For this assignment, I selected the following 10 songs from the Voyager record:

  1. Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F. First Movement, Munich Bach Orchestra, Karl Richter, conductor. 4:40
    • Selected because of my classical music background
    • I played violin when I was younger and I was forced to take part of an orchestra. Looking back, I should’ve appreciated the opportunity, but I was so upset that I had to practice every Saturday mornings! But many non-musicians may not know the effort and time that is dedicated by an orchestra
  1. Bach, “Gavotte en rondeaux” from the Partita No. 3 in E major for Violin, performed by Arthur Grumiaux. 2:55
    • Selected because of my classical music background
    • I played violin when I was younger for 7 years and there are many gavotte pieces to play for the violin and I found them fun to play with my teacher
  1. Mozart, The Magic Flute, Queen of the Night aria, no. 14. Edda Moser, soprano. Bavarian State Opera, Munich, Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor. 2:55
    • Selected because of my classical music background
    • When I was younger I was part of a Girls’ Honour Choir, and I sang many soprano parts
    • This is a very popular and famous piece, I think most people would also recognize this piece
  1. Stravinsky, Rite of Spring, Sacrificial Dance, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Igor Stravinsky, conductor. 4:35
    • Selected because of my classical music background
    • I have always admired music by Stranvinsky. His music has many surprising elements- where it is very loud and aggressive. I think he was very progressive for his time and I find that the music sheets are always so complicated to read
  2. Bach, The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2, Prelude and Fugue in C, No.1. Glenn Gould, piano. 4:48
    • Selected because of my classical music background
    • Glenn Gould is well known Canadian musician
    • This piano piece was very easy to listen to. Considering it is in C major- I bet it is easy to read the music too.
  3. Beethoven, Fifth Symphony, First Movement, the Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, conductor. 7:20
    • Selected because of my classical music background
    • This is very popular and well known piece that many people will know
    • I personally find this piece to be so beautiful and the story of Beethoven- I found so heart breaking. He endured and created such beautiful music despite his condition
  4. Beethoven, String Quartet No. 13 in B flat, Opus 130, Cavatina, performed by Budapest String Quartet. 6:37
    • Selected because of my classical music background
    • I think this is my least favourite song because it is very gentle. Lately, I have been listening to music that is upbeat and energetic
  5. “Melancholy Blues,” performed by Louis Armstrong and his Hot Seven. 3:05
    • Selected because of my interest in musical history and famous musicians
    • Growing up I never had many opportunities to listen to non-classical music
    • I never played brass instruments but I know all musical instruments takes dedication and passion to make beautiful music
    • Like all kinds of music, music is a big part of history and I feel that jazz music tells a very interesting story than classical music
  6. Georgian S.S.R., chorus, “Tchakrulo,” collected by Radio Moscow. 2:18
    • Selected because of interest in European history
    • I didn’t know what to expect before selecting this song. I was curious about this song, and found out that it is a three part drinking song from the region of Kakheit, and it is dramatizing preparations for a battle.
  7. Peru, wedding song, recorded by John Cohen. 0:38
    • I am planning a wedding for August 2020, so I wanted to know what a ‘Wedding Song’ from Peru would sound like.
    • I wonder if this is an original piece that is often used in Peru, or sung by someone at a wedding

 

Overall, I found this assignment to be very interesting. #1-#7 were selected because of my classical music background, which made it very easy for myself to select from the 27 songs. I wondered why so many songs were classical pieces… is it because it has a deeper history than most kinds of music? Many of the songs are very European focused, there’s very little diversity in the pieces. But overall, I found it to be great collection of music, considering this was created in the late ’70s.