Don’t let the Egyptians play your national anthem
mainHere’s what happened when President Hollande visited Egypt this week.
Avert your ears.
It’s the new atonal.
A massacre, say French media.
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I find it quite wonderful, in a surreal way. They sounds like a group of schoolchildren with toy instruments, but they’re clearly doing their best.
Here’s Putin suffering through a similar experience. Sort of reassuring to know that they do the same thing with everyone’s anthem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yGJYryj-QY
(They *sound* — sorry)
Indeed!
And if only they did…they sound proud.
The face of Mr Putin during this acoustical ordeal is priceless. He deserves it.
Is it the serial version?
Perhaps a joint expedition by European musical powers to effect regime change in the Egyptian military band leadership is in order.
Today Egypt, tomorrow… Venezuela!
https://youtu.be/DFONe31Mq7s
I feel quite sure Charles Ives would have loved it.
Did they tune up before playing????
What do you think?
Bravo! Very insightful of you. A man with an understanding of irony and paradox in music. Perhaps a Shostakovich fan.
My god, woman! What letters comprising the word “protest” are unrecognizable?Dissonance is not only a musical term. De-nial is not simply a river in Egypt.
So true! Thanks for making me smile this morning.
Sounds like there were two versions played simultaneously in different keys. And yet, it sounds better than anything from the pen of many mid-20th century serialists.
It really only sounds like someone wasn’t tuned properly. They may sound amateurish, but it’s not like the whole band/orchestra was off – just one guy, maybe two.
Upper woodwind were horribly sharp (common enough in hot weather) and lower brass was horrible flat. Almost a half step apart. Tuning is a wonderful thing and they should give it a try. “Tuned at the factory” is not the correct attitude. : )
I thought the playing of the bass drum part was highly commendable.
Proving that politicians are past masters at burying bodies, Hollande manages to hide the corpse.
How fortunate we are in the Western world, to have, in general, such good music education opportunities.
Reminds me of the old Portsmouth Sinfonia from the 1970’s. Love it 🙂
I remember years ago that a regimental band played “Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves” during a guard of honour for the Egyptian president who was on a visit to Britain. Nobody seems to notice the irony of the situation.
Egypt is prone to musical mishaps. A young pianist, who – after a delayed flight – struggled through Kairo traffic to get at the square where he was expected to participate in an open air performance of Tchaikovky’s piano concerto, scrambled on the platform where the conductor, at the sight of his appearance, had already begun the introduction, only to find when finally seated and opening the lid, that the keyboard was missing.
The intonation is terrible, balance is nonexistent, attacks and releases are quite poor. Other than that they aren’t too bad! 🙁
The point being missed is that the playing is quite normal in reflecting the
condition in which the country finds itself . Art imitating life .
Maybe they are still holding a grudge from the Suez Situation of 1957?