the most beautiful melody in the world?

[alocispepraluger102]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Tyi1oQC6pKE

[Jim R]

On The Street Where You Live

Hello, Young Lovers

Pensativa

I'll Be Around

Manha De Carnaval

Smile

Bluesette

So Many Stars

Deep In A Dream

Stranger In Paradise

[sgcim]

highly recommended

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=8H6abSJnTwg

I still remember sitting in a movie theater when the beautiful theme heard at 3:24 to 4:16 was used in the climax of the movie "Alien".

I wonder if that was Jerry Goldsmith's idea, or someone else's?

A NY radio DJ played the score from "Alien" on the air, and played Hanson's great theme, and said,"Look at what a genius Jerry was, listen to that melody at the climax!"

I called him on the air and said, "Jerry didn't write that beautiful theme- it's from Howard Hanson's Second Symphony. Jerry's a hack- he couldn't write music like that in his best wet dream."

That didn't go over too well with the show's host...

[Royal Oak]

One that springs to mind is "It Could Happen To You", but I think, like Bill, I may be hearing the harmony rather than the melody. I like "Amazing Grace" and "Abide With Me" for the same reasons.

I use the word "changes" in the jazz sense to mean chord sequence.

Is it the melody of 'All The Things You Are' that pleases the ear or the chord sequence?

It's the chord sequence that pleases me. Chop the melody statements off and the magic's still there.

My old man loved "All The Things You Are", especially the end of the "B" section leading back into the final "A". ISn't the last note of the "B" the same as the first note of the final "A", but it somehow sounds different because of the modulation? Something like that anyway.

[alocispepraluger102]

highly recommended

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=8H6abSJnTwg

I still remember sitting in a movie theater when the beautiful theme heard at 3:24 to 4:16 was used in the climax of the movie "Alien".

I wonder if that was Jerry Goldsmith's idea, or someone else's?

A NY radio DJ played the score from "Alien" on the air, and played Hanson's great theme, and said,"Look at what a genius Jerry was, listen to that melody at the climax!"

I called him on the air and said, "Jerry didn't write that beautiful theme- it's from Howard Hanson's Second Symphony. Jerry's a hack- he couldn't write music like that in his best wet dream."

That didn't go over too well with the show's host...

that was the theme for classical commercial radio wclv-fm in cleveland for many generations from the late 50s they played it daily at midnight or 2am. i can't remember. they always fit a beautiful reading into the quiet section.

a commercial classical station. think of that.

[Jerry_L]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU1hm7KlfT8

Beautiful melodically, harmonically, and rhythmically!

[Jerry_L]

Maybe "Skylark" -- both the main strain and the bridge (supposedly Bix inspired) and how they fit together.

Yes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_ZPceluIsY

[Jerry_L]

Jobim is certainly a contender...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WctZJcPwnOQ

Edited August 2, 2013 by Jerry_L

[Jerry_L]

It's that old Spanish tinge...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRU1o-sCnqY

This is another Latin favorite.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frcA6Hk7Mfo

[jeffcrom]

Okay, look it, y'all...

I don't assert myself around here that often, but why are we still talking about this? Didn't y'all see post number six?

There seems to be a lot of confusion of melody with chord changes, or with the interaction of melody with chord changes, or rhythm, or particular recordings. That's not the question here - it's about pure melody, and which is the most beautiful. I've already answered that question - it's Roscoe Mitchell's "People in Sorrow."

Now you kids get off my lawn!

[Chuck Nessa]

I heard People in Sorrow sometime in Chicago 1966 - well before the recording. I still have the program somewhere.

[Jerry_L]

Not familiar with the Roscoe Mitchell tune, but here's a nice vocal take of Wave.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUEm6gVrQJs

Edited August 2, 2013 by Jerry_L

[Jerry_L]

Blue Train

Time Out

From the same album, I'd pick Moment's Notice over B.T. for melodic beauty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iki_B6r5G5g

[JSngry]

[Jim R]

Jobim is certainly a contender...

I had to laugh at myself for selecting just one Jobim melody in my first post.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUuJrpP0Mak

[medjuck]

......and it never entered my mind.

Agreed. Bill Evans' Peace Piece rates highly, too... And the song on which it's based: Bernstein's Some Other Time. Evans uses the same opening chords on Flamenco Sketches.

Edited August 2, 2013 by medjuck

[alocispepraluger102]

......and it never entered my mind.

Agreed. Bill Evans' Peace Piece rates highly, too... And the song on which it's based: Bernstein's Some Other Time. Evans uses the same opening chords on Flamenco Sketches.

evans used a slight variation of that opening on at least several pieces, and deservedly so.

Edited August 3, 2013 by alocispepraluger102

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

One that springs to mind is "It Could Happen To You", but I think, like Bill, I may be hearing the harmony rather than the melody. I like "Amazing Grace" and "Abide With Me" for the same reasons.

'It could happen to you' is a strange song. It's generally sung or played as a ballad and this does bring out the beautiful melody. But it's sung too slowly for you to comprehend the words as a whole statement - which is witty and humorous. When I got Dakota Staton's album 'Dynamic' in which she sings the song at a pretty up tempo, I realised that the words NEED to be sung fast, so you can get that message. But you don't get the beauty of the tune.

I wonder if anyone knows how the song was intended to be performed - or how it was on its first appearance?

MG

[crisp]

'It could happen to you' is a strange song. It's generally sung or played as a ballad and this does bring out the beautiful melody. But it's sung too slowly for you to comprehend the words as a whole statement - which is witty and humorous. When I got Dakota Staton's album 'Dynamic' in which she sings the song at a pretty up tempo, I realised that the words NEED to be sung fast, so you can get that message. But you don't get the beauty of the tune.

I wonder if anyone knows how the song was intended to be performed - or how it was on its first appearance?

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Oh, that's the original?

Well, she had a smile on her face, but I don't think the humour came through, even with whatshisname commenting

Thanks.

MG

[John Litweiler]

I may have posted this elsewhere:

One night I dreamed that I was composing the most beautiful melody in the world. Woke up and wrote it down, even. The next day I happened to play (for the first time in a few years) a Freddie Redd album and there it was. Coincidence?

[Royal Oak]

One that springs to mind is "It Could Happen To You", but I think, like Bill, I may be hearing the harmony rather than the melody. I like "Amazing Grace" and "Abide With Me" for the same reasons.

'It could happen to you' is a strange song. It's generally sung or played as a ballad and this does bring out the beautiful melody. But it's sung too slowly for you to comprehend the words as a whole statement - which is witty and humorous. When I got Dakota Staton's album 'Dynamic' in which she sings the song at a pretty up tempo, I realised that the words NEED to be sung fast, so you can get that message. But you don't get the beauty of the tune.

I wonder if anyone knows how the song was intended to be performed - or how it was on its first appearance?

MG

Well, here I must admit I'd never heard a vocal version of the song until watching the clip posted above. I was thinking of the J J Johnson version from "The Eminent..." album. As a result, I've always heard bitter-sweet, with the emphasis on bitter. Interesting, the way one projects.

[GA Russell]

Angel Eyes

Nancy with the Laughing Face

Since I Fell for You

[mikeweil]

I Can't Get Started - especially Pres' version

If You Could See Me Now (Dameron)

Look To The Stars (Jobim)

[JSngry]