Interactive poll XXL-26 - the choir edition

jamesbaldwin wrote: Here's to you my three nominations: 1) Housemartins: He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother Video etc removed for space

JD wrote: Try this one Nickie. I think it's the same one. video  removed for space

Thank you!

First listen impressions/thoughts up through about half of Page One:

Anders: Per Nørgård “Wiigenlied”   Male and female voices blending in an avant sort of piece, or could be early music, there are pieces that use unusual vocalisations, such as here, with shouting etc.  It is very percussive at times and moves from harsh to angelic and back again with ease.

JD:  Joe Jackson “Is She Really Going Out With Him? (Acapella):  Here is almost a doo-wop kind of beginning and treatment of this song, also with tinges of spiritual music.  Very catchy, with the clapping accompaniment.  Great pop song, done up in a different package.  Man “Sospan Fach”  This has more of a dancehall sort of feel to it, male voices and piano.  Sounds like a triumphant military sort of song, with some short intervals of speaking and it sounds like, agreement, from audience, perhaps.  John Zorn “IV. Queen Mab”  Here, a soft swelling of vocals commence, with some starts and stops.  Queen Mab was a Queen of the Faeries, so it fits perfectly with this theme, a bit otherworldly. Eerie and also perhaps a bit scary, as one of the Fae should be.   Keith Emerson “Rose Gets It”  Beginning notes sound like a theremin, which is kind of fun.  Very, very eerie, then it picks up into an orchestral part, which sounds like setting a scene of horror.  The piece ends very abruptly with sounds reminiscent of the shower scene in Psycho.

Greg:  Ennio Morricone “Dies Irae (from Il Sorriso del Grande Tentatore)”  A decidedly “religious,” feel to this from the start.  Church-type choir and, slowly, church bells/organ sounds come in, softly, in the background.  Swift, staccato punctuation begins, giving a sense of tension, perhaps of temptation or possession.  The voices become more exultant, or are they more frightened?  They sound sort of chant-like for a bit, like the part of Atom Heart Mother with the chanting.  It then becomes almost like two sides, scolding one another.  Perhaps a war of belief and conflicting desires, torn between good and evil.  The voices begin to fade, with some organ beneath them, then fade away entirely.

Mike:  New York Voices “Giant Steps” Jazz bass and drums, with some keys, at a rapid pace begin this pace.  One of the “bass,” sounds emerges as a voice, then joined with others, both male and female.  A male vocal comes to the fore, with scatting.  Piano comes to the fore, then on to a female scatting with some other vocals joining in.  It all comes to an end on an upbeat note.

Christian:  Wim Mertens “Maximizing the Audience”  Solo piano, then cello added.  I already quite like this, for it’s more spare tone.  A more strident sense comes in for just a moment, then becomes contemplative again.  The vocals are all female, richly sung.  Smaller bowed instruments enter now, and the piece moves into a beautiful melody with all of the instrumentation.  A feeling of the tragic to my ear.  So far this is my favourite piece of all, perhaps not unsurprisingly.  I love watching the musician’s joy in the performance.  The pace begins to gallop along a bit, I get the feeling something new is about to happen in it.  The women rejoin, still rich, this now reminds me of mountain traveling, the curving road beneath and the icy summits above.  The pianist add his vocal and soars and swirls around the chorus.  The song builds to a majestic climactic ending.  Just lovely!

Kees:  Mieskuoro Huutajat “Oulujoki”  A challenge to type!  Rushing water sounds, a very contrasting piece to the previous one.  This one has an emphatic feel of a march, and a bit of perhaps, anger to it.  One with a megaphone increases this sense of a warlike piece.  Harsh, modern war (not that all war isn’t harsh). 

George:  Bulgarian State Television Female Choir “Pilentze Pee”  I think I’m going to like this one, too.  Yep, from the first note.  Similar style to my Kitka entry.  I love the discordant harmonies of this sort of music.  It is stark, yet also ornate.  They reach some really ecstatic notes and sonic depths towards the end, before fadeout.  VAST “Touched”  Strummed guitar starts this, with a soft and gentle male vocal.  Interesting touch, to bring in a sample of the previous track to this.  It is quite effective in adding a sense of anguish to his tale, which you don’t hear in the original piece, without his described loss.  They stop with some Bulgarian style horns at the end.  Well done synthesis of two types of music here.  Zap Mama “Rafiki”  Subtle effects on the vocal and some soft percussive and piano sounds.  They come to a regular beat and a Afro-type chorus, along with some scratching.  The lead singer is very Eartha Kitt-ish to me, although, of course, in both a more modern and also more ancient way simultaneously.  A bit of a rap ensues, then they are joined by a male vocalist as well.  I enjoy all three of these.

Lorenzo:  Housemartins “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”  Now I don’t know “The Caravan of Love,” but will go and check it out.  I do know The Hollies version of this song.  Looking forward to hearing how it is treated here.  A capella version of the beautiful song I know.  Soulfully done, simple yet effective. A Filetta “A paghjella di l'impiccati”  So much violence in the history of mankind.  Sad to see their names and ages on this plaque.  Begins with a plaintive vocal, solo.  This has what I think of as a “village,” sensibility.  The soloist is joined in his mourning with a solemn choir in a moving dirge.  The melody reminds me in part, of an Alan Stivell piece.   Roberto De Simone “Libera Me Domine” This in a symphonic setting, the soloist projects great emotionality, with the strings softly building behind her.  There is a great sense of history to this piece, as the handclaps and choir(s) join her, mixing the rustic with the grandeur.  The climactic portion gives way to a soft end.

Lewian wrote: George: Bulgarian TV Choir video doesn't play for me. Hope this is the same thing: video removed for space

Yes (sans the host).

I will open the poll on Wednesday (13 October), so please have your nominations ready by then.

Notes on my first listen, to the end of Page One, with some additions.  Another toughie, but aren't they all?  

Cristi:  Phoenix “Mugus de Fluier”  Upbeat guitar strumming and a flute start the piece out. Very pleasant male vocalist, backed with angelic female choir joins in.  This is lovely, reminds me a bit of “Glimpse of Heaven,” by Strawbs, more the same kind of feeling as opposed to precisely sounding like it.  Rustic violin joins in as the piece closes.  Looking up the lyrics in English, very much so, a positive, new start kind of a son..  Phoenix  “Fata Verde”  This one feels very French Country to me, rockier than the first selection, about dangerous, alluring green women of the forest.  Like the sense of enchantment, there is orchestral accompaniment in this one, with strings and flutes.  Celtic feeling as well.  Feels as though this could be part of a stage presentation, with the way the chorus is utilized.  Therion “Therion Draconian Trilogy – Completa”  Orchestral start to this, with heavy strings under, light over.  Electric lead comes over the top.  Much more strident use of the chorus here.  Drums and electric guitar crunch along together.  Male choral vocals add a sense of foreboding, then the female vocals return.  The whole thing sweeps along, men and women now joining together, while the band and orchestra carry on. All drops out for piano and violin duetting.   I was actually watching a little video of a moving art project of a haunted house that was intricately done, and all from 3D printing, went along perfectly!  😊  Therion “Nightside of Eden”  Here the heaviness is in immediate evidence, with driving drums and electric strumming, bass steady underneath.  Chunka chunka guitar switches it up a bit, operatic chorus then kicks in, with a deep spoken-ish vocal.  Chorus is truly the word, with it being a bit call and response between the lead vocal and the male and female choruses trading places at regular intervals.  An electric lead guitar takes center stage, adding some variety to the piece.  The chorus goes on a bit, then back to the band for an instrumental break.  Female chorus returns and then the male lead, then the male chorus, in like manner to the first part.  Another lead guitar break and the piece ends in a grand flourish. Your first is my preferred track that you brought this time.

SuperMetro:  PFM “L’Isola di Niente”  I am really only familiar with Per un amico, so am interested to hear this.  Full on chorus of men and women, must be setting the stage for the piece.  And sure enough, here it goes, full on electric band steps up, with what I remember as being “PFM style vocals.”  There are many changes very quickly, the piece moves right along in a very 70’s progressive way (which I enjoy).  Softens up a bit (we are now 4 minutes in) and the mood changes, dropping down to just plucked guitar and then some synth washes.  Pretty, orchestral flutes and strings are now at center.  Bubbly keyboards plink about for a bit and gradually build.  Back to the harder edge with the drums and guitars, then all ceases for the chorus once again.And back to the band and vocals, some more chorus and an excellent guitar solo lead and ends by fading out.  Very enjoyable!

Anders:  Mieskuoro Huutajat “Star Spangled Banner”  Starting with wolf howls, then into a sort of march cadence, they sort of singsong the lyrics of the song.  More wolf howls.  Kind of interesting to see this, as an American, it is how I see the militaristic side of our country in not such a great light, as well. I have a feeling you're going to enter another, so waiting before deciding my fave of yours.  

Mike:  Ayreon “Day 2: Isolation”  Whooshing sound, then plucked guitar and a soft, male vocal, whingles of keyboards.  A sweet-voiced woman responds to the questions he asks in the lyrics.  Then heavy, chunky chords and drumbeats, blare of organ join in, changing the feel from just wonder to fright.  An operatic sort of piece.  Female chorus is introduced and back to the male vocals, interplay between several.  A break to flue and strings, then the soft, first female vocalist returns.  Whirly keys, then full electric band is back.  Full choral reenters and the piece comes to a close, with the main character being awakened.  Choir! Choir! Choir! “Space Oddity”  Acoustic guitar begins, with the choir starting up with the melody, then right into the lyrics.  The piece suits a full chorus very well, in it’s “largeness,” of feeling.  Fun to hear this, in this way.    Krzysztof Penderecki “Agnus Dei”  First of all, what a beautiful setting!  The women mostly are at the start here, in a traditional choral grouping.  The men join in, with the women’s voices creating a most etheric swell.  The music is now building tension, then fades, beginning another sort of segment, which grows and becomes climactic and a bit dissonant.  The male voices are again featured and rejoined with the women.  The piece concludes peacefully. I like the Penderecki of yours the best.

Kees:  Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & The Tra-la-la Band with Choir “So Some Lonesome Corners So Many Flowers Bloom”  Counting out starts this one, it sounds like it’s in a big building, like a dance rehearsal.  Single notes of guitar step into the room, building a feeling of tension, then some layered male and female vocals create a choir sound.   There are some delicate little “plings,” here and there, subtle in the mix.  Male voices come to the fore in a kind of chant and also a round.  The women join in again, similarly to what the chanting/round thing is doing, yet different.  An orchestral swell now are in play, in a ascendant sound.  Single guitar notes with a bell-like sound, then some lush synth shimmers in and out, with some bowed-type sounds, then becomes an echoed violin (although it may be being done with effects on another instrument), there are subtle fluted noises also.  Just gorgeous! Melancholy string sounds play with some orchestral hits (horns?) and drums.  The piece slowly fades to it’s end.  I expected a journey and I got one.  Well-done, Kees!  This is my favourite of your two.

 

 

Thanks for sharing Nickie! Started my day with a good chuckle.

Cristi wrote: Snicolette wrote: Cristi: Phoenix “Mugus de Fluier” Upbeat guitar strumming and a flute start the piece out. Very pleasant male vocalist, backed with angelic female choir joins in. This is lovely, reminds me a bit of “Glimpse of Heaven,” by Strawbs, more the same kind of feeling as opposed to precisely sounding like it. Rustic violin joins in as the piece closes.... I listen a bit to that Strawbs song, I don't see the resemblance.  ...

I find it rather interesting how different people make different associations and what is reminiscent in some way of something to one to whatever extent will not be to another at all. I just listened to both and am also getting a similar feel to the music - maybe partially because I was looking for it. To me they both in part have similar jaunty folk rock approach in part, pastoral folk qualities, a mix of jaunty and more sober and various similarities. The more I listen to both the more similar they sound, so I am beyond Nickie's "a bit". I could easily imagine who who likes one of those appreciating the other. Those two tracks will now be linked in my head.

I have often said something like "X rather reminds me of Y" and another has said "What are you talking about? They sound nothing alike!" When someone says nothing alike, that is very easy to rebut, but just because something reminds me of something doesn't mean that another should have the same experience and associations as people interpret differently and focus on different aspects, as we all have different brains and different experiences and our brains associate things differently. Music listening is a subjective experience.

We are all pattern seeking animals, but I think some seek out the similarities more while others tend to focus more in the differences. I tend to be quite holistic in outlook and seek connection. That's my psyche's temperament.

I was getting into this topic in another thread recently. It's an interesting one to me from a neurological and psychological perspective.

Logan wrote: Cristi wrote: Snicolette wrote: Cristi: Phoenix “Mugus de Fluier” Upbeat guitar strumming and a flute start the piece out. Very pleasant male vocalist, backed with angelic female choir joins in. This is lovely, reminds me a bit of “Glimpse of Heaven,” by Strawbs, more the same kind of feeling as opposed to precisely sounding like it. Rustic violin joins in as the piece closes.... I listen a bit to that Strawbs song, I don't see the resemblance.  ... I find it rather interesting how different people make different associations and what is reminiscent in some way of something to one to whatever extent will not be to another at all. I just listened to both and am also getting a similar feel to the music - maybe partially because I was looking for it. To me they both in part have similar jaunty folk rock approach in part, pastoral folk qualities, a mix of jaunty and more sober and various similarities. The more I listen to both the more similar they sound, so I am beyond Nickie's "a bit". I could easily imagine who who likes one of those appreciating the other. Those two tracks will now be linked in my head. I have often said something like "X rather reminds me of Y" and another has said "What are you talking about? They sound nothing alike!" When someone says nothing alike, that is very easy to rebut, but just because something reminds me of something doesn't mean that another should have the same experience and associations as people interpret differently and focus on different aspects, as we all have different brains and different experiences and our brains associate things differently. Music listening is a subjective experience. We are all pattern seeking animals, but I think some seek out the similarities more while others tend to focus more in the differences. I tend to be quite holistic in outlook and seek connection. That's my psyche's temperament. I was getting into this topic in another thread recently. It's an interesting one to me from a neurological and psychological perspective.