Great Music, Songwriters And Singers

[Ramseth]

Actually Joseph Koo's compositions provide good case study.

Joseph Koo didn't go through proper music training. Most of the popular TVB songs were composed before he left for further studies in US. When he came back, his music became very different. Leslie Cheong's 當年情 was one of the first few he composed after returning from US. His music became more difficult with more dissonance.

I beg to differ. Joseph Koo was under Shaw Organisation as music scorer for movie soundtracks in the 60s, sent on some kind of sponsored scholarship to a Boston music college. It was when he came back that he flourished with his masterpieces like Xiao Li Fei Dao, Chu Liu Xiang, The Bund etc. All of his classics were composed after his studies.

Leslie Cheung was simply of an even later era not in the calibre in of Roman Tam or Adam Cheng to deliever his songs optimally.

 

[jw5]

I beg to differ. Joseph Koo was under Shaw Organisation as music scorer for movie soundtracks in the 60s, sent on some kind of sponsored scholarship to a Boston music college. It was when he came back that he flourished with his masterpieces like Xiao Li Fei Dao, Chu Liu Xiang, The Bund etc. All of his classics were composed after his studies.

Leslie Cheung was simply of an even later era not in the calibre in of Roman Tam or Adam Cheng to deliever his songs optimally.

Leslie was a different type of singer from Roman or Adam, he had his own unique style and quality.
The way he sings has a beautiful and touching quality, which is not the same as the other 2. But I don't want to discuss this further, as I always feel rather sad when discussing about him. I first saw him acting in a HK series called Destiny.
If I had to rank the 3 in terms of singing ability, I would rank Roman No.1 (he has always been a singer anyway), Leslie No.2 and Adam No.3.

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

Is that the theme song from "A Better Tomorrow"?
It's a great song!
By the way, I think Leslie was a great singer, probably one of my favourite HK singers.

Yes, "A Better Tomorrow". It marked a new beginning in Joseph Koo's music. Did you notice that his music became very different after that ? In fact many would say that after he returned from US his music wasn't as "tuneful" as before. That is because his music became more difficult with more dissonance added into the melody to create more "tension" in the music. A melody that is "sweet" and "easy to remember" often carries more consonance than dissonance, as you would notice in most of his early compositions.

Joseph Koo is special because he was the first composer to have combined both Chinese and Western musical instruments into his music, especially with the use of 古箏 and 揚琴.

 

[Ramseth]

Singapore also has Dick Lee with his signature tune Life Story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPQk9OHrH_8

It was adapted into a advertisement for OAC (insurance company later merged into Great Eastern) and was one of the greatest advertisement song hit Singapore has ever had. People actually sat back at TV commercial time to listen to the song instead of going to toilet or taking a smoke break.

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

I beg to differ. Joseph Koo was under Shaw Organisation as music scorer for movie soundtracks in the 60s, sent on some kind of sponsored scholarship to a Boston music college.

So before he left for Boston, where did he learn his piano ?

I don't know about the Shaw chapter, but I know during his stint with TVB he left TVB for a year or 2 to further his music studies in US. TVB even put up a special farewell show for him.

Leslie Cheung was simply of an even later era not in the calibre in of Roman Tam or Adam Cheng to deliever his songs optimally.

It's unfair to compare Leslie with Roman or Adam. Leslie is more of a pop singer, else Roman and Adam are more suitable for songs meant for period drama. Both Roman and Adam use their nostrils to resonate. Most professional singers resonate through nostrils, so it's a matter of degree. In the case of Roman and Adam, they used more.

Obviously Roman would not be able to sing 追 (composed by our Dick Lee) in as expressive a manner as Leslie. Likewise, Leslie would not be able to give a similar 侠義 kind of rendition of 小李飛刀 in the manner Roman gave us.

 

[Ramseth]

So before he left for Boston, where did he learn his piano ?

Joseph Koo was born in Canton in the 30s, under ROC not PRC. His was a relatively rich family and all ran to HK after the ROC defeat. He was probably well-schooled in piano and music since childhood and fundamentally proficient and accomplished by then. Otherwise, he couldn't have gotten the job with Shaw Organisation to begin with.

Obviously Roman would not be able to sing 追 (composed by our Dick Lee) in as expressive a manner as Leslie. Likewise, Leslie would not be able to give a similar 侠義 kind of rendition of 小李飛刀 in the manner Roman gave us.

This I have to agree. Ask Paul McCartney to sing a Rolling Stones classic like (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction and he'd probably fail the audition.

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

Joseph Koo was born in Canton in the 30s, under ROC not PRC. His was a relatively rich family and all ran to HK after the ROC defeat. He was probably well-schooled in piano and music since childhood and fundamentally proficient and accomplished by then. Otherwise, he couldn't have gotten the job with Shaw Organisation to begin with.

Okay, with the choice of the word "probably", you're not sure.

Joseph Koo's elder sister is 顧媚, a famous singer when Joseph was still a young teen. 顧媚 would always bring Joseph along for her practice sessions with the band, and leave Joseph at the backstage. When left alone, Joseph would always fiddle with the piano. The pianist of the band noticed Joseph's interest and started coaching him during free time. If I remember correctly, Joseph was already 14 or 15 when he started learning. It's not proper training, but he did receive coaching from a band pianist.

You don't need to be "well-schooled" in piano to be able to get the job with a big organization during the old days. 劉家昌 has never learned piano from any pianist, even though he has been dubbed 音樂鬼才。And he got the job from 瓊瑤 to compose 月滿西樓。

 

[streetsmart73]

Another of my all time favourites is the Band Electric Light Orchestra, ELO for short.

I first heard their 'Last Train to London' from those compilation pirated tapes in the 70s. Then because of this song, went to seek out other ELO albums.

My favourites: Confusion, Shine a Little Love, Telephone Line, Evil Woman, Midnight Blue, Xanadu, I am Alive, Don't Walk Away, The Fall, All over the World, Hold On Tight, Ticket to the Moon, Rain is Falling, The Lights go down, 21st Century Man....

Fantastic compositions, music arrangements & lyrics.... Jeff Lynne was tops for me....

hi there

1. bro, i like elo too.
2. i believe they originiated from down under.
3. another person i like is helen reddy.
4. her rendition " you and me against the world" hit me like a nail.
5. a very simple song and melody but it carries much weight and reflection.

 

[Ramseth]

Joseph Koo's elder sister is 顧媚, a famous singer when Joseph was still a young teen. 顧媚 would always bring Joseph along for her practice sessions with the band, and leave Joseph at the backstage. When left alone, Joseph would always fiddle with the piano. The pianist of the band noticed Joseph's interest and started coaching him during free time. If I remember correctly, Joseph was already 14 or 15 when he started learning. It's not proper training, but he did receive coaching from a band pianist.

Well, you seem to have the facts in more details than me. Anyway, I'm not saying that formal training is a must. John Lennon and Paul McCartney figured out the guitar in their teens themselves. It got them famous, but they weren't satisfied, and figured out the piano themselves in their 20s. It gave their music so much more dimensional width and depth. On the other hand, Elton John was schooled in classical piano before he became a pop star. So both ways, formal or informal training, work for different people.

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

Well, you seem to have the facts in more details than me.

Yes, because I have had the benefit of watching those special documentary programs.

But you come across as very convincing even though sometimes you don't have the facts or you rely simply on hearsay.

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

Anyway, I'm not saying that formal training is a must.

Yes, you didn't say. But your implication is pretty obvious. Because someone has got himself a top job in a top organization, he must have had formal training (in your words, well-schooled), and in your words, "otherwise he couldn't have gotten the job....".

 

[Ramseth]

Yes, you didn't say. But your implication is pretty obvious. Because someone has got himself a top job in a top organization, he must have had formal training (in your words, well-schooled), and in your words, "otherwise he couldn't have gotten the job....".

Well, apologies for being presumptuous with my words.

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

The melody is shitty until the full arrangement came in.

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[jw5]

Is anyone a fan of John Meyer?
He's a blues singer, songwriter and guitarist. Young white guy, not a very good reputation with the media, but a musical genius.
How so? Well, even people like Eric Clapton and BB King want to jam with him.
He has written and sung some great songs, "Gravity", "Waiting On The World To Change", "Belief", "Daughters", "Say", etc etc.

 

[jw5]

Another great song composed by Joseph Koo was the love theme song from the tv series "Tian Long Ba Bu", the version starring Ken Tong.
A great duet by Susanna Kwan and Micheal Kwan.

 

[jw5]

Hong Kong is well known for their heavenly kings and queens, cantopop and superstar actors cum singers.
But the best music that ever came out from HK was probably from the band Beyond.
3 of their greatest songs ever were "Boundless Oceans Vast Skies", "Glorious Years" and "Really Love You".
It was tragic an a great loss to the music industry when their co-founder and lead singer Wong Kar Kui died after he fell off a stage in Japan.
But Beyond will always be remembered for their great music.

 

[jw5]

Sorry double post.

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

Hong Kong is well known for their heavenly kings and queens, cantopop and superstar actors cum singers.
But the best music that ever came out from HK was probably from the band Beyond.
3 of their greatest songs ever were "Boundless Oceans Vast Skies", "Glorious Years" and "Really Love You".
It was tragic an a great loss to the music industry when their co-founder and lead singer Wong Kar Kui died after he fell off a stage in Japan.
But Beyond will always be remembered for their great music.

Best music ? Your personal JW5 chart ?

Do you know 林敏怡 ?

 

[jw5]

Best music ? Your personal JW5 chart ?

Do you know 林敏怡 ?

In my humble opinion, yes.
You are entitled to your opinion too.