Programs with Stellar Musical Quality

[skylark]

1. I am shocked no one has mentioned the name Carolina Kostner yet.

2. I feel compelled to nominate this program. It is the first thing that popped into my mind when I read "Stellar Musical Quality" in the thread title.

The reason is the original poster was looking for skaters he could see at Worlds 2016. So Kostner doesn't enter in that category

That's true, but I'm glad to have these recommendations to go back and watch skaters I'm not familiar with, or programs I haven't seen yet. There are several new ones (to me) mentioned that I plan to watch eventually.

Still, I truly appreciate everyone who reads the OP and other posts, not just the thread title, in this or any other thread.

But yes, my original idea was to be sure and watch for skaters at Worlds that I might not be aware of. I probably won't be able to watch all the skaters, but I'm going to try. So this is a great heads up, for me and hopefully for others.

 

[4everchan]

oh... i didn't answer to this thread because the OP said... worlds... lesser known skaters

to this i could have said perhaps, watch for Canadian ID team #3... first time at worlds... very attractive skater...

but if it's a free for all : this year's most musical LP in MY opinion is Patrick's.... there has been an utmost care to detail in the conception of his program. Every single move is choreographed to the music.... which takes care of addressing musicality locally but moreover, the sentiment of the pieces are perfectly well presented which takes care of the musical interpretation in a global manner.

enjoy Patrick.... I would do a lot to be there myself.

 

[LRK]

[

:thumbsup: you're very welcome.

Thanks for the correction. The skater is Sasha, I remember him vividly. Also, at that point I already knew who Murakami was. My memory was apparently fuzzy on the musical selection. But I loved his musical expression, and since then I've watched some of his older programs. I thought his skating as a junior was very mature; and the feeling I get is that of course he plans to do all the jumps he needs to be competitive, but his passion and focus are music, performance, quality skating.

Sasha won't be at Worlds', but he was at Euros' as Russia had three spots for that (he took bronze at Russian Nationals), I don't know if you watched that, but here are his Euros performances, just in case you've missed them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ary3cGfMv7U

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

 

[JuliaHols]

Why are we going back to past eras when the OP asked about 2016 Worlds?

I mean, I could answer "Toller" to almost any music/artist/interpretation thread, and I'd be right.

Back on track, for lesser knowns for Worlds, I really enjoyed the performance style of Julian Yee (Malyasia), at least in the LP. Music of the only vid I found is blocked.:furious: But I would go to the early rounds to watch him skate.

Its spelled Malaysia btw but im glad you like him. I'm Malaysian and i didn't even know he existed til recently.

 

[cocotaffy]

The latvian dancer Angelina Kuchvalska fired up the Euros and finished 4th her LP was quite nice even though her music choices are not really original.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWFVZBctDFU

 

[Tutto]

If to stick to this season only then:

Giada's LP
Polina's SP
Patrick's LP
Shoma's SP

 

[taltaltel]

The latvian dancer Angelina Kuchvalska fired up the Euros and finished 4th her LP was quite nice even though her music choices are not really original.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWFVZBctDFU

The tango sections in that were glorious (especially the start) but having Romeo and Juliet in the middle was just super random

 

[skylark]

Sasha won't be at Worlds', but he was at Euros' as Russia had three spots for that (he took bronze at Russian Nationals), I don't know if you watched that, but here are his Euros performances, just in case you've missed them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ary3cGfMv7U

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

So gorgeous! Thank you, I finally got to a fast internet; and I really enjoyed that.

The phrase that comes to me when I watch him is, he skates his music with authority. That FS music is plus-perfect for his style. I really hope he stays with his style and doesn't try to be more flamboyant, as the ESP guy suggested.

I love how his arms and entire body dramatize the music. Then, his eyes follow the movement with his arms. He's committed to every movement and skates every nuance of music with conviction. Also, even when he struggles with the landing of a jump, he completes the drama of the jump to express the music with his arms, eyes, face, and attitude. Well, I guess you can tell. I love this kid, and it's amazing he's only 16!

 

[skylark]

OT

My mind has spiralled. So, because of Sasha Cohen and Sasha Petrov, I'm wondering if "Sasha" is often used as a diminutive for both genders, or is that rare? I love languages and thinking about how they reflect the culture of a country or region; and I love learning about names and how people get them.

I'm also thinking about Oksana Grishuk, who changed her name to Pasha. Lara's husband in Doctor Zhivago was also named Pasha.

Any takers?

 

[LauraV]

OT

My mind has spiralled. So, because of Sasha Cohen and Sasha Petrov, I'm wondering if "Sasha" is often used as a diminutive for both genders, or is that rare? I love languages and thinking about how they reflect the culture of a country or region; and I love learning about names and how people get them.

I'm also thinking about Oksana Grishuk, who changed her name to Pasha. Lara's husband in Doctor Zhivago was also named Pasha.

Any takers?

I find this interesting as well, skylark. I've been wondering about it this season, as Evgenia M is affectionately referred to as "Zhenya" just as Plushy was. Obviously the male and female versions of the formal names are close - so it makes sense that they might share a diminutive. It seems to be a frequent phenomenon in Russian? Perhaps one of our Russian speaking members can shed some light on the subject - how common is it for a diminutive or nickname to be used for both sexes?

 

[LRK]

So gorgeous! Thank you, I finally got to a fast internet; and I really enjoyed that.

The phrase that comes to me when I watch him is, he skates his music with authority. That FS music is plus-perfect for his style. I really hope he stays with his style and doesn't try to be more flamboyant, as the ESP guy suggested.

I love how his arms and entire body dramatize the music. Then, his eyes follow the movement with his arms. He's committed to every movement and skates every nuance of music with conviction. Also, even when he struggles with the landing of a jump, he completes the drama of the jump to express the music with his arms, eyes, face, and attitude. Well, I guess you can tell. I love this kid, and it's amazing he's only 16!

I love him too - and thanks for expressing everything so beautifully & eloquently! I almost tend to forget that he is only 16 - and then I see his face in closeup and am reminded of it.

And absolutely - I hope he stays with & develops his own style, rather than copying any one else's, however in the "current taste" any such style may be.

 

[bartlebooth]

OT

My mind has spiralled. So, because of Sasha Cohen and Sasha Petrov, I'm wondering if "Sasha" is often used as a diminutive for both genders, or is that rare? I love languages and thinking about how they reflect the culture of a country or region; and I love learning about names and how people get them.

I'm also thinking about Oksana Grishuk, who changed her name to Pasha. Lara's husband in Doctor Zhivago was also named Pasha.

Any takers?

Yes, Sasha is the standard diminutive for both Aleksandr and Aleksandra, and so is Zhenya for Evgeny and Evgenia.

 

[skylark]

Yes, Sasha is the standard diminutive for both Aleksandr and Aleksandra, and so is Zhenya for Evgeny and Evgenia.

So, my next question is about the spelling. In Russian, would the same diminutive also be spelled identically?

In English, or at least in American English, we tend to spell the names and diminutives for the sexes differently: i.e. Bobbie for a girl, Bobby for a boy. Although it's very much up to the individual or their parents. Caveat: there's more of a tendency since the 1960s to use a unisex name for girls, sometimes with the specific motive of people not being able to pre-judge an application, essay, book, etc. whether the individual is a man or woman.

 

[bartlebooth]

So, my next question is about the spelling. In Russian, would the same diminutive also be spelled identically?

In English, or at least in American English, we tend to spell the names and diminutives for the sexes differently: i.e. Bobbie for a girl, Bobby for a boy. Although it's very much up to the individual or their parents. Caveat: there's more of a tendency since the 1960s to use a unisex name for girls, sometimes with the specific motive of people not being able to pre-judge an application, essay, book, etc. whether the individual is a man or woman.

AFAIK, the spelling doesn't vary according to gender, and it's respectively Саша and Женя.
Of course, in Russian you can always tell the gender from the surname and the patronymic, who have a feminine and masculine version.
Just recently it came out on the boards than in Russian you have a specific way to address people: name + patronymic is formal, only name is less formal, diminutive is for friends (but used more widely than in other languages, at least, that's my impression), and close friends and family use pet names that stem from the standard diminutive: for example Sashenka or Sashka instead of Sasha.

 

[skylark]

AFAIK, the spelling doesn't vary according to gender, and it's respectively Саша and Женя.
Of course, in Russian you can always tell the gender from the surname and the patronymic, who have a feminine and masculine version.
Just recently it came out on the boards than in Russian you have a specific way to address people: name + patronymic is formal, only name is less formal, diminutive is for friends (but used more widely than in other languages, at least, that's my impression), and close friends and family use pet names that stem from the standard diminutive: for example Sashenka or Sashka instead of Sasha.

Of course! :agree: I knew about the patronymic and the surname; in fact it's something about Russian that has fascinated me for years. So it's interesting putting it in context with the dimunutive first names, which don't necessarily insist on gender differentiation.

 

[skylark]

If we're going back to past eras, I also nominate Torvill & Dean, Kurt Browning, Oksana Baiul, Nicole Bobek, and Lu Chen -- for versatility in different kinds of music they were able to interpret well as well as the level of detail in any one of them.

I agree with each of your nominations.

topic: There was a fluff piece on Nicole Bobek after Nagano. A journalist asked what she enjoyed most about being there (expecting, no doubt, the standard answer ... "such an honor to represent my country ... yada yada." But no. Nicole smiled her mischievous smile and said, "I just loved driving on the wrong side of the road."

I spent a couple of months in England the summer of 1998, and I decided to take on Nicole's attitude. Drove my family all over the island and had a blast.

 

[andromache]

Adelina Sotnikova is one of the most musical ladies who competed this season. Her stint on DWTS has really done wonders for her. She's lacking in the technical prowess she had in 2014, but I just loved watching her this season.

I also have to agree with everyone who has mentioned Josh Farris . His musicality is on another level compared to even Hanyu, Patrick, Adam, and Shoma (the other beloved artists).

 

[skylark]

Hands down, Giada Russo especially her Red Violin LP. (Okay, I'm posting about her programmes in every thread I can because they really deserve to be noted!) As far as I am concerned, musicality has to be something more creative and unique than hitting the notes and matching with the melody and that's why her programmes are spectacular in so many ways.

I finally got to watch this. (Apologies for how long it took me; between work schedule, life, and slow internet at our country house, plus other variables, it just never hit confluence.)

But this program is really worth waiting for and looking forward to! Man. The way she combined speed in her skating with fluidity of movement in her upper body is something else. Oh my goodness me. I hardly know how she can demonstrate such suppleness while also moving across the ice so fast, at the same time.

But aside from that, I so agree with your phrase about creativity being more than just hitting the musical notes. For me, it's about whether the skater is feeling the music, and whether that feeling leaps from skater to audience. Giada -- and many others mentioned in this thread, including Adam Rippon and Ashley Wagner -- has authenticity of feeling and demonstrates it.


Just lovely.