Hopefully you aren't spending this glorious day on your computer...
But if you are, here is some background music as you work. :)
First up, a piece performed by Luciano Pavarotti, who is, in my opinion, THE tenor. Like Michael Jordan, there were many before, and there will be many after, but none will stack up. Why? For the love of goodness, listen to the melodic line he creates... and never mind the fact that he does it without looking like his brain is going to melt down. Long story short - here is one of the kings of breath support and placement, a singer that rises above the genre and creates pure art.
"Una Furtiva Lagrima" from L'elisir D'amore, by Donizetti
Next - a piece we all know from Lexus commercials. Why Bach's cello suites are used to sell Luxury items in commercials, I have no clue... but what I can tell you is that these pieces are incredibly hard to play WELL. In essence, Yo Yo Ma is playing a 4 part chorale, but only selecting a few notes of each, which is what makes the treatment of these so difficult. So don't be fooled when he makes it look easy... that's because he is a genius.
Cello Suite No. 1, by Johann Sebastian Bach
From Bach, jazz is not such a far leap... only about 250 years or so. :)
The Canadian Brass, for many years one of the most premier Brass Ensembles, takes a fugue (#2) from Bach's Well Tempered Clavier, and adds a little swing to it. And, honestly, it doesn't sound that out of place. Was Bach a jazz genius?
"Fugue #2", Well Tempered Clavier (Book 1), Johann Sebastian Bach
