Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Rather OT....but been discussed before here...

Thanks for the birthday wishes, guys (and gals)!
I loved the posts....
Andrea Bocelli is a favorite of mine and "Time to Say Goodbye" is pure bliss! (funny enough, I've been listening to that exact you tube video daily for a few weeks now!)


Can you believe Les Mis (movie) got a Golden Globe for best musical- well, actually, maybe it was the ONLY musical, makes sense.....oi vey!

Trap, I liked Ruthie Henshall's voice, haven't heard her sing before, I think. Show me who else has sung that song or played Fontine.
Why would Fontine be "ridiculous" ? I've always pictured her character as more of sad, once-hopeful-but-now-hopeless woman whom life has beaten down.

Ron, you can handle two inches thick, I believe in you!

Ron - I vaguely remember trudging my way thru the book, but I can't remember how many years ago - it was a mixed blessing and a real task and a half - Hugo is a writer of the highest order and the plot and characterization are complex and imaginative, but he digresses at several points at length and in depth into the politics and economics and social conditions of the times, the details of which are unnecessary to the story line and of interest probably only to geeky students of 19th century French history...but don't let that discourage you




Yes, I agree - she is good, very good - her voice is strong and sure - I always liked her Fantine a lot...at least until I saw Lea's...now, I'm not too sure - Lea just simply "nails" everything she sings, and is absolutely wonderful here, and may have a slight edge both vocally and in the strong emotion she feels and displays in the lyrics...one should always have dilemmas like this!

I've been caught simply by the introduction. About Hugo's life. His political involvement in France. How he was in exile. It was a political statement to his countrymen.
I have read Dostoevsky. A Russian writer. Fascinating to me. How he describes life at that time. He was thrown in prison in Siberia for sharing thought. A fate many of his educated countrymen endured. As if it were against the law to be educated.
I was an idiot when younger to not dive into stuff like this. I just knew I was unhappy with society. Wanted better answers. Now I have those answers and am enjoying a second childhood.
I may very well spend some time lost in this novel.

This is the one thing people hear and do not realize. It is what they try to call the X factor. The one thing that grabs a person in song. It is what comes from the heart in song. Expressing that, freely. That is what communicates something special to people. They don't even realize it.
A friend of mine used to mention that people, at times, were; "Tripping". I like to think of tripping being a song. That is what it is. When the mind flows with imagination and creativity from the heart. Whethere it be singing, or playing an instrument. It is tripping.

I just have to jump in here (imagine that!)

Ron, with regards to "tripping". Whatever the word for that quality, it's ultra-important in the musical and creative arts and makes the difference between a technically correct performance and a mesmerizing, goose bump-delivering performance.

For example: ice skaters at the Olympics. Ever notice how one will skate perfectly but is rather dull to watch? Then, another one may deliver a not-so-perfect performance yet is thrilling to watch perform? Same with ballet, any type of dance- some people seem to have the ability to pour their hearts and souls into their craft and the audience is moved. Others, well...blah.

I believe it's true with artists, writers, and, of course, singers.
It's that "special something" that just seems to reach another's soul.
Not sure it can be taught....

Isn't tripping rather bad in the ice skating?

Back in the day "tripping" usually meant the almost continuous ingestion of mind-altering drugs (e.g., LSD) to the serious detriment of one's awareness and rational abilities...(or so I've heard...)

But now it could also mean "tripping" over one's tongue while making a weak and flimsy attempt at really corny humor

It is fascinating reading a first hand account of what a guillotine is. Realizing we have only a superficial understanding of the creature. Hugo saw it's work...live. Impressive job of describing it.
It is fascinating reading about his fictional Bishop. How everybody has to complain, manipulate, deceive, destroy. Man has not changed one bit. He is still the same.

OK....Ok....ok... Besides Piano Joy...thank you...good thinking Piano Joy... besides her...What the heck are you two babbling about? No...no... no Purple Dragon... No skaters running into walls.
Now if you'll please excuse me...

Sounds like Ron is deeply immersed in The Book...hard to believe this is the same guy who wrote "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"...

I've always thought of the guillotine as being "a cut above" any other form of capital punishment (sorry, the devil made me say it!).

So, what's next on your reading list Ron? "Don Quixote"? This is brimming over with tons of wit and wisdom - a rousing read! The Man of La Mancha awaits your intense and devoted perusal...but one "brick" at a time, huh?

We've been a little remiss here so far as regards the Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals - here's my favorite song from any and all of them - from "Phantom of the Opera" Christine sings of her love and respect for her deceased father while struggling to break free of his influence and assert her independence now that she has become the lead soprano at the Paris Opera...


Here's a decent rendition by Emily Rossum from the fairly well done movie version (she looks great too, although I'm still not sure that an exposed cleavage is totally appropriate for a cemetery scene in the cold and snow ):






And here's a stirring concert version from Sarah Brightman (the actual song begins somewhere past the 2 minute mark):







The highest compliment that I can give to this hauntingly beautiful song is that it is awesome enough to be in "Les Mis"...

I may very well read the Hunchback next. Even though you know society has changed the title. I find writers fascinating who, even though it is a fictional story, it is all based on reality. I'm prejudging that Le Notre Dame de Paris is a far greater story than we have cut it down to be.
That is what fascinates me about Dostoevsky. He was hailed as a great writer by the Russian people because of his ability to capture the essence of what life was like in Russia at that time.



Gee Trapper.... My eyes have always been so glued to those huge sad brown eyes so much that I never noticed any cleavage? I also have to admit...I think Emmy has more heart in her singing than Sarah.
The Phantom is another great Novel based in France. So true; The world pushes you into the sewer. You make a palace of the sewer. You then begin to experience life above and beyond anything they can even comprehend.

The French have gotten so much right in life. Their view of enjoyment. Make it a little, but obscenely good. Like their fine food. I have had the pleasure of enjoying food like that. Obscenely good.

Ok, you two, please stop with the Emmy cleavage comments- you do realize she was, perhaps, 16 years old when that movie was made? You're "grossing me out" !
You can discuss Ms. Brightman's cleavage all you'd like...


Trap, I liked both versions of " Wishing....".
It's obvious Sarah has more experience and her voice sounds more (what's the word) "operatic"? She might have a slight edge over Emmy, but only slight!

I am a HUGE Michael Crawford fan and this has always been a favorite of mine :




** I stand corrected- Emmy was approx 18 during Phantom...I guess it's at least legal....

(heavy sigh....)

pj - I hope you didn't misconstrue my intentions or motives - I was only concerned for the young lady's well being, I assure you - I feared she was inadequately attired given the rather harsh meterological conditions, and might develop some nasty pulmonary and/or throat infection...as a devoted father of 3 daughters I'm all too well aware of these health hazards...




Yes, slight - if I'm not mistaken I think Sarah was the first Christine on the London stage - not sure who played the Phantom there - Michael did on Broadway (I think)...

Trapper....where did I put my waders? It's getting deep in here!

I've watched that 100 times and I ain't seen no cleavage? Besides...Those big, huge, ever so sad, brown eyes... Every word coming out of her mouth drives that stake deeper through my heart.

Here's one that will get PJ really sick...
Talking to an engineer from Saudi Arabia.
Said he had three wives.
Asked: When was the first?
Engineer: Oh...right after college...about 22 23?
How old was she?
Engineer: Oh...16
The second?
Enginner: Oh...I was..lets see...35
How old was she?
Enginner: 16
How about the third?
Engineer: I was 48
How old was she?
Engineer: (very nonchalantly).... 16


EDIT: Oh I think I get it!? Eyes are considered cleavage! Yes! Ain't I smart!?

Back on track, here's a really nice retrospective of some of Rogers & Hammerstein's finest - a trip down memory lane - a taste of the best Broadway had to offer for decades (the music that won me over to musicals):







The great thing here is that there are a number of other retrospectives one could make up of their work, each one featuring equally delightful and totally different songs!

Here's some Sierra Boggess clips (she has played both Fantine & Christine) for your viewing/listening pleasure:


From the very old musical "Show Boat", which goes way back to the 1920s - Jerome Kern composed the beautiful music for Hammerstein's lyrics, this being before he teamed up with Rogers):






From "The Sound of Music" (I think this song didn't appear in the Broadway production, but was written for the movie):







And from "Carousel" (the song I always thought was their most gorgeous...until I heard "Some Enchanted Evening"):

Trapper....you trying to get views on this thread? That white dress is just a little too sheer. I also keep expecting on her first video to see her braces.

I personally want hard core love. The kind of love that loves in the face of destruction. The kind of love that is greater than death.

Now back to those big, huge, sad, brown eyes... nobody call 911.. I wanna die like this.

Good luck with that.


Would you settle for a death that is more needless and tragic than most?

Thank You. Why do you think I'm going through all the trouble to drive to Denver to see Les Miserables? If all I want is music. I can go to the local bar. LesMis is so famous because it condemns the worship of mammon. The worship of power. The practice of such, simply procreates more of the same. The opposite is Love. Which even effects a band of outlaws who steal riches from the altar of a Cathedral. Only to give those riches to a Bishop who spreads nothing but love.



Absolutely! What you see as needless and tragic. I see a tragedy, yes. But a man who has tasted of love. Realizes he has been a fool, in a society of fools, who only know how to destroy. They know nothing of love. Even though they claim to know God. They know only mammon. They know not the power of God. They know only the power of destruction. He has no out. To leave his job means execution. Condemning himself condemns the society he has believed in, and saves his soul.

All this and more, inspired a glorious musical play. To get at people's hearts through that which they love most; entertainment. How beautifully righteous!