Laziness?

Yes... It must be laziness for me to sit here and download a song I want to hear when the original CD is sitting in the other room!

Meme: Musical Joy

(I made this one up myself, but it would be totally cool if it started getting passed around to where I eventually see it somewhere else again that obviously didn't come directly from me.)

Show me 5 pieces of music that could make you cry out of sheer joy just because they exist.  Tell me why.


Eloi - Klaus Badelt (From: The Time Machine)
Stone Language - Klaus Badelt (From The Time Machine)

I realise that these two pieces are from the same soundtrack, but they are closely related to each other.  In Eloi, the voices build slowly as if waking, and then suddenly burst into a celebration of song that just sends me to the edge of tears so stately is it.  In Stone Language, the voices of the Eloi break into song about halfway through this piece.  I want to jump up and down and celebrate their song with them.  The voices in the background rising over those in the choir just augment that sense of joining with my own voice and my own soul.  Understanding the nature of the Eloi and their plight makes the power of their vocalization all the more moving that they can still sing in the face of it.

Bratja - Michiru Oshima From: Full Metal Alchemist

Specifically: The Russian version by VERA Children's Choir and Moscow Philharmonic.  I heard this music quite some time before I had ever read the manga it's associated with, or seen a single episode of the anime in either language.  The voice chosen to represent Edward's words to his brother is so clear and beautiful, that it just breaks me to hear it.  The English version by Vic Mignonia (who is actually the voice of Edward Elric in the English version of the series) just does not compare.  Not that Mignonia does it poorly, (and I'll admit that though I think Mignonia's voice is too old to play Edward [especially when he's 11 and 12 years old] he does have a nice singing voice and it's kind of cool to hear the words in one of Edward's actual voices... I was disappointed when the Alphonse parts were still in Mignonia's voice.  Unfortunately the translation lacks the poetry, and without it, it's just a pretty song with nothing to really move me.  The Russian version though, is so thoroughly beautiful that its mere existence fills me with absolute joy.

Lacrimosa - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (From: Requiem in D Minor)

Actually the entire requiem is beautiful beyond expression.  But for me the Lacrimosa in particular just overjoys me by it's simple existence.  My favorite recording of it ever thus far was by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-fields as conducted by Sir Neville Mariner.  What sends me over the edge on this movement is the way the voices just start soaring as if they themselves would carry the departing soul to heaven on just the power of their song.  It moves me to tears.

Little Drummer Boy - Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati and Harry Simeone

Ok... once you stop laughing at me... it's not about it being a 'Christmas Song' or whatever.  I don't actually sing it with all the original words most of the time.  I don't change the original words to "Baby Jesus" which many artists have done... I sing it "Little Baby" (as it was originally written)... and "Mary Nodded" I change to "Mother nodded".  That is all it takes for me to bring the notions of the song in line with my own faith.  But what tears me about this song is the whole idea that this little boy so wants to give something to this child... and the only thing he has is his song... so he plays... his very very best, because it is his gift... his expression of faith.  So whenever we come to the line "I played my best for him" I am wrecked.

(Note: I may change the last one... It's true that I love the song, but compared to the other four.. hahaha... anyway, once I come up with a fifth, Maybe I'll change it. I know there is another song that just makes me pull my hair because I almost can't bear how much joy it gives me just because it exists.)

(Note 2: Now that I have heard The Little Drummer Boy as performed by the Vienna Boy's Choir, the choice stands.  It has to stand.  I ahve never heard it done so beautifully, with only two voices, a soprano for the first two verses and then a gorgeous, perfectly matched alto joins him.  It's just so amazing that I can barely stand it. Voices like that just turn me to mush.)

(Note 3: I'm bummed that I haven't seen anyone post this to their own LJ... blah!  Doesn't anyone else have 5 songs that they just can't imagine the world not having?)