Just got back from hearing Beethoven’s 33 Variations on a Waltz by Anton Diabelli performed by Andras Schiff. It is a marvelously obsessive piece, which takes a fairly simple theme and expands, contracts, and spins it into something which seems to straddle the fence between music and what I suspect might have been Beethoven reflecting on his view of infinity. What makes it brilliant music is that you can hear his mind talking (if that makes any sense).
Earlier I found three variations on a poignant (and IMO beautiful) theme from 1966. Nowhere nearly as varied as Beethoven’s, but they’re simply three groups’ versions of the same song — You Baby –by P.F. Sloan.
The Turtles did it first. I like the live version because of the fish in the aquarium in the foreground (and the female mannequins holding spear guns in the background):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0p5wB0l0BQ
Here’s the Mamas and the Papas version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbPZD0gVvzE
And finally, the Grass Roots version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RlTcO9NkAw
I remember the song so well that it makes me feel old.
MORE: If you like ancient music, check this out.
Comments
8 responses to “Nostalgia is a choice!”
my favorites and they are american first: “mill valley” by ms abrams and the strawberry point 4th grade class listening to it you will what america’s about and what it has always been about and hopefull will always be about! second: jimmy peppers “witchi-tai-to” about what we are losing and finally by the souths favorite singer neil young “ohio” on the price we must pay! how ever none of thes are my theme song by jan and dean “dead mans curve” by the way when the iraq war started all clear channel station banned the playing of country jo macdonalds fixin to die rag song: you know uncle sams got himself in a terrible jam way down younder in vietnam or iraq or afganistan!
Your take on Beethoven – “his mind talking” – as opposed to his emotions, fits his music perfectly. I’m sure Schiff gave a masterful performance. He’s probably the best for Beethoven’s piano music since Rubinstein. You’re fortunate to live in a university town.
catpain*arizona — you are an amateur. Here is the master, Lewis Carroll:
“Jabberwocky”
‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.
‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
“I remember the song so well that it makes me feel old.”
Yeah – and all 3 versions, too. :-/
Oh well, I’m off to the ancient versions link.
Worse yet, I liked it…
Hey thanks Kathy! And way to go Frank!
Sloan was an interesting character — to the extent that Jimmy Webb wrote a song about him. (The best version was by Jennifer Warnes, who wasn’t using her surname at the time, but it’s been pulled from YouTube.)
My favorite Country Joe Song was Section 43. I contacted Joe a few years back to see if the 33 1/3 version was available (it was on a 5″ disc). It was by far the best version they released. He said you could get an original (about 1,000 were produced) for $1,500 from a www site. I thanked him. I didn’t have the $$.