Welcome to another edition of Battle of the Bands!
BATTLE OF THE BANDS (BOTB), hosted by Far Away Series and StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands. is where you listen to different recordings of the same song and vote for the one you like best. Two “Battles” per month, on the 1st and 15th. Votes will be tallied and posted the following week. (See below for further details.)
To quote Monty Python: “And now for something completely different!”
BEETHOVEN, SYMPHONY NO. 5
HISTORY
[reference only – please do not vote on this one]The Symphony No. 5 in C minor of Ludwig van Beethoven, Opus 67, was written between 1804–1808. It is one of the best-known compositions in classical music, and one of the most frequently played symphonies. First performed in Vienna’s Theater an der Wien in 1808, the work achieved its prodigious reputation soon afterward. It was described as “one of the most important works of the time”. The symphony, (which contains 4 movements) and the four-note opening motif in particular, are known worldwide, with the motif appearing frequently in popular culture, from disco versions to rock and roll covers, to uses in film and television. – WIKIPEDIA
The foregoing serves as background information only.
Now, on to the actual contest……
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TAKESHI TERAUCHI
Takeshi Terauchi is a Japanese rock ‘n’ roll guitarist and band leader, nicknamed ‘King of the Electric Guitar’. Symphony No. 5 is the first track from the 1967 album, ‘Let’s Go Classics’, recorded with his second band, The Bunnys.
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ALEX MASI
Alex Masi is an Italian guitarist whose range extends from heavy metal to classical music. His rendition of Symphony No. 5 is the first track from his 16th album, “In the Name of Beethoven”, released in 2005.
VOTE NOW!
Please state your preference in comments below and why you chose it.
Click on your preference here too:
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[socialpoll id=”2358510″ path=”/polls/2358510″ width=”350″]
Voting remains open until midnight ET, May 20th
after which I will count the votes, add mine and publish the results.
These are the other BOTB regulars and semi-regulars.
Please cruise on by their sites and, if they have a post up, vote on their selections as well:
[Check back – there’s no set posting time]Angels Bark / Book Lover / Cherdo On The Flipside / Curious as a Cathy / DC Relief BOTB / eVil pOp TaRt / Far Away Series** / J.A. Scott / Janie Junebug Righting & Editing / Jingle Jangle Jungle / Mike’s Ramblings / Quiet Laughter / ReInVintaged / Sound of One Hand Typing / StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands** / Tossing It Out / / Your Daily Dose
**HOSTS
As always, “Sharing is Caring”. Spread this musical joy all over your social networks.
Hashtag is #BOTB
Until next time.
ROCK ON!
♫♪♫♪♫ Rockchick Rapture!
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Dog Mom and (retired) Canine Innkeeper in suburban Toronto, Canada, known as The Doglady. Former corporate workaholic. Writer, photographer, digital creator. Animal lover, music fanatic, inveterate traveller. Eternal hippie/rockchick. History, literature and cinema buff. Hockey and soccer fan. Dedicated night owl. German/Canadian binational, multilingual. Let me entertain you!
39 thoughts on “BEETHOVEN, SYMPHONY NO. 5 – BATTLE OF THE BANDS #BOTB”
TAKESHI TERAUCHI … Oh, yes, I have just tied things up. Now, it is as if we are starting over.
That rendition was just wild, crazy fun… The other version made me tired.
Great and original BATTLE. I loved it. Kind of a hard choice, but I think I like Alex a little bit better.
TAKESHI TERAUCHI reminded me of the Ventures. It was okay but today, my ears loved the mellow sound of ALEX MASI. My vote is for him.
Interestingly a tough choice!
Hey Debbie, I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get here. It’s been a rough few days. I could go into excruciating detail about my migraine, but let me just say it’s of the variety that it is behind my right eye. The worst. Well, one of the worst. It’s really made doing anything a real chore.
With that thought in mind, I think I would’ve liked the first one better without the migraine. There was a part of me (granted, a distant part) that could appreciate the ingenuity of an Asian guy in 1967 deciding that Beethoven’s 5th and his electric guitar would make a good combo. And it worked! It might’ve worked better for me on another day, but even I could see that it worked. Very clever.
The second one was a bit long for my taste (as I could once again hear my bed screaming my name), but Alex did a lovely job with it.
I wonder which Beethoven would choose if he were able to cast a vote in this battle??? hehehe.
Well, I think I’ll go with Alex. He was easier on my ears. But, hats off to you, because both of them were very talented.
I’m so sorry you suffer from these horrible migraines, Robin. 🙁 No need to apologize; voting remains open until Friday midnight. Hope you’re feeling better by now! That’s another vote for Alex. It’s a close battle here. Thanks for coming by even though you don’t feel well. Take good care of yourself.
Hi Debbie,
I choose Alex Masi. Why? Because I love acoustic guitars and I do believe he is playing on an acoustic guitar. I am a fan of Masi.
Shalom aleichem,
Patricia
It certainly sounds like an acoustic guitar that Alex is playing. He’s incredibly talented. Thanks for your vote. 🙂
Loved both of these versions. This is such a great song for any musically inclined talent. It is hard to choose, as both are well done in their specific style.
I’m voting for Takeshi though. I loved the variety of instruments he included.
Takeshi’s version did have a lot of variety. Thanks for your vote. 🙂 This is a close battle.
I vote for Alex Masi because of his musicianship.
Love,
Janie
Thanks, Janie. That’s another vote for Alex. This is a close battle. 🙂
Quite an interesting battle. The first version was really something different. I loved how much fun it was. 2 minutes wasn’t enough. Meanwhile, the second version seemed to drag on a bit. I was ready for it to be over around 4 minutes.
Please give my vote to Takeshi
Thanks for coming by to vote, Jeffrey. 🙂 That’s another one for Takeshi. This is a tight battle. Cheers!
Hi, Shady; I knew a Norwegian Elkhound once, named “Thor”. He was cute but a real handful. 🙂
“A Fifth of Beethoven” was a cool disco take on a classic. “Hooked on Classics” was a good album too. “Hair of the Dog” was a popular hangover cure but bad for your liver and other things. I’m glad you got a handle on that, dear friend.
Takeshi Terauchi definitely sounded a lot like Dick Dale, the true “king of the electric guitar” back in those days. This is shaping up to be a tight battle! Thanks for your vote. Takeshi it is!
My vote went for TAKESHI TERAUCHI, OMG the drum is what made it! I loved it! When I heard the drum I was there and playing along. LOL
I loved the Classical Gas Album. https://www.bing.com/search?q=Classical+Gas&FORM=EDGEND
Thanks for reminding me!
They’re running neck and neck here. That’s another vote for Takeshi. Thanks, Yolanda. 🙂 I remember Classical Gas but didn’t know Mason Williams wrote comedy for the Smothers Brothers show. Interesting!
Oh wow…they are running neck to neck! Both are great actually but I give it to Alex Masi because he did a superb version of such an iconic symphony. It feels powerful even though it is just one guitar so he gets my vote.
Alex gets another vote! He does work magic with his guitar. 🙂 Thanks, Birgit.
What an outstanding battle! Both contenders were quite good, but I was enchanted with Alex Masi’s version as the guitar allowed a soothing detail; often overshadowed by an orchestra. It made me think of wind chimes 🙂
Love the wind chimes analogy! 🙂 Thanks for your vote. Another one for Alex.
I enjoyed both versions. Takeshi Terauchi mastered the electric guitar and gave us a beautiful rendition. When I listened to Alex Masi, at first I felt as though it may have been done as soundtrack for a spaghetti western. But the more the song played on, I could hear the intricacies of the melody and I honestly felt he gave a better rendition of the song. Please give my vote to Alex Masi.
I’m glad you enjoyed the battle, Mary. 🙂 That’s another vote for Alex. He’s catching up!
Wow, what a different kind of pairing you’ve presented today. Loved both and at first, I didn’t realize that TT released his in 1967. He really was ahead of his time and I’m surprised that I don’t know more about him — so, thanks for that. He should have jumped the pond and landed in California. Would have fit right in at that time and place. Brian Wilson would want him for a roommate.
Comparing the two versions, I have to go with Alex Masi. Both are wonderful and fun, but I think my personal preference aligns his delivery. I’m struggling to explain why…it’s the musicianship of Masi that I love. I’m going to dig into his background a little more. Thanks for a great battle!
Alex Masi is wildly talented, Cherdo; one my favourite guitarists. Thanks for your vote. 🙂
Here’s another classic:
I think I’m in the minority here… I’m voting for Alex Masi. As much as I enjoyed the Terauchi version, Masi’s has a more classical-guitar sound to it that—to my ear—does better justice to the complexity of Beethoven’s original. Does that make any sense?
Great battle, Debbie!
Guilie @ Quiet Laughter
That makes total sense, Guilie. 🙂 Another vote for Alex. You should hear some of his other stuff, including hard rock and metal!
Great Battle, DEBBIE! I loved the concept. (By the way, I also loved Walter Murphy’s ‘A Fifth Of Beethoven’ back in the day. It’s one of the few Disco songs I did and still do enjoy. It seemed like you couldn’t turn on the radio or go anywhere without hearing that instrumental. Good thing I liked it!)
Both of these recordings are really good, but I’m voting for Takeshi Terauchi because I’m a born and raised Southern Californian and, you know, “SURF!”
Takeshi would NEVER have been dubbed “King Of The Electric Guitar” in the U.S. In 1967, think of who he’d be competing against for that title! And even just in the “Surf Guitar” category, he’d be up against Dick Dale who may have invented it. If not, he popularized it and excelled at beyond everyone else, in my opinion.
But what blows my mind about the Takeshi recording is that he conceived of melding Classical and Rock ‘N’ Roll in ’67. Had anyone else done that yet? I mean, yes, Brian Wilson was creating Rock/Pop symphonies and introducing non-Rock instruments into modern Pop recordings. But taking an established Classical piece and reworking it into a different genre? It’s been done often since, but in ’67? What’s also humorous to me is that Takeshi was combining two different musical genres that were BOTH foreign to him: European Classical and California Surf Guitar. That was one Japanese cat who was thinking way outside the (Asian) box. Remarkable! (You learn the most boss stuffs in BOTB!)
DEBBIE, I’ll leave you with something else you might like. It’s not Classically themed but it IS a Surf Guitar monster. Perhaps my favorite Rock guitarist playing today is Gary Hoey, and here Hoey is joined by one of his heroes, Dick Dale, on a re-recording of a Dale original, ‘SHAKE & STOMP (Part 2)’. Turn it up and it sounds more like two guys playing chain saws than it does two guys shredding guitars!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sDYLzz6BG8
~ D-FensDogG
‘Loyal American Underground’
Hi, Stephen; I agree with your assessment of Dick Dale. That’s who I thought of when listening to Takeshi for the first time. He was definitely ahead of his time and is still active today. Thanks for your vote and the link. It didn’t work for me, but I found an alternative. Good stuff!
Debbie, I remember hearing Beethoven’s Symphony #5 rock style eons ago. I can’t remember who the artist was, but wasn’t either of your contenders. I liked it, too. This was an easy pick for me. My vote shows I’m going with the underdog, Alex Masi. TT & the Bunny’s version was just too fast and I didn’t care for the drums in it. Different and interesting battle. Thanks for sharing!
I’m glad you enjoyed this battle, Cathy. 🙂 Alex is catching up and your vote puts him even closer.
Takeshi all the way! Sounds like it should be in a James Bond movie! Loved it. 😀
Another vote for Takeshi. 🙂 It does sound James Bondish. Thanks for playing!
Alex Masi is masterful in his version, but Takeshi Terauchi and the Bunnys is SURF, baby! They got my vote!
Yes, it was SURF, alright! 🙂 Takeshi gets another vote. Thanks for playing.
Ah, classical music. I have a CD, Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music. I’ve never quite been able to get into a lot of classical music but I do like Beethoven and Rachmaninoff. At first I voted for Alex Masi because I thought I would enjoy listening to his version more but as it went on, it got on my nerves so disregard my vote in your click method of voting as I’m changing my vote to Tekeshi Terauchi. I liked their version better. Call me weird but in some spots of their version I heard a Beach Boys sound. My official vote goes to Terauchi. (Sorry if I screwed up your clicking method tally. I hit my buzzer too soon!)
Great battle Debbie!
HI, Michele; Classical music is definitely an acquired taste. 🙂 Rachmaninoff is one of my favourites, as well. So dramatic!
I’ll have to try and figure out a way to reset the counter and change your vote to Takeshi. He was definitely playing that tune surf-style. Glad you enjoyed the battle!
I’m such a fan of Beethoven. I wonder what he would think about what modern artists have done with his symphony?
I kind of think Ludwig might have appreciated Alex Masi’s version as it is technically very good. But for me it just doesn’t replace listening to a symphonic orchestra playing the piece as it should be played.
As for me I’m kind of partial to the surf sound of TT & the Bunnys. He takes the piece in a very different direction and it’s a lot of fun.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
Ludwig would be probably be shocked at some of the covers out there – especially the metal ones! 😀 That surf sound is pretty addictive. First vote goes to Takeshi Terauchi.