General Music Chat

Did you know....

* Maurice Ravel wrote his most famous piece "Bolero" in 1929

* Bolero was an instant success with audiences and remains extremely popular to this day

* Ravel stated that the perfect tempo for the piece would result in it being exactly 15 minutes long

* the dance for the piece is not actually a bolero but a fandango

* Ravel came to intensely dislike Bolero, stating that it was 15 minutes of non-music

* I recorded a version of Bolero using guitars, guitar synth, bass and drum machine in 1996. I was faithful to the original arrangement except for the string parts, where I used electric guitars

Can we hear it, Jimmy?

(Is any of it able to be uploaded to this site?)

I'd like to hear it.

I love Ravel's Bolero... one of my favorite pieces of classical music. It's probably THE piece of classical music that got me interested in listening to more classical music.

The problem is the length of the damned thing. My version's tempo must be slightly slow because it's about 15:15. This results in a very large mp3 so I'm not sure where I could upload this beast. My father hated this piece as well but he said mine was the most listenable he had ever heard. Think Jeff Beck and Vangelis. If anyone really wants to hear it I can try to email the mp3.

It's on your my space page, Jim?

Maybe we could listen to it there?

I know MySpace allows ten tracks now but I believe the file size for each is still limited to 10mb. Send me a request to jimmydanger56@yahoo.com and I'll see what I can do.

Oh Man! Jimmey,

Certain parts of that tune always reminds me of Shirly Temple's "Good Ship Lollypop"

I always regarded Ravel as a 2ed rate Debussy, although he did do a great job orchestrating Mussorgsky's awesome piano work, "Pitchers at an Exhibition"

anyways,

I would like to her your version.

Howlin'

I always thought Bolero was a cool song. Would love to hear a rock guitarist's version of it...

Success! I created a new account and uploaded the track, even though it said there was a 10mb file size limitation.

http://www.bandmix.com/antal/

Keep in mind this was recorded using a Roland GR-6 guitar synth in 1996, I'm sure there are better patches available now. But I do like the flute patch, and the trombone always makes me giggle. Thanks for listening!

Very nice, I think it gets better right around the 10:00 min mark..

Oddly entrancing..

Thanks Capt, I think that's the charm of the piece is that it's hypnotic. I have another mix that I'll put up later that I refer to as the "acid mix". I might do another mix minus the crazy guitars for the classical purists.

The whole point of this post was that even though you (the composer) may hate a piece there's another you (the listener) that has a different experience.

Probably one of the best pieces of music posted on here Jimmy. I love it.

Well thanks Chippy that's very kind. There's plenty about it that I don't like and would redo but it is what it is. I gained a lot of respect for classical composers and musicians doing this project, since I'm really just a punk rocker with minimal musical knowledge.

Thanks again!

I think some keys need softening a lot (In some parts) but apart from that Jimmy this is a resume to be proud of. Like Cap'n the piece alone is a good score and I got lost in it too, but for someone to actually bother to replicate it is another thing.

I've found through my searches on music a bunch and I mean a bunch of talent waiting to explode who do just the same thing too. That pleases me because the arts as it were are where we came from musically speaking. That's anyone before this time of company created rock that we now live in.

Composers are cool aren't they.

Nice one.

Well thanks Chippy that's very kind. There's plenty about it that I don't like and would redo but it is what it is. I gained a lot of respect for classical composers and musicians doing this project, since I'm really just a punk rocker with minimal musical knowledge.

Thanks again!

When I said soften I meant that some keys sound like computer driven instruments. Hope you didn't think I was being rude?

Anyway I still think its very cool Jimmy. I hope you thought the 10 bucks were worth it having seen the list of replies? Obviously you are no ordinary punk Rocker.

Well thanks Chippy that's very kind. There's plenty about it that I don't like and would redo but it is what it is. I gained a lot of respect for classical composers and musicians doing this project, since I'm really just a punk rocker with minimal musical knowledge.

Thanks again!