Singing in your city

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M

Miri

Guest
#1
Hi in the city I live, it has a heritage of performance and music.

There are a handful of theatres including a very famous one
A college of music, it's where opera north are based and also it has several
dance studies and northern ballet are based there.

Something the city council encourages is street performances. Often a stroll
through the city centre at weekend especially, will include encounters with
with solo and group performances, bands, church choirs, magicians, jugglers
acrobats and just people who go out with a guitar to sing. You name it, it happens!

Some of the shopping arcades even have strategically placed pianos, anyone can
go and have a play on them while doing your shopping.

I dont know if this will open you might have to copy and paste it into
your web browser. But anyway it's an impromptu performance in one
of the shopping arcades by a member of opera north - just amazing!





Ive seen school aged young kids playing all variety of instruments, right up
up pensioners giving demonstrates of ballroom dancing. Occasionally
famous bands and people have just turned up for a quick half hour
busking session.

It takes a lot of gut to just stand and sing/play in the middle of the street.
Would you do it? What would you play or sing? :)
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#3
I hate to sound like a redneck, (except I am, so maybe I should stop hating sounding like one :rolleyes:), but opera is down there with rap to me. Can't take but so much of either, and I'm just being nice if I'm taking either.

At least with opera, I get the beauty of the thing I don't like.

And, no! Absolutely not! No way, no how am I ever going to sing in public like that. But not because I'm too shy. I just know I would be the cause of all the people around me trying to, (and succeeding), in punching out their own eardrums. Janis Joplin had a prettier voice than I have. The contestants on Simon Cowell shows that are forced to stop after 30 seconds of laughing are better than I am. I am both tone deaf and have a voice often mistaken for a guy's voice. It's just not pretty.

But do we do that too? Philly! Of course we do. Best place to hear musicians (for free) is at City Hall. It seems the acoustics between the street and inner courtyard is perfect for instruments. Almost guaranteed you'll hear someone playing something that's so good, you won't know why they can't make money playing that instrument. (I'm remembering a guy on a sax too. lol)

And shopping centers? We have an old store that became a chain store across the country for a while, before it was bankrupt. It's called Wanamaker. (John Wanamaker was reformed and used to go to my church back in the 1800's. lol) When Wanamaker's closed, it became a Macy's. (It's become many stores since then.) And one of the things the store is known for is a light show at Christmas time, so many go to it.

This is what our opera company did one Christmas. (Yeah, still opera, but I really like this song. Makes me cry every time. lol) We call this a flash mob.


[video=youtube;wp_RHnQ-jgU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp_RHnQ-jgU[/video]
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#4
BTW, I brought up Wanamaker's, because that big brass Eagle in the video is a hallmark in my town. When people go shopping in Center City, the standing rule is if you get lost from one another, "Meet me at The Wanamaker Eagle." It's so common, I always assume the ones hanging around that eagle got lost and are waiting to be reunited. lol
 
M

Miri

Guest
#5
Opera for me is a bit hit and miss some I like, some I don't get at all.
I do appreciate the skill and training that goes into it though.
One of the ladies at our church sings for opera north. You can always
rely on her to hit those high soprano notes on the last chorus and verse
of joy to the world the lord is come - glory to the new born king.

I would be far too self conscious to go busking.
I've seen loads do it though from little kids to adults.
 
Feb 28, 2016
11,311
2,972
113
#6
I hate to sound like a redneck, (except I am, so maybe I should stop hating sounding like one :rolleyes:), but opera is down there with rap to me. Can't take but so much of either, and I'm just being nice if I'm taking either.

At least with opera, I get the beauty of the thing I don't like.

And, no! Absolutely not! No way, no how am I ever going to sing in public like that. But not because I'm too shy. I just know I would be the cause of all the people around me trying to, (and succeeding), in punching out their own eardrums. Janis Joplin had a prettier voice than I have. The contestants on Simon Cowell shows that are forced to stop after 30 seconds of laughing are better than I am. I am both tone deaf and have a voice often mistaken for a guy's voice. It's just not pretty.

But do we do that too? Philly! Of course we do. Best place to hear musicians (for free) is at City Hall. It seems the acoustics between the street and inner courtyard is perfect for instruments. Almost guaranteed you'll hear someone playing something that's so good, you won't know why they can't make money playing that instrument. (I'm remembering a guy on a sax too. lol)

And shopping centers? We have an old store that became a chain store across the country for a while, before it was bankrupt. It's called Wanamaker. (John Wanamaker was reformed and used to go to my church back in the 1800's. lol) When Wanamaker's closed, it became a Macy's. (It's become many stores since then.) And one of the things the store is known for is a light show at Christmas time, so many go to it.

This is what our opera company did one Christmas. (Yeah, still opera, but I really like this song. Makes me cry every time. lol) We call this a flash mob.


[video=youtube;wp_RHnQ-jgU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp_RHnQ-jgU[/video]
================================================

we're definitely NOT LOOKING at this, simply because we can't spot any hidden bears'...
 

mar09

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2014
4,927
1,259
113
#7
Hi miri,
I can listen to opera more than rock or other genre, but not that much. Whatever, when i first saw some of those flashfloods in public places, i was envious. A lost or misplaced piano in an arcade? an airport? a farm or zoo (now remembering rehbein's vids)? No, not good enof to play in public and w/o sheet music, but might be able to in a nursing home or orphanage. The harmonica or recorder would be simpler even w/o music sheet, and i'd play something like All we like sheep (don moen's) or How beautiful (twila paris)=)=).
 
Y

Yahweh_is_gracious

Guest
#8
If I were to sing, in public, I would be arrested. The normal protections of the American justice system would be cast aside to make an example of me, and I would have my vocal chords severed and then I would be incarcerated for the remainder of my natural life in some sort of CIA black-site.
 
M

Miri

Guest
#9
If I were to sing, in public, I would be arrested. The normal protections of the American justice system would be cast aside to make an example of me, and I would have my vocal chords severed and then I would be incarcerated for the remainder of my natural life in some sort of CIA black-site.

Ha ha, can you hum? :p
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#10
Opera for me is a bit hit and miss some I like, some I don't get at all.
I do appreciate the skill and training that goes into it though.
One of the ladies at our church sings for opera north. You can always
rely on her to hit those high soprano notes on the last chorus and verse
of joy to the world the lord is come - glory to the new born king.

I would be far too self conscious to go busking.
I've seen loads do it though from little kids to adults.
I'd stop and listen if you played in one of the archways at City Hall. I'd even put money in your hat.

If'n you were the type to play out in the open with no one else playing instruments with you, which kind of music would you play? (The sax player was doing New Orleans jazz. I don't like Chicago/St. Louis jazz that much, but the further south the jazz is, the more I like it.)
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#11
================================================

we're definitely NOT LOOKING at this, simply because we can't spot any hidden bears'...
Sadly, we weren't there that day. I've only been hit with that song once in public. Sure enough, burst out crying then too. I was trying to give the choir a good old-fashioned Wooooooooooooooo with my clapping, but was too choked up to do it. I've gotten to the point, I just pull out a tissue the moment I recognize the song. That guaranteed I will cry. lol
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#12
Hi miri,
I can listen to opera more than rock or other genre, but not that much. Whatever, when i first saw some of those flashfloods in public places, i was envious. A lost or misplaced piano in an arcade? an airport? a farm or zoo (now remembering rehbein's vids)? No, not good enof to play in public and w/o sheet music, but might be able to in a nursing home or orphanage. The harmonica or recorder would be simpler even w/o music sheet, and i'd play something like All we like sheep (don moen's) or How beautiful (twila paris)=)=).
I remember an Indian woman (might have been from Pakistan, Napal, or Bangladash but somewhere around that part of the world) sitting on an overturned paint container, playing a recorder too. In Center City, we usually get jazz, the blues of soft rock form street musicians. Hers was very enchanting. Exotic. I would have stopped to listen but I hate being late for appointments.
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#13
Ha ha, can you hum? :p
Well, if singing puts him in a black-ops site, humming would probably give him just Leavenworth. (Our best known federal prison. lol)
 

mar09

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2014
4,927
1,259
113
#14
If I were to sing, in public, I would be arrested. The normal protections of the American justice system would be cast aside to make an example of me, and I would have my vocal chords severed and then I would be incarcerated for the remainder of my natural life in some sort of CIA black-site.
If u say u cant sing, look at this. It doesn't seem so hard to do, what the little girl did, does it??
[video=youtube;a23945btJYw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a23945btJYw[/video]
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#15
If u say u cant sing, look at this. It doesn't seem so hard to do, what the little girl did, does it??
[video=youtube;a23945btJYw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a23945btJYw[/video]
Ohhhh, the other song bound to get me crying! Thank you!

(This is my favorite flashmob video.)
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#16
Ode to Joy is Beethoven's. (He's German, so good to hear his song in original language.)

But a hymn was made from the same music. It is now one of the best known hymns.


[video=youtube;3fkvyYNsjPc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fkvyYNsjPc[/video]

I'm curious if they were singing Beethoven's words or the hymn? (Wish I knew German to tell.)
 
M

Miri

Guest
#17
Another song to Beethoven.
We taught this in Sunday school.


Hallelujah hallelujah
Jesus is the Lord of all

Looking down on all the nations
sending blessings from above

How we love you
precious Jesus
We just want to praise your name

Hallelujah Hallelujah
Thank you for the day you came
 
G

Galatea

Guest
#18
Yes, I would if I felt like it. I am like EXTREMELY shy, but there is a bit of a performer in me. I keep saying I am going to enter the national whistling contest. I am a great whistler, no kidding.

This is the international one: [video=youtube;FK1DCWrW02s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK1DCWrW02s[/video]
 

mar09

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2014
4,927
1,259
113
#19
Yes, I would if I felt like it. I am like EXTREMELY shy, but there is a bit of a performer in me. I keep saying I am going to enter the national whistling contest. I am a great whistler, no kidding.
Then we'll push you with a bit of prayer=).

Thanks for posting the video. It is amazing... if we had something like this. And why not?! This is amazing too, from a 9-year Indonesian girl i found after seeing ur video.
[video=youtube;oLeCs6EVIis]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLeCs6EVIis[/video]
 

santuzza

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2013
1,609
38
48
#20
So, the Beethoven flash mob video is the ending of his Ninth Symphony. Words are by Schiller. They are secular--an ode to joy, but not to God. In 1907, Henry Van Dyke wrote the hymn text "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee" to go with the Beethoven tune from the Ninth. It has become one of our most beloved hymns.

So sad to hear so many of you dislike classical voice (i.e. opera). I used to be an opera singer, and I find the style quite beautiful; however, as I matured in the Lord, I found the texts/storylines so inconsistent with my faith that I stopped singing it and now I pretty much only sing sacred music.