Let's talk about season 2022-23 music choices

[Anna K.]

Talking about warhorse choices, I just checked the Ostrava JGP Women first 6 FS clips on JGP playlist and my verdict regarding their music choices is: 4 disappointments, 1 delight, 1 ok.
You can check the links below to disagree

1st place. Boring!
What was it, classical music for kids? Didn't impress me at all.

Mao SHIMADA (JPN) | Women Free Skating | Ostrava 2022 | #JGPFigure

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2nd place. I enjoyed it!
The whole time, I had a fear that Memory might sound any moment but it didn't
Good job! There are different musical pieces in Cats that allow showing different characters. I liked the character shown by Minsol.

Minsol KWON (KOR) | Women Free Skating | Ostrava 2022 | #JGPFigure

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4th place. Boring!
Something sounds while she's doing quads.

Mia KALIN (USA) | Women Free Skating | Ostrava 2022 | #JGPFigure

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6th place. Worse than boring!
It's tango. Not that bad a tango tbh but still. People, it's tango!

Lorine SCHILD (FRA) | Women Free Skating | Ostrava 2022 | #JGPFigure

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5th place. All right, I accept it.
I love Frida but it means that I have a high bar for this music. Here, it's performed by a skater who is way too immature (in all aspects) to embrace the depth and tragedy of Frida's story. However, that energy, especially in spins, somehow fits the character. I can accept her as the energetic young Frida

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cie6RH5U3uE&list=PLuB703eaMDlKMKEBKVs40arO0T__YirUq&index=5

7th place. Oh, Dear...
What's the point to mix Moonlight Sonata with For Elise with wtf? It doesn't even sound good. Plus, these are different stories and now she's telling neither. What a musical mess...

Elyce LIN-GRACEY (USA) | Women Free Skating | Ostrava 2022 | #JGPFigure

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I found it interesting that both musical choices that left me satisfied were those of Korean skaters. Considering that musical choices are made by skaters and their teams to appease first of all the judges on national level, this might be not a coincidence at all.
Thanks from me for a good job here, Korea!

 

[rabidline]

Talking about warhorse choices, I just checked the Ostrava JGP Women top 6 FS and my verdict regarding their music choices is: 4 disappointments, 1 delight, 1 ok.
You can check the links below to disagree

Mao SHIMADA (JPN) | Women Free Skating | Ostrava 2022 | #JGPFigure

To license ISU footage: https://bit.ly/3M7bcaF Visit https://isu.org/JuniorGrandPrix for more information on the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating.Cour...

www.youtube.com

1st place. Boring!
What was it, classical music for kids? Didn't impress me at all.

I mean, Mao Shimada is technically still 13 years old, so... her skating to classical music for kids feels like the right choice

Also, you missed one of the top six! What do you think about Ikura Kushida doing selections of music from Samson and Delilah for her FS?

 

[Anna K.]

I mean, Mao Shimada is technically still 13 years old, so... her skating to classical music for kids feels like the right choice

Also, you missed one of the top six! What do you think about Ikura Kushida doing selections of music from Samson and Delilah for her FS?

Thanks for asking, I just realized that I need to do some corrections in my original post...

Talking solely about the music choice of the bronze medalist, I love Samson and Delilah but I don t like this particular mix as much as I liked Gabrielle Daleman's version which was more focused on the alluring side of Delilah while Ashley Wagner (closer to the mix that Ikura Kushida skated to) accented the mean side of this character:

- YouTube

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2014 Worlds Ladies LP Ashley Wagner Samson and Delilah

www.youtube.com

Judging from the dress and the music mix, our junior skater was massively influenced by Ashley Wagner. It's not a big sin considering that Ikura Kushida is still a growing youth who needs a role model - and this is indeed a great role model! - but it also very obviously shows that she has, as Ted Barton would put it, a lot of space to develop.
I would prefer her to skate to less adult content where she could show the qualities that she has already, not the qualities that she aims to grow into after some time. She's Japanese, so... Why not anime music?

 

[4everchan]

Thanks for asking, I just realized that I need to do some corrections in my original post...

Talking solely about the music choice of the bronze medalist, I love Samson and Delilah but I don t like this particular mix as much as I liked Gabrielle Daleman's version which was more focused on the alluring side of Delilah while Ashley Wagner (closer to the mix that Ikura Kushida skated to) accented the mean side of this character:


Judging from the dress and the music mix, our junior skater was massively influenced by Ashley Wagner. It's not a big sin considering that Ikura Kushida is still a growing youth who needs a role model - and this is indeed a great role model! - but it also very obviously shows that she has, as Ted Barton would put it, a lot of space to develop.
I would prefer her to skate to less adult content where she could show the qualities that she has already, not the qualities that she aims to grow into after some time. She's Japanese, so... Why not anime music?

really? you liked the horrible rendition of samson used by Daleman? that singer is atrocious

 

[Anna K.]

really? you liked the horrible rendition of samson used by Daleman? that singer is atrocious

Just imagine.
I did.

 

[icybear]

I'm interested to see what Danill G will make of Interstellar for Kamila. I listened to the two pieces they chose and they are very dramatic and big music not something I would associate with Danill G work or the current trend of using minimalist music. But then he will probably end up using some weak instrumental cover instead of the original iconic music. At least I hope it wont be a Storm 3.0 in disguise and he will make a new SP for Kamila from scratch.

 

[Mauvedreamer]

I'm interested to see what Danill G will make of Interstellar for Kamila. I listened to the two pieces they chose and they are very dramatic and big music not something I would associate with Danill G work or the current trend of using minimalist music. But then he will probably end up using some weak instrumental cover instead of the original iconic music. At least I hope it wont be a Storm 3.0 in disguise and he will make a new SP for Kamila from scratch.

I can't wait for this . I love this music. I think from what I have read it will be a different from her usual type of program! Fingers crossed.

 

[noskates]

Personally I'm really tired of tangoes - all of them.

 

[Anna K.]

Personally I'm really tired of tangoes - all of them.

I watched the first JGP Rhythm Dance (Courchevel). Got very tired. So tired that I don't feel like watching any Rhythm Dance competition this season again. And this is given that I like tango step and I actually like tango music - I mean real tango music, not primitive tango motive remixes. There was only one duo whose music choice I liked:

FRADJI / FOURNEAUX (FRA) | Ice Dance Rhythm Dance | Courchevel 2022 | #JGPFigure

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And this is Juniors know for brave music choices. I'm afraid to even think about Seniors.

I don't know how they do it in figure skating but the end result is incredibly monotonous. Three tangos on ice in a row and my brain cells start dying.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Looove this FD by Fear and Gibson. There are just so many risks taken in this program (tons of mini-lifts and that serpentine lift is just insane)… and that final choreo down the middle of the ice is just iconic. It’s already come a long way from the Britannia competition. If they clean up their levels this really should get them in the top 5 at Worlds IMO and push G/F for the Euros title.

11 Lilah FEAR / Lewis GIBSON GBR FD Nebelhorn Trophy 2022

youtu.be

 

[Weathergal]

Looove this FD by Fear and Gibson. There are just so many risks taken in this program (tons of mini-lifts and that serpentine lift is just insane)… and that final choreo down the middle of the ice is just iconic. It’s already come a long way from the Britannia competition. If they clean up their levels this really should get them in the top 5 at Worlds IMO and push G/F for the Euros title.

11 Lilah FEAR / Lewis GIBSON GBR FD Nebelhorn Trophy 2022

youtu.be

Thanks for posting this -- it's a much better quality video than the one I've been viewing from Brittania. Plus as you mention, they're growing with this program, It is really shaping up to be something special!

 

[GoneWithTheWind]

There are just so many risks taken in this program (tons of mini-lifts and that serpentine lift is just insane

I was feeling rather more cynical and was thinking the heavy use of the mini lifts was the classic 'the less time her feet are on the ice, the less we can be marked down in skating skills', but maybe that's probably a bit harsh of me.

I do think this program is an improvement on Lion King and I really liked the dance spin, really fast with great positions, and the choreo slide, risky but very impressive! I do wish they'd alter their lift positions a bit though, they've used Lilah upside-down grabbing her blade and Lilah straight bodied behind spun round by Lewis, with slight alterations, for several seasons now.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

I was feeling rather more cynical and was thinking the heavy use of the mini lifts was the classic 'the less time her feet are on the ice, the less we can be marked down in skating skills', but maybe that's probably a bit harsh of me.

I do think this program is an improvement on Lion King and I really liked the dance spin, really fast with great positions, and the choreo slide, risky but very impressive! I do wish they'd alter their lift positions a bit though, they've used Lilah upside-down grabbing her blade and Lilah straight bodied behind spun round by Lewis, with slight alterations, for several seasons now.

I agree that too many lifts detract from edge work but obviously it takes more effort to do lifts than edges. They are still exhibiting good edge work in the elements like the non touching step sequence but I would maybe swap one of their mini lifts for something that exhibited more edge work/skating skills. Also should be mentioned though that lifts technically do exhibit skating skills on Lewis’ part because there is footwork and balance involved, especially in the lifts that change direction or require more precise timing.

Some things are innovative but awkward like her flipping over him or the spiral into the dance spin but I see it all being smoothed out later on.

Agreed that her positions could vary a bit more in these lifts. But it is really impressive and it’s nice to see them pushing themselves.

 

[yesterday]

I agree that too many lifts detract from edge work but obviously it takes more effort to do lifts than edges.

Relying on lots of comments on this forum from more experienced people than I am, I think it's the other way round. At a certain level, how long does it take those athletes to learch such a lift? And how long does it take to achieve (and maintain) outstanding skating skills? Dozens. Only those who start very young even have the chance to get there.

 

[Anna K.]

I somehow mentioned that I'd like to see more teenagers skating to anime music.

I'll explain this a bit to those not familiar with anime.
Although "anime" is Japanese word for animation and, for Westerners, basically stands for any animation produced in Japan and has a range of genres, the most popular anime series are aimed exactly at teen audiences and cover topics that are important for 13 to 18 year old and stories that could be relatable and inspirational for kids of that age. So there we could expect kids being truly interested and emotionally involved in the story they are telling on the ice.

And so, I was rewarded. In the most recent JGP Men event I spotted two programs with anime music that I think had the above connection.

Music from Attack on Titan:



Music from Cowboy Bebop:

 

[Anna K.]

Shout-out for Eva-Lotta Kiibus for keeping her short program for another season and Lara Naki Gutmann for her Hitchcock medley free skate. Both ethno-rap and horror movie soundtracks are massively underused musical genres in figure skating, especially in women figure skating. So, thank you for bringing in variety!

For reference:

Eva-Lotta Kiibus CS Finlandia Trophy 2021 SP

www.youtube.com

Lara Naki Gutmann (ITA) Ondrej Nepela Memorial 2022 FS

www.youtube.com

 

[Weathergal]

Shout-out for Eva-Lotta Kiibus for keeping her short program for another season and Lara Naki Gutmann for her Hitchcock medley free skate. Both ethno-rap and horror movie soundtracks are massively underused musical genres in figure skating, especially in women figure skating. So, thank you for bringing in variety!

For reference:

Great point - I greatly enjoyed the variety in both the Men's and Women's music selections at Europeans1