Favorite non English song?

[swiftaw]

Terrific choice. I remember the 1990 World Cup on the BBC and this was the piece they chose as their theme music……..

Yes, that's where I first heard it too BBC's Italia 90 coverage. Still makes me think of that World Cup every time I hear it.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

The lyrics to the song "Adiemus" aren't in English or any other "real" language. According to the Welsh composer Karl Jenkins, who wrote the piece, "The text was written phonetically with the words viewed as instrumental sound, the idea being to maximise the melisma (an expressive vocal phrase) by removing the distraction, if one can call it that, of words."

YouTube: video

Great choice. I have it on a CD - lovely listening.

Another, equally compelling piece form Karl Jenkins is 'Sanctus', which is spell-binding. I had the rare and wonderful privilege of hearing it performed live, at a Christmas Day Mass two years ago; magnificent.

 

[S.B.G]

I can only think of one non-English song right now and it's L'appuntamento. I have two versions, one by Ornella Vanoni and the other by Andrea Bocelli.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I can only think of one non-English song right now and it's L'appuntamento. I have two versions, one by Ornella Vanoni and the other by Andrea Bocelli.

Lovely choice.

One of my favourite groups - I saw them play live a few years ago, and they were outstanding - are Pink Martini (from Portland, Oregon); several of their songs are recorded in languages other than English.

A few I particularly love are "U Plavu Zoru", "Sympathique", and "Una Notte A Napoli".

 

[Happybunny]

La Marseillaise when I hear this sung by a crowd at a rugby or football, I get goose skin.

 

[localoid]

... Also, on this topic, take a listen to the Fourth Movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony; it is the only choral piece in a Beethoven Symphony and it is simply sublime….

Beethoven's music is genius; "Ninth" especially so. I'm rather fond of Gustav Mahler's orchestration of the Ninth, but I suppose purists might feel otherwise. 😱

... Another, equally compelling piece form Karl Jenkins is 'Sanctus', which is spell-binding.

Jenkin's "Sanctus" is a favor of mine, as is "Dies Irae" from his "Requiem", along with numerous other pieces he's written. I love the fact that Jenkins isn't afraid to use various languages within a given composition (as he does in "The Armed Man", for example) or "invent" a quasi-language. His "Dona Nobis Pacem" (Part I & II) are pleasantly unconventional. But then, I'm fond of Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Dona Nobis Pacem" as well. Such an intense and complex piece. His use of text from a House of Commons speech is interesting touch, but I suppose I'm wandering off the (non-English) libretto topic... 🙁

I had the rare and wonderful privilege of hearing it performed live, at a Christmas Day Mass two years ago; magnificent.

That must have been wondrous. There's nothing quite like experiencing a live performance... Especially in a well designed hall, large enough for the laws of physics to work its sonic magic.

 

[koa]

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Beethoven's music is genius; "Ninth" especially so. I'm rather fond of Gustav Mahler's orchestration of the Ninth, but I suppose purists might feel otherwise. 😱



Jenkin's "Sanctus" is a favor of mine, as is "Dies Irae" from his "Requiem", along with numerous other pieces he's written. I love the fact that Jenkins isn't afraid to use various languages within a given composition (as he does in "The Armed Man", for example) or "invent" a quasi-language. His "Dona Nobis Pacem" (Part I & II) are pleasantly unconventional. But then, I'm fond of Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Dona Nobis Pacem" as well. Such an intense and complex piece. His use of text from a House of Commons speech is interesting touch, but I suppose I'm wandering off the (non-English) libretto topic... 🙁



That must have been wondrous. There's nothing quite like experiencing a live performance... Especially in a well designed hall, large enough for the laws of physics to work its sonic magic.

Ah, it seems we have much the same taste in music; how wonderful.

That performance on that Christmas Day two years ago was outstanding; the church in question - an old one, home to the Augustinian Order - had undergone an extraordinarily tasteful and thoughtful modernisation some years earlier and the acoustics were (and are) superb. The choir in question are vastly experienced and extraordinarily talented enthusiasts, and are actually good enough - and sound good enough - to make a professional living from what they do, so it was an outstanding performance. And the music, well, the music, the 'Sanctus', from Karl Jenkins, was simply sublime, and spell-binding….

 

[ohbrilliance]

Any of Emilié Simon's French songs, such as this one:

 

[RITZFit]

The chorus has a touch of english...

 

[Synchromesh]

Got to enjoy Rammstein when my Son was in high school, but I can't say favorite. 😉

Everybody in US knows just that one song but they have so many awesome others. I've been a fan of theirs since 1998. Favorites include Ich Will, Sonne, Rosenrot, Hilf Mir and many more. Can't wait for a new album to come out.

As for more pop stuff: Stromae - Allors on Dance of course. And Basshunter - Boten Anna are at the very top.

 

[happyfrappy]

Maybe I'm bias, grew up in a dual-language area(northern NH) so French-Canadian influence was everywhere... too many choices of musicians/bands but I'd say Karkwa has these three standout songs.

Karkwa - Echapper au Sort

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I like a lot of Yann Tiersen's stuff as well. Outside of France, (where he was already somewhat known), he became well known only after the movie Amálie (for which he wrote the soundtrack) became a hit.

Although he has written material in English (and I have seen him play live), most of his lyrics are actually in French.

 

[Clix Pix]

One of my favourites - whether English or non-English is the wonderful, immortal, unforgettable: "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" by Edith Piaf.

Ditto, ditto, ditto! 🙂

 

[mwa]