swan_tower: (french horn)
[personal profile] swan_tower
I need a piano icon for this, not a French horn.

Bear McCreary, composer of the utterly freaking awesome Battlestar Galactica score, has put out a book of piano sheet music for the series. It includes seventeen solos (two in both simplified and advanced forms), plus one piano duet ("Kara Remembers") and one piece for piano and soprano ("Battlestar Operatica").

A lot of really good stuff is here. "Kara Remembers." "Prelude to War." "The Shape of Things to Come." Some of my favorite pieces are missing, but they're largely the ones that don't suit themselves to the medium: "The Signal" may be Totally Badass, but it is also Totally Percussive, and would make an abysmal piano solo. Probably the only thing I really want that isn't in the book is an arrangement of "Gaeta's Lament;" you might be able to make that one work without the drums. But hey, maybe he'll put out a second book later.

I haven't yet gotten to play any of the stuff, as I lack a piano. Fortunately, [livejournal.com profile] teleidoplex's new place has one! So I will report back later. The report will likely document how this book handed my ass to me; it's been fifteen years and more since I played seriously, and the look of some things in here makes me want to hide under the piano bench and wibble to myself. But I have to try. I like trying to pick pieces out by ear, but it's a lot more satisfying to play a proper arrangement.

Date: 2011-03-04 03:18 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] swan-tower.livejournal.com
I just about leapt out of my chair when I heard this was coming out.

Date: 2011-03-04 12:31 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] bookblather.livejournal.com
Bear McCreary is a Jedi Master of music. I think we can all agree on this.

Do they have Roslin and Adama? If so, I might buy it for a friend. She's a major piano fan and that's her favorite song.

Date: 2011-03-04 03:20 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] swan-tower.livejournal.com
Two versions! (It's one of the two that has a simplified arrangement, too. I'm guessing this has more to do with popular demand than anything, because the full arrangement is FAR from the scariest thing in the book.)

And Bear McCreary is better than a Jedi Master. He's like a Jedi Master with all of George Lucas' stupid ideas taken out. ^_^
(deleted comment)

Date: 2011-03-04 03:21 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] swan-tower.livejournal.com
It really is. A few of these pieces were written as piano solos to begin with, but it's fascinating to see how he just flat-out translates the percussive breaks in "Prelude to War" as chords, which they are decidedly not in the original.

Date: 2011-03-04 01:05 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] d-c-m.livejournal.com
Bear McCreary is awesome!! Love his music! In fact he is the composer of choice for DDBD dancing at Gen Con!!!!!!

Date: 2011-03-04 03:22 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] swan-tower.livejournal.com
You know he's been doing the music for The Cape, right? I suspect you'd like some of that stuff, too.

Date: 2011-03-04 03:55 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] d-c-m.livejournal.com
Oooo I did not know this. I haven't been watching the Cape but now I think I had better. Or at least listen to it. ;)

Date: 2011-03-04 05:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] moonandserpent.livejournal.com
Nom.

"The Shape of Things to Come" was my White Court Muzak.

Date: 2011-03-04 07:45 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] swan-tower.livejournal.com
Yeah, that works.

Date: 2011-03-04 07:23 am (UTC)
teleidoplex: (Default)
From: [personal profile] teleidoplex
Hmm. We should plan for hanging on this side of the pond, then. It'll give me an excuse to find decent restaurants nearby.

*After* I finish Awakenings :P

Date: 2011-03-04 07:45 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] swan-tower.livejournal.com
Sounds good to me! (And do let me know how Awakening is going...)

Date: 2011-03-04 08:55 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stephanieburgis.livejournal.com
Ooh, we don't have a piano of our own either, but I really really want this! *starts scheming* Thanks for the pointer!

Date: 2011-03-04 06:23 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] swan-tower.livejournal.com
You're welcome!

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