I’ve been away from blogging for a few months now, obviously due to the time requirements of moving across the country. Things are finally starting to settle down to the point where I can begin to think less about urgent things such as registering vehicles, finding a pediatrician/dentist/etc. appointments, and unpacking, and more about important things such as composing music, practicing music, teaching music, reading about music and writing about music.
Still, I’m not quite at the point where I have consistent time every week to write quality blog articles, so I thought I’d hold my readers over with one more post on YouTube picks.
I think most of us have encountered musical products that result from the noble effort to popularize classical music, such as when orchestral music is set to a rock beat or when a movie like Shine puts even piano laymen on a nickname basis with Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto. (“Hello Mr. Cocktail Pianist, thank you for that lovely rendition of ‘Embraceable You’. Now could you please play The Rock Three?”) But classicalizing popular music is where I think things get really interesting. My YouTube Picks 1-3 post began with classicalized popular music, and here I offer another in that same true spirit. Anderson & Roe, your Libertango and “Billie Jean” arrangements are mind-blowing, but you’re really going to have to come up with something else if you want to compete with the classicalizing efforts of these people, who bring new life to the Pussycat Dolls and MC Hammer:
And sticking to my last YouTube Picks formula, I will now cave in to your deepest wishes and give you a truly inspiring video. I myself have probably watched this video 20 times over the years – what energy!