Music Archives - Page 2 of 4 - the bird on fire

Beethoven is de-composing

December 8, 2022 by ehesson@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Middle-Schooler Penny Andreas

Palm Valley students discover new music, make beautiful music, critique recently released
music, share compelling music. When streaming or listening or exploring music, we often search by musical genres. Penny shares her favorite genres, and one not-so-favorite. She has eclectic taste and may have some listening “finds” for you.

Out of the millions and billions and trillions of songs and albums, there are different genres. Basically, a genre is just a broad type of music. Many genres are awesome, but these are some of my favorites, and one not-so-favorite.

Number One: Indie Music

This is my absolute favorite genre of music because of its chill, slow-down vibe. I love the instruments they use, along with the subtle echo-y lyrics. It generally has a slow-ish and steady beat. This music is great to listen to while studying, reading, or basically doing anything mellow. My favorite artists in this genre are Em Beihold, Tame Impala, The Alvvays, and Giveon.

Number Two: Hip Hop and Rap

Hip hop and rap is a classic genre that has been around for a long time. I love hip hop because the sounds and the lyrics are good; some of them tell stories, while others may be about life. Though I do not recommend this type of music if you are not allowed to listen to “explicit lyrics.” There are some words that you might rather not want to ask your parents about….Anyways some of my favorite artists are Dr. Dre, Eminem, G-Unit, 50 Cent, Kendrik Lamar, Jay-Z, and Snoop Dogg.

Number Three: Soul

Soul is one of the absolute greatest genres of all time. It first started in the early 1950s, with the rise of gospel music. This was very popular in Black churches, but it quickly spread beyond churches, and it evolved into what is now called soul. Soul is a very broad word for a variety of musical albums and artists, but it is mainly music with a steady beat and a symphony of trumpets, saxophones, and trombones with amazing vocal riffs. Some of my favorite artists in soul are Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, James Brown, and Marvin Gaye.

And . . . One Dislike: Pop

Pop is pretty much just popular music all mushed into one genre. Honestly, I actually hate pop. There’s one specific sound that is just repeated over and over and over again. Also, so many people use samples that were made for original songs, by the original artist, which sounds like total plagiarism, though somehow they get away with it.

What the flute?

October 6, 2022 by ehesson@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By 7th-Grader Penny Andreas

I’ve come to learn our PVS bloggers are skilled in surprising arenas: fencing, appearing to listen without truly listening (teachers and parents, take note), winning at Monopoly always. Penny, we come to find out, has been playing the flute for years. She shares with us the history and basics of making beautiful sounds come out of this reedy instrument.
Blog Advisor Zachik

Flutes are one of the earliest known instruments. There is record of them back in Germany over 35,000 years ago. Many cultures and traditions have their own style and version of flute playing. One of the oldest traditional flutes is the Japanese Shakuhachi.

The Shakuhachi

A Shakuhachi is a very ancient Japanese and Chinese flute. It is a wide, end-blown flute that is made out of madake bamboo with five finger holes. The bamboo flute was made in Japan in the 16th century, and it was called Fuke Shakuhachi. It was used often when meditating. Not many people play the Shakuhachi nowadays, but there are many soundtracks and songs that incorporate this peaceful flute. Try listening to Shakuhachi Japanese Bamboo Flute Meditation & Relaxation Music.

Western Concert Flute

This flute is very well known in places like the U.S. It is usually referred to simply as “the flute.” Western Concert Flutes are very common and are used as beginning instruments for bands. These flutes are mainly made out of metal, but really expensive ones can be gold or copper. The Western Concert Flute is again a very old flute. Did you know that George Washington, James Madison, and Leonardo da Vinci played the flute? (earlylightmusic.weebly)

_{I have been playing the flute for two years now. I started when I was 10, joining my school band. About three months in, I started to take lessons. My teacher taught me so many “flute hacks” and helped me become confident with my flute playing and performing. I was very self-conscious about my performance, until I did my first one. Hearing the trombones and all of the other instruments behind me was thrilling, and playing along, hearing the notes in symphony, was beautiful. (The celebration at the end was exciting, too.)}
Penny Andreas

Beginner Basics

Now that you know at least some background on the flute, these are the first things to know when you are playing the flute. The flute can be very complicated. Playing the flute relies on moving your hands without seeing them. Want to play the flute? Make sure you have a lot of time because flute playing can be hard to master and learn.

The Three Main Parts

One important thing about playing is setting up. The common flute has three parts: the head, the body, and the bottom. The head is obviously at the top, the body in the middle, and the bottom at the bottom. You can simply put these pieces together by just connecting them through the holes.

Position

Most people think that there is no wrong way to handle the flute. This is wrong. There is a special order to place your hands so you can reach all of the finger holes to create different notes. You always want your left hand holding the upper body, and facing behind you. Your right hand however will hold the lower part of the body AND the bottom. This hand should be facing in front of you. If you are sitting or standing while playing, make sure that your back is straight. If you are slouching, it can affect your breathing and will make playing much harder.

Making a Sound

When you first get your flute, trust me, you will automatically want to make noise. To be able to do this, you will need to know the key parts to making beautiful noise. Number one is your embouchure. This fancy word embouchure actually just means your mouth shape. This is very important because you simply can’t make a sound by just making a random circle shape with your mouth. A simple way to describe your embouchure is making your mouth look like you are about to whistle. Then slightly curve the ends of your mouth. This is what an embouchure for the flute should look like.

* * * * *

Now that you get the basic idea of flute playing, I recommend taking lessons or watching YouTube tutorials. For taking lessons, I would choose Amanda Barro. Even though she is in Idaho, she is a great teacher. You can work with her via Zoom or Facetime. For YouTube videos, you could watch basically anyone; they should all help you. A good site to start with is, Dr. Selfridge’s Flute Tutorials @ drselfridgemusic.com. I know flute playing requires a lot to take in, but it is definitely worth it. Playing the flute can calm you and is a great subject for bragging!

The Art of Collecting Vinyl

August 24, 2022 by ehesson@pvs.org 2 Comments

By Luke Sonderman

Why Vinyl Records Are Still Relevant

Vinyl records were released to consumers almost 90 years ago, giving everyday people the ability to listen to the exact music they want without having to turn on a radio (thevinylrevivers.com). This revolutionary invention changed the way people could enjoy music forever!

To this day, vinyl records have been one of the most prominent ways to listen to music amongst the pickiest listeners. Now, you may think that vinyl is dead because of streaming and downloading music, but YOU ARE MOST UTTERLY WRONG! Mark Michalek of Fluance, a home theater company, said, “[A] proper vinyl pressing will reproduce an uncompressed signal with no additional artificial sound processing such as dynamic compression resulting in a greater effective dynamic range for a more life-like sound” (techradar.com). Through the uncompressed vinyl sound we can allow our ears to hear all of the frequencies of the music as if it was being performed in front of us. With streaming and downloading, we do not get the same live effect.

Collecting Vinyl

Listening to the sound on vinyl records isn’t the only part of the massive appeal. Vinyl records have become collectables, and some even sell upwards of two million dollars! (hmv.com) Many vinyl stores sell their records pre-owned which creates a large vinyl scavenging frenzy. When a collector walks into a vinyl store, they have no idea what treasure they may walk out with. You may buy a first edition Led Zeppelin print worth thousands, or you may find an old worthless Zappa album that isn’t worth skat.

Personally, I don’t search for valuable gems. I just look for pre-owned cheap records from groups I like because the new prints are wicked expensive.

What To Look For When Buying Pre-Owned Vinyl

Inspect the vinyl record’s cover. If the cover is in good condition, it is a good sign that the record will also probably be in good condition. If the cover is in bad condition, the record will most definitely be in bad condition. When you find a record in perfect condition with a very beat-up cover, there is a large chance that the cover is not original to the record and the same can be said vice versa.
Check if the record has a sleeve inside the cover. Never buy a record without a sleeve. The vinyl cover will scratch the record if there is no sleeve protecting it. Of course, if a sleeve is very torn and worn, the record was probably taken in and out of the cover many times. Usually, record stores will replace the sleeve if it is torn, which is good because when you buy a record you want to be able to maintain its condition.
Of course, you need to check the condition of the record itself. Often, used records in record stores have accumulated lots of dust and grime which you will want to brush off before purchasing the record. After dusting off the record, look for any scratches on the record. As a general rule of thumb, if you can feel a scratch with your finger, then the stylus (needle) will be able to feel it too. Also check to make sure that the record isn’t warped and is completely flat.

If all of that checks out, then you should be good to buy the record. When spending large amounts of money on vintage records, I would recommend you ask the store owner if you can play the record before purchasing it, but I buy my records for less than 10 dollars, so it’s not a big deal to me.

Here is a list of recommendations for used vinyl albums you should buy:

Houses of the Holy – Led Zeppelin
Appetite for Destruction – Guns and Roses
Wasting Light – Foo Fighters
Shout At The Devil – Motley Crue
Physical Graffiti – Led Zeppelin
2112 – Rush
Too Fast For Love – Motley Crue

Remembering Taylor Hawkins

April 5, 2022 by ehesson@pvs.org 1 Comment

By Luke Sonderman

On March 25, 2022, one of the greatest musicians of all time died on tour in South America. Taylor Hawkins, who was most well known for being the drummer of the Foo Fighters, was far more than just a drummer.

Taylor Hawkins had many musical inspirations: Genesis, Neil Peart (the drummer for Rush), and Steward Copeland (the drummer for the Police) to name a few (ultimateclassicrock.com). Still, Taylor Hawkins’s favorite band was Queen with drummer Roger Taylor (ultimateclassicrock.com). When hearing of Taylor Hawkins’s death, Roger Taylor said it felt like “losing a younger favorite brother” (cbs58.com).

Taylor Hawkins began his professional music career touring as the drummer for Alanis Morissette. At only 23 years old, Taylor began to get lots of attention as a drummer without taking away Morissette’s spotlight (pitchfork.com). In 1997, Dave Grohl, frontman of the Foo Fighters, approached Taylor Hawkins about being the band’s touring drummer after their last drummer quit. The world was shocked when Taylor joined this new, small rock group after touring with such an iconic artist, but Taylor joining the Foo Fighters started what is now one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

Dave Grohl, being the famous drummer of Nirvana, recorded the drums for the albums Foo Fighters and The Colour and the Shape. After joining the band, Taylor Hawkins recorded the drums and toured for every album since.

Aside from the Foo Fighters, Taylor Hawkins worked on many side projects–such as his solo band, Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders. Along with his solo career, Hawkins also played in a cover band, Chevy Metal, which ended up writing originals and renaming themselves Birds of Satan. He also appeared on a few albums by Coheed and Cambria.

My personal favorite songs that Taylor Hawkins appeared on are…

Arlandria

DOA

Dear Rosemary

Bridges Burning

Congregation

The Sky Is A Neighborhood

Many influential artists have commented on Taylor Hawkins tragic death.

Perry Farell from Jane’s Addiction said, “Taylor Hawkins died yesterday. He was my best friend. Beloved in my home by my wife, my children, even my dogs. Whenever Taylor came over, we would make music in the den. [Our dog] Cloud would always go and sit right by him. He was one of the most passionate drummers I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. When I think of him, I sum it up with one word: Velocity. He had the gift to maintain a confident, striking and stroking velocity on drums” (americansongwriter.com).

Paul McCartney from the Beatles commented, “Taylor’s sudden death came as a shock to me and the people who knew and loved him” (loudwire.com).

Geddy Lee from Rush said, “He was such an incredibly positive source of music, energy and love, and a true artist to his very core….there are simply no words to adequately express just how much he will be missed by all – including . . . the entire Rush family” (nme.com).

Tommi Iommi from Black Sabbath stated, “I woke up this morning to hear the awful news of Taylor Hawkins’s death. What a terrible loss to us all. He was such a lovely guy and such a brilliant player” (washingtonpost.com).

Axl Rose of Guns N Roses said, “Shocked n’ saddened to hear of the passing. [He was] a really great guy, drummer n’ family man” (washingtonpost.com).

Travis Barker of Blink-182 said, “I don’t have the words. Sad to write this or to never see you again. I’ll never forget Laguna Beach days when I was a trash man playing in a punk-rock band and you were playing with Alanis. You’d come watch me play in dive bars and be like, ‘Kid, you’re a star.’ And I thought you were crazy, but you gave me so much hope and determination” (ew.com).

The Only Music You Should Listen To This Spring

March 9, 2022 by ehesson@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Each season, Luke makes a playlist for the ride home. His winter list had 150 songs. Now, he begins compiling his spring list. You might want to borrow a few.

By Luke Sonderman

As we are approaching the last few weeks of winter, it is time for me to collect the music I will be listening to until summer comes around. The gloom of December is gone, and the energy and sunshine of spring is coming.

I’m going to start off the playlist with something energetic. Jane’s Addiction is a Los Angeles alternative rock band that has been around since the late 80’s (allmusic.com). With lead man Perry Farrell along with guitarist Dave Navarro, Jane’s Addiction changed the game of music forever. Through adding funk and style to their music, Jane’s Addiction owned their own genre that no one had ever heard before. With major hits like “Jane Says” and “Been Caught Stealing,” Jane’s Addiction well deserves being on this list. If I had to add one song by Jane’s Addiction, it would have to be either “Just Because” or “Stop!”

Next up on the playlist would probably be something by the Foo Fighters. The Foo Fighters, led by legendary drummer, songwriter, and guitarist, Dave Grohl might be one of my favorite artists of all time. The Foo Fighters were born out of Dave Grohl’s rise to songwriting after the death of Kurt Cobain, singer for Nirvana for whom Dave Grohl was the drummer. The first song on my winter playlist was the Foo Fighters’ “Something From Nothing” from their hit album, Sonic Highways. Now, I want to add something a bit more powerful. I would say that the most powerful and energetic album by the Foo Fighters would be In Your Honor. If I had to pick one song from In Your Honor to be on this list, it would probably be “No Way Back,” which is up-beat, and LOUD!

Since I’m grabbing a lot of post-90’s songs, maybe it’s time to add something a bit older. My favorite classic rock band, Led Zeppelin, has some crazy songs to add to this list. With energetic singer Robert Plant, legendary drummer John Bonham, tasteful guitarist Jimmy Page, and the great bassist John Paul Jones, Led Zeppelin rocked the 70’s. My favorite album is Houses Of The Holy, and, for this playlist, I will probably add “D’yer Mak’er” which is a groovy, layback song that anyone can dance along to.

Moving up from the 70’s to the 80’s, we have my favorite hard rock band, Motley Crue. Motley Crue rocked Los Angeles in the 80’s playing sold-out shows for massive crowds with their hit albums Shout At The Devil, Dr. Feelgood, Girls Girls Girls, Too Fast for Love, and Theater of Pain. There weren’t any Motley Crue songs on my last playlist, but for spring, I am adding “Red Hot,” “Dr. Feelgood,” and “Smokin’ In The Boys Room.”

Finally, my favorite band is Manchester Orchestra. The band has songs for every season of the year. Don’t be alarmed, Manchester Orchestra isn’t actually an orchestra but a vast multi-genre rock band that released its first album I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child in 2006 when frontman Andy Hull was just around 20 years old (allmusic.com). The band really took off in 2009 with their album Mean Everything To Nothing, which ranked on the Billboard Top 40. Manchester wrote many songs that made it on my winter album such as “The Alien,” “The Gold,” “Girl Harbor,” “The Sunshine,” and many others that I would recommend anyone listen to on a cloudy day. For the upcoming spring season, I add happier songs like “My Friend Marcus,” “In My Teeth,” “Shake It Out,” “Pensacola,” and “I’ve Got Friends.”

Now, this list doesn’t even cover half of my spring list, but this is what I have come up with so far. I encourage you to listen to any of these songs as they are all songs I listen to on repeat. Although I am sad that my winter music time is almost over, I am super excited to dig into my spring playlist.

Katelin’s Favorite Musical Artists of 2019

January 13, 2020 by ehesson@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Katelin Slosky

Katelin offers a musical year-in-review for us. She doesn’t give us a genre or a unifying characteristic between the artists, other than these are the artists that made her 2019. If your tastes run similar to Katelin’s, try Marie Ulven Ringham, Mikaela Mullaney Straus, and Maia–aka girl in red, King Princess, and mxmtoon.

Here are some of the artists I enjoyed listening to in 2019.

girl in red

Marie Ulven Ringham is a Norweigan singer/songwriter. Her most popular songs are “we fell in love in october,” and “i wanna be your girlfriend.” My 2 favourite songs of hers are “girls” and “i wanna be alone.”

King Princess

Mikaela Mullaney Straus is an American singer/songwriter from Brooklyn, New York. Her most popular songs are “1950” and “Talia.” My favourite song of hers is “Ain’t Together,” which is also the first of her songs that I heard.

mxmtoon

Maia is an American singer/songwriter from Oakland, California. Her most popular song is “prom dress,” which is one of my favourites. I also like the song “feelings, are fatal.”

Favorite Musicians Editor: James Zheng

The Musical Taste of PVS Upper School

December 18, 2019 by ehesson@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Renée

When James came around and asked for posts about our favorite types of music and musical artists, I immediately thought of dozens of genres, bands, musicians. So, then I thought, instead of gushing incoherently about my multifarious music tastes, why not expose the taste of my classmates?? BRILLIANT. So, I sent out this survey to complete my nefarious plan, and this is what you guys’ responses were.

Question: What types of music do you enjoy the most?

Question: Do you have a favorite musical group, if so who?
Steely Dan

Rainbow Kitten Surprise

Dan & Shay

Guns N’ Roses

Simple Plan

Jonas Brothers

Maroon 5

Queen

Kami-sama, I have noticed

Coldplay

Led Zeppelin

Beatles

The Neighbourhood

Imagine Dragons

The Police

The Score

Milk and Coffee

The Wallows

The Killers

Santa Cruz

The Clash

The Hush Sound

The Regrettes

Miles Davis Quintet

No, I don’t have one (3 responses)

Question: Do you have a favorite individual musical artist, if so who?Avicii

Michael Bublé (x2)

Boz Scaggs

Matt Maeson

Ariana Grande (x2)

YK Osiris

Kehlani

Jake Sonderman

Jay Chou

Post Malone

Ryan Tedder

Robert Plant

Two Feet

Michael Jackson

Marina

Koji Kondo

Girl in red

Her

Eden

Tristam

Melody Gardot

No, I don’t have one (2 responses)

Favorite Musician Editor: James Zheng

Quintus’s Queen of Song

December 11, 2019 by ehesson@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Quintus Ni

Every time I listen to a song by Teresa Teng, my heart is filled with sweetness, warmth and brightness–as if I was surrounded by a delicate fragrance. The songs sung by Taiwanese artist Teresa Teng, beautiful but not gloomy, make one feel the happiness of life. Accompanied by her tender and enchanting songs, one would forget all trouble or loneliness. Her music is so classical that it reaches the incomparable height manifested by its unique style. It always gives one a sense of sweetness, just like her character. Despite her short life, she created countless classics. She has sung so many songs–over three thousand. With a colorful life and great influence, she is really a legend.

In the early 1980s, when the Chinese mainland was fully opened to the outside world, Teresa Teng, known by every household in China, walked into people’s hearts with her beautiful singing. At that time, it was everyone’s dream to buy these popular tapes and listen to the melodious tone of Teresa Teng. The popularity of her music made me know for the first time that such songs well expresses one’s emotions.

At that age of spiritual emptiness, when people in homespun clothes got accustomed to listening to revolutionary songs and model operas, Teresa Teng was absolutely a fallen fairy, fashionable and fresh, fascinating everyone with her songs and image. A piece of song by Teresa Teng could relieve people’s depressed souls and emotions, getting people refreshed and comforted. We found our lost selves and reshaped our personalities in her song. A lot more people have learned to sing her classic songs by following what is played everywhere on the street.

“Seeing the Smoke Again” presents me with a picture of smoke curling up from kitchen chimneys in hometowns; “Love in the Village” brings me back to my hometown with its unforgettable small village; “Hometown Love” arouses my homesickness; “Story of Little Town” makes me dream of living in a beautiful little town and wandering in the alleys of the town. Her love songs are also not sentimental, but full of sweetness of love. “See You Tomorrow” reminds me of my first love with its lines of “Remember when we first met, you overshadowed the flowers flying in the wind…” Such a sweet love, brilliant and charming, lingers in one’s heart. “Goodbye My Love” depicts a peaceful breakup which is not as hysterical and painful as the common separation of lovers. Teresa Teng’s voice, totally natural, sweet and beautiful, echoes in the depth of my soul. I can’t stop missing her for even one second. Her fresh and clear voice lingers in my ears forever.

Today, her melodious tone is still enjoyed by us again and again. We can listen to her songs online repeatedly, and don’t have to buy pirated CDs like in the 1970s when the government frowned upon Teng and genuine CDs were too expensive. The sweet voice of Teresa Teng keeps ringing in our ears. Although she passed away in 1995, her songs will never fade away. With these good memories deep in my heart, I listen to old songs, miss the past times and recall Teresa Teng.

In the lifetime of Teresa Teng, she brought rich spiritual wealth–though she doesn’t meet her Mr. Right and get married in a white wedding gown. Her songs make people long for beautiful love. Maybe she is lonely in the depth of her heart, but still she provides comfort for people with her singing. No matter how distressed you are, she will make you feel happy. Although she is gone, she remains alive in people’s hearts. Her lovely image and beautiful voice echo in people’s mind. As time goes by, her songs become the unfailing classics. Today, Teresa Teng is still shining with boundless radiance.

Teresa Teng is the idol of many people and the dream lover of men. Every twinkle and smile of her is so intoxicating that it remains fresh in one’s memory. Her fans cover women and men of all ages who are deeply attracted to her songs. Generation after generation, people grow older, listening to her songs. Along with our wonderful memories, her songs and her beauty last forever. Bathed in her songs, people’s hearts also become tender.

“Such tunes should only belong to Heaven. On earth, how rarely can we hear them played?” (Du Fu, Tang Dynasty Poet) Her songs are unparalleled in history. She wins all people’s hearts with her sweet voice which heals countless brokenhearted people. Generation after generation, people grow up along with her beautiful songs. Despite the elapse of time, her songs still linger in people’s minds and remain vivid. Her voice, clear and sweet, nourishes and soothes the soul, which calms a person down. Her songs remind one of peace, innocence and true love in the human world, rendering solace and serenity.

Although she hasn’t been to the mainland of China, she is like a warm, amiable and lovely family member. After she passed away, she is still remembered. She, charming, elegant and tender, develops the strong and brave character as a typical Chinese woman!

Her songs will keep accompanying us in our life journeys. She is very popular among men and women, old and young alike. Short though her life is, she has lived a splendid, rich and colorful life. Her sincerity, modesty and kindness make her easy to approach. With a wide range of tones, she can delicately render and interpret the ancient poems like On the West Tower Alone and May They Live Long. Teresa Teng has a variety of singing styles, ranging from folk, classical, popular music to mixed music. Her songs, famous at home and abroad, cater to the general public with their rich content and refined language. She has traveled to many countries in the world. Where there are Chinese, there are songs sung by Teresa Teng. Therefore, Teresa Teng not only belongs to China but also belongs to the whole world.

Teresa Teng has influenced many people in her lifetime. Her songs comfort many people growing up. Many imitators start their career of singing patterned after Teresa Teng.

It’s very common that a singer be forgotten. Only in a few cases could a singer be remembered and respected by all the people–though she passed away a long time ago. Teresa Teng is such a singer. Behind her dazzling smile, how many hardships has she suffered? For tens of thousands of her fans, she worked hard and made every effort to improve herself; she left her hometown at a young age, led a wandering life and died on a foreign land; but now, she returns to her hometown and rests in peace.

“Your face and the peach blossoms were rosy. But where has your face gone? The peach blossoms still smile in the spring wind” (Cui Hu, Teng Dynasty Poet). Recall Teresa Teng, and sing the eternal classics! Passing down Teresa Teng’s works is the best return and love for her. Just like a wind and a cloud, she falls from the sky quietly and leaves the mortal world gently without taking away a breath of air. The only thing she leaves us is her music. Nowadays, as clouds go with the wind, Teresa Teng also goes away gently like the passing youth of that generation. But, her songs will last forever along with our beautiful youth in our memories. It’s enough to recall such good old days in the fast flowing of time…

Favorite Musician Editor: James Zheng

Chelsea’s King of Pop

December 9, 2019 by ehesson@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Chelsea

Hello, everybody!! Editor James named “Favorite Musicians” as his theme and assigned us to write on it. So, I’m going to share my top 10 songs from my favorite musician: Michael Jackson. Personally, I can’t thank him enough for being a part of my childhood; after all, I basically grew up hearing his songs. He will forever go down in history as one of the best musicians, and I shall forever remember him as the King of Pop.

*Note: I’m only recommending his songs, not his personal life. So, please, leave his personal life out of this. I’m talking songs.

Please enjoy the songs and have a good day!!

Thriller

Man in the Mirror

They Don’t Care About Us

Smooth Criminal

Black or White

Beat it

Remember The Time

You Are Not Alone

Billie Jean

Dangerous

“Favorite Musicians” Editor: James Zheng

Scoring Big

November 22, 2019 by ehesson@pvs.org 2 Comments

By Luke Langlois

Not to make a sweeping generalization or anything, but movies, although a somewhat new invention in the grand scheme of human history, have become one of the greatest sources of our everyday entertainment. Think of your favorite movie scene or a scene that has emotionally moved you in some way or another. Is it Yoda’s death in Return of the Jedi? Is it that moment in Avengers: Endgame where those lost from the snap triumphantly returned. Perhaps it’s the scene in Forrest Gump where Forrest just runs. No matter what movie scene is most near to your heart, there’s one element that you maybe haven’t considered: the movie score.

I always wonder how come our everyday life isn’t nearly as epic as life in the movies. How come there wasn’t that pizazz when I took the FIRST BITE of my ENGLISH MUFFIN this morning? The answer is simple: there was no John Williams movie score attached to it. Again, if you think about your favorite scenes from your beloved movies, I bet you overlook the soundtrack (unless you’ve already had this epiphany). But, movies are NOTHING without their score. Today, in honor of our theme, I’d like to recognize some of the most underappreciated artists in the cinematic industry. They are the true breath of life in a movie.

John Williams – As Ms. Zachik said to me when I told her about this post concept, “You have to mention John Williams; it seems like he’s composed everything!” He has. John Williams is the greatest movie composer of all time, and there is no question about it. In his over half-a-century long career, Williams has composed the scores for over one-hundred movies. Beyond movies, however, he has also composed the fanfare for NBC’s Sunday Night Football and the Olympics! Some of his compositions include the scores from the Indiana Jones franchise, the Star Wars franchise, the Jurassic Park franchise, the first three movies of the Harry Potter series, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Saving Private Ryan. When I learned that he’s done all of these movies, I was SHOCKED! How do you just casually score a smash hit movie and then move on to another one, and another one, and then one more? I don’t like to use the “literally” expression often, but Williams has literally done everything.
Michael Giacchino – So many people gush over the scene in Disney Pixar’s Up where the newly married Carl and Ellie progress through life together, slowly growing old until eventually Ellie passes away. Not to devalue the writing and directing of that scene, but what would it be without the score, Married Life? Giacchino has become Disney’s go-to man for Pixar films (which makes him my personal favorite), and has recently jumped into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with his scores for Doctor Strange, Spiderman: Homecoming, and Spiderman: Far From Home. Giacchino’s resume includes, but obviously isn’t limited to: The Incredibles (the BEST), Sky High, Ratatouille, Jurassic World, Cars 2, Zootopia, and Coco. He also has also done the music for a couple of video games like Call of Duty.
Alan Silvestri – The most underrated movie score of all time belongs to The Polar Express. Guess who did that one? Alan Silvestri doesn’t seem to have a “type” of movie he prefers to score. He’s done movies ranging from Forrest Gump to Lilo and Stitch. Though, the most recent score of his that you’ve probably heard is from the highest grossing film of all time: Avengers Endgame. Maybe it’s just me, but I find it crazy that the same guy who scored movies like Who Framed Roger Rabbit also scored a movie like Endgame. Regardless, Silvestri is just one of the many incredibly talented movie composers who has probably been a part of many of your favorite movies.

Appreciate the score in your next visit to the movies. What fun would dead silence be in an action montage? Maybe it would be fun if it was an action montage in the vacuum of space, but I haven’t seen that done before. Anyways, the next time you are ready to leave as soon as the credits roll, maybe stick around for a second and see who the music was done by.

“Favorite Musicians” Editor: James Zheng