You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘BSG’ tag.
Bear Mccreary loves Taiko drumming. So say we all.
This track was first played on the re-imagined “Battlestar Galactica” television series during the season 2 episode “Pegasus”, for its final, climactic scene. After Battlestar Galactica Flight Deck Chief Galen Tyrol and Pilot Karl Agathon are arrested, on the orders of Fleet Admiral Helena Cain, for the accidental death of Battlestar Pegasus’ “Cylon Interrogator” Lieutenant Thorne (while stopping Thorne and his men during Thorne’s interrogation (and attempted rape) of Cylon Sharon “Boomer” Valerii. Galactica Commander William Adama is informed that both men have been tried and convicted of murder and treason by Cain, and are to be executed. Adama, having earlier been told by Cain that the men would receive a fair tribunal trial, orders CIC to assemble a Marine Strike Team and to prepare to launch alert Vipers. He then contacts the Pegasus and Cain, angrily demanding an explanation of Cain’s actions. When the Admiral’s statements of the men’s guilt and her judgment fails to satisfy him, Adama, fully aware of the possible chaos he’s about to unleash, orders the launch of Galactica’s fighters, and then tightly demands the return of the two men. Cain, noting the launch of Vipers and a Raptor from Galactica, tightly cautions Adama to stand down. Adama angrily refuses, and Cain, also well aware of the possibly dire consequences, orders ‘Action Stations’, the launch of Pegasus’ alert Vipers to meet Galactica’s, and the targeting of Galactica herself. As the fighters approach each other, it is obvious that the very volatile confrontation could get completely out of hand.
We are putting this on the list of piano music that is too damn hard right now, but stuff I will eventually be able to play. Watch his hands after the first repeated section – what is going on is that he is alternating quickly between two sets of notes a 6th apart with the same hand. To the piano student, this is akin to trying to wipe your ass with the wrong hand while wearing mittens filled with bees. My piano teacher assured me that, like with all things, practice makes it easier.
A little background on what a Passacaglia is and an example of what J.S. Bach does with it.
Passacaglia – A musical form of the 17th and 18th centuries consisting of continuous variations on a ground bass and similar to the chaconne.
There are 20 variations in BWV 582/1. The first begins with a typical C minor affekt, “a painful longing” according to Spitta, similar to the beginning of Buxtehude’s Chaconne in C minor (BuxWV 159).[9] Numerous attempts have been made to figure out an overarching symmetrical structure of the work, but scholars have yet to agree on a single interpretation.[10] Particularly important attempts were made by Christoph Wolff and Siegfried Vogelsänder.[spelling?][11] Some scholars have speculated that there is a symbolic component to the structure of the work: for instance, Martin Radulescu argues that BWV 582/1 is “in the form of a cross”.[12]
There is agreement among most scholars that the Passacaglia builds up until its climax in variation twelve.[citation needed] This is followed by three quiet variations, forming a short intermezzo, and then the remaining five variations end the work.
Bach performer and scholar Marie-Claire Alain suggested that the 21 variations are broken down into 7 groups of 3 similar variations, each opening with a quotation from a Lutheran chorale, treated similarly to the Orgel-Büchlein written at a similar time:[13]
-
Bars 8–12, the top part spells out the opening notes of “Nun komm’ der Heiden Heiland”
-
Bars 24–48, a cantilena spells out “Von Gott will ich nicht lassen”
-
Bars 49–72, the scales are a reference to “Vom Himmel kam der Engel Schar”
-
Bars 72–96, recalling the “star” motif from “Herr Christ, der Ein’ge Gottes-Sohn”
-
Bars 96–120, ornamented figure similar to that in “Christ lag in Todesbanden” accompanies theme in the soprano then moving successively to alto and bass
-
Bars 144–168 “Ascending intervals in bass recall the Easter chorale “Erstanden ist der heil’ge Christ”.
And yes, this was an organ piece originally.
Did you want to thank someone today? Thank the youtube user VFXUAS for making this BSG short by hand on home computer.
Yes, I do live under a rock. I’m guessing not having a TV will do this to you, but it was by chance that I happened by this release of the new BSG series blood and chrome and its awesome!
Episode 1 and 2 are already out. Dammit I’m finally going to have to learn to play the damn music from this show. :>
The Battle Star Galactica Motif continues, with the 6/8 Shape of Things to Come last week, Allegro is in the spotlight 4/4 this week. Bear McCreary works his magic for us again. Love the syncopation in this piece. Sadly, the piano reduction for this is way beyond me at the moment.
The Shape of Things to Come theme
This theme, also referred to as the “Passacaglia“, “Allegro“, or “Opera House theme“, is one of the few recurring motifs in Battlestar Galactica — along with “Worthy of Survival” — not associated with a particular character or group of characters. Appearing in the first season soundtrack as “Passacaglia” after the Spanish and Italian musical form that it follows, the theme was first introduced over the opening montage of episode “Kobol’s Last Gleaming, Part 1“. In “Kobol’s Last Gleaming, Part 2”, it plays as Baltar has a vision amid the ruins of the Opera House on Kobol of that structure as it was during Kobol’s glory days. He is informed by his internal Number Six that the mysterious infant he sees within — apparently Hera Agathon — is “the first of a new generation of God’s children” and “the face of the shape of things to come.” The theme also accompanies Number Three’s visions of the Final Five set in the Opera House in “Hero“, but its usage is not limited to the Opera House setting: in “Home, Part 2“, “Pegasus”, and “Unfinished Business” it accompanies emotionally resonant scenes that concern the fate of characters or their relationships. In the third season soundtrack, it features in the track “Violence and Variations”, where it is interwoven with Lee and Kara’s love theme, and “Under the Wing.” The final version serves as the outro to “An Easterly View”, which plays as Admiral Adama sits next to Laura Roslin’s grave in the series finale.
Each major variation of this theme is in a different meter: “Passacaglia” is in 3/4, “The Shape of Things to Come” is in 6/8 and “Allegro” is in 4/4.
We’ll be seeing Passacaglia and Allegro in the future as well.
To my erudite and gentle readers, I wish you all a wonderful and prosperous New Year. We made it, Hallelujah!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAQHR10FXmU
bleatmop
Mystro
The Arbourist
Dead Wild Roses 
Your opinions…