The Whole Music Experience

Photo by Patricia Herlevi, Bellingham, WA Since my previous post on relaxing with classical music has attracted attention, let's experiment with the opposite--that is let's add vitality to our step and energize our bodies.  Psycho-acoustic experts tell us to charge the nervous system with high-tones and to increase the beats per minute to above 80 beats per minute (not that I ever know how many beats per minute music is).  However, by increasing the tempo, we raise our heartbeat rate, and increase the overall tempo in our bodies, thus giving us more energy. We don't want to get our adrenaline rushing or create fight or flight in our bodies since this isn't healthy.  So I'm not asking you to increase the volume of music, play booming bass and drums or blast yourself with screeching electric guitar.  But then I doubt any of you were planning on doing that since you already know what's healthy for you and what causes you tension and unease. I'm going to...

Maurice Ravel 1. Prokofiev, Piano Concerto 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKJm3Wre1iU 2. Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto 3 (Olga Kern) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAoQoZBTqLs 3. Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of the Faun http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7b1FkZYarU 4. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT7_IZPHHb0 5. Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake (Dance of the Swans) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd4VsbM4fOo&feature=related 6. Mozart's Clarinet Concerto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOxX0xGTOyE 7. Mozart's Magic Flute (Queen of the Night Aria) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJJW0dE5GF0 8. Bach's Goldberg Variations (Glenn Gould) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64Xb3qiXR9Y 9. Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez (Yepes) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxwceLlaODM 10. Ravel Piano Concerto in G (Grimaud performing 2nd movement) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRTWLQ4nI6Q This list of pieces runs...

London Symphony Orchestra Valery Gergiev Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet LSO I discovered Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev’s music for Romeo and Juliet while I was researching one of the composer’s piano concertos for an article. I was immediately captivated by the composer’s musical themes, his edgy orchestration and accessibility. London Symphony Orchestra’s (led by Valery Gergiev) live recording of Romeo and Juliet marks also my second listen to this phenomenal work. The live performance does the incidental music justice, though I would still love to see dancers performing the ballet to this score. When I listen to classical works I have this tendency to search for influences or for possible disciples (informal or formal) of the composer. The question in my mind while I listened to this version of the ballet score revolved around Leonard Bernstein’s score to Westside Story . As you know, Westside Story based itself on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet as well, though only ...