I've been a bit down recently - for many reasons - and was driving back to work when I started to listen to a CD I'd borrowed. It was Carnival of the Animals, which I don't think I've heard since I was quite young.

It cheered me up immensely and I had to fight the urge to take the afternoon off for a good long practice session. Noticed how music does that to you? I can make my son practise his trumpet simply by playing some jazz with trumpet in when I pick him up from school. Fortunately he hasn't yet realised my cunning plan!

So, to gather 'medication' for my next bout of depression, which pieces of music make the sun come out for you? Make you want to shout to everyone how good the world is, to dance with strangers in the street and to ###### with what the neighbours will say?

Steve

PS Cross-posted on Woodwind board by mistake!

Nice thread Steve.

Here are three of my current favourites:

Rolfe Kent : Asphalt Groovin' (from the film 'Sideways')

Jon Lord : Rags and Galas (from the 'Durham Concerto')

The Divine Comedy : Our Mutual Friend (from the album 'Absent Friends')

I guess these are all pieces which are rhythmically vital - they really pick me up and give me some energy!

Almost anything orchestral by Bach - especially if it has those high Bach trumpets in.

Most things with a really dramatic bass line, lots of suspense, the sort of pedal that can make you shiver, cellos and double basses...for some reason, things which sound really dark usually cheer me up.

Oh yes! I'd forgotten all about the Brandenburg concertos. They're great!


Steve

Walking On Sunshine - KC and the Sunshine band.

Unfortunately I've gone off it, after using it for my alarm.

The list so far:


Bach orchestral pieces.. esp. high trumpets

Rolfe Kent : Asphalt Groovin' (from the film 'Sideways')

Jon Lord : Rags and Galas (from the 'Durham Concerto')

The Divine Comedy : Our Mutual Friend (from the album 'Absent Friends')

Walking On Sunshine - KC and the Sunshine band.

Schubert's Unfinished Symphny - 1st mmt. Always makes me practise

Tico Tico - Abreu (Sorry, Fsharpminor..it's that man again!! )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i84zyG_ts78...feature=related

Walking The Dog -George Gerschwin

The Ho Down -Aaron Copland

Dance The Night Away- The Mavericks

Oooohhh yess - they're all yummy and throw in a few similar Vivaldi types with high recorders too

My personal favourite of the moment though is a recording of Chloe Hanslip playing Bazzini on the violin... quite virtuosic, poetic and shiverry (technical term) too

"Get it on" by Grinderman always makes me grin like an idiot.

I listen to Liszt: Gnommenreigen - everytime I hear it all I can imagine is tricky little gnomes popping up and running around everywhere causing havoc and i can't help but burst into spontaneous laughter!

otherwise, 'Defying Gravity' from the musical Wicked (still haven't seen it yet) and 'Good Morning Baltimore' from the musical Hairspray always make me soar slightly higher than my previous mood.

But the Brian May version!

Click here

What Bach could do with brass! Oh the first movement of Christmas Oratorio....

And "The Heavens Are Telling.." from Creation.

Oh, Creation! Wow!

The list so far:


Bach: orchestral pieces.. esp. high trumpets ,
"The Heavens Are Telling.." from Creation
1st mvt of Christmas Oratorio

Rolfe Kent : Asphalt Groovin' (from the film 'Sideways')

Jon Lord : Rags and Galas (from the 'Durham Concerto')

The Divine Comedy : Our Mutual Friend (from the album 'Absent Friends')

Walking On Sunshine - KC and the Sunshine band.

Schubert's Unfinished Symphny - 1st mmt.

Tico Tico - Abreu

Walking The Dog -George Gerschwin

The Ho Down -Aaron Copland

Dance The Night Away- The Mavericks

Flos Campi (Vaughan Williams)

"Get it on" by Grinderman

Liszt: Gnommenreigen

'Defying Gravity' from the musical Wicked

'Good Morning Baltimore' from the musical Hairspray

Paul Simon singing Fifty ways to leave your lover

Mendelssohn (especially Midsummer Night's Dream and the Italian Concerto)

or Symphony, even ??

Oops!

Must have been all the talk about Bach that confused me - but the Italian Concerto is also good for cheering one up, come to mention it...

yes, I agree. Great piece. And the Mendelssohn too. : )

Oh my gosh! I loved that! Very surprised not to have come across it in my youtube wanderings.

I may be unique in this, but the Red Hot Chilli Pipers always cheer me up...

You've got a friend. James Taylor.
Now dare I say this................OK I will, the theme music from "Little House on the Prairie".
Bev ducks behind the wall.

From two extremes:

1. Beethoven, Symphony No 6 (Pastoral) Especially the first and last movements:

Awakening of cheerful feelings upon arrival in the country, and
Cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm

2. Bobby McFerrin: Don't Worry, Be Happy

Strangely, my mum was having back surgery and recovering in hospital about the time that "Don't Worry, Be Happy" was released and was being played a lot on the radio. It actually drove her nuts at the time and there is now no song that will so easily make her worried and unhappy

For myself, my Friday evening about-to-finish-work-for-the-weekend music is Hypnotic Brass Ensemble - I love it!

Another song that makes me very happy is the Isley Brothers' 'Summer Breeze'

And anything by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

He is rather wonderful, it has to be said

For me, it has to be Uiscedwr, as musicians and as people they are inspirational
Also 5 Years Time by Noah and the Whale, reminds me of this summer
And there's a few things that chill me out and calm me down, I suppose they do make me happy, but in a different way... namely:

Kate Rusby, especially Falling
Rob Pattinson
Sibelius -Andante Festivo



That's pretty amazing!