*NWS*
Performed by: Compagnie Marie Chouinard from Montreal.
Choreography: Marie Chouinard
Music: Louis Dufort, J.S.Bach: Die Goldberg Variationen.
It's simply, brilliant.
Showing posts with label awesomeness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label awesomeness. Show all posts
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Melting Men
by Nele Azevedo
One Brazilian artist, thousands of icy men, countless people touched.
What started off as a 'critical reading of monument in contemporary cities'
turned into
activists' message on climate change.
This is what great contemporary art does, it makes you think, and often, there may be so many interpretations to it, from this very simple (almost.. pointalistic/minimalistic [musically speaking]) concept. I mean, I even have my own interpretation of it, that's completely different from her's and the climate change people's. The beauty of it is that it's so elegant, people can have their own interpretations of it, based on their believes, interests, passions.
Just brilliant.
One Brazilian artist, thousands of icy men, countless people touched.
What started off as a 'critical reading of monument in contemporary cities'
turned into
activists' message on climate change.
This is what great contemporary art does, it makes you think, and often, there may be so many interpretations to it, from this very simple (almost.. pointalistic/minimalistic [musically speaking]) concept. I mean, I even have my own interpretation of it, that's completely different from her's and the climate change people's. The beauty of it is that it's so elegant, people can have their own interpretations of it, based on their believes, interests, passions.
Just brilliant.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Einstein's Dreams
There is a place where time stands still. Raindrops hang motionless in air. Pendulums of clocks float mid-swing... As a traveler approaches this place from any direction, he moves more and more slowly...
Einstein's Dreams
by Alan Lightman
"The novel fictionalizes Albert Einstein as a young scientist who is troubled by dreams as he works on his theory of relativity in 1905. The book consists of 30 chapters, each exploring one dream about time that Einstein had during this period. The framework of the book consists of a prelude, three interludes, and an epilogue. Einstein's friend, Michele Besso, appears in these sections. Each dream involves a conception of time. Some scenarios may involve exaggerations of true phenomena related to relativity, and some may be entirely fantastical. The book demonstrates the relationship each human being has to time, and thus spiritually affirms Einstein's theory of relativity."
Personally, I absolutely adored this book. The 30 stories are all very short, about three pages each, and very easy to read. The stories generally start of introducing the type of 'time', and then a few short clips from a few individual's lives to illustrate it. It usually end with a broader statement which would lead to questions, different views about that specific type of time.
The stories described in the book are all simple, clear, and straight forward, such that a grade schooler would be able to read and understand (though, some materials in there is probably not suited for audiences of a younger age). What is magical about them though, is that such simple stories, can bring on so much thought. It really makes you ponder about the concepts of time, humanity, our values, our stories, our lives. It is generally the last paragraph, which sums up the story, and brings on these questions. There is truly a lot to be gained from this book, if one looked deep enough.
Also, I loved Lightman's writing style. He makes everything just so poetic, and often, the style and structure reflects the type of 'time' which the story describes.
Here's a little excerpt:
... Thus, on any day, at any hour of any day, a line of ten thousand stretches radially outward from the center of Rome, a line of pilgrims waiting to bow to the Great Clock. They stand quietly, reading prayer books, holding their children. They stand quietly, but secretly they seethe with their anger. For they must watch measured that which should not be meaasured. They must watch the precise passage of minutes and decades. They have been trapped by their own inventiveness and audacity. And they must pay with their lives.
For more, click on the title of the book, that link contains the first three chapters of the book.
* * *
Einstein's Dreams
by Alan Lightman
"The novel fictionalizes Albert Einstein as a young scientist who is troubled by dreams as he works on his theory of relativity in 1905. The book consists of 30 chapters, each exploring one dream about time that Einstein had during this period. The framework of the book consists of a prelude, three interludes, and an epilogue. Einstein's friend, Michele Besso, appears in these sections. Each dream involves a conception of time. Some scenarios may involve exaggerations of true phenomena related to relativity, and some may be entirely fantastical. The book demonstrates the relationship each human being has to time, and thus spiritually affirms Einstein's theory of relativity."
Personally, I absolutely adored this book. The 30 stories are all very short, about three pages each, and very easy to read. The stories generally start of introducing the type of 'time', and then a few short clips from a few individual's lives to illustrate it. It usually end with a broader statement which would lead to questions, different views about that specific type of time.
The stories described in the book are all simple, clear, and straight forward, such that a grade schooler would be able to read and understand (though, some materials in there is probably not suited for audiences of a younger age). What is magical about them though, is that such simple stories, can bring on so much thought. It really makes you ponder about the concepts of time, humanity, our values, our stories, our lives. It is generally the last paragraph, which sums up the story, and brings on these questions. There is truly a lot to be gained from this book, if one looked deep enough.
Also, I loved Lightman's writing style. He makes everything just so poetic, and often, the style and structure reflects the type of 'time' which the story describes.
Here's a little excerpt:
... Thus, on any day, at any hour of any day, a line of ten thousand stretches radially outward from the center of Rome, a line of pilgrims waiting to bow to the Great Clock. They stand quietly, reading prayer books, holding their children. They stand quietly, but secretly they seethe with their anger. For they must watch measured that which should not be meaasured. They must watch the precise passage of minutes and decades. They have been trapped by their own inventiveness and audacity. And they must pay with their lives.
For more, click on the title of the book, that link contains the first three chapters of the book.
* * *
Monday, July 5, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Nights of May
A little something for the summer solstice
Nights of May from Joe Sargent on Vimeo.
Created by, James Stephens, Mark Ranson and Joseph Sargent
Music by Tim Johnson
* * *
BD: J.C.F Bach, Jean-Paul Sartre, Aleksandr Tvardovsky
Go Skateboarding Day
Canada's National Aboriginal Day
World Music Day
World Humanist Day
Summer Solstice 2010
Nights of May from Joe Sargent on Vimeo.
Created by, James Stephens, Mark Ranson and Joseph Sargent
Music by Tim Johnson
* * *
BD: J.C.F Bach, Jean-Paul Sartre, Aleksandr Tvardovsky
Go Skateboarding Day
Canada's National Aboriginal Day
World Music Day
World Humanist Day
Summer Solstice 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Soliloquy 88
SOLILOQUY 88 from JASON LAST on Vimeo.
Found via Twisted Lamb
"SOLILOQUY 88 is a fashion film collaboration between Jason Last & art director Jaime Rubiano.
Commissioned for Hintmag, the film features Rodarte's spring 2010 collection, with shoes by Nicholas Kirkwood for Rodarte.
Radium, a white radioactive metal with the atomic number 88, turns black when exposed to oxygen. The film explores themes of decay, metamorphosis, transformation, etc, all through the lens of a dystopian and sci-fi vision, with a soundtrack by David Madden."
The fashion world have lately (in the past few years), started to fully embrace technology as a medium of presentation. Fashion films are starting to go viral. Why not? They are attractive, interesting, and a really fast way of 'spreading the word' so to speak. In the past two years or so, with the financial 'crisis', many of the less wealthy designers have used this medium as a way to present their fashion shows. It is much, much cheaper than the traditional runway show. (Only one model is required, and thus probably only one makeup artist, stylist, etc, and the location is probably fall cheaper to rent too). It's probably not as 'grand' as a traditional show, and all that stuff. But, it is the new age.
And I'm liking this =)
* * *
BD: Nicole Kidman
DD: Carl Friedrich Abel
World Refugee Day
Father's Day 2010.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Beethoven Sonata no.28, op.101
This sonata was one of my choices for the sonata selection for ARCT. It was pretty much between this one, and the Pathetique. Unfortunately, with my teacher, Pathetique obviously won. And the reason was quite simple - that one, is so much easier.
But I've always liked this sonata. It's not that well known, it's super hard, but I think it's very fun to play with, and it sounds incredibly grand.
That, and kind of typical of Beethoven, it does not follow the typical sonata structure. In this one, The first movement is the relatively 'slow' one. The second movement is atypically fast, with a smoother middle section. Then, there's this tiny, I guess we could call it the 3rd movement, or some inbetween movement thing that leads right into the final, monstrous final movement. Despite it's monstrosity, I love this movement...
There's just so much play around with. (In terms of play, you're still following the music, but the way he wrote it and everything, it's just so interesting/fun to read and play.) That, and the second movement's awesome sounding too. The first one... I'm not a very big fan of that.
Here's a version of it, played by the Maestro Barenboim. It's fantastic. (Split into three parts, because it's too epic for youtube, though not split by movement)
* * *
DD: Alexander the Great
But I've always liked this sonata. It's not that well known, it's super hard, but I think it's very fun to play with, and it sounds incredibly grand.
That, and kind of typical of Beethoven, it does not follow the typical sonata structure. In this one, The first movement is the relatively 'slow' one. The second movement is atypically fast, with a smoother middle section. Then, there's this tiny, I guess we could call it the 3rd movement, or some inbetween movement thing that leads right into the final, monstrous final movement. Despite it's monstrosity, I love this movement...
There's just so much play around with. (In terms of play, you're still following the music, but the way he wrote it and everything, it's just so interesting/fun to read and play.) That, and the second movement's awesome sounding too. The first one... I'm not a very big fan of that.
Here's a version of it, played by the Maestro Barenboim. It's fantastic. (Split into three parts, because it's too epic for youtube, though not split by movement)
* * *
DD: Alexander the Great
Sunday, June 6, 2010
David Debono
David Debono - He is currently my favourite pianist (on youtube, at least)
He's simply just brilliant. His videos are mainly themes from movies, games, commercials, and self compositions. I'm pretty sure that he also has absolute pitch. I think he's classically trained... though, looking at his fingers - which sometimes perform big piano no-nos - not very sure. Either way, amazing ^__________^.
[Sept 4th, edit: He recently did his ARCT exam, so yup, classically trained.]
He puts a lot of emotions and force behind the music. And that's what I love about him - a very sure and powerful hand. A lot of artists these days have these flimsy hands, which doesn't produce a very rich tone, and cannot fully utilize the piano to it's full extent. For him, even in the softer moments, you can hear the depth behind it. The sound's very clear and pure - just enough pedal (most people tend to put too much), along with some amazing dynamics. But then of course, he does have a grand piano, which goes a long way in helping the sound.
One thing that I would possibly critique on, is that he tends to go over the top sometimes. I'm trying not to stereotype here, but I think it's mainly because of the fact that he's, well... a he. Most of his songs are super fast and forceful, and he has the slight tendency to speed up/crescendo/stretto everything. In some cases, this is good, but all the time? Most young artists do have a tendency to do so, heck, I do it myself all the time. We tend to gain more control over it as we matures as an artist. So, I'll just give it a few years.
Below are some of his videos. Enjoy =)
Kiwi Background Music
This song is how I first discovered him.
Requiem for a Dream
I've linked this song before (Note the tendency to speed up)
Pacman Theme
Absolute pitch much? XD
Underwater Ambience - Original Composition
He's simply just brilliant. His videos are mainly themes from movies, games, commercials, and self compositions. I'm pretty sure that he also has absolute pitch. I think he's classically trained... though, looking at his fingers - which sometimes perform big piano no-nos - not very sure. Either way, amazing ^__________^.
[Sept 4th, edit: He recently did his ARCT exam, so yup, classically trained.]
He puts a lot of emotions and force behind the music. And that's what I love about him - a very sure and powerful hand. A lot of artists these days have these flimsy hands, which doesn't produce a very rich tone, and cannot fully utilize the piano to it's full extent. For him, even in the softer moments, you can hear the depth behind it. The sound's very clear and pure - just enough pedal (most people tend to put too much), along with some amazing dynamics. But then of course, he does have a grand piano, which goes a long way in helping the sound.
One thing that I would possibly critique on, is that he tends to go over the top sometimes. I'm trying not to stereotype here, but I think it's mainly because of the fact that he's, well... a he. Most of his songs are super fast and forceful, and he has the slight tendency to speed up/crescendo/stretto everything. In some cases, this is good, but all the time? Most young artists do have a tendency to do so, heck, I do it myself all the time. We tend to gain more control over it as we matures as an artist. So, I'll just give it a few years.
Below are some of his videos. Enjoy =)
Kiwi Background Music
This song is how I first discovered him.
Requiem for a Dream
I've linked this song before (Note the tendency to speed up)
Pacman Theme
Absolute pitch much? XD
Underwater Ambience - Original Composition
Saturday, June 5, 2010
My Favourite Things
Once again, dug this up from old emails:
(Warning, some of these aren't very work safe :P)
This, is a twist to My Favourite Things. A challenge, by EvilHippyEmperor
Original post by EvilHippyEmperor:
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Fishnets on girl’s legs and mohicans on Britons
Tattoos adorning alabaster skins
These are a few of my favourite things
Meaningless lyrics from the Sisters of Mercy
Men who call themselves Vlad, but are really named Percy
Your first nipple piercing, god how that stings
These are a few of my favourite things
Goths who spend hours on their make-up, then sit in the shadows
Chavs in their Burberry, who think we are the saddo’s
As they gibbon along all covered in bling
These are a few of my favourite things
Goths who are blind ‘cause they’re too vain to wear glasses
But they’re too cool to dance, so just sit on their arses
OK, so I dance like Gerry Anderson’s pulling my strings
But that’s also one of my favourite things
Girls who claim to be ‘Wiccan’ with no idea what that means
Vegetarian vampires, preying on helpless soya beans
Dani Filth gargling broken glass when he sings
These are a few of my favourite things
When the cheques bounce
When the boss rings
When I’m feeling bad
I simply remember my favourite things
Then I don’t feel so sad
Please feel free to add your own verses.
The Responses:
By Fangtease:
Boys in black leather and fishnets with slashes
Liquid eyeliner accenting their lashes
Ebony talons and fourteen piercings,
These are a few of my favourite things
Cruising the graveyard in inclement weather
Seeking Heathcliff for a roll in the heather
Gazing at twilight to see bats take wing,
These are a few of my favourite things
Corpuscle cocktails and gray squid ink noodles
Baking a pastry all filled up with poodles
Absinthe in goblets and rich blood pudding,
These are a few of my favourite things
Stoker and Lovecraft and Nancy Kilpatrick
Loving when Poe makes him put in that last brick
Vampires and werewolves and spirits haunting,
These are a few of my favourite things
Corsets so low-cut there's risk of exposure
Clubbers debating which one is a poseur
Music so loud all our ears are bleeding,
These are a few of my favourite things
Dressing in colours of midnight and ashes
"Dissing" the Master to earn forty lashes
Left in the dungeon all tied up till Spring,
These are a few of my favourite things!
(I won't even try to improve on your chorus....!)
By Arkum:
Leather and lace and blindfolds and cuffs
Going down on men or swimming in muffs
Take to the bed or the checkered tiling
These are a few of my favorite things
Tied up and layed upon pretty red roses
Licking me down from my heart to my toses
Stopping in spots that you know make me sing
These are a few of my favorite things
Both men and the ladies dressed in vamp clothing
Eyeliner and lipstick on either, not loathing
Keeping in mind that both ways I swing
These are a few of my favorite things
By Goulash
Little black roses and being bitten
Whips,chains and doin' the hitten'
Being tied up and the joy that it brings
These are a few of my favorite things!!!
Little white ponies and chocolate covered doodles
Slurping as if I were eating some noodles
Wearing new costumes...Even some that have wings
These are a few of my favorite things!
Goths adorned in lace with coal black eye lashes
Goths that think if they step in the sun,they'll turn to ashes
When he gets hot,the misery it brings
These are a few of my favorite things!
And here is a proper and really awesome cover, by Pomplamoose
(Warning, some of these aren't very work safe :P)
This, is a twist to My Favourite Things. A challenge, by EvilHippyEmperor
Original post by EvilHippyEmperor:
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Fishnets on girl’s legs and mohicans on Britons
Tattoos adorning alabaster skins
These are a few of my favourite things
Meaningless lyrics from the Sisters of Mercy
Men who call themselves Vlad, but are really named Percy
Your first nipple piercing, god how that stings
These are a few of my favourite things
Goths who spend hours on their make-up, then sit in the shadows
Chavs in their Burberry, who think we are the saddo’s
As they gibbon along all covered in bling
These are a few of my favourite things
Goths who are blind ‘cause they’re too vain to wear glasses
But they’re too cool to dance, so just sit on their arses
OK, so I dance like Gerry Anderson’s pulling my strings
But that’s also one of my favourite things
Girls who claim to be ‘Wiccan’ with no idea what that means
Vegetarian vampires, preying on helpless soya beans
Dani Filth gargling broken glass when he sings
These are a few of my favourite things
When the cheques bounce
When the boss rings
When I’m feeling bad
I simply remember my favourite things
Then I don’t feel so sad
Please feel free to add your own verses.
The Responses:
By Fangtease:
Boys in black leather and fishnets with slashes
Liquid eyeliner accenting their lashes
Ebony talons and fourteen piercings,
These are a few of my favourite things
Cruising the graveyard in inclement weather
Seeking Heathcliff for a roll in the heather
Gazing at twilight to see bats take wing,
These are a few of my favourite things
Corpuscle cocktails and gray squid ink noodles
Baking a pastry all filled up with poodles
Absinthe in goblets and rich blood pudding,
These are a few of my favourite things
Stoker and Lovecraft and Nancy Kilpatrick
Loving when Poe makes him put in that last brick
Vampires and werewolves and spirits haunting,
These are a few of my favourite things
Corsets so low-cut there's risk of exposure
Clubbers debating which one is a poseur
Music so loud all our ears are bleeding,
These are a few of my favourite things
Dressing in colours of midnight and ashes
"Dissing" the Master to earn forty lashes
Left in the dungeon all tied up till Spring,
These are a few of my favourite things!
(I won't even try to improve on your chorus....!)
By Arkum:
Leather and lace and blindfolds and cuffs
Going down on men or swimming in muffs
Take to the bed or the checkered tiling
These are a few of my favorite things
Tied up and layed upon pretty red roses
Licking me down from my heart to my toses
Stopping in spots that you know make me sing
These are a few of my favorite things
Both men and the ladies dressed in vamp clothing
Eyeliner and lipstick on either, not loathing
Keeping in mind that both ways I swing
These are a few of my favorite things
By Goulash
Little black roses and being bitten
Whips,chains and doin' the hitten'
Being tied up and the joy that it brings
These are a few of my favorite things!!!
Little white ponies and chocolate covered doodles
Slurping as if I were eating some noodles
Wearing new costumes...Even some that have wings
These are a few of my favorite things!
Goths adorned in lace with coal black eye lashes
Goths that think if they step in the sun,they'll turn to ashes
When he gets hot,the misery it brings
These are a few of my favorite things!
And here is a proper and really awesome cover, by Pomplamoose
Saturday, May 15, 2010
William Tell Overture - Finale
by Gioachino Rossini
Alas, what our school plays for hurry up music, every single morning.
(Unsurprisingly enough, it actually works. We've watched people's walking speed dramatically at the sound of this song. Conditioning much?)
So, not wanting to do anything else the other day, I found several different interesting versions.
Original, orchestral version:
The version that gets played on Fridays (without lyrics. I'm pretty sure it's by the same band)
A choral version
One man band!
Korea Brass Choir - where Beethoven have false endings, they have false beginnings XD
Organ version - oh man, I would love to get my hands on one of those...
A more comedic approach
Harmonica version! A must watch
And finally, Kazoos - some serious effort was put into this
See, people have so much fun with this song.
* * *
BDs: Claudio Monteverdi, Pierre Curie
DD: Emily Dickinson
International Day of Families, Mercuralia
Alas, what our school plays for hurry up music, every single morning.
(Unsurprisingly enough, it actually works. We've watched people's walking speed dramatically at the sound of this song. Conditioning much?)
So, not wanting to do anything else the other day, I found several different interesting versions.
Original, orchestral version:
The version that gets played on Fridays (without lyrics. I'm pretty sure it's by the same band)
A choral version
One man band!
Korea Brass Choir - where Beethoven have false endings, they have false beginnings XD
Organ version - oh man, I would love to get my hands on one of those...
A more comedic approach
Harmonica version! A must watch
And finally, Kazoos - some serious effort was put into this
See, people have so much fun with this song.
* * *
BDs: Claudio Monteverdi, Pierre Curie
DD: Emily Dickinson
International Day of Families, Mercuralia
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