Here we go! (And for those of you who know me, keep these songs close at hand, whenever I get sad or angry (rarely) these songs will instantly put a smile on my face and change my entire paradigm! It's kind of cool actually...)
I'll start with the film Peter Pan. Hand in hand with Nightmare Before Christmas these films single handedly inspired my love of film scores and made me want to compose for film (what I'm studying for right now,) and these two songs from the film stuck out so potently, it was almost as if they were crying for me to change the world, "INSPIRE OTHERS THE WAY WE HAVE INSPIRED YOU!" they would scream, and I had no option but to answer them!
And just as a quick note, Peter Pan has always been my favorite everything; movie, soundtrack, play, book, Disney Attraction... there is such a wonderful magic in him that I'm not quite sure the world is aware about... just a note... my absolute favorite :D
Next is the Firebird Suite... now I'm not going to post all six movements up here (it would be several hours long,) but I will tell the story behind it. Years ago, when I was too afraid to amit that I loved music so passionately as I did (a weird frame of mind, but I was unsupported in my love of theater, I figured people would react the same when I told them I loved music) and so for an entire summer I saved up enough money to buy a ticket to the Utah Symphony when they played The Firebird Suite under the direction of conductor David Cho. I sat in the third to last row of the balcony at Abravanel Hall and that was first time I ever cried at music. I was so moved by how overwhelmingly powerful it was, it touched my soul and shook my very core... it was beautiful, and I share now with you the finale of that suite (well Disney's compilation, which consists mostly of the finale...)!
Next in line would be George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, along the lines of being the first full rhapsody I ever learned on the piano, it was also one of the VERY first orchestral pieces I ever heard. It was amazingly bright, but told such a vivid story in my mind that I would never forget how absolutely wonderful the impact that it had on me (for the sake of time I'll give you Disney's Fantasia version as well...)
Nextly comes the song that kick started my love of music... This song is the sole reason that I love music as much as I do.
When I was in the second grade I was wandering around the kitchen aimlessly. My sister was doing the dishes, my father was in his office, my brother was watching a movie and my two other sisters were in the basement (my mother and little brother had gone out... shopping I believe). I was playing with toys and looking at my homework that I didn't want to do, paying no attention to the song that was on the CD player that my sister was listening to. In a moment that would change my life forever she looked at me and said, "C'mon Marsh! What song is this?" My. Heart. Stopped. I had no clue... I was at a loss and the last thing I wanted was to disappoint my sister, so gathering up all my courage I said, "Tom Chapin?" Being the only other musician that I knew of. She lowered her head and shook it defeated over the sink she was doing dishes in, and said, "Marshall..." in such a dreary tone, "This is THE BEATLES!!! While My Guitar Gently Weeps! C'Mon Marsh! You should know that!" I worked hard to make sure that that mistake never came about again.
In February of 2012, I spent a month and a half at DisneyWorld for a Disney Educators High school Internship program, where we worked like real Disney members, played in the parks, visited the sites of Orlando and a great deal of other things. On the first night (The Magic Kingdom) I was high in love with the girl of my dreams (after my fiancee and I had called it quits xD BAHAHAHA!!!) and I was certain she was the one! On top of the magic of DisneyWorld, I spent that entire day with her hand in mine and it was so incredibly magical and perfect that my words will not even come close to giving it the justice it deserves. Long story short, when I finally held her close and kissed her... it happened to be in the middle of this parade, to this theme song (this song can literally cure ANYTHING that I have, from the common cold, to, I'm sure, Death... play this song and I'm a new man again!)
This last one (though I could post FOREVER!) has to do with my most fond memory of childhood. I was walking home from school in the fifth grade and it was snowing outside. It wasn't windy and it wasn't FREEZING but the snow was so WHITE and comforting, it was solace to walk through (but at the time I was miserable, I could only think about how I was the only child that walked to school in the snow... mine were the only set of footprints going there and back again), but I walked through the door of my house my mother was making chili (which smelled simply devine) and on the kitchen radio my mother had the Polar Express CD in, and Josh Groban was singing Believe. Just a heartwarming song for what was a heartwarming experience in my childhood... this song means a lot.
And to finish off... just some good quotes...
"All good music resembles something. Good music stirs by its mysterious resemblance to the objects and feelings which motivated it." ~ Jean Cocteau
"We want to get this good music to as many people as possible because I think it heals, it soothes, I think music is incredibly important, especially in today's chaos." ~ Graham Nash
"Music is the greatest communication in the world. Even if people don't understand the language that you're singing in, they still know good music when they hear it." ~ Lou Rawls
"The end of all good music is to affect the soul." ~ Claudio Monteverdi
You are an amazing musician with an amazing passion for amazing music. You inspire me!!!
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