Interactive poll: Fiddledididdledeedee

Cristi brings two classical pieces. Enescu’s Romanian Rhapsody is influenced by Romanian folk music which makes this suggestion very special for me, even though Barber’s piece was written specifically for strings and thus gets a little closer to the subject.

Kees, on the other hand, has opted for a more contemporary approach. The Danish group "We like We" expands their inspiration and influence from their classical roots to the world of electronic music. Furthermore, we have the solo project of the group’s violinist, which I experience as a type of artistic sound performance. I find both pieces interesting in their own way with a preference of the former being a more complete composition imo.

Greg adds with “A Winged Victory for the Sullen’s” ambient track in combination with strings a cinematic atmosphere which I myself strongly associate with string instruments. The instrumental by the Hong Kong indie-rockers "Hungry Ghosts" could easily be used in a film as well. Here I especially enjoy the interplay of violin with acoustic guitar and the dramatic build-up of the song.

George shows us the musical diversity of two violin based solo acts which, to some extent allows us to make a direct comparison. Catherine Graindorge has collaborated with various international artists, besides Iggy Pop, e.g. with Nick Cave and Warren Ellis on several of their soundtracks one of which I considered for this poll. It’s great to hear some of her solo work too. - I have heard of Nash the Slash before, but I am not familiar with his music really. I’d like to get to know more of his work. He was one of a kind for sure!

Christian chooses two acts that are inspired by folk music in different ways,  a music genre that inspired me as well. I’m aware of Iva Bittova. I know she has gained some international acclaim through her experimental work and international collaborations, i.a. with Bang on a Can and Fred Frith. I appreciate her instrumental technique but am less of a fan of her vocal skills. -  Limerick Junction gave me a pleasant surprise with their interpretation of Irish/Celtic music. Definitely one of the better foreign bands playing this style.

Pekka surprises us with a punk version of Finnish tango by the band CMX and a ballad by the Finnish singer-songwriter Dave Lindholm. I’m always open to new experiences and I find CMX’ reinterpretation of Finnish tango interesting but Dave won over my heart with his beautiful ballad, characterised by a well-balanced interplay of vocals, electric guitar, and strings.

Robert suggests another pairing of a rock and a singer-songwriter act, but this time we have an international selection: A prog band from Argentina with a rich instrumentation and an English singer-songwriter from the 1970s. Could Nick Drake be a direct competitor to Dave Lindholm? Let’s see . .

Marek’s Banzaïm from Belgium, reminiscent of prog greats such as Genesis and Yes provide a beautiful finale to our playlist.

And what about Mila’s choice? Well, she still cannot do without a few chords of jazz and can’t keep her hands off John Zorn, albeit this time in the a bit hidden form of a string trio . .  I'm not quite sure how to vote yet. Give me one more day pls.

Have a great weekend everyone! 

Dave Lindholm.

I particularly associate the sound of string instruments with emotions. This is a beautiful and emotional ballad, characterised by a well-balanced interplay of vocals, electric guitar, and strings. Moreover, I really appreciate it when someone introduces artists from his home country!

Nash the Slash.

Apart from his eccentric appearance, he was above all an outstanding and innovative musician. Since I am not familiar with much of his music, I’m curious to explore more of his work!

As for my third vote, I am quite torn between the classical music and film music-like pieces and those inspired by folk music. I strongly associate both with string instruments. Moreover, I am also very interested in contemporary and experimental music. To some extent, Limerick Junction combine some of these musical influences by their modern interpretation of Irish/Celtic music and they do it very well imo. I know, my point of view is not quite comprehensible, but we have unfortunately only three votes, so I decided also out of my current mood.

Therefore, my third vote will go to:

Limerick Junction.

_______________________________

Thank you all for your great contributions and thank you for hosting, Christian!