Show 203: Space Sounds

This show will feature space-related and astronomy-related sounds and music.

To start things off, here is a video from NASA in which radio-frequency reception from radio telescopes has been converted into sound:


We're going to play On the Beautiful Blue Danube, and you should know where that river is located, so here's a map for you:

The path of the Danube

The Danube is a 1795 mile long river in Europe, which has its headwaters in the Black Forest of Germany, and then passes through, more or less in turn:
Austria
Slovakia
Hungary
Croatia
Serbia
Bulgaria
Ukraine
Moldova
Romania,
and runs into the Black Sea.  If these places are unfamiliar to you, you should look them up.  The map above indicates the path of the river from west to east, in red.

Show 202: Slap that Bass

[Added on 2015/7/18:  This used to be called Show 102.  I've renumbered the shows, so that this one is Show202.  The first digit will indicate which series the show is from: 1 for the first cycle, 2 for this second cycle, and so on.  For instance, the July 4^th show for next year, 2016, will be numbered numbered Show301, and so on.  If you didn't figure this out yet, my first show aired the week of July 4th, 2014.]
‘’—“”
A couple of weeks ago I was interviewed by the famous Rick Smith, whose daily talk show we feature at 3:00 p.m. on weekdays on WXPI. His talk show is primarily political commentary, and while thinking of what we could talk about he happened to mention that he had played the bass, as a young fellow, and he approached music by listening for the bass line.

Most occasional listeners to classical music don’t find it easy to relate to the bass in classical music for various reasons, mostly because classical harmony is a little more subtle than harmony in pop music. Pop harmony is getting more sophisticated all the time, but after introducing a certain degree of harmonic complexity pop musicians back off, because they’re afraid that their music is going to sound too classical. In this show I’m going to try and highlight the bass lines, and what makes them interesting.

I also promised to put in a picture of a set of viols, which I have playing the Bach C minor Passacaglia, so here it is on the right.  Modern Double-Basses are essentially Bass Viols, with very minor modifications to bring them partially in line with the violin family of stringed instruments.  But the sloping "shoulders" give away it's antecedents.  In fact, a modern double-bass looks pretty much like the big reddish-wood instrument at the bottom center in the illustration.  (The phrase alio modo has something to do with onions, or ice cream.)

[Clicking on the image will take you to Gateshead Youth Orchestra]

Show 201: Nationalistic, International and Folk Music

[Added on 2015/7/18:  This used to be called Show 36.  I've renumbered the shows, so that this one is Show201.  The first digit will indicate which series the show is from: 1 for the first cycle, 2 for this second cycle, and so on.  For instance, the July 4^th show for next year will be numbered numbered Show301, and so on.  If you didn't figure this out yet, my first show aired the week of July 4th, 2014.]

With this broadcast, we begin a new year of Archie's Archives.  It's July 4th, so we're going to feature national anthems, and other patriotic songs, both from the USA and other lands.

Part A

The Star Spangled Banner (Francis Scott Key, John Stafford Smith), sung by Lauren Hart, and also by Phi Mu Alpha National Sinfonia Fraternity

National Emblem March (Edwin Bagley), which features a motif from the Star Spangled Banner.

The National Anthem of the Netherlands (Wilhelmus Van Nassouw)

The National Anthem of South Africa (Enoch Sontonga, C. J. Langenhowen), sung by Nianell (Namibia) at the 2014 Rugby World Cup South Africa/New Zealand match.

Jerusalem (And did those feet in ancient time, William Blake, C. H. H. Parry, orchestrated by Edward Elgar) by the BBC choir and orchestra, Last night of the Proms, 2012.

Finlandia Hymn (Jean Sibelius) sung by Carmina Slovenica.

God Bless America (Irving Berlin)

Lift Every Voice and Sing (James W and John R. Johnson)

The National Anthem of Israel, performed by the Swarovsky Orchestra

Part B

The National Anthem of Spain, performed by the Swarovsky Orchestra

The National Anthem of Canada, performed by the Swarovsky Orchestra

The National Anthem of Japan, performed by the Swarovsky Orchestra

All you need is Love, sung by The Beatles

La Marsellaise, performed by the Swarovsky Orchestra

The National Anthem of India performed by several artists

Lionel Ritchie, Michael Jackson We Are The World

This information is freely available, but for convenience, here is the list of soloists as given in Wikipedia:

Soloists		Chorus
Lionel Richie Stevie Wonder Paul Simon Kenny Rogers James Ingram Tina Turner Billy Joel Michael Jackson Diana Ross Dionne Warwick Willie Nelson	Al Jarreau Bruce Springsteen Kenny Loggins Steve Perry Daryl Hall Huey Lewis Cyndi Lauper Kim Carnes Bob Dylan Ray Charles	Don Henley Harry Belafonte Lindsey Buckingham Mario Cipollina Johnny Colla Sheila E. Bob Geldof Bill Gibson Chris Hayes Sean Hopper Jackie Jackson	La Toya Jackson Marlon Jackson Randy Jackson Tito Jackson Waylon Jennings Bette Midler John Oates Jeffrey Osborne Anita Pointer June Pointer Ruth Pointer Smokey Robinson

Bedrich Smetana: The Moldau

Richard Rodgers: Laendler, from Sound of Music

Guantanamera (Jose Marti, Unknown) performed by Playing for Change

Part C

Bach-Vivaldi: Concerto in D performed by German Brass in Swinging Bach
Bach: B minor Suite, performed by Jiri Stivin
Quintessence Sax Quintet: Fudge fugue in G minor
Bach: Double Concerto in D minor, played by Adele Anthony, Gil Shaham, and the Gewandhaus Orchestra
Turtle Island String Quartet: Variations on Bach Themes
Jacques Loussier Trio:  Gavotte
King's Singers: Deconstructing Johann

Part D


Bobby McFerrin, Jacques Loussier trio: Improvisation on Wachet auf
Turtle Island String Quartet, Miles Davis: Seven Steps to Bach
Tom Lehrer: We Will All Go Together When We Go