.......finally!
In front of you, the newest shackle to the Spread the Vibes main and side chains.
Why Now?
Not only for the fact Spread the Vibes (challenge not challenge) is getting some traction again (after some weeks without entries, now 2 new ones in less than a week). Also not entirely for the reason @MiPiano is constantly reminding me to pick up where we left (her invite to respond to her shackle and my promise to do so). But also for the reason of the long-overdue cleanup of my Brave browser that is becoming super slow. Way too many tabs opened; 18 tabs just for this post.
My Humble Response to the Massive Efforts by @MiPiano
I really had to include the word 'humble' in this paragraphs title, since my response is far from the response this post deserves. Unfortunately, I have difficulties transforming what I hear into writing, so please bear with me. Though MiPiano didn't want to elaborate on the difficulties playing the 'Etude no 4' composition by Vasilije Mokranjac, I fully appreciate the complexity to play such fast pace, hypnotic rhythmic music, manually. I mean, with fingers rather than drum machines used by electronic artists. Love the piece! Love the performance! Never heard this one before and never listened to someone else's interpretation. Why would I? MiPiano's version is open in my browsers (laptop and mobile) to give me easy access whenever I want to re-listen.
Maybe not obvious for the casual listener, but you can hear the passion that goes into the performance very well. Soft and Full-On passages; Subtle and Heavy passages; Lots and Lots of Dynamic feels. LOVE IT!
Check the video and you can see the passion as well. Whenever the composition becomes 'heavy' you see the piano shaking. Wondering if the recording equipment sitting on the piano ever attempted to fall to the ground while rehearsing?
Extending the Electronic Classical Bridge
Don't you love it when artists are not stuck in their own tunnels? When artists try to combine different genres of music, I get very excited! Since as long as I'm enjoying Techno and other underground electronic styles (must be something like 3 decades now), I've heard interesting attempts to bring some of the pop songs from the 80s and 90s onto the dance floor. From songs by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Prince and even Queen. I always like such attempts and remixes. Many of them were never officially released, some of them available through the usual social media. All this adds to the beauty of such tracks.
Intermezzo: the Frankie Goes to Hollywood one I should not have mentioned as an 'attempt'. This one is spot on! One that I truly love! Whenever I play it or hear it when some DJ is playing it, my body is full-on goosebumps. I thought I've written about this track before, but couldn't find more than this post in which I just mentioned the track. I was so pleased, I was there when the creator of this track first played it for a public audience. It was one of the first tracks I heard when entering the after-hours location somewhere in the middle of the large festival terrain of my most favourite festival of all festivals, Fusion. Played for almost the whole length (8 minutes), it made me feel like being in Pleasure Heaven. This track was never released, though it hit Soundcloud and YouTube multiple times. For those who prefer to listen using Soundcloud, click this one. Keep in mind, the Soundcloud recording is a bit softened, unlike the original remix. A (much) better recording you can find here on YouTube.
Getting Back on Track
Need to steer this post in the right direction; Am so much deviating from the topic: Bridging Electronic and Classical genres. Let's get on to it! One guy that was and is on top of mind when thinking classical + electronic, is Nils Frahm. This classical piano trained guy from Germany (sorry for my mistake MiPiano, this is the Danish guy I told you about before) is someone who goes the unconventional way. With success! He made it to the classical BBC's Night of the Proms, Montreaux festival, as to electronic Dimensions Festival.
It is the 44-minute recording of his performance at Dimensions, which I share with you. From all the recordings I listened to, this one is the most electronic. Though you'll notice the combination of piano (and other classical instruments like the violin) and electronic music is always there.
BTW: it's not his success that made me post about him, but his compositions are truly remarkable, at least they are to me. I prefer to listen to his recordings with my HIFI headphones since they are better than my HIFI speaker system, with eyes closed, doing nothing, just listening. Such great dynamic range.
One of the elements I love so much is Nils unconventional use of instruments. Like using toilet brushes in his performance. In the Dimensions Festival one, he did without. Though in a few others, you'll be able to see and hear the sound of toilet brushes and piano snares. Check for instance minute 67 onwards in the BBC Night of the Proms one here.
Another element you'll notice is the open piano. In an interview I share below, Nils explains the piano needs to be completely open in his view. Even when the top is opened in traditional style, it absorbs too many sounds coming from the strings; The top needs to be dismantled completely.
I urge you to watch and listen to the interview below. It gives such a great insight into how master Frahm is viewing music. How he breaks with traditions. Why he came to the realisation the piano is not finished as an instrument, it's still underdeveloped. How he came to a new kind of piano, the one on his left when watching the Dimensions Festival recording (at least I think that's the piano he is talking about in the interview, but I may be wrong). I do love the fact, Nils thinks he is a sound engineer. Also, I do love the fact Nils believes an electronic producer is under-appreciated and they shall be called 'composers' instead of DJs, or producers. In the end, an electronic producer is composing tracks and pieces of music, like any of the classical composers did in the past and still do today.
Note: When you feel the video is paused, don't stop it, or fast forward it. The hiccups are in the recording, not in your player.
Nils Frahm interview - Dimensions 2014 from MoTA - Museum of Transitory Art on Vimeo
Will You add a Shackle to the Spread the Vibes main or side chains?
As with any challenge (even when this challenge is not challenge), it is customary to invite others.
I invite YOU ALL to JOIN IN!
Though previously, I named users and maybe I should've done so in this post as well. The notifications may help to get the attention of those named users.
But I like all of you to participate! How can I address you all without listing 1 million+ HIVE usernames in this post?
Euhm thinking of it, let's throw in some names anyway. Names of users that I know have a big heart for music and love a challenge or two as well. @UweLang: the founder of the original HIVE MUSIC community, I love to hear what you think of my selection. @Ylich: the one who not only made the Spanish side of Music Hive big but is the driving force behind the already mentioned original HIVE MUSIC community also. @MiPiano: needless to state why, it's obvious I list you, circling back your invite and hoping you love my selection. @Mammasitta: The one who got me into HIVE more than 4 years ago, hoping to get you adding a shackle.
Girls and Guys: This challenge has no timing requirements, so don't feel being pressured to react immediately. But, I do expect a response from you all! I'll hunt you down when you don't! {no pressure 🤣}. And with ALL I mean not the named users, but ALL of you, ALL HIVE users!
Let the Vibes be Spread massively, continuously and endlessly 🙃
Spread the Vibes (launch post)
Why this challenge? Easy: To spread warm vibes in our HIVE community and along the way to challenge ourselves and others about and around a topic we all love: MUSIC.
You don't have to do much. Just pick a song, write something and invite one or more users to react to your music share. To add a little extra to connect all of us a little more, let's add our reaction to the song shared with us as well.
I like it when the song we select is from a genre that is liked by those we invite. In case you don't know the musical taste of those you'll invite, you may check their blog, or search their blog with 'HiveSearcher'.
When using the command: music author:edje you'll get a list of all posts and comments containing the word music posted by the user edje (that's I 🙃). Replace music with whatever you like to search for. Replace edje with the user you like to dig into.
Tip: Write something with a personal touch. This can be anything: from your thoughts and opinions of the music you share and react to, to any story you like to share with the music. Remember: Music shares without a personal touch is just music that we can find anywhere on the internet. Cool in itself: But won’t we appreciate music more when something personal is added?
Passion, Energy and community Vibes: That's what counts!
Let Us Continue Spreading That Vibe
all images by edje unless stated otherwise
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hive curator with some curie superpowers