Not to be confused with Beethoven's 25th Concerto for Vuvuzela.
June 30, 2010 9:50 AM Subscribe
Vuvuzela Chorale from Brahm's First Symphony. [single link vuvuzela]
Not to be confused with Beethoven's 25th Concerto for Vuvuzela, but any ass could see the resemblance.
posted by Wolfdog at 9:54 AM on June 30, 2010
posted by Wolfdog at 9:54 AM on June 30, 2010
you should have warned me before i played this with speakers on and the window open - there's dozens of dead birds on the lawn now and my apartment manager's going to be PISSED
posted by pyramid termite at 9:55 AM on June 30, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by pyramid termite at 9:55 AM on June 30, 2010 [3 favorites]
you know, if they had named that thing a peniszela, this whole meme would have gone very differently...
posted by HuronBob at 9:57 AM on June 30, 2010
posted by HuronBob at 9:57 AM on June 30, 2010
I have no idea who these guys are, but Stephan is an understated comic genius. I was watching just for his facial expressions.
posted by DU at 10:01 AM on June 30, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by DU at 10:01 AM on June 30, 2010 [2 favorites]
i have a question - is it normal behavior for squirrels to stick their heads into tailpipes?
i knew i shouldn't have played that again ...
posted by pyramid termite at 10:06 AM on June 30, 2010
i knew i shouldn't have played that again ...
posted by pyramid termite at 10:06 AM on June 30, 2010
I'm pretty sure that all three musicians are professional trombone players.1 Helge plays with the Kozerthausorchester Berlin, and both the Brahms and the Ravel excerpts are standard orchestral repertoire that most professional trombonists are familiar with.
1 Those who personally know any trombone players will not find their involvement in a video like this at all surprising.
posted by Johnny Assay at 10:13 AM on June 30, 2010 [5 favorites]
1 Those who personally know any trombone players will not find their involvement in a video like this at all surprising.
posted by Johnny Assay at 10:13 AM on June 30, 2010 [5 favorites]
The works of Phillip Glass were practically made to be played on a vuvuzela.
posted by crunchland at 10:19 AM on June 30, 2010 [6 favorites]
posted by crunchland at 10:19 AM on June 30, 2010 [6 favorites]
I think this is Stephan, and he does indeed play for the Berlin Konzerthausorchester.
There's also an Uwe who plays trumpet in one of the chamber ensembles.
posted by EvaDestruction at 10:27 AM on June 30, 2010
There's also an Uwe who plays trumpet in one of the chamber ensembles.
posted by EvaDestruction at 10:27 AM on June 30, 2010
This reinforces my belief that they're power kazoos.
posted by boo_radley at 10:29 AM on June 30, 2010
posted by boo_radley at 10:29 AM on June 30, 2010
"we need a flag, ban-hammer for vuvuzela now"
posted by HuronBob at 10:51 AM on June 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by HuronBob at 10:51 AM on June 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
That's Brahms! Brahms' Third Racket! - Basil Fawlty
posted by Babblesort at 10:52 AM on June 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Babblesort at 10:52 AM on June 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
Those who personally know any trombone players will not find their involvement in a video like this at all surprising.
As a former trombone player, I concur.
posted by adamdschneider at 11:01 AM on June 30, 2010
As a former trombone player, I concur.
posted by adamdschneider at 11:01 AM on June 30, 2010
While we're at it, here is a transcription.
posted by speicus at 11:02 AM on June 30, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by speicus at 11:02 AM on June 30, 2010 [5 favorites]
I think the Ravel piece kinda worked . . .
Yeah, Bolero wasn't half bad arranged for vuvuzela. Also, I loved how red Helge's face turned.
posted by dersins at 11:05 AM on June 30, 2010
Yeah, Bolero wasn't half bad arranged for vuvuzela. Also, I loved how red Helge's face turned.
posted by dersins at 11:05 AM on June 30, 2010
Bolero wasn't half bad arranged for vuvuzela
I'm sure if it had been available to him, he would have worked it into the arrangement somehow. The man used saxophones, for god's sake.
posted by Wolfdog at 11:13 AM on June 30, 2010 [3 favorites]
I'm sure if it had been available to him, he would have worked it into the arrangement somehow. The man used saxophones, for god's sake.
posted by Wolfdog at 11:13 AM on June 30, 2010 [3 favorites]
I wonder if it would still sound as warbling and sickly if it was made of finely turned brass. My mind says "no" but my heart says "yes".
This ruined the Bolero for me forever by the way. Thanks a lot.
posted by clarknova at 11:19 AM on June 30, 2010
This ruined the Bolero for me forever by the way. Thanks a lot.
posted by clarknova at 11:19 AM on June 30, 2010
Argh, doesn't seem like vuvuzelas can produce consistent notes because something feels really off when all three played at the same time. It's like I can hear the melody but the notes are.. off somehow - false, even.
posted by pyrex at 11:20 AM on June 30, 2010
posted by pyrex at 11:20 AM on June 30, 2010
I imagine this is what medieval courts would have sounded like, with those old trumpets and things.
posted by titus n. owl at 11:27 AM on June 30, 2010
posted by titus n. owl at 11:27 AM on June 30, 2010
I've got what's so wrong about this: it's in the uncanny valley of classical music!
posted by clarknova at 11:33 AM on June 30, 2010 [6 favorites]
posted by clarknova at 11:33 AM on June 30, 2010 [6 favorites]
I wanted to hate this, I really did... But okay, you got me laughing pretty damned hard.
posted by xedrik at 11:53 AM on June 30, 2010
posted by xedrik at 11:53 AM on June 30, 2010
This will all culminate with Play Him Off, Vuvuzela Cat! and then it will finally be over and we can all move onto the next meme.
posted by never used baby shoes at 11:59 AM on June 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by never used baby shoes at 11:59 AM on June 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
pyrex: "It's like I can hear the melody but the notes are.. off somehow - false, even."
If I am not mistaken, it is because they are trying to force notes out of the cylinder that would normally require a slide of the trombone or a key press on the trumpet, which can only weekly resonate on the instrument without such an adjustment.
posted by idiopath at 12:07 PM on June 30, 2010
If I am not mistaken, it is because they are trying to force notes out of the cylinder that would normally require a slide of the trombone or a key press on the trumpet, which can only weekly resonate on the instrument without such an adjustment.
posted by idiopath at 12:07 PM on June 30, 2010
I think they may have hammed up the disharmoniousness for the first one there, it is a comedy piece after all.
posted by Zalzidrax at 12:21 PM on June 30, 2010
posted by Zalzidrax at 12:21 PM on June 30, 2010
I like how Stephan handles his vuvuzela with the proper ceremony and respect.
posted by vortex genie 2 at 12:31 PM on June 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by vortex genie 2 at 12:31 PM on June 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
Lasted to 1:27!
posted by francesca too at 12:45 PM on June 30, 2010
posted by francesca too at 12:45 PM on June 30, 2010
Idiopath is right: they don't have a slide or valves to properly tune the notes they are hitting. The vuvuzela is essentially a natural horn, so they can only hit notes on the harmonic series. Many of these notes sound out of tune (which are shown on a chart on that wikipedia page). Trying to play actual harmonies with up to three out-of-tune notes at once gives the whole thing that very special middle school band sound.
Also, these are obviously trombone players because: a) they are doing this in the first place; b) at least one of them is using a trombone mouthpiece to make it easier to hit more distant partials; and c) the Bolero excerpt they play is the trombone solo.
posted by sleepinglion at 12:55 PM on June 30, 2010 [3 favorites]
Also, these are obviously trombone players because: a) they are doing this in the first place; b) at least one of them is using a trombone mouthpiece to make it easier to hit more distant partials; and c) the Bolero excerpt they play is the trombone solo.
posted by sleepinglion at 12:55 PM on June 30, 2010 [3 favorites]
If I am not mistaken, it is because they are trying to force notes out of the cylinder that would normally require a slide of the trombone or a key press on the trumpet, which can only weekly resonate on the instrument without such an adjustment.
(brassnerd comment: yes, that's because wind instruments are open pipes and produce different pitches by playing up the harmonic (overtone) series of the fundamental (lowest note) of that length of pipe. Valves were not added to brass instruments--making them chromatic, able to play all 12 tones of the western chromatic scale as "open pipe" notes--until starting in the 1820s. So before that, the only open tones brass instruments (and, to lesser and much varying degrees, woodwinds) could produce were those in the overtone series of the one fundamental note. Those pitches had to be played and bent in some way to get the other notes of a scale, chromatic or otherwise. This is why horn players put their hands in the bell (to allow varying degrees of stopping up the opening, to bend those notes) and Bach's trumpet parts are all waaay high up in the stratosphere, because the further up the overtone series one plays, the more notes are possible, and Bach wanted melodic trumpet parts so he typically wrote for them an octave or more above what we consider "normal" range for that particular open pipe. So yes, those players are bending notes to try and get things like 4th and 7th scale degrees to speak. And as a horn player, I still consider valves one of the great advancements of music technology, even alongside the microphone and recording technology.)
posted by LooseFilter at 1:04 PM on June 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
(brassnerd comment: yes, that's because wind instruments are open pipes and produce different pitches by playing up the harmonic (overtone) series of the fundamental (lowest note) of that length of pipe. Valves were not added to brass instruments--making them chromatic, able to play all 12 tones of the western chromatic scale as "open pipe" notes--until starting in the 1820s. So before that, the only open tones brass instruments (and, to lesser and much varying degrees, woodwinds) could produce were those in the overtone series of the one fundamental note. Those pitches had to be played and bent in some way to get the other notes of a scale, chromatic or otherwise. This is why horn players put their hands in the bell (to allow varying degrees of stopping up the opening, to bend those notes) and Bach's trumpet parts are all waaay high up in the stratosphere, because the further up the overtone series one plays, the more notes are possible, and Bach wanted melodic trumpet parts so he typically wrote for them an octave or more above what we consider "normal" range for that particular open pipe. So yes, those players are bending notes to try and get things like 4th and 7th scale degrees to speak. And as a horn player, I still consider valves one of the great advancements of music technology, even alongside the microphone and recording technology.)
posted by LooseFilter at 1:04 PM on June 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
(and I should have used preview, ditto sleepinglion)
Also, this video made me laugh out loud.
posted by LooseFilter at 1:05 PM on June 30, 2010
Also, this video made me laugh out loud.
posted by LooseFilter at 1:05 PM on June 30, 2010
A vuvuzela is more or less a Natural Trumpet. I've not tried to play a vuvuzela, but if you want to see what can be done with a natural trumpet, check out this video of movement 1 from the 2nd Brandenburg. The trumpet has a single hole in it for switching harmonic series. I love the piece, but the player is clearly fighting hard to get any kind of intonation. Valves were sliced bread, man.
posted by plinth at 1:18 PM on June 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by plinth at 1:18 PM on June 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
They should have played The Triumphal March from Verdi's Aida. Verdi had specially designed one-piston trumpets for that, and I believe that the theme could be quite "easily" be played on a vuvuzela.
posted by hoskala at 2:38 PM on June 30, 2010
posted by hoskala at 2:38 PM on June 30, 2010
<> I'm trying to enjoy the vuvuzela concert and some prick keeps playing football
My sentiments exactly. I saw some blog posts about EQ'ing out the vuvuzelas. A similar procedure could be used to EQ out everything but the vuvuzelas!
posted by Maximian at 2:43 PM on June 30, 2010 [2 favorites]
My sentiments exactly. I saw some blog posts about EQ'ing out the vuvuzelas. A similar procedure could be used to EQ out everything but the vuvuzelas!
posted by Maximian at 2:43 PM on June 30, 2010 [2 favorites]
Like nails on a fucking chalkboard. I didn't think that anything could make me hate the World Cup even more. Looks like I was wrong.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 2:51 PM on June 30, 2010
posted by MaryDellamorte at 2:51 PM on June 30, 2010
Loved the idea, hated the headache it gave me.
[Even professional brass players can't make the thing sound good! But the rhythm bit on Boléro bit could almost be tolerable.]
posted by lackutrol at 3:18 PM on June 30, 2010
[Even professional brass players can't make the thing sound good! But the rhythm bit on Boléro bit could almost be tolerable.]
posted by lackutrol at 3:18 PM on June 30, 2010
So did anybody ever get the inside scoop on why Zidane head butted that Italian guy in 2006?
posted by bukvich at 3:58 PM on June 30, 2010
posted by bukvich at 3:58 PM on June 30, 2010
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