Instrumental Music

[TYAFANS 26]

When you get tired of hearing the human voice, what instrumental music turns you on the most ?

I offer my ten favorites:

George Winston - Paino

Wagner - Overtures

Leo Kottke - Guitar

Mason Williams - Classical Gas - Guitar

The Ventures - Nokie Edwards

The Shadows - Hank Marvin

Ramsey Lewis - The In Crowd - Piano

Dick Dale - Surf Guitar

Glenn Gould - Classical Piano

Chopin - Nocturne's - Piano

[Fynger 841]

Cozy Powell did a few

[loppylugs 8,336]

Virgil Fox. Pipe organ.

[DAVIDW 1,615]

The very first 45rpm single that I bought as a 13 year old

[mick2me 3,029]

Virgil Fox

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UbDWkZLevM

[darkazana 1,735]

Not Forgetting Fleetwood Mac's Albatross.......Still find it so soothing to listen to.

[mudgie49 401]

There are always the classics, some very soothing music to listen to,and some heavy stuff too.

[loppylugs 8,336]

Embedded Virgil Fox didn't work for me, Mick. I can go to YT and see it. Talking of heavy you might want to try "Come Sweet Death". Also Played by Virgil Fox. Don't let the title put you off it is a great piece of music by J.S Bach. I am currently learning to play it, but not Fox's arrangement. A bit too hard for me just yet. http://youtu.be/m66PBlJX4uA

[TYAFANS 26]

About the Virgil Fox video. I have rarely seen such passion and reverence when playing a piece of Bach's music, the exception being Glenn Gould. I also have never seen an organ quite like this either, looking like the cockpit of a 747 jet airliner, with Mr. Fox as the wizard in full control.

I love the way he lets it ring loud and strong. I would like to see Sir Elton John, Keith Emerson or Rick Wakeman give it a go and see what they could come up with.

I also like Dennis Brain for any of his fans out there.

[Trevor S 2,002]

Call me sentimental but, I am reminded of my mother every time I hear the Blue Danube.

I got a record player for Christmas one year and guess who went out and bought herself an LP featuring the above shortly afterwards? She was always happy when playing her 'oldies' music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CTYymbbEL4

Same tune years later on Soylent Green - remember, mick2me?

[loppylugs 8,336]

Virgil Fox was truly a master organist. Played mostly by memory as far as I know. He has been dead for some years now. It is unfortunate that so many do not like the organ. Probably because they associate it with church. The church where I take my lessons has a similar instrument to the one in the video. It is thrilling to play. I always get such a kick out of the low 32 foot pedal stops. You feel them rather than hear them. It is not called the King of instruments for nothing. It is a challenge to play, trying to co-ordinate hands, feet, and trying to read the music. Hopefully it will fend off dementia for a while longer.

[TYAFANS 26]

To Loppylugs,

When I was about ten years old, our Methodist Church went out and bought an organ from another church, so it was new to us and exciting at the time. To me it was nothing fancy, although it had a big selection of pipes and a giant keyboard. So when I watched Mr. Fox at work at his fantastic organ, it came across so brilliantly. I also laughed respectfully as he pushed buttons from one side to the other, while flipping switches in front of him as well. Although I personally could hear no change in tone. You could tell he knew what he was doing with ease. He was so proud...and what's wrong with church music I ask?

By the way, Glenn Gould in an interview said, he never used the foot peddles....I know nothing about playing, but isn't that strange?

Van Cliburn practced with the top down.

[Rob.L 1,027]

Not Forgetting Fleetwood Mac's Albatross.......Still find it so soothing to listen to.

Only for the first dozen times it got played on the Salutation's juke box of a Friday night. Then it began to get tedious.

[TYAFANS 26]

Hello Rob L.

I just watched something on youtube that I really enjoyed - "The Musical Genius Extraordinary People". Please give it a look see and tell me what you think. Touching, simply touching and moving.

[loppylugs 8,336]

Hi tyafans. The organ has fallen on hard times in many churches with many folks enjoying 711 choruses. Ie. 7 words sung 11times on a guitar. I have nothing against guitars, that is just the way it is. Some churches are literally giving organs away. Glenn Gould was another fine musician with a great love of Bach. Seemed to be more of a pianist which may explain his comments about pedals. There is much music for manuals only. However if you can play pedal it does lend a great foundation to much music. When using coupler tabs and changing stops sometimes the effect is quite subtle, which you noted in the VF video.

[StephenFord 866]

You might be interested in looking up David Philp on Youtube. He's a Methodist organist in Cornwall, and has visited many of the local chapels (including some that are closed) to play selections on the organs. Some classical stuff - many old style Methodist hymn tunes, and a few of the more modern ones.

[loppylugs 8,336]

Thanks Stephen, will do. There is at least one Methodist organist over here who has made some good arrangements of classical and traditional hymns and placed them on his website for free download. I have several of them now, they are relatively simple and yet sound really good. Someone once asked on one of the organ forums I read if there was any "easy Bach" available. The reply was, "there is no such thing as easy Bach."

[TYAFANS 26]

Thanks for that information, that Methodist organ has the same pipes as our church organ has, how ironic is that? And to loppylugs - I'm once again listening to one of my favorite albums "Tarkus" by Emerson - Lake and Palmer - and you just might like to listen to "The Only Way" Hymn.

Ah - Bach - Bouree!

[Sheridan 7]

Ran Conniff, Henry Mancini, Marty Paich, Frank Chacksfield, Frank de Vol, Nelson Riddle, Wally Stott (Who went on to become Angela Morley!!!!!!)

[TYAFANS 26]

Hi Sheridan,

Right you are, many of the greats in T.V. and Movie music. I didn't know about the last one on your list.

Walter "Wally" Stott Born March 10, 1924 and Died January 14, 2009, age 84. English composer and conductor, born in Leeds, Yorkshire he played saxophone in dance bands including Geraldo's band. After undergoing a sex-change operation, he became Angela Morley and moved to Scottsdale, Arizona.

Then there's also - Walter Carlos Walter (known in the old days) - born Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He had a big interest in music and technology. At age ten, he composed his first piece and at 14 he built a small home computer. He assembled an electronic music studio and created his first electronic musical composition, that was manipulated with some tape recordings. The results of which became the famous "Switched On Bach". Walter had a sex change operation in 1972 thus becoming Wendy Carlos.

[Michael Booth 7,364]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=JIwYGZlBw9Y

'Feelin Bad Blues', recorded by Ry Cooder, is from the soundtrack of the 1986 film, 'Crossroads'.

[TYAFANS 26]

Hello Michael,

There's a movie from 1981 called - "Southern Comfort" and the entire soundtrack was done by Ry Cooder.....I have the movie on dvd, and for me it's excellent acting and story line.....Booth Powers is one of the main stars. Check it out if you haven't seen it already.

[Sheridan 7]

Ah yes I love this instrumental, they played it on some pirate station, can't remember which one though. I also like Man of action by Les Reed, the North sea international jingle..

Very smooth

[darkazana 1,735]

Lots of instrumentals coming up on radio two next Wednesday, with the start of the proms....another great British tradition

[colly0410 1,180]

Must admit I do like instrumentals, especially the Shadows. I usually prefer the instrumental version of a song as the singing often sounds like cats at night..