Wedding Music, Cellos, and Pachelbel's Rant

This blog is a nod to Katie G. who showed me this rant on her iPhone at the coffee shop last night. Pachelbel's Cannon in D is probably my all time favorite piece of music. For parents or grandparents of small children, it is also easily recognizable as the "Little Mermaid" wedding song which is where I first heard it and fell in love with the music. Yes and Bugs Bunny/Elmer Fudd taught me opera and other classics. In my thirties,  I joined the BBC music club to learn about classical music for real and received a CD and educational material every month for a year or two. I am an eclectic music lover, but most of my favorites have come through odd paths. I'm the person in the restaurant or store who chases down the owner to ask what song is playing when Bruce isn't around with his iPhone Music Hound app to help.

Anyway, the original rendition of this song has layers of instruments complete with violins. The music unwinds everything tense and tight inside me, and then swells my body to fill me up until I feel like a hot air balloon ready for lift-off. I had always planned to play the original rendition at my wedding instead of the traditional march, but I can just hear Bruce singing one of the other songs from the rant and making me laugh when I'm trying to be serious and beautiful. No. No. <sigh> I believe we have to have a different song now.

I would also like to offer a second nod in this post to a friend of mine, Teresa B., who was once a cellist in a rock and roll band. Truth. If you haven't heard "Knights in White Satin" done with a cello, you have missed out. She is an awesome cellist with an amazing sense of humor. Teresa, I hope this makes you laugh as much as it did me. I've been thinking of you a lot lately.

Pachabel's Rant  Thanks Rob Paravonian and Penn State for the funny video. If you are not familiar with the piece of music, listen to one of the original versions before you listen to the rant.  It will make more sense and you'll get all the jokes.

Here are some links to the "real" version:

Pachelbel's Canon in D (one real version)

Pachelbel's Canon in D (has nature photos for those who need visuals)

Pachelbel's Canon in D (original instruments - probably my favorite)

Pachabel's Canon in D (London Symphony Orchestra -- typical wedding version) 

Pachabel's Canon in D (finger guitar version - really good)

It's a quiet, rainy Sunday in Lexington, Kentucky.  I need a nap after this post.  This song is very relaxing and stays in my brain a long time after I've heard it.