Best writing soundtrack is Jazzy, Atmospheric Drum & Bass! This is the conclusion I have become trough recent experiments.
I´ve been writing my final thesis quite intensively and since I´m addicted to music and sounds surrounding me 24/7, I just can´t concentrate without music (and sometimes even TV open, just blabbering on the background). I have noticed this same thing at my office where I just can´t manage to get things done if there is not other people to talk to and socialize around. The best option is to sit next to a meeting that really doesn´t mean a thing to me and just reply to emails.... (am I the only one thinking this way?)
Anyway, as I mentioned earlier D&B is the best soundtrack to writing something! It has strict and fast tempo that gives your body a nice template start pushing text into blank paper. The atmospheric stuff usually doesn´t have huge climaxes that would interfere concentration. Same can be said about the lack of vocals. And it has hypnotic enough vibe to sink your thoughts deep into the subject.
Of course I have tried numerous styles of music for this purpose, but for example basic 4/4 beat just doesn´t work (not even minimal techno).
Well, this was just a brief mention... now let´s get back to business (ie. thesis writing).
maanantai 28. maaliskuuta 2011
sunnuntai 13. maaliskuuta 2011
Corto Maltese - Theatrical adaptation
Yesterday I went to see a theatrical adaptation of one of my favourite comics - the adventures of Corto Maltese, written and drawn by Hugo Pratt. This was something I had been looking forward since the first time I heard Q-Theater @ Töölö, Helsinki, was going to make the effort!
Yes, well... Corto Maltese truely belongs to top ten of greatest comics ever along side with several legendary creations such as George Herriman´s Krazy Kat. I have been enjoing these since my childhood when I found the lot first time from the local library. It´s funny how the first readings were so strong events since the books are far from being easy to being understood. Corto Maltese has always had such multiple and parallel levels of ingredients that every single reading has opened new views to the experinece. As a youngster it was the adventurous elements that got my interest (and also the sophisticated drawing that is so simple and comlex at the same time), but later on when re-reading the classic albums I noticed the deep and intellectual side that was so inadvertently embedded inside the story with such a strong emotional content that yet again I was astonished of the sheer quality of Pratt´s work!
But about the play itself - It is again good to notice that when done with love and care it is possible to make very good adaptations from very difficult material. It´s important to realise that the play presents only a part of Corto Malteses saga and some parts may be a bit hard to understand if you are not familiar with the original material but these things have been fixed effectively by importing parts from quite a lot of books to make clear some of motives of Corto! There is parts from at least six adventures total and the whole does work well. For a random watcher the greatest problem propably is the amount of sideactors that play important roles in different era´s of Cortos life and therefore some events may seem a little bit strange (most notable the appearance of Pandora). But it doesn´t matter as long as everything seems to support the needs to move and dream on... My only true critique considers the somewhat hectic events during the first half as I think the comics most important factor always was the serenity and slow philosophical thinking. Fortunately there is some excellent slower moments in the play that downshift the movement!
The Acting and the use of space is yet again excellent! Tommi Korpela as Corto Maltese is just so real and like a mirror image of Corto that the dobbelganger theme is inevitable (and suits part of the play wonderfully). Jani Volanen does really strong role as Rasputin and the rest of the crew doesn´t crumble behind! Kreeta Salminen as Venexiana has so romantic and hot aproach that you just can´t keep your eyes of her!
Oh, two things that buggered me a little were the use of music and smoke. I personally think that some parts with Hard Rock and Techno just didn´t fit in that well, but overall the soundscapes were good. There was also quite a lot of theatrical smoke and smoking of cigars that almost made me cough at times. Even though it belongs to the world of Corto Maltese it seemed a bit too much some times.
Anyway this is highly recommended!
Yes, well... Corto Maltese truely belongs to top ten of greatest comics ever along side with several legendary creations such as George Herriman´s Krazy Kat. I have been enjoing these since my childhood when I found the lot first time from the local library. It´s funny how the first readings were so strong events since the books are far from being easy to being understood. Corto Maltese has always had such multiple and parallel levels of ingredients that every single reading has opened new views to the experinece. As a youngster it was the adventurous elements that got my interest (and also the sophisticated drawing that is so simple and comlex at the same time), but later on when re-reading the classic albums I noticed the deep and intellectual side that was so inadvertently embedded inside the story with such a strong emotional content that yet again I was astonished of the sheer quality of Pratt´s work!
But about the play itself - It is again good to notice that when done with love and care it is possible to make very good adaptations from very difficult material. It´s important to realise that the play presents only a part of Corto Malteses saga and some parts may be a bit hard to understand if you are not familiar with the original material but these things have been fixed effectively by importing parts from quite a lot of books to make clear some of motives of Corto! There is parts from at least six adventures total and the whole does work well. For a random watcher the greatest problem propably is the amount of sideactors that play important roles in different era´s of Cortos life and therefore some events may seem a little bit strange (most notable the appearance of Pandora). But it doesn´t matter as long as everything seems to support the needs to move and dream on... My only true critique considers the somewhat hectic events during the first half as I think the comics most important factor always was the serenity and slow philosophical thinking. Fortunately there is some excellent slower moments in the play that downshift the movement!
The Acting and the use of space is yet again excellent! Tommi Korpela as Corto Maltese is just so real and like a mirror image of Corto that the dobbelganger theme is inevitable (and suits part of the play wonderfully). Jani Volanen does really strong role as Rasputin and the rest of the crew doesn´t crumble behind! Kreeta Salminen as Venexiana has so romantic and hot aproach that you just can´t keep your eyes of her!
Oh, two things that buggered me a little were the use of music and smoke. I personally think that some parts with Hard Rock and Techno just didn´t fit in that well, but overall the soundscapes were good. There was also quite a lot of theatrical smoke and smoking of cigars that almost made me cough at times. Even though it belongs to the world of Corto Maltese it seemed a bit too much some times.
Anyway this is highly recommended!
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