Interactive Duos Poll: Heaven-Sent and Hell-Bent

Logan, do we vote for the package? If so, this is going to be tough job! 

Unfortunately I didn't pay much attention to create a good ensemble.

I did approach my contenders of the nominations as being contrasting, if I made note to self re both of the pieces that were finally selected by the nominee, ie if I felt a deeper appreciation for only one piece, or just a hell piece, then I triaged those out of my potential reckoning.  Must go back and listen to my top double bills now.  This has led to five nominees vying for the top 3 spaces, in my case.  

I love them, and I love Tago Mago, so how could I resist? Awesome choices, I think. I think they work really well for the theme. And if it can expose just one more person to Can, job well-done.

By the way Greg, I only wrote "Ex-Einstuerzende Neubauten" because the guy was in Einstuerzende Neubauten. His (stage) name is just FM Einheit.


Edited by Lewian - June 15 2021 at 15:25

Lewian wrote: By the way Greg, I only wrote "Ex-Einstuerzende Neubauten" because the guy was in Einstuerzende Neubauten. His (stage) name is just FM Einheit.

Thanks, will edit.

Idem: Suedirland Bantry Bay / FM Einheit: Korrektionsanstalt fit perfectly

Edited by Logan - June 15 2021 at 15:33

Both of mine would be considered art music pieces (one pre-classical period, one post-classical one might say depending on usage), though very different periods (about 400 years between) and very different approaches (In some respects and more similar in others). One is avant-garde sonorism written for 52 strings (from 1961), the other is Renaissance choral music (from 1570) written for eight choirs of five voices each. There are some similarities in approach (like numbers of performers needed, which I thought neat), but the contrast I was going for was mood. I want interesting comparisons both in similarities and contrast (what I find interesting even if no one else compares like I do). A kind of contemporary classical music and early classical music, but it's the moods rather than the genres that I was most interested in (classical is a wide umbrella term, as is popular music and folk music).

I nearly went for that Xiu Xiu music to contrast with either Tallis or Delibes. I was not confident this time in my choices and the comments didn't convince me one way or another in my choice, as they sometimes do. By the way, I guess that the Penderecki resonated with me partially because excerpts of it were used in The Shining, I love soundtrack music, and that is one of my favourite films. And that Xiu Xiu album attracted me for its Twin Peaks TV series connection.

I'm just glad that these aren't treated as contests (at least I don't and I know this is the same of others), and what matters to me is that we are listening to each other's music choices, commenting on it, and discovering things along the way. Too many times art is turned into sport for my tastes. It can be a great way to expose to music we wouldn't normally listen to, and help to widen our musical appreciation. It's also the camaraderie in such things as I like a sense of community.

With my choices, the feelings those pieces evoke are very different (like chalk and cheese one might say) and whether or not I went with an old art music piece coupled with an experimental rock composition or an avant garde "classical" (to use the term in a broader sense) composition was not of such importance to me. The Penderecki and Xiu Xiu could both be considered experimental and ominous, and are in many ways more akin to each other than say that Tallis and Penderecki. Both could be considered kinds of avant-garde approaches to music, and they both would be hard on many ears. My parents were both into classical music, and at least my mum would have loved the Tallis and very much disliked the aural experience of Penderecki. I tried to get my Dad to appreciate Stockhausen with no success (he was a more traditional listener, Brahms was his favourite composer -- my dad was old-school and very conservative in his tastes, one might say).

What is important to to me is how much I appreciate both pieces in the context of the theme (this is a pretty wide theme that leaves room for plenty of interpretation) irrespective of genre (and even how much I appreciate them regardless of the theme). I like contrast, be it mood, genre, theme....

I like your duo, sorry if you are not convinced by it as a duo for this poll. I think that most of us who would participate in these have diverse tastes as we are taking part in something where we are listening to very diverse music.

Call me Greg, by the way. I much prefer that to Logan as it's my real name (well, Gregory is my actual given name, but that seems too formal to me). Logan is just a reference to a film called Logan's Run. I wish I could change my username. It can be confusing to some, because unlike a username like "Progismylovelife123" Logan is an an actual given name and isn't awkward like that. I actually prefer the name Logan, but I still like being called Greg (feels more familiar).

By the way, part of me wishes we could do away with the voting component altogether. To me what's most important is that we are listening to and appreciating different kind of music, talking (well writing) to each other and trying to help each other out in regards to certain things, and broadening our palettes in the process. And I love to see what themes and guidelines people come up with and thinking through what music I think works well for the theme. And of course I like sharing music that means something to me, and I hope it connects with someone (whether it gets voted for or not, a little appreciation can go a very long way for me). I don't really like the actual voting part because I want to share my appreciation for all of the choices, and to those who took the time to participate. Of course some music will connect with me more than others and I have discovered so much good-for-me music in the process of these polls.

Edited by Logan - June 16 2021 at 06:51

It was a member called Dean who got me into the habit of calling people by their given names and referring to myself as Greg here. I prefer it. Most that "know" me call me Greg here, a few don't, that's okay. I like the familiarity of it. I was named after Gregory Peck, funny I chose another name from the movies (well, movie, a movie character name).

Thinking of it as a sort of coda is a good way to think about, I think. It does bring a sense of closure (wrapping things up) that is satisfying before entering the next poll, otherwise it might feel too much like unfinished [symphony] business.


Edited by Logan - June 16 2021 at 14:05

these duos rounds are very difficult to vote, especially when you really like one of the songs and the second one doesn't do much for you (or better said me )

Edited by Cristi - June 17 2021 at 00:53

Of all of entrants, for my voting criteria, 7 only had 1 under consideration; or both heaven or hell only (disqualified for a “win” as I considered it was to be the contrasting between the two); and just 1 if you’d chosen the 2 differently than you did. Most of the “non-votes,” weren’t for lack of good material, but familiarity with the selection.  Everyone brought great ideas and music to the table.

Many thanks, as always, to Lorenzo for the polls, Greg for the creation of this one, and George for the playlist(s). 

Top Three for me: 

1.    Nick_h_nz:  Teeth of the Sea “Whilst We Live in Fear of Hell” Planning on checking these fine folks out more.

Jordan Reyne “Heavenly Creatures”  Bought this and Bardo from her site.  Thank you.

Also was under consideration:  Nine Inch Nails “Run Like Hell”  & Nemo “Aux Portes du Paradis”

2.    Lorenzo:  Massimo Zamboni feat. Lalli & Marina Parente “Dolorama (Painrama?)”  Gave me chills when the woman’s voice comes in. 

 Franco Battiato  “L'ombra della Luce (The Shadow of Light)” The intimacy of his soft voice and the trumpet solo did it for me.

Hope you are feeling much on the mend!

3. Greg:  Krzysztof Penderecki - "Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima"  This was very haunting, especially because of the subject matter, which was surely a hell on earth.

Tallis “Spem in alium”  Just so lovely, I don’t know a lot of choral music, and this was so complex and ethereal, it really has stayed with me.

Honourable Mentions:

Cristi:  Emma Ruth Rundle “Heaven”  and Phenomena “Dance With The Devil”  If I had felt as strongly about the Phenomena piece as I did the Emma Rundle piece, this would have fought for #3 spot, however, the other contenders just had pieces I loved equally well as their choices.  Phenomena was excellent, but it’s hard to compete with cinematic, early music, psychedelia, dark folk, and other-than-English operatic chills and melancholy.

tigerfeet:  Jacky “White Horses”  and Tom Waits “Hell Broke Luce”  These were most “contrasty,” of my top five, in a battle with Logan’s choices, but as stated with Cristi, hard to compete with his combination of cinematic and early music juxtapositions.