*loud organ music*
"In sleep he sang to me...."
Who would have thought they'd make a movie version of the Phantom after all these years? I had the privilege of watching it on Boxing Day. For a movie, it was actually quite good. Overall, it was a very aesthetically pleasing and cinematically substantial movie experience.
First impression: the music was so overpowering! Probably because it's been in our pop culture for so long. It overshadowed almost everything in the movie, but only at first. It soon got better.
Later: newfound respect for the actors when I discovered that all of them except Minnie Driver sang their own parts in the movie. Nice.
Actors: Emmy Rossum, with her dark melancholy eyes and innocent face, was a very fresh portrayal of Christine. Patrick Wilson fulfilled his role as Prince-Charming-Raoul nicely. And Gerard Butler played a most human and un-horrific Phantom to date.
At first, I felt like these characters were pawns on a chess board who were dictated solely by ALW's haunting music. However, I later realized that they gave very good understated performances and should be acknowledged properly. People who want an exact replica of the musical are missing the point, because the purpose of making this movie is not to create a blownup version of the musical, but to make something beautifully different. All in all for me, I was glad to relive this long-forgotten dream of the Phantom's music and story. Of course, you should watch it only if you don't mind having Phantom music floating in your head until it is slowly weaned off!
A very Happy New Year to all of you.
Friday, December 31, 2004
Friday, December 10, 2004
Sweet sweet candy cane
During Christmas time, many people go crazy over candy. It is almost an excuse to gorge oneself. This philosophy also surfaces during Thanksgiving, which we've just had. Why do people like turkey so much? It is beyond me. Anyway, I was surprised to know that the candy cane was originally a Christian symbol. Before you visit the link, think about the candy cane's shape, color and texture. These will probably clue you in. Acknowledging another blogger for this piece of info. And early Christmas greetings to you all.
Thursday, December 09, 2004
G-Sea's 1st Anniversary! Presentation of Flowers
In honor of this blog's first anniversary since its launch on November 1, 2003, I've created new lyrics for one of GC's recent tunes. It's called Like the Flowers and the Grass. Actually, it's been sitting in my computer for some time now, and finally it is here!
I chose this particular theme from Isaiah 40:8 because I've encountered it so many times in choir from different pieces. Though poetic sounding, it's a tough reminder that nothing lives or lasts forever here on earth. However, if you look at it another way, this is hardly depressing. This just calls for our total surrender to God. At exactly the right time, He places us at a place where we can grow the most. The rest of the message is quite obviously in the lyrics themselves. Sincere thanks to dad who suggested the more descriptive "Risen Lamb" instead of "Holy Lamb".
I chose this particular theme from Isaiah 40:8 because I've encountered it so many times in choir from different pieces. Though poetic sounding, it's a tough reminder that nothing lives or lasts forever here on earth. However, if you look at it another way, this is hardly depressing. This just calls for our total surrender to God. At exactly the right time, He places us at a place where we can grow the most. The rest of the message is quite obviously in the lyrics themselves. Sincere thanks to dad who suggested the more descriptive "Risen Lamb" instead of "Holy Lamb".
Thursday, November 11, 2004
It's all Greek Orthodox to me
I was supposed to have dim sum with some friends this late morning, but because it's a rainy day and I don't feel particularly well, I decided not to go. Does this have anything to do with rehearsals? Perhaps. Well it's best not to take my chances, get sick on the day of the concert, and regret having gone out.
Since there's no school today, I decided to catch up on blogging. It's pouring quite substantially outside. Last night when I was getting ready to sleep, Rachmaninoff's music was still floating in my mind. This always happens if rehearsal ends after 6pm, and yesterday's ended at 10.
I still remember the cathedral. It's situated on a hill, so we saw the vast array of city lights and the Bay Bridge down below. In the lobby area, I saw unused skinny candles placed flat on the table. I assume that worshippers could take one and light it. This reminded me that I was entering a sacred place.
Once inside, the first thing I noticed were the round iron-cast lights that looked like candles that were hung low from the ceiling. They reminded me of the light in the house where Yuri sang. This quite lifted my spirits from the cold that I felt even when I was indoors.
Looking up, I saw the dome-shaped ceiling, where square sections of gold-colored tin (?) looked pieced together. In the middle of the ceiling was a dark-skinned Jesus, and around Him, the 12 apostles. I attempted to decipher the Greek names next to each and to determine who was who. I think I found Peter and Phillip. We were discussing if Judas Iscariot was present (probably not, we concluded). My friend next to me said, "Well it's all Greek to me--ha, ha, ha."
At the stage in front, tall icons graced the walls. The middle inner was veiled by a gold curtain, and we were instructed not to look inside ("no curiosity allowed!").
Rachmaninoff's music requires lots of outer-calm-but-inner-energy from all of us. Our conductor told us an overview of the legacy that the Russians have left behind. There is outward solemnity but an inner strength that helps them survive during the difficult times. I think this also rings true for us. Yes, the music is hard not in the sense of notes but in the enormity of emotion which we have to convey through our eyes. If we hold onto this thought, we will able to finish strongly in these two concerts.
Since there's no school today, I decided to catch up on blogging. It's pouring quite substantially outside. Last night when I was getting ready to sleep, Rachmaninoff's music was still floating in my mind. This always happens if rehearsal ends after 6pm, and yesterday's ended at 10.
I still remember the cathedral. It's situated on a hill, so we saw the vast array of city lights and the Bay Bridge down below. In the lobby area, I saw unused skinny candles placed flat on the table. I assume that worshippers could take one and light it. This reminded me that I was entering a sacred place.
Once inside, the first thing I noticed were the round iron-cast lights that looked like candles that were hung low from the ceiling. They reminded me of the light in the house where Yuri sang. This quite lifted my spirits from the cold that I felt even when I was indoors.
Looking up, I saw the dome-shaped ceiling, where square sections of gold-colored tin (?) looked pieced together. In the middle of the ceiling was a dark-skinned Jesus, and around Him, the 12 apostles. I attempted to decipher the Greek names next to each and to determine who was who. I think I found Peter and Phillip. We were discussing if Judas Iscariot was present (probably not, we concluded). My friend next to me said, "Well it's all Greek to me--ha, ha, ha."
At the stage in front, tall icons graced the walls. The middle inner was veiled by a gold curtain, and we were instructed not to look inside ("no curiosity allowed!").
Rachmaninoff's music requires lots of outer-calm-but-inner-energy from all of us. Our conductor told us an overview of the legacy that the Russians have left behind. There is outward solemnity but an inner strength that helps them survive during the difficult times. I think this also rings true for us. Yes, the music is hard not in the sense of notes but in the enormity of emotion which we have to convey through our eyes. If we hold onto this thought, we will able to finish strongly in these two concerts.
Rock, man!
Rock man!
Rockman who?
Rachmaninoff, of course!
I'm singing in the choir again this semester. We're performing Rachmaninoff's Vespers All-Night Vigil in Old Church Slavic. I've been drowning in work lately that I've quite forgotten to mention it. Just last night we ran through the whole piece at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral where we'll be giving our first performance.
Some characteristics of this piece:
1. We're going to sing a cappella for the whole thing, which means no piano, no nuthin'.
2.Some examples of the Slavic syllables that we'll be singing: vozdvigsha, svobozhdsha, pomishliayete...
3. The time signatures often change from measure to measure.
4. We're singing with another choir, and it's always a time for adjustment when two groups come together under one conductor.
5. We're performing this twice: this Friday and Sunday, in fact.
6. The stage at the cathedral is small, so we'll most likely be holding the scores up to our noses--all 200 of us.
7. Our conductor will be standing close to us to allow the back row to see her. This means that we who're in front would have to invent some clever way to simultaneously:
look up at her,
look down at our scores to remind us of the words, and
to maintain our singing alignment with our chins held in.
However, I'm in no way complaining. For one thing, we have our beloved conductor again this semester. I can't imagine any other person having the power to create beautiful music using ordinary people than she can. Moreover, it is exciting for me because it's my first time singing in Slavic. It really is quite different than Handel's Messiah.
Most importantly, what's impossible for man is possible for God. The piece is really a chance to give glory to God, and with that in mind, it will turn out wonderful. PTL!
Rockman who?
Rachmaninoff, of course!
I'm singing in the choir again this semester. We're performing Rachmaninoff's Vespers All-Night Vigil in Old Church Slavic. I've been drowning in work lately that I've quite forgotten to mention it. Just last night we ran through the whole piece at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral where we'll be giving our first performance.
Some characteristics of this piece:
1. We're going to sing a cappella for the whole thing, which means no piano, no nuthin'.
2.Some examples of the Slavic syllables that we'll be singing: vozdvigsha, svobozhdsha, pomishliayete...
3. The time signatures often change from measure to measure.
4. We're singing with another choir, and it's always a time for adjustment when two groups come together under one conductor.
5. We're performing this twice: this Friday and Sunday, in fact.
6. The stage at the cathedral is small, so we'll most likely be holding the scores up to our noses--all 200 of us.
7. Our conductor will be standing close to us to allow the back row to see her. This means that we who're in front would have to invent some clever way to simultaneously:
look up at her,
look down at our scores to remind us of the words, and
to maintain our singing alignment with our chins held in.
However, I'm in no way complaining. For one thing, we have our beloved conductor again this semester. I can't imagine any other person having the power to create beautiful music using ordinary people than she can. Moreover, it is exciting for me because it's my first time singing in Slavic. It really is quite different than Handel's Messiah.
Most importantly, what's impossible for man is possible for God. The piece is really a chance to give glory to God, and with that in mind, it will turn out wonderful. PTL!
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