C/D: Playing songs on the "wrong" instrument.

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My neighbor is playing a Chopin nocturne on his/her electric guitar - I can hear it through the wall. As a long long time student of classical piano, for some reason this annoys the crap out of me. In a sort of, you have rock, but Chopin is ours, kind of way. Then again, there are millions and millions of themes written for one instrument but frequently performed on another - Rhapsody from a theme by Paganini, by Rachmaninoff, is the first one to spring to mind. Schumann did beautiful orchestrations of Couperin organ/harpsichord pieces. Etc etc x 1,000,000. But then again, orchestrations/variations on a theme aren't the same as direct transcription, so... what are your thoughts?

― vingt regards (vignt_regards), Thursday, 28 September 2006 20:54 (nineteen years ago)

who did that house version of mongoloid by devo?

― and what (ooo), Thursday, 28 September 2006 20:58 (nineteen years ago)

that japanese dude playing pachelbel's canon to thread

― bernard snow (sixteen sergeants), Thursday, 28 September 2006 20:58 (nineteen years ago)

M. Ward (guitarist/pianist) played a show a few years ago in SF in which was an unusual set where if there was a song he plays guitar on album, he'd play on piano and vice versa.

― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Thursday, 28 September 2006 21:03 (nineteen years ago)

Dr Eugene Chadbourne has performed a number of classical composers' pieces on banjo for years, I've read.
Not heard any of his Bach arrangements myself, tho :(

― tiit (tiit), Thursday, 28 September 2006 21:23 (nineteen years ago)

Dr Eugene Chadbourne has performed a number of classical composers' pieces on banjo for years

See, this is the kind of stuff that bothers me. Once you get over the novelty of "Oh, that's Bach Invention #13 in A minor" it's kind of like.. just a gimmick, you know?

― vingt regards (vignt_regards), Thursday, 28 September 2006 21:30 (nineteen years ago)

You've listened to lotsa Chadbourned Bach, then??

― tiit (tiit), Thursday, 28 September 2006 21:35 (nineteen years ago)

Generally, Dud. "Toccata in Dm" by the Toy Dolls - Awesome.

― everything (everything), Thursday, 28 September 2006 21:36 (nineteen years ago)

The Great Kat = CLASSIC

― mucho (mucho), Thursday, 28 September 2006 21:40 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.greatkat.com/music/music.html

― mucho (mucho), Thursday, 28 September 2006 21:41 (nineteen years ago)

Air On A G String by The Fucking Champs = the majesty of rock

― Clumsy Colin in ACTION BIKER (coach_mcguirk), Friday, 29 September 2006 06:21 (nineteen years ago)

Aforementioned Japanese dude is probably Yamashita Kazuhito. His Bach and Stravinski stuff is good. Speaking of Stravinski, there are some versions of the Rite of Spring for two pianos, and one recording by Fazil Say in which he overdubs himself.

Also Margaret Leng Tan on the toy piano, Clara Rockmore on theremin, etc.

― Pom (pom), Friday, 29 September 2006 08:29 (nineteen years ago)

who did that house version of mongoloid by devo?

Not sure, but the source sample was from the Terre Thaemlitz album 'Oh, No! It's Rubato', I think.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Friday, 29 September 2006 08:53 (nineteen years ago)

I can't see any moral dilemma here. Anyway, didn't Schubert or Schumann or somebody perform piano versions of Paganini's 24 Caprices?

― Monty Von Byonga (Monty Von Byonga), Friday, 29 September 2006 09:03 (nineteen years ago)

There is an absolutely great LP of Bach done by a Fendery French rock quartet in the 60s or 70s released on Nonsuch.

Most of my records are in storage or I'd be more specific but I think it may be H 71069 JAZZ GUITAR BACH.

Found a copy in a cheap bin a couple of years back to supplant my original.

― factcheckr (factcheckr), Friday, 29 September 2006 12:56 (nineteen years ago)

sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't

― tomtomtom (TomTomGo!!!), Friday, 29 September 2006 13:16 (nineteen years ago)

otm

― Ruud Comes to Haarvest (Ken L), Friday, 29 September 2006 13:17 (nineteen years ago)

SWITCHED ON

― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Friday, 29 September 2006 13:29 (nineteen years ago)

Seems to me that for the melody in a jazz context there isn't a right or wrong instrument, any instrument could and should play it without anybody raising an eyebrow. I guess the point here is when somebody takes something that was written for piano and rearranges and presumably revoices it for guitar we are supposed to be impressed but instead we are often annoyed, maybe because guitar shredders are annoying in general?

― Ruud Comes to Haarvest (Ken L), Friday, 29 September 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

Once you get over the novelty of "Oh, that's Bach Invention #13 in A minor" it's kind of like.. just a gimmick, you know?
Yeah, it's kind of like..."let's cover that song, but let's do a reggae version!"

― Ruud Comes to Haarvest (Ken L), Friday, 29 September 2006 13:58 (nineteen years ago)

Banjo sounds very much like a harpsichord, it totally works.

― a naked Kraken annoying Times Square tourists with an acoustic guitar (nickalici, Friday, 29 September 2006 13:59 (nineteen years ago)

And Steve Shasta OTswitchedonM.

― a naked Kraken annoying Times Square tourists with an acoustic guitar (nickalici, Friday, 29 September 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

(I think I made up that word "revoice")

― Ruud Comes to Haarvest (Ken L), Friday, 29 September 2006 14:02 (nineteen years ago)

Classic, if for just Wendy Carlos alone!

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 29 September 2006 20:03 (nineteen years ago)

Wendy Carlos, Clara Rockmore, TOMITA

― Rat Nasty (ratnasty), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 06:42 (nineteen years ago)

Mike Oldfield did a GREAT version of an old Vivaldi piece on various guitars. Classic all the way.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 08:30 (nineteen years ago)

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