Remember that time when 30 symphony orchestras, 29 conductors and 9 pianists got together to perform The Rite of Spring? We don’t either, but we’d like to imagine what this meeting of minds and talents might sound like. Stitched together from 46 different recordings – a grand total of 64 musical cuts – Q2 Music presents the iconic “Augurs of Spring” performed by as many ensembles and soloists as could be squeezed into 3 minutes and 19 seconds.

Part of Q2 Music’s Rite of Spring Fever at http://www.q2music.org/springfever/

Production Credits:

Tobin Low, audio
Alexander Overington, video
Alex Ambrose, executive producer

via Kottke.org

Listening to a band’s playlist or radio station on services like Pandora and Spotify will get you the hits from throughout their career. However, you will miss out on the many songs that make a band what they are. I don’t listen to many to albums from beginning to end anymore, and I don’t know many people who do. In this age of Spotify’s smart playlists, themed radio stations, and algorithmic DJs, you can listen to hours of back-to-back hits. But I think I’m missing out on something important when I listen that way. There is a lot of value in hearing a full album in the order the artist chose.

There were so many albums that defined my teens and early 20s. I think it might be time to go back to listen to my favorite bands’ albums in their intended order. Playlists give me the hits, but I feel like I’m missing out on the depth and variety of music that my favorite musicians have produced over the years.

You might want to try it too. I am certain that there is more to [insert your favorite band name here] than their “best of” compilation would suggest.

The YouTube clips Kutiman used in his songs come from guitar instructors demonstrating riffs in their basements, members of a brass ensemble rehearsing in a hallway, a kid’s recording of her piano lessons, a high school string quartet practicing in a kitchen, lots of teenagers singing a capella into their computers’ web cams, and many other sources. Kutiman even made the intro video for Through You Too by combining clips of other people talking.

The links at the top of this post are for the two Through You albums, but Kutiman has more of his creativity and talent on display on his YouTube channel.

http://youtu.be/AzMVj1LI4Ms

This line always gets me: “Like a ninja of love, repelling down from above, you snuck your way right into my heart.”

The kids spent 45 minutes this morning sitting still on the couch, listening to this and other Phineas and Ferb songs.

In this video, she’s performing a forgotten Broadway piece, the Alto’s Lament. The song is a medley of the alto and supporting parts of famous Broadway numbers.

via Gabriela Frei: Alto’s Lament

“The Happy Godfather”: The original soundtrack from the Godfather played in a Major scale! (by MajorVsMinor)

Shakespeare’s Hokey Pokey

Here’s the original text of Shakespeare style Hokey Pokey, by Jeff Brechlin:

O proud left foot, that ventures quick within
Then soon upon a backward journey lithe.
Anon, once more the gesture, then begin:
Command sinistral pedestal to writhe.
Commence thou then the fervid Hokey-Poke,
A mad gyration, hips in wanton swirl.
To spin! A wilde release from Heavens yoke.
Blessed dervish! Surely canst go, girl.
The Hoke, the poke — banish now thy doubt
Verily, I say, ‘tis what it’s all about.
— by “William Shakespeare” 

Brechlin wrote this for the Washington Post Style Invitational contest.

Thanks Gabi for introducing this to me.