MOOSIK

Four friends hailing from the tiny island of Singapore - with vastly different but esoteric tastes in music.

[musicalbabies]

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First Love | Joe Hisaishi

The Legend (태왕사신기) OST

One of Joe Hisaishi’s lesser known works, I first heard this song 10 years ago while watching the Korean historical drama The Legend. 

Coincidentally, it was the same year that I first learnt about this thing called love, which could cause a heart to beat in a wondrously strange manner. All the enchanting new emotions that were foreign but not unwelcome - this song encapsulates all of that. 

The cello solo (~2 min mark) is also one of the best melodies I’ve ever heard. The simplicity of it paired with the gentle glockenspiel is just so, so beautiful.

Have a listen!

- S

[musicalbabies]

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Akatsuki (暁) Instrumental | Akiko Shikata

Akatsuki no Yona 「暁のヨナ」OST

Hands up, all who cried the moment Yona looked up and saw Soowon in Awa while this song played. There’s just something about the erhu and vocals soaring together that brings tears to my eyes. The first time I heard this, I had to pause and rewind to relive the sheer tsunami of emotions that it brought.

The music in Akatsuki no Yona is the reason why I broke my “manga > anime” rule. I love that it had heavy metal for the opening themes, but stayed true to the time period within the show with traditional pieces (I can hear the koto/guzheng, erhu, and various Japanese percussion instruments). 

Have a listen!

- S

[musicalbabies]

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Seimei | Shigeru Umebayashi (梅林茂)

Onmyoji I and II OST

In the past couple of months I have become an ardent fan of the figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu for numerous reasons. I admire his courage in the face of unimaginable pressure as an athlete, but above all, his ability to make the sport an art form in itself always renders me speechless. Of his routines, his free skate from last season with which he smashed the world records again and again (x, x) is still my favourite. 

The music, of course, is a huge part of why the program is so critically acclaimed. It is a medley of soundtracks from the movies Onmyoji and Onmyoji II. It is a glorious mix of grandeur and tranquility, and Yuzuru’s elegant but powerful interpretation of the music just gets the blood pumping (check out this step sequence to bless your eyes). The percussion-heavy section which features the song Rambling God (荒ぶる神) is my favourite.

I have spent weeks hunting down the individual soundtracks because they are not easy to find without knowing Japanese, but I finally found them here! In the process I also found a whole treasure trove of other songs from the prolific composer Shigeru Umebayashi, and all his works are treasures.

Have a listen!

- S

[musicalbabies]

Fletcher’s Song in Club | Justin Hurwitz

Whiplash Original Movie Soundtrack

Knowing my penchant for movie soundtracks of specific genres, my friend repeatedly recommended Whiplash for 5 whole months whenever we discussed movies.

Fletcher’s Song in Club is a jazz-piano lounge item, which was a switch in moods from the earlier big band themes. It also made me hella confused about Fletcher’s character, who was no doubt The Biggest Asshole™.

“No words in the English language are more dangerous than ‘good job’.”

It was a completely different feeling listening to this piece, and I actually liked him for this one-plus minute. The percussion gives the rhythm before the piano enters with a delicate theme. Not forgetting the pizzicatos from the bass to jazz everything up.

My friend was right. Whiplash was definitely “quite my tempo.”;) The intense and emotional scenes brought back memories of music lessons I’ve had with various instructors. It threw a lot of questions with regards to learning and pursuing your dreams as we remember the Fletchers in our own lives. Also, great jazz music??

Expansion pack:

Overture

When I Wake: Muted trumpets and clarinets, which reminded me of Benny Goodman.

Casey’s Song: Shocking revelation by Fletcher in the movie got me so mad cos I really liked this piece.

~ H

[musicalbabies]

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덕만 테마 (Deok Man's Theme) | Queen Seondeok OST

I have a soft spot for East Asian period dramas, especially Korean ones. They are always epic, the costumes highly elaborate, and sometimes the soundtracks themselves are equally memorable. Honestly, the only western production that can compare is Game of Thrones itself. The story of Queen Seondeok was one of the dramas that had me laughing at the start and clutching my chest in agony towards the end. And the music complemented it brilliantly. 

This simple piece turned out to be one of my favourites. The strings are flighty, almost emotional, while the piano remains a solid grounding presence throughout the song. It is both tender and poignant - a wonderful backing track to any blossoming romance or friendship.

Have a listen!

- S

[musicalbabies]

Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23 | Frédéric Chopin

Artur Rubinstein’s Chopin Piano Works

To me, the best composers for piano pieces in minor keys would be Bach, Beethoven and definitely Chopin. Chopin’s Ballade No. 1 was actually the first piano ballad in classical music. The ballade presents itself as a large scale piano piece with dramatic and poetic themes within, not restricted to any structure unlike a piano sonata.

I disliked the introduction when I was young as it was too much dissonance for me to handle. I heard the piece again after many years when it was used as a background music to create an agitated, yet elegant, atmosphere. I fell in love with the first theme, and was completely sold when I heard the second. It was the calm after a thunderstorm while the minor key enhanced its lyrical theme. The themes switched in and out, each repetition with added variations, demanding technicality as well as emotions invested while playing.

Yes, this is probably one of Chopin’s finest work.

Listen to:

The Pianist (a multiple award-winning film): During the Holocaust, Polish pianist Szpilman played this piece upon request of a German soldier, and a friendship was forged between two unlikely parties through music.

Tzvi Erez: Another great interpreter of Chopin pieces

[musicalbabies]

Caught | Florence + The Machine

How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful

It would be an injustice not to dedicate a post to Florence after the best concert of my life (at Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, no less).

This understated and tremendously underrated song has emerged as my favourite from the entire night. It stands out from the powerful vocals and addictive beats that characterise most of Florence’s other songs.

Both the melody and lyrics are, to me, a honest and personal reflection on losing yourself for someone else.

Then you leave my head, crawl out the bed Subconscious solipsist And for those hours deep in the dark Perhaps you don’t exist

Have a listen! It is so so good.

- S

[musicalbabies]

'Til I Hear You Sing' Music Video | Love Never Dies

We can now bring you the fantastic new official video for the single version of 'Til I Hear You Sing', the haunting love ballad sung by Ramin Karimloo who pl...

‘Til I Hear You Sing | Ramin Karimloo

Love Never Dies

Being an avid fan of POTO, Love Never Dies just felt like one of those unnecessary sequels created to appease fans (but usually driving fans crazy). While having a POTO karaoke with my friends one day, one of them recommended ’Til I Hear You Sing. She told me to listen to this no matter what reviews I heard about the musical. Prior to that, I didn’t know how a song could be so hauntingly beautiful.

It starts with Ramin Karimloo (Ramin = Phantom, no other words) almost whispering the verse and you can feel the immense angst as the Phantom yearns for Christine. The ballad gradually grew with power and my favourite line would always be ‘I’ll always feel no more than halfway real’ *cues brass fanfare* Then came the final line which Ramin sang with absolute passion, cueing the waterworks when I heard it for the first time. There were so much emotions encapsulated in this song and being Team Erik, nothing pains me more than hearing the Phantom sing like this.

The recorded version is beyond perfection and I’m somewhat happy that Love Never Dies did happen.

~ H

[musicalbabies]

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Unstoppable | E.S. Posthumus 

Makara

E.S. Posthumus was a duo of brothers who intertwined modern day drum rhythms with orchestral and electronic sounds. Voila, a distinctive 21st-century style of classical music that is both epic and rousing. This song has been on repeat since the start of finals - it’s hard to not do work when your mind is prepped for war by the awesomeness of this song.

Have a listen!

- S

[musicalbabies]

Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 | Franz Liszt

The Hungarian Rhapsodies

Funny enough, Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 didn’t sound that spectacular to me when I was first taught to play a simplified version. However, everything has changed when I heard it in its full glory by an unidentified pianist after 2 years. (a different route from those introduced by Tom and Jerry and tragically several years late for me).

I mean, what can Liszt not do?? Other than charming ladies and crowned “Rock Star of the Romantic Era” with his piano performances, his piano compositions were a class of their own. Similar to Chopin, he made full use of the entire piano range, much to the chagrin of pianists’ fingers and maybe a good piece to use to clean your piano with. Hence, it’s hard not to be amazed by those great pianists as their featherlight fingers tackle the technically demanding compositions of Liszt.

A rhapsody doesn’t follow a specific structure, focussing more on the composer’s inspirations and improvisations as well as the performing musician’s fancy. Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsodies involved elements of Hungarian folk music and are thus nationalistic in nature. No. 2, the most famous out of his 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies, has two sections — the dark Lassan and the contrasting cheery Friska.

The first section in C# minor begins with the thunderous chords (indicated marcato), which pianists sometime emphasised the introduction with dramatic actions (extreme example: Lang Lang). After a sharp glissando, it soon darts into a graceful melody (my favourite part). The general theme is then repeated but with modulations and variations to further enhance the music, while the left hand occasionally takes the melody. The music gradually slows down into a long pause, returning to its introductory mood before this section ends with a C# major chord.

Light grace notes on a higher register softly cues the next section, creating a mysterious mood. The music then picks up pace as it reaches the main theme (you could almost imagine a conductor raising its baton as the audience wait with bated breath). The F# major key (6 sharps) here is almost impossible to read given the quick ascending octaves involving chromatic scales and folk tunes-influenced melodic lines. The music progresses with ever-increasing speed (with every possible speed up tempo markings) and many variations (including a return to its minor form) till it reaches prestissimo. Rapid octaves up and down as the pianist attacks with accuracy while maintaining uniform hand width, before concluding the piece with a flourish.

Listen to:

In Tom and Jerry

In Bugs Bunny

Maksim Mrvica is a classical crossover pianist and his rendition was the first recording I’ve played repeatedly for at least half a year when I was 16 (really, anytime anywhere). His soft and mellow interpretation of the first section brought out its lyrical beauty, and is still my favourite till now.

The original piano version isn’t dramatic enough for you? Try the orchestral version as the woodwinds take over the glissandos while brasses and cymbal crashes make it as fanfare-ic as possible.

Victor Borge and Şahan Arzruni with a comedic performance of the rhapsody

~ H

[jestereye7x-deactivated20210102]

Hang Drum

Ethereal Sounds Played Within!

[transfinitism]

damn, du with a hang drum was playing on campus one day last yr or smth and I stopped for like half an hour just to watch him, it was so mesmerizing.  His band’s name is Matana, their shit is rl cool

[musicalbabies]

Brestir (“Failures”) | Árstíðir Svefns og vöku skil (“The Boundary Between Sleep and Waking”), 2011 (Indie Folk)

When we first started this blog, I reblogged a video of 6 guys singing a really beautiful and breathtaking Icelandic hymn in a train station. I didn't know who they were, neither did I know anything about the hymn they were singing. But oh boy, they really left an impression. They made use of the acoustics in the train station perfectly and their harmony was so perfect it could be a movie soundtrack. And the wildest thing was, that performance was live!

After a long time, I found them! The hymn was Heyr himna smiður (“Hear, Smith of Heavens”) and the 6 lads in the video were Árstíðir. Also, they just released their third album, Hvel, in March 2015. Which I will be listening to after posting this.

I’ve always had a preference acoustic guitar backgrounds for music, but my soft spots are, and will always be, (1) perfect harmonies; and (2) strings music. AND much to my excitement Árstíðir’s music has those, plus a soft guitar background. Almost all (if not all?) the band members sing, while playing musical instruments, which is another reason why I really admire this band.

Among their really beautiful songs, Brestir, stood out in my opinion. The harmonies started almost right from the beginning (which undoubtedly drew me in) and the first verse was followed closely by a violin and cello duet. The band sounded incredibly sincere while singing and I was really at ease while listening to this song. Whilst they have other English songs, I liked the sound of this Icelandic piece. When you don’t understand the lyrics, yet you feel their really raw emotions, I must say that the singers have really done an awesome job. Unfortunately, I can’t find an English translation of the lyrics, but I still hope you enjoy the song :)

- Z

[musicalbabies]

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Kung Fu Piano - Cello Ascends | ThePianoGuys

I remember when I watched Kung Fu Panda for the first time, not really expecting much, and slightly lamenting the way Chinese martial arts culture was reduced to unrealistic portrayals by animals that were not even native to China.

But when Master Oogway rose to the heavens I could not help but shed a tear because the music that accompanied it was simply moving - the lonely erhu bringing both him and my emotions to new heights. 

A couple of years later, I chanced upon this cover of the song by ThePianoGuys - filmed on the Great Wall of China, no less. After the initial riff the song sped up to incorporate Frederick Chopin's Prelude Op. 28 No. 20 in C minor (and everyone knows Chopin is my favourite composer ^^). I don't often listen to music without lyrics, but this melody - oh lord - it is the soundtrack of my dreams. 😍

Have a listen! 

- S

[musicalbabies]

It’s been a long time since our blog has been updated. :( As it’s Valentine’s Day today, here’s a playlist of music from my favourite Romantic era composers! (Not that the Baroque and Classical composers didn’t have lovers and all~)

The Romantic era is definitely my favourite musical period with Tchaikovsky and Chopin filling up a significant portion of my classical music playlist. However, I forced myself to feature a piece from 11 different composers for a mix instead.

My original intention was for a collection of light and short pieces - predominantly violins and piano, but as you see, I got a little overboard at the end with Brahms.

Anyway, hope everyone finds one of their favourite pieces here, and Happy Valentine’s Day!! ♥♥♥

- H

[musicalbabies]

Symphony No. 9 (IV. Presto) | Ludwig van Beethoven

Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125

The fourth movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 is described as a 'symphony on its own' - be it musical structure-wise, or simply the symphonic mastery of arguably the greatest symphony in classical music, and the multiple symbolisms it embodied through the course of history. 

It is a musical celebration of mankind and probably leaves everyone feeling better about life and the essence of living (and the theme often ruined by recorder-welding primary school kids). One of the notable performances would be the one in Berlin - the very Christmas after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Little would one know that it was Leonard Bernstein’s last time conducting the symphony  (he died in less than a year later). The orchestra consisted of musicians from Germany, UK, US, Russia and France, while choir members from the once East and West Germany form the joint adult and children chorus, singing “Freiheit (Freedom)” instead of the usual “Freude (Joy).” It was a day worth remembering as the performance was telecasted around the world.

After the initial fervour and the theme often recurring, the orchestra seems to have calmed down as the music dropped to a pianissimo. Then comes my favourite moment of the symphony - the revival of the orchestra as the chorus erupts into Schiller’s Ode to Joy in unison. The power of the triumphant words, an ode to brotherhood and unity of all mankind, is a hair-raising experience like no other.

I sound melodramatic, but it is amazing if you would recall that Beethoven faced encroaching deafness while composing this piece. It is interesting to imagine how the symphony sounded in his imagination as ee never got to hear it, despite conducting for its premiere. It was only when a vocalist turned him around that he noticed the audience’s rousing applause and standing ovations .

“When words fail, music speaks.” Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 weaved raw emotions into a symphonic tribute to mankind, his hope for universal brotherhood, and a representation of the eternal power of music. 

Like the jubilant coda, cymbals clashing noisily, euphoric sounding brasses and strings together with the polyphony choral, it marks victory of humankind, and commemoration of significant events and anthem for revolutions. Given the recent protests, championing for justice, government reformation or a revolution, perhaps we’ll once find another worthy moment to enjoy this music in its elements. 

The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Listen also:

NDR Symphony Orchestra, a really good recording in my opinion.

A flashmob, this gets me really emotional each time.

- H

[musicalbabies]

Take Care (Drake ft Rihanna cover) | Florence + the Machines 2011

I really like how Florence Welch's unique voice gives a mystical feeling to any song, which put a really interesting spin on this song :)

- Z

[musicalbabies]

Like Real People Do - Hozier

i've put this debut post of mine on hold for far too long, mostly due to the fact that i've never done something like this before but here it is:

this song by Hozier, also known as Andrew Hozier-Byrne, has sat stubbornly on my top played tracks playlist. Hozier, an Irish musician in his 20s recently released his first full length album to great reviews. 

this is the first song of his that i had fell in love with, a surprise find from a random 8tracks playlist. why did it stick to me? every chord, phrase and moment of this song is brimming with sincerity and yearning. as Hozier sings, the bare truth and desire for a no-frills, genuine love resonated in me. it's hard to find to something so heartfelt, stripped down nowadays.

check out his other music too, my other favourite is cherry wine. Hozier is definitely going to reach out to your heart with his bare emotions in his music. 

ps check out his live performances :)

-T