Anything With A Cello

I was Google-stalking some people I knew in high school out of curiosity, and it led to finding a new musical artist. I generally like anything with a cello in it. This is on the funky side, but I usually find music more interesting when I have known the artist to some degree in the past.

This guy used to play cello in my youth orchestra, and his mother was the piano accompanist for my violin teacher's more advanced students. I had a crush on his brother who was concertmaster, because he was an Asian guy with a pony tail and he could play the violin. My stand partner called the concertmaster a dork and crazy, and the assistant concertmaster scary, when they took turns on the podium to give us the tuning A. Just my luck that the next year, I ended up being set up on a blind date with the scary assistant concertmaster for a Screw Your Roommate dance at Stanford, because I walked by a fundraising table staffed by his roommate and bought a flower.

My last sighting of the guy was during my senior year in high school at the MTAC Certificate of Merit convention where he gave a recital of the Elgar Cello Concerto. When asked what was his favorite recording of the piece, his response was Jacqueline du Pre's. (documentary)

Here are some YouTube videos and music clips:

Dana Leong Leaving New York
"Special behind the scenes footage and interviews from the studio recording of Trombone Cello Man Dana Leong's debut album Leaving New York."

Rain by Dana Leong
Is that an electric cello? Half of the interest in cello music comes from watching the cellists' facial expressions and gestures.

Mother Nature Suite - Pt 1 Sunrise
My favorite music clip from the Leaving New York album at CDBaby.

To Everything There Is A Season

This song has been appearing in my head the last couple of days. Maybe partly because of the "turn turn turn" I have up there, going through my old posts, and thinking about my own situation. But maybe more because of the amazing series of posts Lara is writing this week.

I actually didn't know until a couple months ago that the song lyrics are taken from the Bible, Ecclesiastes.

3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven;
3:2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3:3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
3:5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
3:6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
3:7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
3:8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

A beautiful waltz

This song was in my head a few days ago, and it happened to be the couple's first dance at the wedding tonight. I'd pick it for my song too. I heard both the bride and groom were crying after the ceremony, and he looked like he was nearly going to cry after the dance as well. I could have cried watching them dance to this song. So this is true love.... There's a poem they had read during the ceremony that I'll have to find and reprint here as well.

Annie's Song

You fill up my senses
Like a night in the forest
Like the mountains in springtime
Like a walk in the rain
Like a storm in the desert
Like a sleepy blue ocean
You fill up my senses
Come fill me again
Come let me love you
Let me give my life to you
Let me drown in your laughter
Let me die in your arms
Let me lay down beside you
Let me always be with you
Come let me love you
Come love me again
Let me give my life to you
Come let me love you
Come love me again
You fill up my senses
Like a night in the forest
Like the mountains in springtime
Like a walk in the rain
Like a storm in the desert
Like a sleepy blue ocean
You fill up my senses
Come fill me again

by John Denver

Soul

My roommate had the Soul of the Tango playing as we drove to and from auditions. I started to think more about illusions, why the instructor last year kept repeating that it's an illusion, it's an illusion. Listening to the music, on the surface, the melody seems to be moving fast, with a lot of embellishments. But listening, I was hearing the slower movement, stillness, actually silence.

Silence when there is sound. Silent music.

Last year I learned that the movements are like this, still, calm, centered. On the surface, people can focus on the embellishments and flash. Listening to the music while not dancing, I could then see it in the music.

The music has such a deep sorrow, although sometimes sounding very lively. It seems that two people could be dancing so close together, yet possibly be so alone.

Sorrow, yet beautiful. And does beauty bring happiness.

Yo-Yo Ma on the cello fits this as the sound of his cello is distinct. He plays emotions, not just music.

Seeing people dance empty tango is somewhat disturbing.

Hm, a nonsensical blog entry because of staying up too late for post-auditions meeting?

No Title

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