The Music Video's Dilemma: Part 1
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Artist:
The first music video I loved as a child was TLC’s “Waterfalls.” I remember grooving and singing along in front of the television watching it play over and over again on MTV (back when it was actually music television). Today, however, things are different. We don’t watch music videos on TV, we search for them on youtube where amateurs and professionals alike travel the same waters. While my nostalgic self would like to lament the loss of music videos on TV, I really can’t because youtube provides so much more both in music and in the variety and breadth of original work available—be it street art, short films, compositions, etc.
As a classical music nerd, TLC’s “Waterfalls” was the only music video I saw for years. That song was the anthem of my childhood. It was catchy, it was the 90s, and they were dancing on water, what more could I want? Looking back, however, I never wondered why the kind of music I was learning about didn’t have music videos. Maybe it was that dead composers did not belong in an age of technology--but their melodies get mixed all of the time. Maybe all classical musicians are stale and old fashioned. After all, I’m not quite sure what would happen in a music video of Beethoven’s 9th. What about Miles Davis’ "Bitches Brew"? Well, I may have a better idea of what that could look like, but still, why are music videos exclusive to certain genres, Pop specifically?
Not too long ago, while searching youtube for various performances of Astor Piazzolla’s “Libertango,” I came across a young piano duo who arranged the piece for four-hands. I was especially excited to see this not only because tango has a special place in my heart, but more importantly because someone out there from my piano-loving world is trying to be hip...
Up Next: An introduction to Astor Piazzolla’s nuevo tango as interpreted by piano duo, Anderson and Roe.
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