A great musical experience

..if not THE greatest so far in my life, happened several months ago and I realized I had not even mentioned it here. So I'm making up for it now.

About a year ago I heard the news that Josh Groban would play Anatoly in a one night only performance of Chess in Royal Albert Hall, London. I was nervous about going; I had never been to the UK before, the tickets were expensive and there was also the plane ticket and hotel room to think of. I wasn't sure about going but I realized it was an opportunity I'd never have again, so I decided to take it.

The following months I was beyond nervous. I had never traveled abroad "just" for a concert before and I was terrified of not getting my money's worth. What if I got sick and couldn't go? What if Josh got sick and couldn't perform? That horrifying thought even drove me to get tickets for the extra performance that had been announced because the original date was sold out. Thanks to some extremely kind fellow Josh fans I ended up getting one very cheap ticket and one ticket for free (since my mum had decided to accompany me on the trip I couldn't do with just one ticket). In hindsight I am very thankful I got to see the show that night, because that's when the said experience took place.

I got to the Royal Albert Hall not knowing where the others in the fan group were and had to call around to find them, and only got to say a few brief hello's and give a few hugs before we had to get inside the theater. I was warm, probably a bit dehydrated and dizzy with adrenaline, and just hoped I'd get through the first act without fainting or panicking.

I knew the story and the songs so I was secretly waiting for the end of the first act, the most famous one of all the songs, the song everyone had been waiting to hear Josh sing - Anthem. At that point I was fanning my face like mad and my tongue was sticking to the floor of my mouth, had I been somewhere else I would have described my situation as feeling unwell. And there it was, like I heard it for the first time but still able to recognize it; the oboe intro.



It was like a symbolic thing for me; this would be the moment that would ensure me I had made the right decision by going and spending the extra money on seeing the show that day as well, the song that would remind me of what I came for.

And I was not disappointed, to say the least. For those three minutes I was completely focused on the stage and the voice that filled the auditorium like a physical presence, the magnificent choir that took the song to it's famous crescendo - ending with the line "My land's only borders lie around my heart". And that line had not even been finished before the entire audience jumped up from their seats, cheering and applauding. Not just the Josh fans, as I had for some reason expected - there was not one person still in his seat. And during the last lines of that song and the seconds that followed, I knew I had witnessed something magical, that I'd probably never experience again.

The next night I had an even better seat, closer to and in front of the stage, but it still didn't surpass the experience of the first night. My mum who is not as enthusiastic about Josh as I am but still enjoys his voice, told me afterward that she'd felt the magic too, and that convinces me there really was something special about that evening, not just something conjured from my state of adrenaline overflow and water deprivation.

I may not be so lucky, but am still hoping, to have more moments like that in my life.

Clay Aiken - On My Way Here

Much has been said about this album even before it came out. Some reviewers have accused Clay of choosing songs with cliché lyrics, others have suggested the new release won’t appeal to a younger audience, and a number of web sites find it amusing to focus on the "battle" between him and Josh Groban as their albums released on the same day.

Well, they’re both young and male, but the likeness ends there.

Musically the album, entitled On My Way Here, lies very far away from Josh Groban in the pop landscape – there are the lush ballads but also tracks with soul flavour or country feel to them. As stated by Clay himself; there’s something for everyone. I suppose the classic ballad is the type of song he’s been frequently associated with and is in a way expected to sing, which can work to his disadvantage, so it’s a smart move to do something a little different this time.

"Everything I don’t need" immediately comes to mind in that regard. The groovy rhythm and soul-inspired vocals, which Clay delivers with unexpected confidence, makes it an instant favourite. "Sacrificial love" also stands out, although it may seem like the ‘predictable’ type of ballad earlier mentioned. The sound is simple and stripped of unnecessary effects and allows Clay’s voice to carry the song on its own. On "As long as we’re here" he touches upon yet another genre, the country pop style associated with people like LeeAnn Rimes. It should be said that it still sounds very much like a pop song, and so it won’t scare away listeners who dislike the country genre. I think it has a great hit potential - the chorus refuses to leave my head after one listening.

These songs, plus of course the self-penned "Lover all alone" and the originally Christian song "The real me" are to me 5 good reasons to buy the album. However, there are some of the rest of the songs that seem to be missing the x-factor. They are good songs, and like the rest of the album cleverly produced, but give a kind of indefinable, nondescript impression after the first listen. It may be they just need more time to grow on you.

Overall, the album presents some of the Clay Aiken we already know and includes a lot of surprises from a Clay Aiken we have yet to know – and it will be a lot of fun to get to know that person in the future.

Josh Groban - Awake Live

The Awake Live DVD displays a very energetic Josh Groban.


Having been to one of the shows of the Awake tour I thought I knew what to expect from the DVD/CD release, which was recorded in Salt Lake City - but it turned out to be anything but predictable.

In my opinion the visual presentation of the concert exceeds any of the previous live DVDs by Josh, or maybe that’s just what it seems like to my untrained eye because he seems to be at his peak in terms of live performance. The energy from him and his band seems to radiate from the screen, an effect that is added to by the crowd shots and the chaotic fan encounters as he makes his way though the audience in the middle of the concert.

As a long time fan it surprised me at first that the introduction to a lot of the songs, plus some banter and audience interaction, had been edited out, leaving as much as 5 or 6 songs in a row without any verbal interruption - which can be both a good thing and a bad thing. Of course it’s great to see that the music has first priority, but after a certain amount of songs I feel there is a need for a lengthy introduction or banter or something else to keep the viewer’s interest. But that criticism is more aimed at the editors of the final product rather than Josh himself, since I have no doubt the actual concert was filled with exactly those ingredients. On the other hand, the strict focus on the music might make the DVD more appealing to people who enjoyed Josh’s voice from the beginning, but don’t like or are put off by the fan aspect of it - the inside jokes, the gift-giving on stage, the screaming.

Well, the screaming the actually have to put up with, but it doesn’t come across as distracting or annoying, just an indicator of the energy level at the concert. An energy level which is through the roof throughout the entire 1hr45min show, including 3 encores.It is really a joy to watch Josh run around on stage and communicate that energy, especially compared to the first DVD based on his PBS special where his only movements were to sit down and get up again. Back then his voice was given the first priority, this time around the focus is on the music, the energy and the show as a whole, and it’s brilliantly done - and a lot more entertainging - but at the end it becomes obvious that while Josh is still full of energy, his voice is begging for a time-out, which in turn causes him to push and strain his voice more. It’s easier to miss when you’re at a concert in person because of the reverb, but it’s audible on the DVD. However, apart from that, Josh’s classical voice training shows in that it gives him the advantage of never missing a note or singing off key.

If you have seen Josh live in concert before, this DVD will be like an audiovisual scapbook of memories - If you haven’t, enjoy your first Josh Groban concert experience. It’s almost like the real thing.

Reflection: Music and art

What is the parallel between Khatchaturian's cello concerto and Kadinsky's painting?

Lately I've grown increasingly interested in listening to contemporary and 20th century classical music. I've avoided this 'sub-genre' ever since I started listening to classical music, and I haven't really had the guts to give it a decent chance until recently.

My first experience with classical music - meaning the first time where I actually began to appreciate the music and not just accept it as a pleasant background sound - was through the film Amadeus. I was amazed by the story of Mozart's life and started tracking down recordings of his works; whether it be symphonies, sonatas, sacral works or opera. After a while my taste expanded to Bach and Händel and a lot of other composers, but with the mere exception of Tchaikovsky, I never listened to works by 19th or 20th century composers. Instead I developed an interest for "early music" and renaissance works, especially works for the countertenor voice.

In my mind, all of these works have one thing in common - logic. When I listen to it, it "makes sense". As the listener I can feel as though I am witnessing perfection; it couldn't be done any other way, it doesn't evoke any curiosity or raise any questions - historically perhaps, but not musically. (Not to say that the works are shallow and express no deeper meaning - particularly in religious works, such as Bach's aria "Erbarme Dich, Mein Gott" you can really feel the 'message' in the music.)

Then it dawned on me how much music I have yet to hear - what enormous amounts of music that might bring me hours of listening pleasure, if I only discovered it. But where should I start?

I ended up buying a cd containing a violin concerto and cello concerto by Adam Khachaturian - I must admit the choice was made based on my recognition of one of the performers; Daniel Müller Schott, who I had seen in concert a while back. I went home and put it in the cd player, completely open-minded, or so I thought.

By the sound of the first note I admit my first thought was "oh no!" After I'd forced myself to listen to the whole concerto, I was almost upset that someone had the nerve to call this - which to my mind sounded like a meaningless mess of melodies, rhythms and instruments - classical music. It had nothing of the qualities I expected from a classical work, even though I knew there were works like that out there, of course. I refused to believe that people would actually sit down and listen to this as a way of enjoying themselves.

My own reaction got me thinking.

I found in interesting that the reason for my disliking the piece, was that I didn't understand it. It made no sense whatsoever to me. When I closed my eyes, my mind didn't draw pictures from the music like it did when I listened to Bach or Mozart. I started to realize that perhaps I tend to exclude contemporary compositions because the images don't come to me by themselves; I can't sit there as a passive listener, I have to actively take part to make some reason out of the piece. Which can be a challenging and at times exhausting task. I applied my theory to the mentioned cello concerto and listened to it again, and by the end I felt mentally tired. The effect was positive though; I experienced the music in a completely different way, which again turned out to be a bigger source of creativity than when I'd listened to baroque music.

I also found it interesting to apply my theory to the way a lot of people experience modern, abstract art (not necessarily recent installations or performance/multimedia pieces, but also 20th century art). If they don't understand it, their minds tend to avoid it. They are upset by the fact that someone "can call themselves artists by applying a blob of red paint on a canvas; anyone can do that". When we look at a traditional still-life, our minds recognize the shapes as objects and are comforted by the logic, the perfection. When looking at a 20th century painting like perhaps a work by Kadinsky, with all its 'flying' objects and shapes, we don't understand it. We're used to logic, our eyes find no rest. But what if we really make up our minds to create our own story behind the motive, instead of being upset because the 'solution' isn't served to us on a golden platter, with no effort on our part?

It's perhaps a side effect of our modern society where everything is based on convenience - we can tend to avoid things that require us to go 'the long way around', even if it involves a positive outcome; a sort of reward.