Which version of this song is your favorite?? I'd say it's hard to beat the original, but I really love both of the other ones I talk about in this video. All for different reasons! Also, grab the details for this year's Black Friday promo here: resources.betterpiano.com/bf24
@@daan9211 Because a major fifth chord in that context doesn’t have the same ‘crying’ sound as a minor third. When you play A flat major and then C minor back to back, you notice that the only thing that changes is the A flat moving to a G. By only moving a semitone, you get this crying quality you wouldn’t get with a major fifth. Hope this helps!
Over the Rainbow was used in my childhood music education to teach the idea of an octave. That's how universal and well known this song is to generations.
What astonishes me about Judy's performance is that she was friggin' 16 years old in that movie! With that voice and control and panache. Just insane. And to think that song almost got cut from the film…
From REDDIT - "According to one report, studio head Louis B. Mayer thought the song was too sad. In another account, half a dozen MGM executives were in favor of cutting the song, questioning why Judy Garland was singing in a farmyard. Eddie Mannix, manager of the MGM studio, claimed that the song slowed the pace of the movie. Producer Mervyn LeRoy and assistant producer Arthur Freed argued passionately for the song's inclusion; Mervyn reportedly threatened to quit the film if the song was cut. Their protests were effective, and Mayer decreed that the song remain in the film."
You hear these stories and it makes you think how many beautiful things were pulled from movies by Hollywood suits that never made their way back in and have been forgotten.
My dad was Bruddah IZ’s percussionist. He was a good family friend back when we used to live in Hawai’i. Our families shared ancestral ties to the island of Ni’ihau. He even gave my sister her middle name when she was born. Even though I only have distant memories of Israel since the family left O'ahu when I was still very young, I do know he was a beautiful human being taken from us far too soon. I cannot recommend the Facing Future album enough. There’s other great songs on there too, many sung in the native Hawai’ian language. Some may not understand the words, but the music itself is gorgeous on its own merits as well. Beautiful, haunting, traditional Hawai’ian music. Also, the full version of Over the Rainbow is coupled with an equally gorgeous rendition of Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World."
You're spot on about her taste in the original version. That Judy Garland was so young, and able to imbue the song with so much of her personality yet also keep it so simple, and not obscure the amazing melody, is a miracle and shows how truly amazing she was.
This is probably the 2nd video of yours that's made me cry/tear up. The first one being about Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. Thank you for covering this piece as I grew up with it and love hearing your thoughts about it.
How are we not going to mention the superb countermelody the clarinet plays during the bridge?!? Stunning, masterful orchestration, especially the upper extensions at the end. Really brings out the wistful, floaty feeling of the passage.
@@ReasonQuest Bass flute IS a thing, it's very cool and looks fake if you look up pictures, listen to the Man From Uncle soundtrack (from the movie from like 10 years ago), lots of bass flute.
“Over the Rainbow” was, in fact, cut from the film _The Wizard of Oz_ by the second preview. Victor Fleming, the film’s director, said “The whole first part of that show is awful slow because of that number. We gotta take it out” but it was the producer Mervyn LeRoy who made the final decision to axe it. The song’s creators, lyricist E.Y. “Yip” Harburg (in childhood he had been nicknamed “Yipsel,” Yiddish for squirrel) and composer Harold Arlen, went ballistic, pleading for “Over the Rainbow” to be put back in but none of that mattered until assistant producer Arthur Freed, who had hired Harburg and Arlen in the first place, went over the heads of Fleming and Leroy to the head of the studio, Louis B. Mayer, and said “The song stays-or I go!” The song stayed. It would go on to win the 1939 Oscar for Best Original Song and, decades later, in 2001, in a joint survey by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Recording Industry Association of America, be voted “the greatest song of the 20th century.”
I’ve played sax and guitar for many years by ear and have a great ear for music, but for the past year I’ve been studying music theory and am finally understanding what makes songs work. I love your enthusiasm and passion!
This is the reason why fretless strings instruments are SO good an imitating the human voice. Imitating Judy on my Cello is something i STRIVE for. The up and down glissandos on those half-steps really does the magic. Also, the way ahe comes down past a note a semi-tone and back up to it is beautiful..you CANNOT do that on a discrete interval instrument. So my answer, Judy's version will always be the standard 😊
Yeah there is so much nuance in the “simplicity” of Judy’s version that just lets her voice stand on its own, without drawing your ear’s attention away with funky chords or rhythms. I think even those without musically trained ears, while they may not be able to articulate what they are hearing, can still appreciate the incredible amount of mastery and control Judy has of her voice, especially when you try to compare it against modern renditions.
This is why I dislike pitch correction. If a singer doesn't have the control to dance around notes in a way that's pleasing to our ear, then merely making them "in tune" won't solve that issue. And if they do have that control, then making them "in tune" misses the point. Nowadays, so many movies with singing just cast the most popular actor they can find. And they try to "fix" the mediocre or bad singing with studio trickery. It doesn't work because you can't fake a great performance. The pitch and timing can be "corrected" but you can't add expressively.
My older sister passed away about 20 years ago. She was a Soprano for the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. They used Bruddah Iz’s version of this song at her Funeral…every time I hear it I think of her.😢
I had a friend from childhood pass and the Iz version played at his funeral. I told my people when I go, play that for me. If I don't cry, shut the lid and call it a great life.
This song is just purely perfect by any means. it’s not only the octave. The arrangement doesn’t overkill everything, the actress and singer is marvellous, the lyrics are miraculous. And as for the melody what is really remarkable is that it begins with giant octave leap which repeats several times during the song but every time diminishes a little. That’s so moving and it settles peace step by step. Melody remains the greatest mystery of music. You can analyse it, but you can hardly use such knowledge to make another great melody.
Finally!!! THE Best Song ever written. As a 60 yr old pro musician, I have woken up with this song in my head SO many times!! It is haunting, and delightful, and melancholy, and hopeful. It is the best. THANK YOU, Charles!! ... RIP Harold Arlen, and so many wonderful performers who are no longer with us, that brought tears to our eyes with their versions.
I am so glad to see that this song still floors people after all these years… I have been listening to this song for over 60 years, and although I’ve heard it hundreds of times, it still retains its beauty. Thank you for an emotionally entertaining video.
Another commenter already mentioned Eva Cassidy’s rendition of this song. Not sure if you had heard it before you did this video but her amazing soprano voice and guitar work are extraordinary.
It would be cool to see some video on classical composers who imo deserve much more recognition in today's modern world, like Chopin and Ravel. These composers were absolute geniuses, able to create everything from beautifully simple pieces to highly complex works that pushed musical boundaries. Chopin, for instance, is known for his expressive depth, and you can feel his brilliance in any of his pieces. But if you’re looking for standouts, check out one if his Ballade No. 1 or Ballade No. 4, or scherzo no 2 (all played by Krystian Zimerman). Ravel’s music is absolutely mind boggling. It’s incredible how he creates something that feels so otherworldly, almost alien, yet remains coherent and deeply engaging. Gaspard de la Nuit, especially Ondine, is a fantastic piece to dive into for analysis. These 2 and many other old composers didn’t just write extraordinary music, they transformed music itself, expanding harmony, reimagining structure, experimenting with rhythm, new textures and exploring so much more. Chopin also transformed piano music and technique massively. Highlighting their contributions could help more people appreciate how great they truly were. Ok end of my yapping
I love both those composers. I have to admit I'm partial to Chopin's Nocturnes though. I especially love his Nocturne in B-flat Minor. The mid 1800s to the early 20th century is my sweet spot for classical music. I love Romanticism and Impressionism. My favorite piece of music ever is Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2. And I love Debussy's Preludes. Been branching out to explore earlier work, but it often feels too "stuffy" or "courtly" for me.
When I was a very young kid, I was deeply affected by this song and would often start crying when I heard it. It just moved me like no other song had before- or since. Thank you for making a video on this musical masterpiece.
There's a later recording by Judy (recorded in the 50s, I think) that is my personal favorite. She sounds incredible in the original, of course, and it's astounding that she was so young, but the one from Miss Show Business carries so much with it. There is an even more unbelievable amount of emotion in her voice, which one could interpret as the outpour of her life experiences at that point in contrast with such a beautiful, hopeful song and even with her young self. It makes me cry no matter how many times I hear it; it's the kind of song you sit down and listen to. To me, it's the ultimate version of what that song can be - a perfect storm of arrangement, lyrics and voice.
I knew that Israel's version wasn't the original but I have never actually heard the original. In my ignorance I felt that Israel's version was a beautiful and heart-wrenching masterpiece. Enter the original courtesy of Charles... Mind blown.
I heard Israel's version first, and assumed it was a traditional Hawaiian folk song. After all, most of the tourist posters I'd seen for Hawaii featured rainbows! Then when I first heard it in The Wizard of Oz, I thought the soundtrack composers had made an "Americanized" cover version for the film. Only several years later did I learn the song was written for the movie and then covered by Israel.
What a great video! I love how MUCH you love the melody, the chords changes, and the importance of "heartbreak interval." Yip Harburg & Harold Arlen had much difficultly placing words to the 1st 2 notes on the song, respectively, "Somewhere," because of the octave jump. Until Harburg came up with lyric "Somewhere" to fill that octave jump. The song is so perfectly crafted it's no wonder it was voted #1 for "AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs! The 100 Greatest American Movie Music." I just have one, teeny, tiny pet peeve... The songs name is "Over The Rainbow," NOT "Somewhere, Over The Rainbow." As a Music Educator, just had to point of that one mistake.
That's what I thought about the title! Although I think the Iz version may have included "Somewhere" in the title; let me go look it up... *a few minutes later* Yep, that version is called "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World", since it's a medley of 2 songs. However, you're right; the original title simply is "Over the Rainbow".
In my early ear training exercises in the 1970s, this song was a mnemonic device for what an octave sounds like. Bali Hi was the major 7th mnemonic. My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean a 6th. Twinkle, Twinkle little Star a Major 5th, Her Comes the Bride a maj 4th, Tritone is Maria from West Side Story. I don't recall the 3rd or second. Jaws was brand new back then so not sure what a 2nd was. Do-Re-Me probably.
The songs I've used (ascending intervals, anyhow) Octave: Over the Rainbow Major 7th: "Ceora," Lee Morgan Minor 7th: Old Ford commercial Major 6th: "Misterioso," Thelonious Monk Minor 6th: "Theme from Black Orpheus" (Manha de Carnaval) Perfect 5th: Star Wars Tritone: "Simpsons" theme Perfect 4th: Bridal theme Major 3rd: major triad (descending: doorbell ring) Minor 3rd: minor triad (descending: "Hound Dog", Elvis) Major 2nd: Do-Re-Mi, or "It Had to be You" (descending: "Wheel of Fortune" theme) Minor 2nd: Jaws theme
You know, Stephen Schwartz used the first seven notes of "Over the Rainbow" for the "Unlimited" leitmotif in _Wicked,_ now playing on Broadway and coming soon to a theater near you. 😉
Every video u create is like a fine wine where we get to experience every sip and appreciate every ounce of musical masterpiece together as a music community ❤
There is nothing more compelling than watching (and listening to) someone who is CRAZY-ENTHUSIASTIC about whatever it is that they're crazy-enthusiastic about! It would seem counter-productive to YELL while you're listening to music, but when you do it, Charles, I'm yelling with you! You make music beautiful, Charles. IMMEDIATELY SUBSCRIBED. PS: You had me at "Plagal Cadence!" The good-ole' "Amen" at the end of hymns. 😄
Maybe this is super obvious but I think the main reason the melody line has such a charming simplicity is because of the repeated sequence of drops. In essence it is built around C^CB then CAG then CFE then DBC. That three note pattern dropping by a third each time.
The entire melody is based on a descending major scale. Each measure has a note that's a step lower than the previous measure. And these are the "structurally important" notes. In C major: C [C'] | [B] G A B C | C [A] | [G] | A, [F] | [E] C D E F | [D] B, C D E | [C] Another interesting thing about the melody is that it only uses two different musical ideas that are introduced in the first two measures. The first one is the large leap up and then a descending step (that's also used in measures 3-4 and 5-6). The second one is "third down, three steps up" in the second measure (that's also used in measures 6 and 7).
@MaggaraMarine indeed that's what I meant. I didn't explain in as much detail, but thought it was odd he didn't mention it at all in the video, when it seems to be such an important feature
The incredibly beautiful lyrics match the chord progression of the melody so well. Triple threat… Beautiful chord progression, perfect melody, and optimistic lyrics.
Quadruple threat--Judy Garland's voice and emotional interpretation. Imagine Shirley Temple originating this song--she was a frontrunner for the role because of her box office draw, but wisdom prevailed among studio execs so JG got the job.
Thanks for this! It is indeed my favourite song. And it's great to see you go crazy over Keith Jarrett's version like I have been ever since I heard it. Fantastic!
This song is so transcendent. Certainly is a candidate for Greatest Song Ever Written. ❤🌈 Judy had the voice of a goddess. Thanks for this one, Charles.
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (Iz) !!!!! Universe rest his beautiful soul!!!!! I got goosebumps and sweaty eyes just thinking about his version and seeing his image in the intro!!! The most Beautiful and Gorgeous versions EVER!!!!!
There was an old video or podcast from probably 10 years ago... maybe longer... that talked about the way this song is all about Yearning for something. The octave jump and half step fall off... I don't remember what show it was, but they went over a lot of what you did though not in as much detail. This song gives me chills!
I always loved this song and I am curious why exactly I love this song. This cheerful hopegiving song was used for a very dark movie. The movie used Asbest for snow and the green paint contained cupper. Knowing that I now have different feelings when I see this, but I love the song.
The backstory to how Israel came up with his rendition of 'Somewhere' is just as amazing, too! I read that he woke up in the middle of the night from a dream about the song and remembered the composition (kept humming it or something) and called up a producer friend to record it that night/morning.
Great video Charles!! Aside from the original, I'd be inclined to say my favourite rendition is Eva Cassidy's version. Such a great voice and a lovely arrangement!
I was trying to explain to my friend in Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata that the heartbreak in the song happens with the C after B, goes down to A#, then finally home to B. I was telling her those 1/2 steps wreck you until your ear finally hears B. Heck I can just refer her to the first 3 notes of this song! 😂
That idea of a half-step motif is really interesting, because it’s also the main motif of Scriabin’s Vers La Flamme, and it becomes really really powerful as the piece grows.
Could you talk about Vienna Teng's "Hymn of Axciom?" It's such an beautiful song but still is the most interesting sounding musical piece of art I've really ever heard. It's a musical goldmine of everything talked about in your videos and I think it'd be amazing for you to cover! (Bonus points if you talk about the Bluecoats 2014 performance)
I'm not understanding half of what you are explaining about the chord progressions, but your enthusiasm is so incredible fantastic! I need to play Keith Jarrett's version of this song again. ❤
My personal favorite version of this song has to be Eva Cassidy’s rendition of it. Her wistful and soulful voice along with incredible acoustic guitar playing creates the most beautiful musical atmosphere I can think of. Plus, there is the added emotional effect that she wasn’t long for this world when that live version was recorded. It really puts a new meaning on the lyrics that tugs at your heartstrings. If anyone is reading this and hasn’t hear her version yet, you should seriously go give it a listen. I’d love to talk to others about it! ruclips.net/video/2rd8VktT8xY/видео.htmlsi=CNJCtenDijQ3etQQ Here is the link to it for anyone who wants to take a listen! 🧡🧡🧡
That is a beautiful song. Another song I always overlooked until recently was "Cheer Up Charlie" in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I always thought it slowed down the movie and didn't match the rest of the film, but it's also bittersweet.
I thought the music-learning cap line was hysterical. Seriously love it. And Judy's version is one of my all-time fave songs from my all-time fave movie (with or without the Pink Floyd soundtrack)
The ultimate best rendition of Over the Rainbow is by the beautiful voice of the the late Eva Cassidy. It's easy to find on the web and well worth a listen. You won't be disappointed.
My favorite version of this was done by Eva Cassidy. The way she ends the song never fails to give me chills. So sad that her life ended at such a young age.
I think it would be worth checking out Robert Oetomo’s arrangement of this song, which he arranged for marimba solo. It’s absolutely beautiful, and he made some very interesting artistic decisions when making it that I think would be very worthwhile to check out
Can you believe the producers nearly CUT this song out of the movie? They felt it slowed the piece down. Thank god they changed their mind on this one. We may never have heard this song. 🎉
I was just thinking about how BEAUTIFUL this song is after hearing Tony bennet’s rendition of it and man-this video was perfectly timed. Pure serene beauty
I grew up with this song. Wizard of Oz was played every year on CBS I believe in the summer and we watched it as a family. Somewhere Over the Rainbow was my favorite song and I memorized it and sang it often. Good times and good memories!! ❤️❤️❤️🌈🌈🌈
I’d love to hear your thought on the theory I’ve heard… The reason Over the Rainbow resonates with the audience is because the story is embedded into the melody. The melody starts on the Ab and then jumps the octave. The first note is home and the jump is getting thrown into Oz. The melody journeys its way back to the first note, just like Dorothy journeys her way home.
For us here in Washington, DC, too, where Eva Cassidy was born. She recorded it in January 1996 three miles from where I now live, at Blue's Alley jazz nightclub in Georgetown. She died only 10 months later at age 33 of metastatic skin cancer. Founded in 1965, Blues Alley is still thriving.
Thanks, Charles! And speaking of emotions, I'm pretty sure you haven't heard the main them from the old Polish TV series "Noce i dnie". This is something really beautiful and heartbreaking! It's worth to try 😉
Eminem said it best! "Music is like magic/ there's a certain feeling you get/ when you real and you spit/ and people are feeling your s***" from John Denver singing about the the back roads of his mountain home, to the latest gangster rapper bragging about how low his chain hang, to Bob Marley singing about the three little birds he saw on his doorstep one morning, to a black and white film era farm girl singing about a better life on the other side of the rainbow.....Music can make you feel things to the point where it's almost like magic.
I have always felt that Over the Rainbow is the beginning of modern music. Not for being stylistically revolutionary, but because of impact and the reach it had and still has. It's probably not a very technically correct take, for sure. Maybe it has to do with its connection to film and its proximity to the Second World War. Could you do a breakdown on Handel's Messiah or a few of the key moments in it? I have always enjoyed performing Messiah in a way nothing else has ever quite reached. Great video, as always.
I tune my alto sax using g followed by g up an octave. Every time, a band member starts singing this song. So I then oblige by playing the rest of the song :)
Which version of this song is your favorite?? I'd say it's hard to beat the original, but I really love both of the other ones I talk about in this video. All for different reasons! Also, grab the details for this year's Black Friday promo here: resources.betterpiano.com/bf24
Keith Jarrett’s version is by far my favorite
I mostly play by ear and the second chord I always play is the major fifth, why isnt it the major fifth but the minor third?
@@CharlesCornellStudios Voctave’s version. OMG!!!
So I play: Ab Eb Fm Cm
@@daan9211 Because a major fifth chord in that context doesn’t have the same ‘crying’ sound as a minor third. When you play A flat major and then C minor back to back, you notice that the only thing that changes is the A flat moving to a G. By only moving a semitone, you get this crying quality you wouldn’t get with a major fifth. Hope this helps!
Over the Rainbow was used in my childhood music education to teach the idea of an octave. That's how universal and well known this song is to generations.
I think I’ve heard it used as that example in some of my choruses too.
We used it for m6 too
gotta jump that octave to get over the rainbow.
What astonishes me about Judy's performance is that she was friggin' 16 years old in that movie! With that voice and control and panache. Just insane.
And to think that song almost got cut from the film…
From REDDIT -
"According to one report, studio head Louis B. Mayer thought the song was too sad. In another account, half a dozen MGM executives were in favor of cutting the song, questioning why Judy Garland was singing in a farmyard. Eddie Mannix, manager of the MGM studio, claimed that the song slowed the pace of the movie. Producer Mervyn LeRoy and assistant producer Arthur Freed argued passionately for the song's inclusion; Mervyn reportedly threatened to quit the film if the song was cut. Their protests were effective, and Mayer decreed that the song remain in the film."
In all fairness, I think many people consider her to be the greatest contemporary singer in the past 100 years, possibly ever.
You hear these stories and it makes you think how many beautiful things were pulled from movies by Hollywood suits that never made their way back in and have been forgotten.
My dad was Bruddah IZ’s percussionist. He was a good family friend back when we used to live in Hawai’i. Our families shared ancestral ties to the island of Ni’ihau. He even gave my sister her middle name when she was born. Even though I only have distant memories of Israel since the family left O'ahu when I was still very young, I do know he was a beautiful human being taken from us far too soon.
I cannot recommend the Facing Future album enough. There’s other great songs on there too, many sung in the native Hawai’ian language. Some may not understand the words, but the music itself is gorgeous on its own merits as well. Beautiful, haunting, traditional Hawai’ian music. Also, the full version of Over the Rainbow is coupled with an equally gorgeous rendition of Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World."
That version coupling is one of my all time favorites
You’re the man Charles! And your pronunciation of “Kamakawiwoʻole” was on point!
You're spot on about her taste in the original version. That Judy Garland was so young, and able to imbue the song with so much of her personality yet also keep it so simple, and not obscure the amazing melody, is a miracle and shows how truly amazing she was.
Such a beautiful song. I can't think of another one that can evoke hope, desperation, grief, joy all at the same time. Just phenomenal.
This is probably the 2nd video of yours that's made me cry/tear up.
The first one being about Mr. Roger's Neighborhood.
Thank you for covering this piece as I grew up with it and love hearing your thoughts about it.
How are we not going to mention the superb countermelody the clarinet plays during the bridge?!? Stunning, masterful orchestration, especially the upper extensions at the end. Really brings out the wistful, floaty feeling of the passage.
Is that a clarinet? I always thought it was some kind of Bass Flute (is there such a thing?). Regardless, you're right. This cannot be ignored! :)
@@ReasonQuest Bass flute IS a thing, it's very cool and looks fake if you look up pictures, listen to the Man From Uncle soundtrack (from the movie from like 10 years ago), lots of bass flute.
“Over the Rainbow” was, in fact, cut from the film _The Wizard of Oz_ by the second preview. Victor Fleming, the film’s director, said “The whole first part of that show is awful slow because of that number. We gotta take it out” but it was the producer Mervyn LeRoy who made the final decision to axe it.
The song’s creators, lyricist E.Y. “Yip” Harburg (in childhood he had been nicknamed “Yipsel,” Yiddish for squirrel) and composer Harold Arlen, went ballistic, pleading for “Over the Rainbow” to be put back in but none of that mattered until assistant producer Arthur Freed, who had hired Harburg and Arlen in the first place, went over the heads of Fleming and Leroy to the head of the studio, Louis B. Mayer, and said “The song stays-or I go!” The song stayed. It would go on to win the 1939 Oscar for Best Original Song and, decades later, in 2001, in a joint survey by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Recording Industry Association of America, be voted “the greatest song of the 20th century.”
It is a classic "I want" song in musicals. :) Thank you for sharing this story about how it was almost cut from the movie.
@WondrousPurple You're welcome! 🙂
Shows that studio executives simply have no heart
@@SallyWilliams Well, in the end, Louis B. Mayer made the call but maybe he just really didn’t want Arthur Freed to walk.
THE anthem for dreaming of a better world.
Well said, agreed ❤
I’ve played sax and guitar for many years by ear and have a great ear for music, but for the past year I’ve been studying music theory and am finally understanding what makes songs work. I love your enthusiasm and passion!
This is the reason why fretless strings instruments are SO good an imitating the human voice. Imitating Judy on my Cello is something i STRIVE for. The up and down glissandos on those half-steps really does the magic.
Also, the way ahe comes down past a note a semi-tone and back up to it is beautiful..you CANNOT do that on a discrete interval instrument.
So my answer, Judy's version will always be the standard 😊
Yeah there is so much nuance in the “simplicity” of Judy’s version that just lets her voice stand on its own, without drawing your ear’s attention away with funky chords or rhythms. I think even those without musically trained ears, while they may not be able to articulate what they are hearing, can still appreciate the incredible amount of mastery and control Judy has of her voice, especially when you try to compare it against modern renditions.
This is why I dislike pitch correction. If a singer doesn't have the control to dance around notes in a way that's pleasing to our ear, then merely making them "in tune" won't solve that issue. And if they do have that control, then making them "in tune" misses the point.
Nowadays, so many movies with singing just cast the most popular actor they can find. And they try to "fix" the mediocre or bad singing with studio trickery. It doesn't work because you can't fake a great performance. The pitch and timing can be "corrected" but you can't add expressively.
Trombone, too. Though any brass or wind player can fall off the pitch like Judy does in that first excerpt.
I see your fretless and raise you a trombone.
My older sister passed away about 20 years ago. She was a Soprano for the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. They used Bruddah Iz’s version of this song at her Funeral…every time I hear it I think of her.😢
I had a friend from childhood pass and the Iz version played at his funeral. I told my people when I go, play that for me. If I don't cry, shut the lid and call it a great life.
🤝😀
What I think what makes this song the GOAT are the low notes. Garland and IZ are the perfect voices for those low resonating notes.
Its like a Christmas song that can be listened to year-round. Its flat out lovely.
This song is just purely perfect by any means. it’s not only the octave. The arrangement doesn’t overkill everything, the actress and singer is marvellous, the lyrics are miraculous. And as for the melody what is really remarkable is that it begins with giant octave leap which repeats several times during the song but every time diminishes a little. That’s so moving and it settles peace step by step. Melody remains the greatest mystery of music. You can analyse it, but you can hardly use such knowledge to make another great melody.
This is some of the best ear training you can do. Attaching emotion and context to what you hear. Top.
Finally!!! THE Best Song ever written. As a 60 yr old pro musician, I have woken up with this song in my head SO many times!! It is haunting, and delightful, and melancholy, and hopeful. It is the best. THANK YOU, Charles!! ... RIP Harold Arlen, and so many wonderful performers who are no longer with us, that brought tears to our eyes with their versions.
RIP the other half of the genius that created this perfect song: lyricist EY Yip Harburg.
I am so glad to see that this song still floors people after all these years… I have been listening to this song for over 60 years, and although I’ve heard it hundreds of times, it still retains its beauty. Thank you for an emotionally entertaining video.
Charles, how are you able to listen to something and immediately identify the chords and play the music? You have a RARE gift!
Another commenter already mentioned Eva Cassidy’s rendition of this song. Not sure if you had heard it before you did this video but her amazing soprano voice and guitar work are extraordinary.
Maybe Rick Beato could look into her if he's aware.
Was surprised she didn’t get a mention. I guess it is tribute to the song that it can be spun so many ways and still sound fantastic.
Judy Garlands version is 100% one of my favorites of all time
Yooo what are you doing here 😮
It would be cool to see some video on classical composers who imo deserve much more recognition in today's modern world, like Chopin and Ravel. These composers were absolute geniuses, able to create everything from beautifully simple pieces to highly complex works that pushed musical boundaries. Chopin, for instance, is known for his expressive depth, and you can feel his brilliance in any of his pieces. But if you’re looking for standouts, check out one if his Ballade No. 1 or Ballade No. 4, or scherzo no 2 (all played by Krystian Zimerman). Ravel’s music is absolutely mind boggling. It’s incredible how he creates something that feels so otherworldly, almost alien, yet remains coherent and deeply engaging. Gaspard de la Nuit, especially Ondine, is a fantastic piece to dive into for analysis.
These 2 and many other old composers didn’t just write extraordinary music, they transformed music itself, expanding harmony, reimagining structure, experimenting with rhythm, new textures and exploring so much more. Chopin also transformed piano music and technique massively. Highlighting their contributions could help more people appreciate how great they truly were. Ok end of my yapping
This kind of style I mostly imagine Schubert Impromptu No 3, check it out.
Maybe you should make a video about that:)
@ thx
I love both those composers. I have to admit I'm partial to Chopin's Nocturnes though. I especially love his Nocturne in B-flat Minor.
The mid 1800s to the early 20th century is my sweet spot for classical music. I love Romanticism and Impressionism. My favorite piece of music ever is Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2. And I love Debussy's Preludes.
Been branching out to explore earlier work, but it often feels too "stuffy" or "courtly" for me.
@@rome8180 Rach 2 is an extraordinary piece of music, he definitely deserves his own video. Debussy already has one
Over The Rainbow is number 1 on AFI's list of 100 greatest movie songs
charles, I always appreciate how much you love music. thank you!
A lot of credit for the melody needs to go to the lyricist Yip Harburg who made many of the melodic suggestions to paint the longing in the words.
When I was a very young kid, I was deeply affected by this song and would often start crying when I heard it. It just moved me like no other song had before- or since. Thank you for making a video on this musical masterpiece.
There's a later recording by Judy (recorded in the 50s, I think) that is my personal favorite. She sounds incredible in the original, of course, and it's astounding that she was so young, but the one from Miss Show Business carries so much with it. There is an even more unbelievable amount of emotion in her voice, which one could interpret as the outpour of her life experiences at that point in contrast with such a beautiful, hopeful song and even with her young self. It makes me cry no matter how many times I hear it; it's the kind of song you sit down and listen to. To me, it's the ultimate version of what that song can be - a perfect storm of arrangement, lyrics and voice.
I knew that Israel's version wasn't the original but I have never actually heard the original. In my ignorance I felt that Israel's version was a beautiful and heart-wrenching masterpiece.
Enter the original courtesy of Charles... Mind blown.
I heard Israel's version first, and assumed it was a traditional Hawaiian folk song. After all, most of the tourist posters I'd seen for Hawaii featured rainbows! Then when I first heard it in The Wizard of Oz, I thought the soundtrack composers had made an "Americanized" cover version for the film. Only several years later did I learn the song was written for the movie and then covered by Israel.
@@InventorZahran Wizard of Oz 1939, 54 years before Israel's cover in 1993.😊
Super glad to see Keith get a mention here, countless times I’ve listened to his recordings - haunting, beautiful… insane control and restraint.
He'd probably get a lot more attention if he wasn't such an asshole.
I"ve never heard the Keith Jarrett version. Thank you for the recommendation! Beautiful.
Somewhere Over The Rainbow is truly special. Indeed, one of the greatest song of this time!
"Over the Rainbow" (its official title) is THE greatest song ever from a movie per the American Film Institute's ranking.
You can't beat Judy Garland for tearing your heart out.
The original "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is just brutal. So beautiful and so sad
What a great video! I love how MUCH you love the melody, the chords changes, and the importance of "heartbreak interval." Yip Harburg & Harold Arlen had much difficultly placing words to the 1st 2 notes on the song, respectively, "Somewhere," because of the octave jump. Until Harburg came up with lyric "Somewhere" to fill that octave jump. The song is so perfectly crafted it's no wonder it was voted #1 for "AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs! The 100 Greatest American Movie Music." I just have one, teeny, tiny pet peeve... The songs name is "Over The Rainbow," NOT "Somewhere, Over The Rainbow." As a Music Educator, just had to point of that one mistake.
That's what I thought about the title! Although I think the Iz version may have included "Somewhere" in the title; let me go look it up...
*a few minutes later* Yep, that version is called "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World", since it's a medley of 2 songs. However, you're right; the original title simply is "Over the Rainbow".
It really is an absolute masterpiece of a song. One of my favorites. ❤
In my early ear training exercises in the 1970s, this song was a mnemonic device for what an octave sounds like. Bali Hi was the major 7th mnemonic. My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean a 6th. Twinkle, Twinkle little Star a Major 5th, Her Comes the Bride a maj 4th, Tritone is Maria from West Side Story. I don't recall the 3rd or second. Jaws was brand new back then so not sure what a 2nd was. Do-Re-Me probably.
Happy birthday to you maybe? That's the one I used for seconds when learning intervals
We learned the m7 as the opening to "Somewhere" from West Side Story.
We learned about "interval hints" in my music theory class in college. A 6th up was "NBC", also "My Bonnie" as you mentioned here.
The songs I've used (ascending intervals, anyhow)
Octave: Over the Rainbow
Major 7th: "Ceora," Lee Morgan
Minor 7th: Old Ford commercial
Major 6th: "Misterioso," Thelonious Monk
Minor 6th: "Theme from Black Orpheus" (Manha de Carnaval)
Perfect 5th: Star Wars
Tritone: "Simpsons" theme
Perfect 4th: Bridal theme
Major 3rd: major triad (descending: doorbell ring)
Minor 3rd: minor triad (descending: "Hound Dog", Elvis)
Major 2nd: Do-Re-Mi, or "It Had to be You" (descending: "Wheel of Fortune" theme)
Minor 2nd: Jaws theme
You know, Stephen Schwartz used the first seven notes of "Over the Rainbow" for the "Unlimited" leitmotif in _Wicked,_ now playing on Broadway and coming soon to a theater near you. 😉
Harold Arlen based it on Song to the Moon from the opera Rusalka by Dvorak. I wish Charles would have mentioned this.
Two of the greatest standards written Over the Rainbow and Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence what else could you ever want to hear.
Every video u create is like a fine wine where we get to experience every sip and appreciate every ounce of musical masterpiece together as a music community ❤
Thank you for an amazing inspection and education of such a beautiful piece !
There is so much about music that I don't know. This video proves to me just how little I do know. Thanks for such an easy-to-understand education!
There is nothing more compelling than watching (and listening to) someone who is CRAZY-ENTHUSIASTIC about whatever it is that they're crazy-enthusiastic about! It would seem counter-productive to YELL while you're listening to music, but when you do it, Charles, I'm yelling with you! You make music beautiful, Charles. IMMEDIATELY SUBSCRIBED. PS: You had me at "Plagal Cadence!" The good-ole' "Amen" at the end of hymns. 😄
Maybe this is super obvious but I think the main reason the melody line has such a charming simplicity is because of the repeated sequence of drops. In essence it is built around C^CB then CAG then CFE then DBC. That three note pattern dropping by a third each time.
The entire melody is based on a descending major scale. Each measure has a note that's a step lower than the previous measure. And these are the "structurally important" notes.
In C major: C [C'] | [B] G A B C | C [A] | [G] | A, [F] | [E] C D E F | [D] B, C D E | [C]
Another interesting thing about the melody is that it only uses two different musical ideas that are introduced in the first two measures.
The first one is the large leap up and then a descending step (that's also used in measures 3-4 and 5-6). The second one is "third down, three steps up" in the second measure (that's also used in measures 6 and 7).
@MaggaraMarine indeed that's what I meant. I didn't explain in as much detail, but thought it was odd he didn't mention it at all in the video, when it seems to be such an important feature
The incredibly beautiful lyrics match the chord progression of the melody so well.
Triple threat… Beautiful chord progression, perfect melody, and optimistic lyrics.
Quadruple threat--Judy Garland's voice and emotional interpretation. Imagine Shirley Temple originating this song--she was a frontrunner for the role because of her box office draw, but wisdom prevailed among studio execs so JG got the job.
Thanks for this! It is indeed my favourite song. And it's great to see you go crazy over Keith Jarrett's version like I have been ever since I heard it. Fantastic!
This song is so transcendent. Certainly is a candidate for Greatest Song Ever Written. ❤🌈 Judy had the voice of a goddess.
Thanks for this one, Charles.
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (Iz) !!!!! Universe rest his beautiful soul!!!!! I got goosebumps and sweaty eyes just thinking about his version and seeing his image in the intro!!! The most Beautiful and Gorgeous versions EVER!!!!!
May everyone pursue their passion with the same love that you have for music
Absolutely my favorite.
There was an old video or podcast from probably 10 years ago... maybe longer... that talked about the way this song is all about Yearning for something. The octave jump and half step fall off... I don't remember what show it was, but they went over a lot of what you did though not in as much detail. This song gives me chills!
Now, I can't unheard David Bowie.
I always loved this song and I am curious why exactly I love this song. This cheerful hopegiving song was used for a very dark movie. The movie used Asbest for snow and the green paint contained cupper. Knowing that I now have different feelings when I see this, but I love the song.
The backstory to how Israel came up with his rendition of 'Somewhere' is just as amazing, too! I read that he woke up in the middle of the night from a dream about the song and remembered the composition (kept humming it or something) and called up a producer friend to record it that night/morning.
Happiness - Requiem for a Blind Alchemist from the Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood series uses that heart break interval non-stop.
Great video Charles!! Aside from the original, I'd be inclined to say my favourite rendition is Eva Cassidy's version. Such a great voice and a lovely arrangement!
I was trying to explain to my friend in Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata that the heartbreak in the song happens with the C after B, goes down to A#, then finally home to B. I was telling her those 1/2 steps wreck you until your ear finally hears B.
Heck I can just refer her to the first 3 notes of this song! 😂
That idea of a half-step motif is really interesting, because it’s also the main motif of Scriabin’s Vers La Flamme, and it becomes really really powerful as the piece grows.
Keith Jarrett's posture remains unbeaten to this day
The little diminished segment at 8:20 immediate made me think of The Great Fairy Fountain tune in Ocarina of Time.
I believe A Link to the Past before that.
@ Yea, but everyone remembers the Ocarina Fairies way more! Haha I actually forgot about the ALttP Fairies!
Absolutely love your passion in this presentation. Incredible! I don’t know what your profession is but you would make a great music teacher.
Let's just say that the original is the greatest performance of a popular song ever.
Could you talk about Vienna Teng's "Hymn of Axciom?" It's such an beautiful song but still is the most interesting sounding musical piece of art I've really ever heard. It's a musical goldmine of everything talked about in your videos and I think it'd be amazing for you to cover! (Bonus points if you talk about the Bluecoats 2014 performance)
I'm not understanding half of what you are explaining about the chord progressions, but your enthusiasm is so incredible fantastic! I need to play Keith Jarrett's version of this song again. ❤
I'm so disappointed that you didn't include the iconic Eva Cassidy version of Over the Rainbow in your analysis. I think it totally deserves a listen.
My personal favorite version of this song has to be Eva Cassidy’s rendition of it. Her wistful and soulful voice along with incredible acoustic guitar playing creates the most beautiful musical atmosphere I can think of. Plus, there is the added emotional effect that she wasn’t long for this world when that live version was recorded. It really puts a new meaning on the lyrics that tugs at your heartstrings. If anyone is reading this and hasn’t hear her version yet, you should seriously go give it a listen. I’d love to talk to others about it!
ruclips.net/video/2rd8VktT8xY/видео.htmlsi=CNJCtenDijQ3etQQ Here is the link to it for anyone who wants to take a listen! 🧡🧡🧡
Hey Charles, a movie called ‘A Year Without a Santa Claus’ has a song called “I believe in Santa Claus”. Such a beautiful song!
Wait a video on this would be amazing. Or any of the songs from their movie
That is a beautiful song. Another song I always overlooked until recently was "Cheer Up Charlie" in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I always thought it slowed down the movie and didn't match the rest of the film, but it's also bittersweet.
I thought the music-learning cap line was hysterical. Seriously love it.
And Judy's version is one of my all-time fave songs from my all-time fave movie (with or without the Pink Floyd soundtrack)
The ultimate best rendition of Over the Rainbow is by the beautiful voice of the the late Eva Cassidy. It's easy to find on the web and well worth a listen. You won't be disappointed.
My favorite version of this was done by Eva Cassidy. The way she ends the song never fails to give me chills. So sad that her life ended at such a young age.
Playing that song on guitar always moves me to tears. I think it sounds better on piano but that's the instrument I know. Cheers
When i saw the thumbnail, i thought it was gonna be something off dark side of the moon
His version brings tears to my eyes each and every time I hear it 14:57
Yeah, it’s 6:40am and I’m at Braums having a cup of coffee and literally wiping tears out of my eyes as you explore this fantastic piece of music.
thank you Mr. Bennett for the incredible knowledge you provide
Reminds me of Mozart's Twelve variations on Twinkle Twinkle Little Star..."Ah vous dirai-je, Maman"
I think it would be worth checking out Robert Oetomo’s arrangement of this song, which he arranged for marimba solo. It’s absolutely beautiful, and he made some very interesting artistic decisions when making it that I think would be very worthwhile to check out
It kills me that this would ever have been pulled from the movie. Harold Arlen was such a master.
Can you believe the producers nearly CUT this song out of the movie? They felt it slowed the piece down. Thank god they changed their mind on this one. We may never have heard this song. 🎉
I was just thinking about how BEAUTIFUL this song is after hearing Tony bennet’s rendition of it and man-this video was perfectly timed. Pure serene beauty
I grew up with this song. Wizard of Oz was played every year on CBS I believe in the summer and we watched it as a family. Somewhere Over the Rainbow was my favorite song and I memorized it and sang it often. Good times and good memories!! ❤️❤️❤️🌈🌈🌈
It’s not just the song. The scene from Wizard of Oz of Judy Garland is one of the greatest ever filmed.
The fact that we’re discussing a performance 85 years ago says something about the quality.
I’d love to hear your thought on the theory I’ve heard…
The reason Over the Rainbow resonates with the audience is because the story is embedded into the melody.
The melody starts on the Ab and then jumps the octave. The first note is home and the jump is getting thrown into Oz. The melody journeys its way back to the first note, just like Dorothy journeys her way home.
By far the best song for working on relative pitch.
Love your videos. I always learn something, and always draw inspiration from them. Thanks!
Especially for those of us in the UK, largely thanks to Radio 2 discovering her in 2000, Eva Cassidy's version is legendary.
For us here in Washington, DC, too, where Eva Cassidy was born. She recorded it in January 1996 three miles from where I now live, at Blue's Alley jazz nightclub in Georgetown. She died only 10 months later at age 33 of metastatic skin cancer. Founded in 1965, Blues Alley is still thriving.
@@Peter-z9t Of course. Washington's own songbird.
You owe it to yourself to listen to Jerry Lee Lewis' version, on the "Killer Country" album. And don't forget "Folsom Prison Blues".
Thanks, Charles! And speaking of emotions, I'm pretty sure you haven't heard the main them from the old Polish TV series "Noce i dnie". This is something really beautiful and heartbreaking! It's worth to try 😉
Eminem said it best! "Music is like magic/ there's a certain feeling you get/ when you real and you spit/ and people are feeling your s***"
from John Denver singing about the the back roads of his mountain home, to the latest gangster rapper bragging about how low his chain hang, to Bob Marley singing about the three little birds he saw on his doorstep one morning, to a black and white film era farm girl singing about a better life on the other side of the rainbow.....Music can make you feel things to the point where it's almost like magic.
Eva Cassidy’s version is also gorgeous
Charles Cornell , Judy Garland original is nice but Eva Cassisdy version Chords and voice phrasing is heart melting. Enjoy
I have always felt that Over the Rainbow is the beginning of modern music. Not for being stylistically revolutionary, but because of impact and the reach it had and still has. It's probably not a very technically correct take, for sure. Maybe it has to do with its connection to film and its proximity to the Second World War.
Could you do a breakdown on Handel's Messiah or a few of the key moments in it? I have always enjoyed performing Messiah in a way nothing else has ever quite reached. Great video, as always.
Wizard of Oz is one of my favorite movies!!! ❤😊
Another beautiful song from this same time is When You Wish upon a Star by Cliff Edwards.
I tune my alto sax using g followed by g up an octave.
Every time, a band member starts singing this song.
So I then oblige by playing the rest of the song :)
The Isreal version of this song always moves me to tears without fail
I gave the whole song another listen, and yeah. Got me ugly crying.
The opening is so iconic. 'Somewhere'
That's it! Just a simple octave