Mozart – Queen of the Night – Male vs. Female Soprano

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rVdqfgcGWY

I was looking into ideas for a project and ended up on Mozart’s Queen of the Night arias from the Magic Flute. Here is a female soprano with orchestra and a German boy soprano with piano. Which version do you like better?

FYI, I saw a live performance of the Magic Flute a few years ago and the soprano missed several of the highest notes in this aria. I think about that from time to time. I STILL feel bad for her…

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2ODfuMMyss

Every Day You Love Me

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQPCfORZ5zI

My new favorite song. I think I’ve heard it a hundred times in the last year or so. It’s a little cheezy, but I like it.

I don’t know but I believe, that some things were meant to be. And that you make a better me, everyday I love you.

….and you’ll never really live until you’ve loved with all your heart and soul.

Is Full Sail a Scam?

Email question received:
Hi, I’m curious for your opinon about Full Sail in winter park florida. If you look online you will find that there are people that love and hate Full Sail. I want to go there and get a degree in the recording arts, and eventually become a music producer. Keep in mind that I was identified gifted in piano. I have played all my life, and make hip hop beats. Do you think this is a good choice?
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Inauguration National Anthem Mistake

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03JFHp5h3MQ

Oh man, I feel bad for the guy who sang the Star Spangled Banner at the opening of the Obama inauguration and messed up the last entrance on the word “brave”. I thought a couple entrances before that seemed a bit tentative, but then thought no, that was just my imagination – they must practice this a thousand times.

Then at the very end the band stopped silent and he came in with “B” for brave – just his “b” hanging all by it’s little lonesome with so many millions of people watching. Ouch! That’s one that would have me waking up in the middle of the night in a sweat for years.

You can listen to it at 1:24 in this video clip.

UPDATE: Mmmm…..I haven’t seen this posted anywhere else and no comments. Maybe there was no mistake, and it was just an audio bug in the time delay?

The Swingle Singers

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ju4uCFzBz4

Approach to Bach with the Swingle Singers – with original member Ward Swingle. He says if we can listen to Bach in the morning we lead better lives because of it…

I remember hearing the Swingle Singers a LOT as a kid in the early seventies. Great stuff and some of my favorite all time renditions of Bach and Mozart. Vive la mystere.

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The Christmas Gloria – One Year Later

In early December 2007 I had let go of all but one of my posts in preparation of leaving to work for Cirque Du Soleil. I received notice at the beginning of December that my date to join Cirque had been moved to three weeks later so I had some time on my hands. My last job I still retained was music director at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church in Mount Vernon, WA.

I wanted to do something with my newfound free time; so decided to do something crazy that I had always wanted to do: To write a complete orchestral and choral work in one week like JS Bach used to do for his weekly church services. My last service for the church was Christmas Eve 2007 so I decided to write a Gloria for presentation at the evening Christmas Eve service.

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Bach Badinerie

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVxwuirUX-M

Two video recordings of a Badinerie by JS Bach. I have heard several absolutely horrible renditions on YouTube – but I like both of these. My favorite of these two is the first on top. The musicians take a little more chance with the tempo and interpretation – and to my ears it has a little more sizzle than the performance at the Vatican.
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