So, I’m obviously a huge fan of Battlestar Galactica and proud of it. The show is simply the best thing on television. The acting, the story, the themes and of course the music. Anyone who knows me, knows that I almost always need noise around me. The music in BSG is freakishly good from the pounding war drums to the rare vocals and the haunting piano. The music fills in the story and hints to you where you’re going. I’ve actually taken to listening to the BSG soundtracks and the Blackhawk Down soundtrack while reading and for running, as they both make for excellent mood music.
Bear McCreary is the compooser for BSG. Bear McCreary is one of my favorite people on the planet due to what he can do to my emotions with his music. He’s also quite the wordsmith as you can see in his blog (don’t read if you don’t want spoilers as he goes into deep details about the show, up until to current episode). The music in this show is, like everything else just top notch. Evocative and emotional, and it sets the table for the actors to tell their story. I don’t need to go into what a great story arc it is again either, do I?
The best way I can demonstrate for you the power of the music is by listening to the music itself. These are two of my favorite pieces. Despite the fact that they are both from season two, believe me when I say all four season are just tremendous. Take five minutes out of your schedule and check this out. Just sit back in your chair, close your eyes and listen. When the music is done, go ahead and do what you need to do (purchase the soundtracks at your favorite CD distribution location).
I learned a bit of piano today from one of my classmates. On the Asilomar conference grounds there is a main check in hall, with a piano in it. A few of us were playing ping pong and then started playing the piano, so today they showed me how to play a part of a simple tune called chopsticks I think. I have no rythm, in fact I can’t even spell that word correctly, but I did thoroughly enjoy playing the bit of the song, and listening to others play the whole thing more correctly and cleanly.
I would like to learn to play the piano or a violin sometime. I remember my friend Chris Pinkham used to take piano lessons when he was younger, I used to do yard work for the lady that gave him those lessons and always thought there was a good chance that he was gay for wasting his time with that nonsense. As a side note, the last time I saw Pinkham, a few years ago now, he lived in San Francisco. Anyway, every time I listen to classical music, I just feel soothed when I hear a piano or violin all by itself. I usually can’t distinguish individual instruments in music, and I have no idea what most of them sound like or are even called, but those particular instruments seem to call me when I hear them.
I don’t know why I haven’t yet tried to take lessons, I’ve realized that I would love to learn to play them for a while but something about it scares me. Maybe because I hold those instruments in such a high regard that if I were to learn to play and I sucked, then it would be because I suck. Maybe some things are better left to the imagination, like experiencing the end result of someone else playing the piano. I’m sure Burger King employees don’t want a Whopper for dinner, I can kind of understand why. After playing computer/video games growing up and then going to work for a computer game company, I no longer have much if any desire to play games. I don’t want my love of the music I adore to fade like that.
Recent Comments