Ten Little Chances to be Free (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
tenlittlebullets) wrote2006-08-08 07:51 pm
tenlittlebullets) wrote2006-08-08 07:51 pm
A post chock-full of unrelated observations.
The music meme: ask me for a letter of the alphabet, then upload five songs that begin with that letter.
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devils_child7 was tricky and gave me 'E,' but here, I dug up five songs:
1. Épilogue - La Lumière - Les Misérables concept album - No, it's not just because everything sounds better in French, it's because I like this version a lot better than the current show. The OFC didn't have to make up for the random angst of Turning and Empty Chairs, so they were free to let Valjean die peacefully without a chorus of resurrected Frenchboys singing about how everything's going to be all right.
2. Engel, mijn muze - The Phantom of the Opera Dutch cast recording - Joke de Kruijf is a goddess, period, no arguments.
3. Estrellas - Les Misérables Buenos Aires soundboard - I really, really like this recording. This song, the Spanish version of "Stars," isn't one of the ones that made me go "wow," but I thought I'd post something from this version anyway.
4. Ex Lover's Lover - Voltaire - Vengeful songs about murdering your ex's boyfriend, backed by a string ensemble--what could be better? If you haven't heard anything by Voltaire yet, you are seriously deprived.
5. Es Regnet Blut - In Extremo - Not their best work--their original songs are far outstripped by their covers of real medieval music, Carmina Burana, Beethoven, whatever strikes their fancy--but it does start with 'E.' Crazy German bagpipe metal for your entertainment.
-
"Bring Him Home" is one of those songs I just can't bring myself to hate. It's blatantly OOC, a symptom of a wider problem with the musical, probably causes Victor Hugo to spin in his grave, and is basically a chance for the actor to show off his pipes... but it's such a damn good song that I can never muster up any rancor towards it. I think it would be better off as part of the Les Mis apocrypha, like "L'un vers l'autre" and "I Saw Him Once," rather than a regular fixture of the show, because it doesn't fit in that well, and it works better on its own anyway. It's not very specific to the show at all, and has general application during any time of war. I don't support the war in Iraq, and after some of the atrocities that have surfaced I'm not sure I support the troops either, but I would still gladly sing "Bring Him Home" at a charity event.
And so, here are a few versions of this song that I especially love, be it for the performer or for the orchestrations or both. Have a ball.
1. Bring Him Home - Randal Keith - Final Broadway performance - Randal's improved his BHH even more between 2003 and the closing of the tour, so I wish I had a clip of his 3NT performance, but this is pretty damn good too, and almost as emotional as the performance he gave at the 3NT closing. His dynamic control is incredible, and the energy he can put into a pianissimo is breathtaking.
2. Bring Him Home - John Owen Jones - 2005 - Another excellent Valjean. This one's a double treat--you get JOJ and a strangely and beautifully emphasized violin. I love changes in orchestrations that draw your attention to different aspects of a song, which is probably why I adore this clip so much.
3. Salvaló - Carlos Vittori - Buenos Aires soundboard - Remember I mentioned above I love this recording? This is one of the reasons. The whole thing is a lot fresher than most '90s and '00s productions of Les Mis. The guitar has been subtly altered, so again with the reorchestrations lending a different sound to a piece, and Vittori has dynamic control that's quite different from Randal's: his pianissimos don't sound like he's barely restraining a huge voice, but rather like he's... well... singing softly. ;) So it's more of a surprise when he lets loose. A wonderfully tender rendition of BHH.
4. Bring Ihn Heim - Reinhard Brussman - Vienna cast recording - The opposite of Vittori--he has pipes and he's not afraid to use 'em! XD And unlike the rest of the Vienna recording, the lyrics aren't such a festering heap of suck that they detract from the song.
5. V'Shalom - David "Dudu" Fisher - Israeli Les Mis medley - I have no idea where this medley came from, only that I like this version of BHH better than the ones on the recording and the radio broadcast. Forgive the bits of other songs at either end. I also have no idea why I like this version so much. I just do, so there. (Pardon me if I mis-transliterated the title. I studied Arabic, not Hebrew. XD)
-
I've never been much of a poetry person, but I admit I've been dabbling lately--mostly in Romantic poetry--and it seems to me there should be more poetry in fandom. The problem, I suppose, is that 95% of everything is crap, especially when so few people practice and produce it, and when bad poetry is so painful to read. But that doesn't excuse the lack.
Perhaps it's because short poems are often used to make a small point or explore an idea that's not narrative or really appropriate for prose. The thing is that such ideas are almost always expressed in drabble form in fandom. Most of the drabbles I've written and read, I realized, were based on ideas that would have been lovely for poems. Why has the drabble supplanted poetry in fandom? Is it because on the internet, poetry is assumed to mean crappy gawthick angst spewed haphazardly across a page? Is it because most of the poetry produced in fandom is awful, sappy crap, hence no one reads it, hence no one writes it? Is it because decent poetry is damned hard to write and we're all lazy cowards? O, the mystery.
-
So, I know I am not the only one on my f-list who suffers debilitating cramps every month, and for whom [Aleve/Ibuprofen/aspirin/analgesic of choice] and curling up in a fetal position on the bed are not enough. Today, tired of attempting to sleep in order to escape the monthly agony, I decided to try out a few things, and so I presentletitallgo's List of Cramp Cures. In approximate order of efficacy.
1. Aleve/generic naproxen sodium. Kicks in faster, works better, and lasts longer than any other painkiller I've found. More effective if taken before the cramps start, and usually needs to be supplemented by something else, but a good place to start.
2. Ephedrine. Yeah, the stay-awake pills thinly disguised as asthma meds in gas stations. In addition to being a CNS stimulant and bronchiodilator, ephedrine is also a muscle relaxant; I tried it today as a cramp killer and it works wonders. It makes me both hyper and woozy, though, and despite its nickname of "trucker speed," it's not the sort of thing you want to take while operating heavy machinery. (Cough meds that contain pseudoephedrine--and acetaminophen!--might work too, but I haven't tried them because they often contain dextromethorphan. And it doesn't take a lot of that to make me really trippy. Pseudoephedrine is generally less potent, though.)
3. Orgasms. The most fun secret remedy for cramps ever. (I told you there would be TMI.) The mere thought of penetrative sex in addition to cramps makes my abdomen ache, but if you can find a partner willing to do oral while you're on your period (tampons are a good thing!), this works wonders. Otherwise... well, that's what dominant hands and/or vibrators are for. XD It doesn't last as long as assorted drugs, but it does work better than most anything else, and it's more fun than choking down pills.
4. Heating pads / hot washcloths / hot baths. Don't allow you to move around that much, but far better than nothing. And... really, any excuse for a long bath.
5. Hot tea. Its effect on my cramps could be mere placebo effect, but it makes a good comfort drink. (Also, the caffeine in tea has a slight diuretic effect, which can reduce bloating.)
devils_child7 was tricky and gave me 'E,' but here, I dug up five songs:1. Épilogue - La Lumière - Les Misérables concept album - No, it's not just because everything sounds better in French, it's because I like this version a lot better than the current show. The OFC didn't have to make up for the random angst of Turning and Empty Chairs, so they were free to let Valjean die peacefully without a chorus of resurrected Frenchboys singing about how everything's going to be all right.
2. Engel, mijn muze - The Phantom of the Opera Dutch cast recording - Joke de Kruijf is a goddess, period, no arguments.
3. Estrellas - Les Misérables Buenos Aires soundboard - I really, really like this recording. This song, the Spanish version of "Stars," isn't one of the ones that made me go "wow," but I thought I'd post something from this version anyway.
4. Ex Lover's Lover - Voltaire - Vengeful songs about murdering your ex's boyfriend, backed by a string ensemble--what could be better? If you haven't heard anything by Voltaire yet, you are seriously deprived.
5. Es Regnet Blut - In Extremo - Not their best work--their original songs are far outstripped by their covers of real medieval music, Carmina Burana, Beethoven, whatever strikes their fancy--but it does start with 'E.' Crazy German bagpipe metal for your entertainment.
-
"Bring Him Home" is one of those songs I just can't bring myself to hate. It's blatantly OOC, a symptom of a wider problem with the musical, probably causes Victor Hugo to spin in his grave, and is basically a chance for the actor to show off his pipes... but it's such a damn good song that I can never muster up any rancor towards it. I think it would be better off as part of the Les Mis apocrypha, like "L'un vers l'autre" and "I Saw Him Once," rather than a regular fixture of the show, because it doesn't fit in that well, and it works better on its own anyway. It's not very specific to the show at all, and has general application during any time of war. I don't support the war in Iraq, and after some of the atrocities that have surfaced I'm not sure I support the troops either, but I would still gladly sing "Bring Him Home" at a charity event.
And so, here are a few versions of this song that I especially love, be it for the performer or for the orchestrations or both. Have a ball.
1. Bring Him Home - Randal Keith - Final Broadway performance - Randal's improved his BHH even more between 2003 and the closing of the tour, so I wish I had a clip of his 3NT performance, but this is pretty damn good too, and almost as emotional as the performance he gave at the 3NT closing. His dynamic control is incredible, and the energy he can put into a pianissimo is breathtaking.
2. Bring Him Home - John Owen Jones - 2005 - Another excellent Valjean. This one's a double treat--you get JOJ and a strangely and beautifully emphasized violin. I love changes in orchestrations that draw your attention to different aspects of a song, which is probably why I adore this clip so much.
3. Salvaló - Carlos Vittori - Buenos Aires soundboard - Remember I mentioned above I love this recording? This is one of the reasons. The whole thing is a lot fresher than most '90s and '00s productions of Les Mis. The guitar has been subtly altered, so again with the reorchestrations lending a different sound to a piece, and Vittori has dynamic control that's quite different from Randal's: his pianissimos don't sound like he's barely restraining a huge voice, but rather like he's... well... singing softly. ;) So it's more of a surprise when he lets loose. A wonderfully tender rendition of BHH.
4. Bring Ihn Heim - Reinhard Brussman - Vienna cast recording - The opposite of Vittori--he has pipes and he's not afraid to use 'em! XD And unlike the rest of the Vienna recording, the lyrics aren't such a festering heap of suck that they detract from the song.
5. V'Shalom - David "Dudu" Fisher - Israeli Les Mis medley - I have no idea where this medley came from, only that I like this version of BHH better than the ones on the recording and the radio broadcast. Forgive the bits of other songs at either end. I also have no idea why I like this version so much. I just do, so there. (Pardon me if I mis-transliterated the title. I studied Arabic, not Hebrew. XD)
-
I've never been much of a poetry person, but I admit I've been dabbling lately--mostly in Romantic poetry--and it seems to me there should be more poetry in fandom. The problem, I suppose, is that 95% of everything is crap, especially when so few people practice and produce it, and when bad poetry is so painful to read. But that doesn't excuse the lack.
Perhaps it's because short poems are often used to make a small point or explore an idea that's not narrative or really appropriate for prose. The thing is that such ideas are almost always expressed in drabble form in fandom. Most of the drabbles I've written and read, I realized, were based on ideas that would have been lovely for poems. Why has the drabble supplanted poetry in fandom? Is it because on the internet, poetry is assumed to mean crappy gawthick angst spewed haphazardly across a page? Is it because most of the poetry produced in fandom is awful, sappy crap, hence no one reads it, hence no one writes it? Is it because decent poetry is damned hard to write and we're all lazy cowards? O, the mystery.
-
So, I know I am not the only one on my f-list who suffers debilitating cramps every month, and for whom [Aleve/Ibuprofen/aspirin/analgesic of choice] and curling up in a fetal position on the bed are not enough. Today, tired of attempting to sleep in order to escape the monthly agony, I decided to try out a few things, and so I present
letitallgo's List of Cramp Cures. In approximate order of efficacy.1. Aleve/generic naproxen sodium. Kicks in faster, works better, and lasts longer than any other painkiller I've found. More effective if taken before the cramps start, and usually needs to be supplemented by something else, but a good place to start.
2. Ephedrine. Yeah, the stay-awake pills thinly disguised as asthma meds in gas stations. In addition to being a CNS stimulant and bronchiodilator, ephedrine is also a muscle relaxant; I tried it today as a cramp killer and it works wonders. It makes me both hyper and woozy, though, and despite its nickname of "trucker speed," it's not the sort of thing you want to take while operating heavy machinery. (Cough meds that contain pseudoephedrine--and acetaminophen!--might work too, but I haven't tried them because they often contain dextromethorphan. And it doesn't take a lot of that to make me really trippy. Pseudoephedrine is generally less potent, though.)
3. Orgasms. The most fun secret remedy for cramps ever. (I told you there would be TMI.) The mere thought of penetrative sex in addition to cramps makes my abdomen ache, but if you can find a partner willing to do oral while you're on your period (tampons are a good thing!), this works wonders. Otherwise... well, that's what dominant hands and/or vibrators are for. XD It doesn't last as long as assorted drugs, but it does work better than most anything else, and it's more fun than choking down pills.
4. Heating pads / hot washcloths / hot baths. Don't allow you to move around that much, but far better than nothing. And... really, any excuse for a long bath.
5. Hot tea. Its effect on my cramps could be mere placebo effect, but it makes a good comfort drink. (Also, the caffeine in tea has a slight diuretic effect, which can reduce bloating.)
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And, you know, I like "L'un vers l'autre." I sort of wish it had survived, although the show's probably fine without it.
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Re: cramps -- Have tried 1, 2, 4, and 5. None of them have worked. I apparently need me a vibrator. I've been stuck moaning in the fetal position. XD
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If you can handle it, ginger works wonders for me! Like crystalized or candied ginger. it's sooo good.
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#5 tends to work for me.
Letter?
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I hadn't heard this version of V'Shalom, though. I should upload his version of Kol Nidre which he integrated with Les Miz.
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Personally, I'm glad the drabble has supplanted the poem. There's nothing worse tahn awful poetry. But for those of us who can actually write poetry, I say bring it on. I've never got into fandom poetry, but I really should since it crosses my two favourite things.
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I absolutely adore "Épilogue - La Lumière." It fits in well with the book because the ending orchestrations are very simple, IMHO. I was listening to it in the car once and started crying, and my parents thought I was a complete crackpot. XD
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Ahaha, I did that too, only while I was driving. It was terribly distracting and embarrassing to have to wipe tears away every five seconds, keep watching the road, and put up with the mockery.
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I started crying at this part:
"Cosette, aime-le
Marius, aimez-la
qui aime sa femme
sans le savoir, aime Dieu."
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*re-reads* Hm, that was rather disjointed. :/