William's Song a Day Blog - est. September 2007

BWV 444 ; Year:~1735; Genre Baroque Period classical It's amazing to think that I made it another full year of writing this "vintage" mid-2000s song-a-day blog: 19 years today. As is my personal tradition, I am choosing one of Johann Sebastian Bach's works. This is one of the song or aria section from chapter 6 of the historic Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis ( Bach-Works-Catalogue ) , BWV number 444. I can say without a doubt that I am overjoyed that music works compendiums exist, especially Bach's even with its flaws it makes finding certain pieces of music simple to find and listen to.   Hear Brich entzwei, mein armes Herze , BWV 444 on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Johann Sebastian Bach - BWV 1028 - Sonata No.2 in D-Major     My song pick 2 years ago today: Johann Sebastian Bach - BWV 542 - Great Fantasia and Fugue in G-Minor     My song pick 3 years ago today: Johann Sebastian Bach - BWV 566 - Prelude and Fugue in E-Major My son...

From: Radio Free Albemuth ; Year: 1988; Genre: Classical/Jazz Fusion One of the odd things I have discovered concerning Stu Hamm is that only musicians seem to know who his is and wot he plays. I mean, he's played on a lot of albums from a lot of artists; mainly guitar shredders like Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. Most would likely know about Jaco Pastorius, Victor Wooten, or Steve Bailey before they'd remember Stu Hamm; not to take a single thing from those axe slingers, he is just every bit as good as them in my opinion. But, when you hear his solo works he really just blows you away with not just how great of a player he is, but how inventive and original his playing and style are. After hearing much of his records I was amazed how many odd and new sounds he could make with his bass guitar. Anyway, this one comes off of one of my favourite albums of his. Radio Free Albemuth's title was taken from the Philip K. Dick novel of the same name, as well as the lion's share of...

Op.129; Year: ~1795; Genre: Classical Period/classical I always love music like this, it shows that "the greats" were not stodgy old folks bereft of humour. In actuality with those who are still widely-known to history it was quite the opposite. Anyway, this is a classical music lover's favourite; it is a show piece that gets played when musicians do expositions on Beethoven. Op.129 is a virtuoso piano piece with some hallmarks of the late Classical Period, but also with rumblings of the Romantic Period that had already begun to take hold, like his louder, more bombastic style.   Hear the piece on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Dokken - Into the Fire     My song pick 2 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - So Supernatural     My song pick 3 years ago today: The Zombies - Tell Her No   My song pick 4 years ago today: Van McCoy & the Soul City Symphony - The Hustle   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Kinks - A Lo...

From: Ars Longa Vita Brevis ; Year: 1968; Genre: Symphonic Rock/Progressive Rock Here's a great one from The Nice, who were known for such big, bombastic musical terrors. As you might be able to discern from the title, both it and the music it contains derives from Johann Sebastian Bach's Brandenburg Concertos ; the Third in particular. Keith Emerson is as amazing as ever on the keys in this "classical rocker."   Hear Brandenburger on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Guess Who - Lightfoot     My song pick 2 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Roots to Branches     My song pick 3 years ago today: Queen - The Prophet's Song   My song pick 4 years ago today: Bee Gees - To Love Somebody   My song pick 5 years ago today: Marillion - Warm Wet Circles   My song pick 6 years ago today: Dire Straits - Tunnel of Love   My song pick 7 years ago today: Banchee - 3/4 Song My song pick 8 years ago today: Parliament - ...

From: Theme From "A Summer Place" ; Year: 1959; Genre: 20th Century classical Re-watching the new series based on Stephen King's novel It ;  It: Welcome to Derry . I'm really enjoying seeing wot I have missed the first time through; there is a great deal going on throughout. Anyway, I have heard this song in a few of the Stephen King miniseries/films and it almost always is the prelude to a disturbing scene. Kind of a "bait and switch" where this light and pretty piece puts the viewer at ease just to "pull the rug out" and leave you reeling. Its to the point that when I happen to hear this one outside of a King film I expect something bad to happen; I guess I watch too much of those. Anyway, this may be the most popular version of it, but is not the original and, funny enough, was never the actual theme to the 1959 movie , but rather a tune played in the background sporadically throughout the picture. I guess this is a case of the song staying fam...

From: Death Wish: Original Soundtrack Recording ; Year: 1974; Genre: Jazz Fusion/classical Had Herbie Hancock's work on my mind most of last night and today. He has always been one whose music just mesmerizes me; a modern classical composer at the same level as the greats in my opinion. Anyway, it never clicked with me that he wrote the soundtrack to the original Charles Bronson epic Death Wish . Honestly, I have not watched the film for a long time, so it's not all that surprising I suppose. Really like the playful naming of the overall title with the play on words "sweet revenge," but with it being a suite of music the homo-phonetic sound of the two words was I guess too much to resist for Mr. Hancock. Suite Revenge is a collection of 5 shorter pieces of music (a): Striking Back , (b): Riverside Park , (c): The Alley , (d): Last Stop , and (e): 8th Avenue Station .   Hear Suite Revenge on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Expe...

Hob. VIIe/1 ; Year: 1796; Genre: Classical Had this fantastic piece of music on my mind after researching some on the great trumpet virtuoso Rafael Mendez . I absolutely love his rendition, so today I am picking the piece originally written by Maestro Joseph Haydn. This is another instance where you will instantly recognize the melody, which has been used just about everywhere for the last couple of centuries. Today, this is one of Haydn's more famous works, although "the father of the symphony" has an immense catalogue of work with many other famous compositions.   Watch a spectacular performance of the piece by the late virtuoso Rafael Mendez on YouTube.  (piece itself begins at about the 3:20 mark.)       My song pick 1 year ago today: Gloryhammer - Legendary Enchanted Jetpack     My song pick 2 years ago today: Pearl Jam - Animal   My song pick 3 years ago today: Parliament - [You're a Fish & I'm a] Water Sign   My song pick 4 years ...

BWV 1028 ; Year: 1730-1740; Genre: Baroque Period classical Here we are once more; another year starts for my venerable, antiquated song-a-day blog. September 1st marks the 18th year that I've been at this; an not a single day missed. One of the older bloggers on here that I miss a lot, Max, would probably say that if it was a person, it could now vote and possibly be through high school. Hard to believe that it has been this long; in two years, God willing and the creek don't rise, I will be marking two decades: 20 years! Anyway, as I normally do, it is time for another breathtaking piece from the immortal maestro Johann Sebastian Bach. I thought that I would go a little bit different this time around by picking a less raucous piece; this one was written for one harpsichord and one viol de gamba . Both were popular during the period; whilst the harpsichord is very well known today, many might not know exactly what a viol is. A viol is similar to the violin family nomenclature...

From: Pictures at an Exhibition ; Year: 1971; Genre: Progressive Rock/Symphonic Rock/classical This one is a fascinating arrangement by Keith Emerson of the piece from the suite composed by maestro Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition . Whilst the original was written as a duet of two woodwinds, in the early portion of the piece Emerson utilized the mammoth Moog Synthesizer in this live recording to make it sound out of this world accompanied by drums. Almost like wot you would hear played on a theremin in an old science fiction b-movie, which was a very neat way of approach. After that the full band kicks in with the bass and drums a rock oriented foundation for Emerson to continue his synth-driven rendition of the piece that then segues into the Blues Variation track.   Hear The Old Castle on YouTube.   Hear Blues Variation on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Friend & Lover - Reach Out Of The Darkness     My song pi...

From: Deliver the Word ; Year: 1973; Genre: Jazz Fusion/classical This bemusingly titled first track on this album is pure joy to the ears. Every aspect of it is truly gorgeous; the only criticism I can think of is that I wish it was twice as long. I guess that's wot the "repeat" function is for, but it takes a lot of times for me to go to the next song.   Hear  H 2 Overture on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Def Leppard - Rocket     My song pick 2 years ago today: Jigsaw - Just Another Clown   My song pick 3 years ago today: Living Colour - Sunshine Of Your Love   My song pick 4 years ago today: Kansas - All The World   My song pick 5 years ago today: Stevie Wonder - Part Time Lover   My song pick 6 years ago today: 30 Seconds to Mars - Echelon My song pick 7 years ago today: Blind Melon - Deserted My song pick 8 years ago today: Forest - Graveyard My song pick 9 years ago today: Billy Joel - Laura My...

From: Prepare Thyself to Deal With a Miracle ; Year: 1973; Genre: Jazz/Jazz Fusion/Hard Bop Jazz/classical This has to be one of the most beautiful pieces of music I have every heard written by musical master Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Whilst most would immediately think of "Black Classical Jazz Hard Bop" that he is most noted for; this one is an in-your-face fusion of Hard Bop and Contemporary Classical music. So many interesting and delightful sounds to be heard in this uplifting music.   Hear Seasons: One Mind Winter/Summer/Ninth Ghost on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Kinks - Death of a Clown     My song pick 2 years ago today: Faith No More - A Small Victory   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Offspring - Pay the Man   My song pick 4 years ago today: Marillion - Living in F E A R   My song pick 5 years ago today: Black Label Society - The Day That Heaven Had Gone Away   My song pick 6 years ago today: Electri...

Op. 64 ; Year: 1844; Genre: Romance Period/classical I had another song in mind for today, but with it being my 6400th song picked I had to go with something someway fitting. So, here is master composer Felix Mendelssohn's 64th Opus; his Violin Concerto in E-Minor, which was among his last compositions. It is a truly exquisite piece that, for me at least, will demand attention, but not the entire time. Kind of lulls you with the beautiful violin only for something with the melody and/or rhythmic characteristics to snap me back to attention. He was a true master of music and composition; in my opinion a great blend of the previous, current, and future eras of classical music.   Hear Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E-Minor, Op 64 on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Mountain - The Animal Trainer and the Toad   My song pick 2 years ago today: The (Detroit) Spinners - Sadie   My song pick 3 years ago today: Taylor Hawkins & The Coatta...

From: Alundra Original Soundtrack ; Year: 1997; Genre: Classical It has been a long time since I delved into this amazing soundtrack; this is my second favourite track from the simply amazing video game Alundra . Probably most recently Kohei Tanaka is best known as the composer for the Animé One Piece as well as a slew of other series, movies, and video games. Immediately my mind is taken back to the large fortress frozen in time, having to figure out all of the puzzles just to get to the final boss fights. The Shrine of the Lake is one of the best songs to have in the background whilst performing such tasks as puzzles; it really gets your mind moving, not taking you attention away from the task, but rather being an omnipresent force helping you along. Even playing it whilst performing real-life tasks it's one of those that really helps you along.   Hear The Shrine of the Lake on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Esteban - Flamenco Wind   My song...

From: Joy ; Year: 1972; Genre: Progressive Rock/classical After going over some of their material I was surprised that I had not chosen a track, let alone this song from Apollo 100. This one is, a cover of an arrangement recorded a year earlier by the band Jigsaw of this classical choral from Johann Sebastian Bach's oratorio Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben , BWV 147 . So, I guess it could be argued that Apollo 100 was merely covering the original piece, but the arrangement of both are nearly identical, albeit the Apollo 100 one being quite a bit shorter in length omitting the entire blues rock section of the one from Jigsaw. Probably the shorter length, and thus being more radio friendly led to it being the de-facto popular recording. Although, The Ventures recorded a popular version of this arrangement about a year after Apollo 100, but is still not as popular as their version.   Hear Joy (Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring) on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago tod...

Year: 1933; Genre: Popular Music Here is a very interesting piece of music, which most would know by alternate lyrics and a different title: Gloomy Sunday (also known as " The Hungarian Suicide Song "), only sharing the music. However, the original version: The World is Ending, has an even sadder subject matter when you realize that the composer wrote the song seeing Europe sinking deeper and darker into what would climax as World War 2, especially in his native Hungary. Reading only the lyrics is enough to bring chills and scare you, especially knowing how prophetic and detailed it turned out to be. With all that is going on in the world today it is ironic how people will ignore history and just keep mindlessly repeating it.   Hear the song with the latter lyrics YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Soul Shakers - You Ain't My Brother   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Contours - Do You Love Me   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Who ...

BWV 542 ; ~1720; Genre: Baroque Period/Organwork/classical Another year has passed whilst another one begins; 17 years now unless my arithmetic has failed once more... hard to believe it's been this long. Oh well, moving right along.... As usual I am choosing another one from the master of all things musical from the Baroque period: Johann Sebastian Bach . This is one of his grandiose organworks that is a truly typical piece for him; it absolutely will not fade into the background when you play it and will flat-out demand your attention, but that's one the aspects of Bach's works that I love so much.   Hear Great Fantasia and Fugue in G-Minor , BWV 542, performed by Van Doeselaar on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Johann Sebastian Bach - BWV 566 - Prelude and Fugue in E-Major My song pick 2 years ago today: Johann Sebastian Bach - BWV 15 - Denn Du Wirst Meine Seele Nicht In Der Hölle Lassen   My song pick 3 years ago today: Johann Sebastian Bach - ...

From: Sergei Leiferkus sings Mussorgsky ; Year: 2016 (1875); Genre: Romance Period/classical Here's a short-but-sweet piece for piano and voice from maestro Modest Mussorgsky. While I have no idea when the vocalist is singing, since it is in Russian, which is not a language I know well enough other than a few words and phrases, but I will say the way the melody is sung along with the accompanying piano is superb. This one in reminds me of another Romance Period composer, Franz Schubert, his leids in particular. From wot I understand in Russia during the same time had a similar form called "Russian Songs," which this piece would be categorized under, so it's not a surprise.   Hear Misunderstood One performed by Sergei Leiferkus on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Rush - Face Up   My song pick 2 years ago today: Jigsaw - Baby Don't Do It   My song pick 3 years ago today: Clifford Brown and Max Roach - Sandu   My song pick 4 years ago tod...