Aria of the day : Bailero (from Canteloube's "Chants d'Auvergne")

Pastrè dè délaï l'aïo,
As gaïré dè buon tèms?
Dio lou baïlèro lèrô,
Lèrô lèrô lèrô lèrô baïlèro lô.


Shepherd across the river,
You're hardly having a good time,
Sing baïlèro lèrô
No, I'm not,
And you, too, can sing baïlèro


I love this aria. I think, this song is mostly talking about a sheperd who is told to have a good time by the river-side, lay in the green grass & stare at the blue sky. This aria was composed by French composer Joseph Canteloube (1879-1957) as a part of its "Chants d'Auvergne" (Songs of Auvergne). The Auvergne is an region in France, west of Lyon.


I love the part the woodwind plays. It is so touching. peaceful. Also the piano sounds like the flowing of a river...


So, Bailero that I listen to is sung by British soprano Kate Royal. With her lyric soprano voice, she made this song even more dramatic..

Pastrè dè délaï l'aïo,
As gaïré dè buon tèms?
Dio lou baïlèro lèrô,
Lèrô lèrô lèrô lèrô baïlèro lô.


Pastré lou prat faï flour,
Li cal gorda toun troupel.
Dio lou baïlèro lèrô,
Lèrô lèrô lèrô lèrô baïlèro lô.


Pastré couci foraï,
En obal io lou bel riou!
Dio lou baïlèro lèrô,
Lèrô lèrô lèrô lèrô baïlèro lô.


Another version you may have listened to was sung by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Sarah Brightman.
Kate Royal's recording of Bailero is taken from her album "Kate Royal - Academy of St.Martin in the Fields Edward Garner" (courtesy of EMI Classics)

2012 Olympics: Which National Anthems that Are Iritating the most?

Music plays the biggest role in such major games. Remeber when our badminton player Susi Susanti broke in tears as the national anthem "Indonesia Raya" played while she stood in the podium, holding the gold medal she got in 1992 World Olympics? Pretty emotional right.

Regardless of the "emotional" part, let's take a look at musicality sides of the national anthems. The Art Desk gives their picks about the most terrible national anthems ever made. Five national anthems, the worst. However, they don't give any exact reasons about their lists.

Talking about the upcoming Olympics, the game will be held in London UK this 2012. Unfortunately, the London Philharmonic Orchestra will be the host to record -in 60 gruelling recording hours for six days- the 205 national anthems, including the most irritated ones below:

(the origin countries of the worst national anthems)
- Algeria
- Belarus
- Norway
- Iraq
- United Kingdom (ironically)

Well, when it comes the worst, don't forget the best national anthems. They also lists the ones that deserve the gold medals. The countries are:

Russia
Italy
Japan
Bangladesh
Jamaica
Israel
France
Hungary
Cameroon
Bulgaria

Everyone can explain why Indonesia didn't make the cut?? both worst and best?

source: the art desk

Your 24/7 classical radio station : Classic FM

Craving for radio station that plays classical music 24/7?

I found one. It's Classic FM. It is a London-based radio station playing classical music ranging widely from the traditional one to now-classical-crossover music. Began to air since 1992, Classic FM now becomes one of the prestige radio station in UK or I can say a mecca for classical music. The radio also runs a magazine with the same name.

They have many interesting program, like now I'm listening to: The A-Z of Classical Music, a program where musician (basically not from Classical area) plays their favorite Classical piece. For today's edition, Alex James (known as the bassist of the alternative-genre band, The Blur) shares his favorite. 

Since it's airing from UK, while we're in Indonesia, we can stream it live via internet. You just go to classicfm.co.uk Don't forget to sign up for a membership.

Here comes the best. On the website, you can also find the full playlist of songs they've played on the radio, completed with the composer, conductor, ensemble, record label and the catalog of the songs. For me, it is very helpful when I want  to get some info to buy the CD. 

So far the best radio station I've ever listened to...

So, let's hope someday Indonesia has a radio station that dedicates 24/7 for classical music, and of course our traditional songs.

Fyi, actually we have already had one. But not a radio station, but a program called 'EA Classic', Aired in Delta FM in 99,1fm, it's running every sunday night at eight, and hosted by Indonesian composer Ananda Sukaralan & trumpeter -also conductor, Eric Awuy. Hoping the program will expand into a classical radio station someday :)

Follow Classic FM & EAclassic on twitter

@classicfm

@EAClassic

The Next Big Thing in Classical-Crossover Music: IL VOLO

What will happen if the Jonas Brothers meet The Three Tenors?

Meet Il Volo. Originally from Italy, these three young-fresh-faced boys with big tenor voice are Pierre Barone (17), Ignazio Boschetto (16) and Gianluca Ginoble (16). Physically, they look like the Jonas (they are not blood related however), but vocaly they sing like The Three Tenors.

Their first also self-titled album, released November 2010, went platinum in Italy. Well, I think, not only Italians will go crazy about them, the world will also be enchanted by their voice. Really unusual, kids in their age have such a big voice compared to Josh Groban even the senior like the three tenors. Their single, 'O Sole Mio' (one of favorite classical aria sung by many performers) is so terribly enchanting. I can say this song is 'complicated' to sing, with technique difficulties in vocal dynamics, but these boys sang it so much easier. Mixed with cross-over ambience (drum beat), this song and rest songs of the album, made classical music friendly to ones in their age. Other songs featured in this album like 'Per-Te', Michael Jackson's 'Smile' and vocal version of Saint Saens' 'The Swan'.

With big voice they got, and success already they had backhome in Itally, now the boys are ready to invade the world, backed by internationally well-known label, Geffen Records (Universal Music). I hope their album 'Il Volo' will arrive in Indonesia very soon.

In this video, Il Volo sings 'O Sole Mio' in US TV Talk Show 'The Talk', making their debut TV appearances in the States. See the audiences' (not to forget the host) expressions as they enjoy the boy sing: Amazed.

find the boys here:
official website
@ilvolo

Il Volo is courtesy of Universal Music

Classic Brit Awards 2011

Saya rasa beberapa diantara kalian masih merasa asing dengan penghargaan yang satu ini: CLASSIC BRIT AWARDS

Berlangsung untuk kedua belas kalinya tahun ini pada tanggal 12 Mei mendatang, Classic Brit Awards (CBA) merupakan acara penghargaan tahunan khusus didedikasikan bagi para insan musik klasik dunia yang digelar di London. Bisa dibilang Grammy-nya musik klasik lah. Beberapa kategori penghargaan dikompetisikan dalam acara ini seperti composer of the year, young British classical perfomer, lifetime achievement in music. Para pemenang diseleksi secara khusus oleh para kritikus musik klasik. Khusus untuk kategori Album of the year, pemenangnya dipilih langsung oleh publik via website. Sebut saja nama seperti soprano Kiri Te Kanawa, Renee Fleming, Jose Careras, Cecilia Bartoli, Andrea Bocelli, Placido Domingo, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Bryn Terfel, Charlotte Church adalah sebagian dari mereka musisi klasik yang sudah pernah menerima penghargaan ini.

Terlepas dari main-stream musik klasik, jenis musik cross-over masih mendapatkan tempat dalam nominasi penghargaan ini. Sebut saja musisi muda seperti Russell Watson, Isabel Suckling, Eric Whitacre masuk dalam nominasi album of the year. Yang mengejutkan adalah, penobatan artist of the decade kepada grup Il-Divo. Mereka dianggap memberikan dampak besar bagi pencitraan musik klasik, yaitu mengubah cara pandang publik terhadap musik klasik yang cenderung terdengar menakutkan dan membosankan (Memang betul sih, semenjak adanya Il Divo, teman-teman saya pecinta Nsync atau Destiny's Child juga memiliki beberapa lagu Il Divo di playlist mereka) Apanya yang membuat terkejut? batu loncatan besar bagi Il Divo untuk mendapatkan penghargaan setinggi itu mengingat Il Divo belum pernah mendapatkan satupun nominasi di ajang ini selama enam tahun lebih mereka berkarir.

Nggak ada salahnya untuk memilih pemenang album of the year. Yah, iseng-iseng berhadiah.

Il Divo

Russell Watson

Katherine Jenkins

Eric Whitacre

Isabel Suckling

Nggak berbeda jauh dengan acara malam penghargaan lainnya, CBA juga menghadirkan penampilan dari sederetan musisi klasik kelas dunia, baik vokal maupun instrumental. Tahun ini mezzo-soprano muda, Katherine Jenkins dan tenor Russel Watson dijadwalkan akan manggung di CBA. Eric Whitacre yang terkenal dengan proyek virtual choir dan para pemain Les Miserables juga siap menggemparkan panggung Albert Hall. Tak lupa juga Il Divo yang bakal membuat debut mereka di panggung CBA, membawakan materi baru mereka.

Classical Brit Awards 2011 akan ditayangkan di saluran TV Inggris ITV secara relay di bulan Mei nanti. Well, di Indonesia sendiri sih belum ada saluran TV lokal yang menayangkannya (bahkan TV berlangganan di Asia pun juga belum pernah ada yang menayangkannya secara exclusive). Tapi bagi kamu yang ingin menontonnya, masih ada YouTube kok :) Berharap sih suata saat nanti, acara ini bisa ditayangkan di TV lokal, supaya orang Indonesia juga bisa tahu dan menikmati musik yang indah itu seperti apa... 

-----

Il Divo & Russell Watson courtesy of Sony Music

Eric Whitacre courtesy of Decca (Universal Music)

Katherine Jenkins courtesy of Warner Music

Virtual Choir 2.0 launched!!

Virtual choir is back!!


World's largest online choir finally launched. This is the second time (see the first Virtual Choir here)  that Eric Whitacre, conductor and composer, throw a project that involves both classical music and technology to mix in one. 'Virtual Choir 2.0' premiered last Thursday April 7 on TED Conference in New York City. In this project, Eric made 2051 people from 58 countries to submit their video, singing his famous composing of 'Sleep', in YouTube.

Eric told CNN about this fun yet emerging project "It's real voices and it's quite beautiful and genuine. It's just fun to do. Millions and millions of people all over the world sing together in choirs and I guess now their voices are finally being heard." 


Eric has signed a record deal with Decca with his album 'Light & Gold' success in the market. Since its releasing, 'Light & Gold' topped many expert music charts in US & UK, including Billboard top classical album.


As I mentioned above, there are more than 2000 voices from 58 countries participating in this project, including Indonesia. See what our Indonesian fellows have got:

Eric Whitacre's "Light & Gold" courtesy of DECCA / UNIVERSAL MUSIC

Royal Couple is a Choir Lover

No glam singer. No famous rock band too. Only choir singing for the most anticipated royal wedding.


I am officially William-Kate fans now. Not only the excitement they brought to the world, but also their simplicity for so-called wedding of the year that impress me. When some people expect that the young couple might throw some fancy glam-singer studded wedding, they want some conservative stuff going on. For the ceremony itself, held April 29 in the Abbey, they choose boys choir to sing the hymns.

The Choir of Westminster Abbey will accompany the royal wedding service.

The Choir of Westminster Abbey and The Chapel Royal Choir, along with London Chamber Orchestra and a fanfare team from the Royal Air Force Band, will be featured in the ceremony in the Abbey. The palace said that William and his fiancee "have taken a great deal of interest and care in choosing the music for their service," which will include well-known hymns and choral works as well as pieces commissioned especially for the occasion. 


Surprisingly, the hymns sung by the The Choir of Westminster Abbey will be live recorded into an album. "The Royal Wedding - The Official Wedding" will be expected to release in May 3rd, just four days after the wedding. Pre-order here in iTunes

Prince William and his soon-to-be wife Kate Middleton are taking a great deal in choosing music for their upcoming wedding service in April 29. 

So, now we know that the couple really want to make it in low-key. But who knows. They are now-generation. Lady Gaga or Elton John still have a chance to rock the after party.