The Sound of Music.
I have a ton of things to talk about, but I am feeling too lazy this evening to do anything more than loll and listen to the right CD while staring off into space.
Therefore, I shall review the lolling CD before I go and partake.
You really can’t go wrong taking a listening hint from the finest cellist in the world. I was reading an article about Yo-Yo Ma, and he was asked what was in his CD changer at that moment. Mr. Ma went on to rave about the musicality and artistry of Rosa Passos, a Brazilian singer of some renown. In fact, he had found her singing so captivating that he arranged to play behind her on one song. I love his playing and was intrigued about anyone who could elicit that kind of response in Yo-Yo Ma, for heaven’s sake, so I checked out Amorosa, by Rosa Passos.
Oh, what a good call. I am not a music reviewer, so forgive me the following flight of fancy. Her voice is girlish and worldly; deeply intimate and slightly removed. Her music is a deceptively strong cocktail, drunk while sitting at a gorgeous bar in a slightly run-down hotel in a city you always meant to see. The song that includes Yo-Yo Ma, Chega de Saudade, begins with just the cello, slow and achingly lovely, and moves into a Bossa Nova at its optimistically melancholy best.
Her version of S’Wonderful is ridiculously lush, all strings and whispery notes; it might be the most delightfully girly thing to which I have ever listened. It’s also the only song in English, the rest being in Portuguese, which I find to be a plus (There is one song which is partially in French, Que reste-t-il de nos amours). I don’t speak a word of Portuguese, which means that my whole responsibility to this CD is to sit on the couch and contemplate painting my toenails. I don’t actually get around to it, though, because Ms. Passos quietly demands my full attention.
You know, adulthood isn’t all undone laundry and hovering insurance bills. Sometimes, being an adult means sitting on your couch after everyone else has gone to sleep, sipping a glass of really nice sherry and listening to a very gifted artist.
Therefore, I shall review the lolling CD before I go and partake.
You really can’t go wrong taking a listening hint from the finest cellist in the world. I was reading an article about Yo-Yo Ma, and he was asked what was in his CD changer at that moment. Mr. Ma went on to rave about the musicality and artistry of Rosa Passos, a Brazilian singer of some renown. In fact, he had found her singing so captivating that he arranged to play behind her on one song. I love his playing and was intrigued about anyone who could elicit that kind of response in Yo-Yo Ma, for heaven’s sake, so I checked out Amorosa, by Rosa Passos.
Oh, what a good call. I am not a music reviewer, so forgive me the following flight of fancy. Her voice is girlish and worldly; deeply intimate and slightly removed. Her music is a deceptively strong cocktail, drunk while sitting at a gorgeous bar in a slightly run-down hotel in a city you always meant to see. The song that includes Yo-Yo Ma, Chega de Saudade, begins with just the cello, slow and achingly lovely, and moves into a Bossa Nova at its optimistically melancholy best.
Her version of S’Wonderful is ridiculously lush, all strings and whispery notes; it might be the most delightfully girly thing to which I have ever listened. It’s also the only song in English, the rest being in Portuguese, which I find to be a plus (There is one song which is partially in French, Que reste-t-il de nos amours). I don’t speak a word of Portuguese, which means that my whole responsibility to this CD is to sit on the couch and contemplate painting my toenails. I don’t actually get around to it, though, because Ms. Passos quietly demands my full attention.
You know, adulthood isn’t all undone laundry and hovering insurance bills. Sometimes, being an adult means sitting on your couch after everyone else has gone to sleep, sipping a glass of really nice sherry and listening to a very gifted artist.
posted by Unknown at 8:43 PM
7 Comments:
Hello Quinn,
I have that particular Yo-Yo Ma cd (Brasilia) and also Rosa Passos'. They are also in my player aside from my usual pop and rock nachtmusic. I agree that the Portugese language has it's own special element, regardless if one understands it or not. The sweetness of the rounded vowels and the somewhat squashed consonant blending never fail to work their magic on me.
Brilliant music. With or without sherry.
Wow, that sounds great! Maybe it is time to branch out from Journey and Miller Lite! :)
LJ
LJ - you cracked me up!
I'm going to buy this CD! Quinn, not knowing anything about music makes your review even better! In fact, I propose they put your photo on the CD cover with this: "Quinn Cummings raves: 'Ridiculously lush...enjoy it with a really nice sherry.'"
I love a good music review. I'll totally go out and get this CD! Thanks for the recommendation!
I'm with Jan on this one, you blow 'professional' reviewers out of the water with your remarks - open, frank and descriptive... if only classical music was privy to such enlightenment :"/
Hey, Quinn, can I borrow your CD? The sherry I have on hand is just average, but it still sounds like a good way to unwind from the travails of daily life.
I am not particularly fond of the cello or music that is not in my native tongue and yet here you are writing all this stuff and here I am wanting to go to the nearest Borders and pick myself up a copy.
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