Just a Welsh guy unwinding

[caroljane]

I just resorted to one of my most favourite retreats, Bryn Terfel singing Rule Britannia at last night of the Proms 1994. It just never gets any less good.  It makes me think so much of all the British things I love, like the late Reginald Hill's horrible Dalziel and his great exploits, and my husband's rugby-playing pal who found a tooth in his kneecap 20 years after he retired from playing rugby, and Terfel's own struggle between rugby and opera singing for a career. And the Maori war dance. and the movie Zulu, and the song "Men of Harlech" in it, and singing the Cwwm Rhonnda tune to hymns in the church choir. Even what a waste of space  the current Prince of Wales is, although he could be worse, he could be his totally venal youngerbrother.(Andrew that is--Edward is quite harmless)

Bryn Terfel, you and your glorious once in a generation voice have a lot to answer for.

[9thdoctor]

Terfel is top of the heap.  I've seen him quite a few times live.

 

He did a recital with orchestra, and once the written program was done he prompted the audience for requests.  How that could work with an orchestra...I don't know, they need to have the sheet music on their stands, right?  Well anyway, someone called out, believe it or not, "play Freebird".  Then the first violin actually played a bit of the melody (If I leave here tomorrow...).  But obviously that wasn't going to go far, and we got Loch Lomond instead.

 

[caroljane]

After I wallowed in above video (thanks Doc) I went to Zulu soundtrack where besides some great comments ("60 bitter Zulus disliked this" and "a song that could turn one man into an army" eg) - I also found this, a story someone heard, that on 9/11 a Morgan Stanley employee sang this to encourage his fellow escapees down those dread-filled stairs.

The untouchably sublime,  like music, is  lifeblood in times like these, in places where the innocent dead still lie unburied.

[caroljane]

One exception.  I have told my sons that if they allow amazing Grace to be heard at my funeral I will disinherit them.

[9thdoctor]

4 hours ago, 9thdoctor said:

He did a recital with orchestra, and once the written program was done he prompted the audience for requests.

 

This made me think of the show Live from Here, where they take requests via Twitter.  The requests are to be of songs no one in the band has ever played before.  And it comes off well.  And I can't find any examples on YouTube.  Oh well, here's one of their best bits, Breathy Acoustic Covers:

Now what I want them to do is a segment of AC/DC songs.  For Those About to Rock (with cannon obbligato), You Shook Me All Night Long, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, but above all, it must include Big Balls. 

 

[caroljane]

so fun.I do envy you your seeing so many gorgeous voices in person.  I have seen so few but did enjoy - Ewa Podlusw(sp?), Ben Heppner (just a Mennonite guy letting loose) and Isabel Bayrakdarian, Russell Braun and once unforgettably Juan Diego Flores. 

Could you tell  who else you have seen in concert or en ensemble or whatever?  I will not hope for Callas, I assume you would be too young.

 

[caroljane]

Today is just a hard sad day for me  for some private and some public reasons, not the least of which the end of the NHL season and of our dearest hopes, and Terfel is just not the right salve, but I found a clip of Jordan Eberle's wedding in which the bride, who appears to have shed the outer layer of her wedding dress,  brings down the house with her fantastic rendition of our alternate national anthem, Summer of '69.  Perhaps the gorgeous lady was as my seafaring uncle would say, half seas over, but I think her blushing groom would say she was just well-Oiled.