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My Favorite Classical Music Pieces

I’ve been listening to classical music for my entire life. Literally. My parents thought that playing Mozart for your baby would make them smarter and I picked up the piano at the age of 6 and the violin at the age of 10. Needless to say, I’ve listened to and performed a lot of classical music.

Realistically, I’ve probably performed at least a few hundred pieces in my lifetime and I don’t even remember the names of most of them. But there are a few pieces that stick out to me, due to the impact they’ve had on my life. 

3. Elgar- Cello Concerto

The first time I heard this piece was in the summer of my junior year of high school. I was invited to attend a summer program at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music where I performed alongside young musicians from all over the world.

We had a concerto competition during the program, and volunteers would face each other to win the title of soloist with our orchestra. The winner ended up being the principal cellist of our orchestra, a small and quiet girl from China.

Despite her small fingers and thin arms, she was able to play the cello with so much conviction and passion. Her low notes were strong and dark, while her higher notes velvety and light. I still remember her first chord sending shivers up my spine.

2. Webern- Langsamer Satz

My music theory teacher at Curtis introduced this piece to my class when he was teaching us about different genres of classical music such as atonal music, chant, impressionist, and others. He would play a small snippet of a piece to the class and ask us to identify what genre it was based on the structure of the music.

If I’m going to be frank, I wasn’t paying attention. Identifying genres is incredibly difficult, but when I first heard Langsamer Satz, my ears perked up. I had never heard such an ethereal melody in my life before. Despite its beauty, Langsamer Satz is a relatively unknown piece and none of my peers had heard it before. 

Whenever I have the opportunity to play in a string quartet, I always suggest this piece. Whether I play first violin or second violin, I always discover new things about Langsamer Satz and uncover different ways to express my emotions through the notes. 

1. Rachmaninoff- Piano Concerto no. 2

I first heard this piece in a Korean movie called, “For Horowitz”.

The story revolves around a piano teacher who moves into a neighborhood, looking for work. She puts up flyers in an attempt to get business but finds them being torn down by the neighborhood troublemaker. The piano teacher discovers that the troublemaker is a young orphan living with his grandmother but when she realizes that he has a lot of potential as a pianist, she takes him under her wing.

Eventually, the two develop a mother-son relationship as she continues to train him as a pianist. But she soon realizes that his skills have surpassed her own and that he must search for a better teacher who can help him unlock his true potential. She knows that the best place for a young musician to grow is in Europe, so she plans to send him to a highly-esteemed teacher there.

When the young boy realizes that he is being sent to Europe, he cries out, “I don’t want to leave you, mom”. The teacher fights back tears as she coldly says, “I’m not your mother.” in order to dissuade him from staying with her.

Fast forward 15 years later, the piano teacher is sitting in a concert hall filled with people when a young man steps onto the brightly lit stage in front of her. He announces that he will be playing the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto no. 2 and dedicates his first solo concert to someone he cherishes very much, someone who was just like a mother to him.

I was only 9 when I first watched this movie, but it left such an impact on me that this remains to be my absolute favorite classical music piece of all time. 

What about you? What are your favorite classical music pieces?

[bach-street-boys]

Introducing: A song from the musical “Waitress”by Sara Bareilles

By: Ayon Iwasaki

Have you ever watched the the film “Waitress” (2007)?

Maybe you’ve come across the title in the past year or so?

Whatever your answer may be, you might have came to know it through “Waitress” the Musical.

The musical “Waitress”, written by Jessie Nelson and composed by Sara Bareilles, is a story based on the movie Waitress from 2007. It tells the story of a waitress, Jenna Hunterson, and her affair with her gynecologist as well as her dilemma of getting pregnant with her abusive husband who she plans on leaving.

I’d like to introduce one of the songs from the musical, “It Only Takes a Taste”. It takes place from a scene toward the beginning of the film where Jenna and her doctor, Dr. Pomatter, are waiting for their buses to arrive. The scene isn’t long, and their conversation is not as lengthy as its musical rendition, but it’s an important scene for Jenna because it’s an eye opening moment for her. Though awkward with his wording, Dr. Pomatter makes Jenna feel noticed in a positive light, which doesn’t happen often with her peers or her husband.

Take a look at the music video performed by Sara Bareilles and Jason Mraz, who co-star in the actual musical:

Sara Bareilles adds an interesting twist in her rendition in the last third of the song where Dr. Pomatter (Jason Mraz) goes on about how her pie made him feel. This is actually not mentioned by Dr. Pomatter in the film at all; though not verbatim, it’s actually said by an old man named Joe who comes to eat at the diner she works at every day. Jenna’s interaction with Joe at this particular scene is quite memorable and precious as Joe, who likes to pretend to be uncaring and grumpy, openly expresses his love for her pies.

The way Bareilles took Joe’s lengthy description of her pies and gave them to Dr. Pomatter was ingenious because the lines did not change the doctor’s awkward character in any way, but rather expertly emphasized his awkwardness by drawing attention to his lack of awareness in what he says. The lines come across as genuine compliment when said by Joe, whereas when sung by Dr. Pomatter, he sounds quite in his head and over-exaggerated.  Bareilles as Jenna responds to this with an understandably dubious comment of “just one bite caused all that wondering…?”

What makes me love this song so much is how much we can see Sara Bareilles’ talent and creativity in flowing between one creative medium to another. Basing a story off another existing story may be restricting to some, but she manages to create freely within the set boundaries. I believe through this particular scene, not only did she demonstrate her compositional talent but also her ability to make tasteful collages from existing work to enhance the scenes in ways that are necessary for musicals.

#ayon

[bach-street-boys]

Post Malone’s “Better Now” 80s Version

By: Angela Marquez

After over 500 million stream plays on Spotify and gaining the third place on Billboard’s Top 100, you’ve probably heard of “Better Now” by Post Malone. If you haven’t already, check the song out in the video below.

The song has that catchy hip hop and rap sound that Post Malone is known for producing in his music, and it became an instant hit. But can you imagine the song with a twist? And by twist, I mean a funky 80s version of “Better Now.” See for yourself in the video below!

This is the 80s version of “Better Now” by Blanks. Blanks is a Dutch music artist who often covers songs and sometimes posts his own original songs on Youtube. I had actually found Blanks’ version of “Better Now” on Spotify and did not realize that he even had a music video until I saw that it was a trending video on Facebook.

Blanks recently created a series called “styleswap” on his Youtube channel to cover hit songs in an utterly different and creative way. Music genres define music its style or by the types of instruments used. But Blanks challenges that by swapping the style of a song and producing a new version, hence the name “styleswap.” The song itself does surprisingly have a very 80s pop vibe to it, which I did not really expect. With its high pitched, upbeat synthesized notes that is characteristic of the 80s music, the song does sound like something you can hear on the radio during the 80s decade. And you also can’t forget that epic electric guitar solo which is typical of many soft rock love songs from the same generation. The music video has over 1.7 million views on Youtube. I’m not surprised at this because it is super fun and infectious. Blanks has gained one more subscriber from me and I cannot wait for many more “styleswap” songs by him in the future.

#angela #newmusic

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Cold Seasons Playlist

By: Ayon Iwasaki

Ready for the sweater weather? Too bad last week was 80 degrees and we’re already three weeks into October.

But fret not! It doesn’t mean we can’t get a head start in welcoming the season of fuzzy socks and hot drinks.

I’m sure many of you already have a few songs you like to play once the cold season has set in.

I’ve decided to compile a list of my own new song selections for you to add to your playlist. There are 10 in total and are all under my playlist, “Cold Seasons,” on YouTube, here

Shivers by VYEN x Ruuth

A delicate song about forlorn emptiness that come with separation.

Morning Light by Alexander Wren

A song about waking up next to your loved one in the morning.

Pale November Dew by The Dead Tongues

A song about wanderlust with beautiful guitar-picking.

It’s All In Vain by Wet

A song about distrust and vain words of promises.

You Make Me Feel Brand New by BRADIO

A kind song about budding feelings of attraction in the mundaneness of life.

Watch Memories by Kim Na Young

A song about looking back at the memories of a loved one.

Warm On A Cold Night by HONNE

As the title suggests, a song about keeping another warm on a cold night.

Chasing Fire by Lauv (stripped version)

A song about elusiveness of the one you love.

Easily by Bruno Major

A song about how love is not a fairytale, but a halfway point of two people trying.

And lastly…

In My Arms by Will Killen

A song about hoping to wake up in a loved one’s arm, and knowing you won’t.

I admit many of these aren’t the most cheerful of songs, but I feel that they are good company for feelings one might get from gazing out into a lonely, brisk autumn night. Stay warm, and I hope all of you have a fantastic and hot-chocolatey fall.

#ayon

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The Spookiest Ballet of All Time

By: Sarah Kim

Remember “Squidward Live” from Spongebob? That scene where Squidward performed at the Krusty Krab talent show and had tomatoes thrown at him?

Throwing vegetables at a bad performance is a common trope in media, but did you know that this practice started as far back as 63 A.D?

One of the most recent occurrences of tomato throwing happened 100 years ago in Paris at the debut of Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. The performance was so controversial that it changed classical music and ballet culture forever.

But tomatoes weren’t thrown because Rite of Spring was horrible, it was because it was so disturbing and far from the conventional idea of ballet that it shocked the audience. 

Here’s a breakdown of Rite of Spring so you can see yourself how disturbing it is.

Act 1:

The piece opens with a seemingly serene solo from a lone bassoon, accompanied by other woodwinds soon thereafter. The melody is repeated several times throughout the orchestra, each instrument clashing with one another in dissonance, and then, silence.

The bassoon solo emerges from the quietness and the curtains open, revealing an old woman frozen in time with a bundle of sticks under her arm and several small groups of dancers gathered in circles behind her.

Suddenly, the solo is interrupted by a cacophony from the strings section, inciting aggressive, ritualistic movements from the dancers. The old woman becomes animated at the sound of trumpets blaring and starts walking around the stage. Soon, another group of dancers come to life and begin to dance as well.

Despite the disturbing choreography and music, the story as of now tells of a tribe of people celebrating the coming of spring. The old woman is a prophet who tells the others what is in store for them in the future as they jump for joy and are excited for the prospect of new life.

Act 2:

The curtains open to reveal a circle of girls standing eerily like statues when a crying melody from a quartet of two violins, a viola, and a cello causes the girls to oscillate slowly. 

The girls slowly break out of the circle and start to dance in a mechanical but erratic way. Their faces remain unchanged and expressionless as the music begins to unfold into a delicate trance. 

Suddenly, one girl trips and falls onto the ground and all eyes are on her. She is selected by fate as the “Chosen One.”

The other girls surround the Chosen One and begin to stomp and beat their chests in synchronized movement as a resounding timpani from the orchestra breaks out into a frenzy. The girls contort their bodies in a jerking manner as they continue to dance around the Chosen One, honoring her as the sacrifice. 

Suddenly, the orchestra falls silent again and the girls collapse to the floor. They get up to their feet and repeat this process several times, allowing their bodies to drop onto the floor in unison in order to invoke the ancestors of their tribe.

The girls continue to do this until a group of old men and wild animals approach them slowly from the sides of the stage. The group of girls entrust the Chosen One to them, watching from a distance. 

The old men and wild animals surround the Chosen One and dance but she remains completely motionless and watches them dance around her. 

Finally, the Chosen One breaks into her solo, the “Sacrificial Dance”. At first, she jumps with agility, her locks of hair flying every which way. She jumps higher and higher, but her body eventually starts to break down. She falls to the floor several times in agony as death consumes her. The Chosen One fights death during her last moments as she twists and turns in a frenzy before collapsing to the floor for a final time. 

And now, silence. Her corpse is lifted to the sky before the curtain falls and the orchestra strikes a final, thunderous chord. 

As you can see, Rite of Spring was far from the likes of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake or Nutcracker. It was the first ballet of its kind to utilize dark, disturbing themes and choreography that exuded barbarity rather than grace.

To watch the entire performance, click here. But what do you think? Would you have thrown tomatoes at the performers? 

#sarah #classical

[bach-street-boys]

Top 10 Halloween Songs of 2018

By: Angela Marquez

Halloween has always been one of my favorite times of the year. The costumes, the sugar rush from all of the trick-or-treat candy, the horror. It’s that one time during the year, where we get to shed our identities and have a little fun by turning into someone or something else.

It’s almost Halloween and the cold weather is finally settling in, making us all shiver in our hoodies and jackets. So bring out the bright orange pumpkins and of course, the pumpkin spice lattes because I’ve made a spooky Halloween playlist just for you to get into the spooky and creepy mood. Here below, I’ve ranked the best songs for you to listen to during this year’s season of Halloween!

1. Thriller - Michael Jackson

We start off the list with Michael Jackson’s Thriller as those dance moves are perfect to groove to in any Halloween party.

2. I Put a Spell on You - Bette Midler

You may have seen this song performed on the well known Disney Halloween movie  Hocus Pocus. This movie was one of my go-to Halloween movies growing up--this song performed by Midler was definitely my favorite scene of the whole film!

3. Ghostbusters - Ray J. Parker

Who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters!

4. Monster Mash - Bobby Pickett

He did the what? He did the mash. He did the Monster Mash!

5. Time Warp - The Rocky Horror Picture Show

If you haven’t watched The Rocky Horror Picture Show already, put it on your list because “Time Warp” is one infectious song and you won’t stop dancing to it!

6. Somebody’s Watching Me - Rockwell

The thought of someone always watching you is terrifying but the song is too catchy. I can’t help myself but sing along to the lyrics when Rockwell sings, “I always feel like somebody’s watching me. And I have no privacy.”

7. This is Halloween - The Nightmare Before Christmas

Tim Burton’s The Night Before Christmas is another one of my favorite films that reminds me of childhood. Burton’s movies are known for its dark humor and this song is perfect for anyone to get into the Halloween spirit.

8. Addams Family Theme Song - The Addams Family

The Addams Family was a classic TV show in the 1960s that was about the everyday life of this creepy and spooky family. And no one can forget their opening theme song and signature snaps.

9. Psycho Killer by Talking Heads

Inspired by the character Norman Bates in the film Psycho, “Psycho Killers” by The Talking Heads is a rock song about the thoughts of a serial killer.

10. Distrubia by Rihanna

In “Disturbia,” Rihanna discusses how it feels to lose your mind in her lyrics. In the music video itself, Rihanna is depicted going insane, which was super creepy.

Well, that wraps up my list for this year’s top 10 Halloween songs. I hope you’ve enjoyed these songs as much as I do and got you into the spooky mood for Halloween. Have a happy, safe Halloween!

#angela #news #halloween

[bach-street-boys]

Guess That Instrument!

By: Sarah Kim

Quick! What’s the difference between an English horn, French horn, and a Spanish horn?

The English horn is the cousin of the oboe (if you don’t know what that is, just think of a clarinet with a stuffy nose) while the French horn is a brass instrument (cousin of trumpets and tubas). As for the Spanish horn, well, I made that up. 

You may think that the English horn and French horn are obscure instruments but they’re actually integral parts of the modern symphony orchestra. Almost every symphony orchestra in the world has these two instruments and others that you may not know about. 

So let’s test your knowledge with a trivia game! I’ll show you a photo of an instrument and you have to guess what instrument it is. 

Easy:

Answer: Trumpet

The trumpet is very difficult to play well. Anyone can play the piano and make it sound nice-- you just need to press the keys. But with the trumpet, there’s a specific way that you have to shape your lips to even produce a sound. If you’re a beginner, you probably won’t be able to make a sound for a few days. And it probably won’t sound too great either. 

You see those three buttons at the top of the trumpet? Those are the only three buttons. Literally. You may be wondering how you can play melodies on the trumpet then. To play different pitches, you need to memorize combinations of the keys to press together. To adjust octaves, you need to alter the pressure and speed at which you blow air into the instrument. Generally, the faster the speed, the higher the octave.

Definitely do not recommend this instrument to beginners. Or anyone, actually (unless you are some masochist striving for musical enlightenment). 

This is an accurate representation of what you would sound like if you were to start playing the trumpet:

Medium: 

Answer: Harp

Despite its appearance, the harp is actually pretty similar to the piano. 

If you actually open up the cavity of a piano and pluck its strings, it’d sound pretty similar to the harp shown above. The difference between the piano and the harp is that the piano has tiny little hammers that hit the string when you press a key, producing a richer, more “solid” sound. Whereas with the harp, plucking strings produces a much more delicate and ethereal sound.

You probably already know that the harp is associated with the sound of angels and heaven due to how gentle it sounds.

Because the strings are already tuned, harpists don’t need to worry about intonation and tone as much as other instrumentalists. The harp is a fairly easy instrument and is a good first instrument for beginner musicians.

Here’s a beautiful rendition of Joe Hisaishi’s “Merry Go Round of Life” from “Howl’s Moving Castle”:

Hard: 

Answer: Organ

The organ is also incredibly difficult to play well! It’s actually the hardest instrument to play in my opinion. This is due to the fact that not only do you have the pleasure of playing with both hands, but you also get to play with your feet. 

Those pedals on the bottom, those are to play actual notes. If you listen to any organ piece, you’ll notice that there are three lines of music as opposed to two (such as when playing the piano). 

So imagine this: you have to read three lines of music in different clefs (it’s like reading English and Spanish at the same time) while moving your hands and feet in different ways. And some of you can’t even pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time.

Here’s a good visual representation of how many notes you can play on the organ simultaneously: 

I’m pretty sure only geniuses can play the organ because out of all my classical musician friends, only one plays the organ. And he goes to Harvard. 

Expert Mode:

Answer: Viola

Huh? Was that a typo for violin? No. This is the viola. The butt of the string instruments.

Known as the “big violin” or firewood, the viola is the string instrument between a violin and cello.

If you’re not a classical musician, you may be confused as to why I’m dissing violas so much, and that’s because violas are a meme in the classical music world. Often, unskilled violinists will change primary instruments to viola in order to get more recognition. Due to how little solo repertoire there is available for the viola (a lot of viola solo repertoire is just violin or cello repertoire transposed), there isn’t much room for violists to develop their technical skills. Therefore, it’s become a meme that a mediocre violinist is a highly skilled violist and vice versa. 

If you’re a violist and you’re reading this, I’m sorry. But you should be used to this by now. 

I mean, if you got this question incorrect it just shows how irrelevant violas are. Everyone just thinks violas are violins.

Do I recommend this instrument to beginners? The question is, do I recommend this instrument to anyone?

Jokes aside, the viola is actually the perfect instrument as it captures both the creamy low notes of a cello and glassy high notes of a violin. I genuinely enjoy the sound of the viola and it’s one of the reasons why I picked it up in addition to my primary instrument, the violin. 

Here’s one of my favorite recordings of the viola, a rendition of Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto for the viola:

And that’s that folks! How many did you get correct? If you enjoyed this trivia game, check out my other trivia game from a few weeks ago on 10 Classical Music Pieces You Know But Don’t Know the Names Of

#classical #sarah

[bach-street-boys]

Introducing: Commercial Composer & Illustrator Pomodorosa

By: Ayon Iwasaki 

YouTube, Instagram, Soundcloud...what a time to be alive, wouldn’t you say?

I believe one of the many great implications of the Internet on the world of art is that we can gain access to whoever is connected to the web. This has opened a gate for not well known artists to be recognized.  Listeners aren’t limited to successful artists who are signed to a big label. This exposure isn’t being gated by producers and managers whose main concern is how big of a hit an artist’s song is going to be. Artists can be artists for the sake of making art instead of money.

I’d like to spread a word around to support an artist I’ve adored ever since I found his music on Soundcloud.

(Uploaded on his tumblr account: https://tmblr.co/ZYz8sv2aMvM2f)

Pomodorosa is an illustrator, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter whom I first came across on an art website called Pixiv. Pixiv is a site where artists can showcase their illustrations, gifs and literature. Pomodorosa himself actually drew the album jacket in the picture above! I followed him from Pixiv to Twitter, where he would post more of his draft-stage drawings. On Twitter, he also talks about his music, often uploading an illustration to accompany it which eventually led me to his Soundcloud page.

He initially went to art school for illustration, but ended up with a job at an IT company. He then switched his career to musical composition for commercials. In 2011, he lost his job when the big earthquake hit in Japan: his workplace wasn’t in a state to function. During this time, he picked up his drawing hobby again. Since then, after getting his job back six months later, he’s kept his illustrations as a part of his creative process.

(https://pomodorosa.tumblr.com/post/173775838622/リリィさよならモバイルファンクラブ-ウェブサイト-イラストレーション)

(https://pomodorosa.tumblr.com/post/155202147007/普通のsg)

Though much of his music is coffeehouse music, which is an actual genre by the way, he dabbles in some other genres as well. This is, in a way, reflexive of his main job as a commercial music composer. His repertoire can range from electronic to bossa nova, catering to all sorts of demands in the market.

Pomodorosa also collaborates with other composers and artists by either drawing for their music or composing music in relation to their artwork.

I strongly suggest you go through his tracks on Soundcloud to see what he has to offer.

https://soundcloud.com/pomodorosa

Pomodorosa’s other social media:

Twitter Instagram Pixiv Tumblr

Sarah’s favorite:  “ヘア・ワックスは嫌い” (I Hate Hair Wax)

My favorite: “Out(side) of a Kettle”

#artist introduction #ayon

[bach-street-boys]

Joji’s latest single “SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK”

By: Angela Marquez

You may know him as his online personality Filthy Frank on his Youtube channel DizastaMusic.

Or maybe you’ve seen him as Pink Guy on his other Youtube channel TVFilthyFrank.

Joji, or George Miller, actually started out in entertainment through his comedic videos on YouTube. He began posting his own original songs under the name “Joji” onto Soundcloud in 2014. Miller, being Japanese and Australian, used the name “Joji” because that is how the name “George” is phonetically pronounced in Japanese.

Because the platform is free and easy to use, many new music artists began using Soundcloud in hopes of launching their music career by gaining a larger following. Usually, this was done by posting cover songs or their  original music. One example of an artist who made it big on Soundcloud is Lorde. Joji was mostly posting his songs privately on the platform as his primary focus was on making YouTube videos. . It wasn’t until he started seeing people re-upload his music onto other social media platforms  that Joji began to take music more seriously and ultimately quit YouTube to pursue a career in the music industry.

After a few years of working on music, Joji eventually got signed with record label 88rising, truly breaking into the music scene. So far, he has produced a few singles that you can listen to on Apple Music and Spotify.

For this week’s “song of the week,” I am introducing you to Joji’s latest single, “SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK,” which was recently released on September 12.

Along with the release of his single, Joji has announced his debut album “BALLADS 1,” which will be released on October 26, 2018.  After “SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK” was released, it became an instant hit on the internet, garnering over 24 million plays on Spotify and more than 16 million views for his music video on YouTube. The song itself is a dark power ballad about love and a failing relationship.

Joji sings the lyrics:

Give me reasons we should complete

You should be with him, I can’t compete

You looked at me like I was someone else, oh well

Can’t you see? (Can’t you see?)

I don’t wanna slow dance (I don’t wanna slow dance)

In the dark

Dark

“Slow dancing in the dark” is a metaphor  for a relationship where there is no more intimacy, as dancing in the dark is pointless since you cannot see each other. The song is interesting in the way it illustrates the end of a relationship and the process of falling out of love.

In his music video, Joji is depicted as a satyr, half-man and half-goat, bleeding with a red cupid’s arrow stabbed into his back. Throughout the video, you see Joji clumsily making his way somewhere in the streets in excruciating pain. In another scene, he is seen slowly dying on a brightly lit, white dance floor, coughing up blood.

Below is the music video for “Slow Dancing in the Dark.”

I personally found the music video to be super bizarre because I’ve only seen Joji as Pink Guy and Filthy Frank on YouTube. The image he portrays now is not the same comedian I used to know. With so many fans and subscribers on YouTube, Joji was able to totally switch mediums of media and entertainment. Joji’s decision to change platforms was risky and courageous, but it all worked out for him in the end.

Do you think you’ll stay tuned for his upcoming album “BALLADS 1”?

#songoftheweek #angela

[bach-street-boys]

The Magic of Music in Film: Radwimps and the film, Your Name

By: Ayon Iwasaki

“Get your music in movies”

That’s what they say, right?

It’s a great way for the audience to make an association between your music and movie scenes. And if the movie is a hit, the fame for the singer or the band will follow. I, myself, have been introduced to a number of bands and singers when their songs from movies or TV dramas get stuck in my head. I have not, however, seen a single band hog the spotlight for the entirety of the movie soundtrack like Radwimps did in the movie, Your Name.

Your Name is a Japanese animation movie written and directed by Makoto Shinkai released back in 2016. It was a global phenomenon, making it the highest-grossing anime movie worldwide. This movie has numerous incredible qualities that make it stand out. However, the one I’m most interested in is how the Japanese band Radwimps took the reigns for the soundtrack and allowed us to engage in the film on a deeper plane with the aid of their music.

Before getting into more detail about the songs, if you haven’t watched the movie, here is the bare-bone synopsis :

(Warning: spoilers ahead)

The story is about a boy and a girl who swap bodies intermittently and falls in love. The twist to this is that their timeline is separated by three years, the boy being in the future and the girl in the past. Their body-swapping stops when the girl, Mitsuha, becomes one of the fatalities from a piece of a comet that falls on her village. Taki, the boy, who later figures out this fact, tries to get in touch with her again to warn her of the unexpected incident. Their memories of each other quickly fade away at the end of their last swap, leaving both wondering about their nagging feelings of being in search of someone significant.

If you’d like to know more, read the plot section in wiki here

The album, also titled Your Name, has a total of 27 songs. Though I’d love to discuss every scene accompanied by each piece, I will feature the one song from the critical scene just before the comet falls.:

“Sparkle” played a crucial role in conveying the frail connection between Taki and Mitsuha. Taki successfully warns Mitsuha about the comet, but they know their short time together during the hour of twilight will soon over. They decide to write their name on each other’s hand to not forget who the other is. Though Taki is able to write on Mitsuha’s hand, just as she is going to write her name on his palm, their limited time together is over and she vanishes, the pen dropping in place of where she was standing just a second before. Taki is left scrambling for the memories of her that quickly slips away.

Mitsuha, unable to spare any more time, goes to convince her town to evacuate before it’s too late.

When she has the chance to open her palm, the letters on there are a confession instead of Taki’s name.

As she whispers, “I can’t remember your name with this,” the soundtrack cuts in with the following lyrics:

“Even the way you loved carried your scent,

Even the way you walked carried the sound of your laughter,

Because someday you’ll disappear

I’ll keep every part of you

Make sure it’s burned in the back of my eyes

This is no longer a right, but my duty”

(This scene can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/9wG-aTmsO-Y?t=796) 

The lyrics capture and deliver their strong feelings and desperation to keep each other in their minds while their memories continue to disappear. Yojirou Noda, the vocalist and composer, uses his music to amplify the impactful scene and delivers the unsaid.

This is one example of how Radwimps displayed their unique talent in bringing the audience closer to the story and its characters through their music.

I believe it’s worthwhile to see the rest of the film and listen to the rest of the album to get the full experience of what the artists have to offer.

#music review #band review #radwimps #ayon

[bach-street-boys]

The Guys Who Play Piano: The Piano Guys

By: Sarah Kim

What do you get when you cross Beethoven with OneRepublic?

Something awesome.

It all started with a piano shop in a small town in Utah. The shop was called, “The Piano Guys”, and the owner was looking for unconventional ways to market pianos.

Flyers, newspaper advertisements, and commercials weren’t cutting it so Paul Anderson, the store owner, asked pianist Jon Schmidt to participate in an unconventional social media strategy that aimed to garner attention to his store by creating viral music videos that featured his pianos.

Along with cellist Steven Sharp Nelson and music producer Al van der Beek, the group quickly rose to fame on YouTube with their fun, unique, and professional-quality music videos.

The Piano Guys specialize in mashing classical music with other genres such as rock and pop music. Some notable examples include:

“Let it Go” from Disney’s Frozen mashed with “Winter” by Vivaldi

“Titanium" by David Guetta mashed with “Pavane” by Faure

Today, The Piano Guys have over 6.2 million subscribers on YouTube and are signed to Sony Masterworks/TPG Records.

Interestingly, all four members of The Piano Guys were all middle-aged family men with other careers before they rose to fame. Schmidt had a solo music career, Nelson owned a real estate agency, Anderson owned a piano store, and van der Beek owned a recording studio. Thanks to modern technology and the internet, pursuing a career as a famous musician is no longer a fantasy. Even you can become a musician. All you need is a camera, some talent, and a lot of passion.

#classical music #the piano guys

[bach-street-boys]

How listening to music changed and impacted me throughout the years

By: Angela Marquez

Growing up, I was surrounded with music. Ever since my mother arrived in the states, she had always bought CDs from her favorite music artists. After I was born, my mother, interested in psychology articles, read somewhere online that classical music somehow improved intelligence in an infant. So, ever since I could remember, my mother would play Beethoven on our stereo system at home along with her favorite music, from Madonna to Kenny G to even Broadway musical soundtracks. Outside of our house, we always listened to the car radio with our favorite radio station being 106.7 FM.

The FM radio station 106.7 was and is still considered our musical bible. The station plays hit songs from the 60’s forward, giving my mother a chance to enjoy her favorite songs she grew up listening to in the Philippines. As I listened to those same songs, they soon became my favorites as well. At the time, however, I did not really have control over what I listened to.

That all changed when I got an iPod Mini for Christmas in the third grade. After months of begging, I finally had a device where I could play all the music I wanted to listen to, which mostly consisted of songs and albums from Disney stars. It was an embarrassing start to the music scene. Later on, my best friend made all of our friends listen to the band All Time Low after being introduced to their music by her older brother. I finally got into pop punk, a subgenre of alternative rock music. I learned the lifestyle of headbanging and playing your music loudly in your room. And this was all possible because I had an iPod.

Because of All Time Low, I started listening to other bands like Paramore, A Rocket to the Moon, Forever the Sickest Kids, We the Kings and more. But I soon found myself with a conundrum: I didn’t have any more space on my iPod Mini. So I begged my mother, once again, for the next best music playing device—the iPod Touch.

After a few years of using the iPod Touch and eventually breaking the device, I finally had a phone where I could download music to (aka the iPhone 4). By this time, I was edging out of the pop punk music scene and merging to more indie/alternative music. I started listening to Dr. Dog, Tame Impala, Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes, etc. I never expected to be able to to listen to music through my own phone.

If it weren’t for these devices, I probably wouldn’t have listened to music. I was not musically talented. I tried learning how to play the piano on about four separate occasions until I learned that I was simply incapable. With the ease of my phone, my music taste was able to expand from Disney songs to pop punk to now alternative/indie rock. I started my musical journey with CDs and the radio and ended with my phone.

#other

[bach-street-boys]

Take a leap of faith: “Chronostasis” Mushroom Empire

By: Ayon Iwasaki

When was the last time you’ve taken a leap of faith?

When I say leap of faith, I’m not necessarily talking about a life-changing move across the country or going skydiving to test your pacemaker. I’m talking about the smaller leaps-- something as small as changing up your routine dinner menu or jumping into a new genre of music.

Here’s a problem many people have: they think trying out something entirely new has to come in an incremental difference of the distance from Moon to Jupiter. It doesn’t! In fact, I think if you’re trying something new and are planning on sticking to it, you should take baby steps and let yourself gradually get used to it.

So if you so happen to be interested in leaping into Japanese indie/alternative rock scene with a heavy influence from shoegaze or are simply looking to dip into new genres for a change of pace, start here with: “Chronostasis” by Mushroom Empire.

This specific band incorporates lots of guitar effects such as feedback and distortion, and obscure vocals, which are all characteristics of the “shoegaze” style. Imagine a gradual rise in cacophony of instruments with lots of reverberation; this is what shoegaze usually sounds like. Shoegazing, originally known as dream pop, started in the UK back in the 1980’s. It’s identified as a subgenre of indie/alternative rock. It’s not seen too often in mainstream pop or rock, which is why one may find some indie music to be too jarring at first encounter.  

And this is why the song, “Chronostasis”, is a good way to get into it. It starts out right away with a solid vocal that you can strap onto for the rest of the ride. The melodic line shouldn’t be too unfamiliar if you listen to mainstream rock and pop. For this specific song, Mushroom Empire dials down their usual style of ethereal echoes and foggy vocals, and instead gives the listener a clear melodic line as well as one repeating guitar line in a higher pitch to lead the way. It’s much easier on the ear and you’re harnessed well enough to not fall off the ride.

Mushroom Empire keeps the integrity of indie and alternative rock sounds with just the right amount of shoegazing as to not turn off first time listeners of the genre. This song successfully strips off the intimidation the genre understandably brings on and offers a window into the rest of their collection.

If you ask me, it’s a great hook into the rest of the album, Fake World Wonderland.  Maybe give that a shot to accompany your new dinner menu.

#musicreview #rock #ayon

[bach-street-boys]

10 Classical Music Pieces You Know But Don’t Know the Names Of

By: Sarah Kim

Do you like classical music?

It’s okay. You can be honest.

According to CBS News, only 10% of you guys favor classical music.

But whether or not you actively seek out classical music, did you know that you actually consume it on a regular basis anyways?

Classical music plays a huge role in media. It’s featured in cartoons, movies, YouTube videos, weddings...the list goes on and on.

Because of this, I bet you actually know a lot of pieces. Most people do, but no one really knows the names of these pieces.

So let’s play a game! I’ll show you a gif with a short description and you guess the piece I’m referring to.

Without further ado, let the games begin!

1. DUN DUN DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUN

5th Symphony in C minor- Ludwig Beethoven

2. Races...especially horse races

William Tell Overture Finale- Gioachino Rossini

3. 0 to 100 real fast

In the Hall of the Mountain King from the Peer Gynt Suite- Edvard Grieg

4. Good morning!

Morning Mood from the Peer Gynt Suite- Edvard Grieg

5. Love at first sight

Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet (Excerpt)- Pyotr Tchaikovsky 

6. Time to put on your fancy pants

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik 1st Movement Allegro- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

7. That creepy organ song

Toccata and Fugue in D minor- Johann Sebastian Bach

8. CAN CAN CAN YOU DO THE CAN CAN

Infernal Gallop from Orpheus in the Underworld (Excerpt)- Jacques Offenbach

9. Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Flight of the Bumblebee from Tale of the Tsar Saltan- Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov

10. “Oh yeah I totally know how to waltz”

The Blue Danube Waltz- Johann Strauss

And that’s that, folks! How many did you get right?

0-4: Do you live under a rock?

5-8: Not bad.

9-10: Are you sure you’re not a classical music expert?

Let me know how you did!

#news #classical music

[bach-street-boys]

Awkwafina’s song “Ghost” and Ghost culture

By: Angela Marquez

Starring in Ocean 8 and Crazy Rich Asians, Awkwafina (also known as Nora Lum) recently came out with an album named In Fina We Trust last June. In this dynamic rap and hip-hop album, Awkwafina channels her “bad bitch” attitude rapping about the struggles she faces as an Asian female rapper and daily problems as a woman.

From In Fina We Trust, Awkwafina sets the tone with catchy lyrics and funky beats in her song “Ghost.” Throughout the song, Awkwafina goes on rapping about different guys that she had to “ghost” on. In today’s world of dating, ghosting has become such a common phenomena. To ghost someone means to avoid that person and ultimately cut off all contact until they stop trying to reach you. It sounds a bit outlandish to most who have never heard of the term, but I’m pretty sure we’ve all had our own memories of “ghosting” someone--I know I have.

After hearing “Ghost” by Awkwafina for the first time, I just laughed and laughed.

I know exactly where Awkwafina is coming from when she raps, “Camped out three nights for the new Supreme, And when he falls asleep he got Yeezy dreams but Mothafucka, like, why you gotta vape though.” Because I live so close to NYC, a lot of the guys I knew in high school wore high fashion streetwear brands like Bape and Supreme. It doesn’t help that they also vaped heavily and thought Kanye West is a genius. I am totally guilty of liking these stereotyped “hypebeast” guys, but I later realized they didn’t have substance if you took away the expensive clothes and smoking/drugs habit. So the good old “ignore text” tactic worked like a charm.

In another instance, I’ve met the frat guy that Awkwafina raps about in her first verse of the song. He did love talking about his car, thought he knew a lot about wine and other alcoholic drinks, and overall, used the word “bro” way too many times than needed. It’s sad but it’s true and I couldn’t really stand it.

Dating and meeting a guy that’s right for you is difficult as it is with today’s hook-up culture. And Awkwafina hilariously paints this picture as she describes the type of guys we’ve all probably had to ghost on. 

Who have you ghosted on?

#rap #newmusic #angela

[bach-street-boys]

The Classical Music Piece Undetectable by Human Ears

By: Sarah Kim

While reading this blog post, I ask that you first open another tab and listen to this rendition of 4’33” performed by William Marx.

4’33” is a three movement composition written by American experimental composer, John Cage, in 1952. The title refers to the fact that every performance must last exactly 4 minutes and 33 seconds. Traditionally, the piece is performed on the piano without using any hands. But how is this possible, you may ask? You may have noticed by now that, besides the occasional thuds and beeps, you are listening to absolutely nothing.

4’33” is 4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence.

There is much controversy revolving around this piece--mainly on whether or not the piece should be considered as music. After all, this is the only musical piece of its kind that consists of no sound at all.

While most genres of modern music encourage concert-goers to jump, dance, sing along, and overall, show a lot of enthusiasm, classical music prohibits all of these activities. A vital component of concert etiquette is staying silent during the entire duration of the piece, including between movements. Most classical pieces are structured into several movements and if you compare a classical piece to a pop album, one movement would be a song in the album. It is frowned upon to applaud in between movements because each movement connects to the next in a meaningful way that would be broken if it were disrupted by applause.

With many symphonies lasting over an hour long, it is difficult for many to stay silent during the entire duration of the piece. And with classical music being stereotypically “elitist”, “complicated”, and just plain “boring”, many people attend concerts and pretend to be interested in classical music just for show.

If you compare 4’33” to other pieces of abstract art, I personally believe that 4’33” is not music but, rather, a social commentary on the absurdity of classical concert etiquette.

For example, how much do you think this painting is worth?

In 2013, this painting sold for $43.8 million.

Objectively, this painting is nothing more than a light blue line in the middle of a dark blue background. And if we’re going to be honest here, it’s something that anyone with more than two brain cells could have produced.

It makes me wonder how long it must have taken to paint this painting and what the thought process was behind it. When an artist produces a piece of art, they usually incorporate a message or some symbolism. But what does this painting mean? Is this a flag for an imaginary dystopian country? Does the light blue line represent the melting ice caps in the Arctic ocean? Is this the meaning to life?

Yet someone decided that it would be a wise choice to purchase this painting rather than purchasing 50 houses, or 8.76 million Subway footlongs, or donating to a charity of their choice.

Similarly, I wonder how long it took John Cage to write 4’33”. I can’t imagine him taking more   than a few days at most to write the music score. And what kind of art is that, if it involves little to no effort?

But here I am writing this blog post. Maybe John Cage wrote this piece to garner attention. Maybe it was a publicity stunt. Either way, if you genuinely enjoy listening to 4’33”, I’m sorry, but you have got some weird taste in music.

#music #classical #abstract #art #john cage #barnett newman #abstract art #classical music

[bach-street-boys]

Bring on the September

By: Ayon Iwasaki

Have you been seeing resurrection of the fanny packs? And the vintage photo filters? And retro lightweight headphones?  Perhaps you are currently donning a fanny pack yourself. Well, if that’s the case, let me aid you in completing the look by reminding you of the existence of “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire.

Go ahead.  Turn up the volume.

A timeless classic since its release in 1978, it’s everybody’s go-to for an autumn happy-go-lucky sing-along. Personally, it’s the musical substitute to a medical antidepressant. For a bleak time like now, with our basements still flooded and moldy from Hurricane Florence, the political issue of detaining migrant children, and the recent reminder of terror in NY back in 2001, I think I’m making a good call to bring this song back.

My first encounter with “September” was from my mother’s lips, on the fateful day of 9/11, as a matter of fact. Neither of us knew English at the time and the only parts of the lyrics she got flawlessly were the “ba-de-ya”s. But as she swayed her hips and snapped her fingers to the beat, I thought they were magical words—unconstricted by language and strung together by something much more universal: the desire to feel joy.  Oddly enough, that’s my only memory from that day. But now I know why she was singing it. That was her antidepressant for the tragedy she struggled to process.

Certain songs have the power to do that--the power to bestow a blind sense of joy to listeners’ hearts. And a good one can do so timelessly.

So let the groove take you there.  Let the magical words flow through.  And I hope it completes your ridiculous attire for this September.

#songoftheweek #ayon