of Carmina Burana, not just the "O, Fortuna" part. Very powerful stuff.
 

Apple Pi

Rinkside
Joined
Sep 12, 2010
Another little used piece from Carmen is the Nocturne. I've loved this piece for a long time, I think it's absolutely gorgeous, especially with the violin solo. I don't know of any Carmen programs that use it, but if someone knows of one, let me know because I want to see it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N5x4XPpKKo
 

ankka

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
When it comes to Besame Mucho which has been used by at least just about every Finnish skater ( :laugh: ) there's a fresh interpretation by Kaplan. I find it very beautiful!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6LiXpFlNlg

On Spotify there is a longer version which would be perfect for SPs.
 
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