Author: Matherton Horowitz

Attorney/musician.

“Au Lait” | Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays | unclassified harmonic tempo map

Just a moment of perfection. Around the part of the song that Pat comes in after the major break. I had my walkman on, which was not a usual thing at that time. Yeah, passing the White House, listening to this at about 7 PM, finishing a post work beer.

Au-Lait . Pat-Metheny-Lyle-Mays
Au-Lait Pat-Metheny-Lyle-Mays

In 1984 I had a college internship in Washington, D.C.

After work, the bus used to pass in front of the East Lawn of the White House, and there was one night on hearing this song for the first time and looking out the window I had a DC “peak experience.” Just a moment of perfection. Around the part of the song that Pat comes in after the major break. I had my walkman on, which was not a usual thing at that time. Yeah, passing the White House, listening to this at about 7 PM, finishing a post work beer.

This song for whatever reason – I think it’s Nana’s Brazilian percussion – reminds me of the basic Chicago sound I grew up in during the 1960s. It was not music from rock music. Rather, it was Debussy, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart when my Dad studied then Beatles and Burt Bacharach when my dad went back to the hospital in Chicago to learn to be a surgeon.

matherton + spiron

“ain’t that tough enough?!” | TUFF ENUFF, the Fabulous Thunderbirds – declassified tempo map

Matherton will not reveal her favorite team. Her father, like mine, is a Giants fan, that tough enough.

My wife is a Philadelphia eagles fan of all her life.

Tuff Enuff
Tuff Enuff modern tempo diagram

I am a lowly N.Y. Jets fan of my life.

Hence the song ringing in the house – for my attitude, not hers!

Matherton will not reveal her favorite team. Her father, like mine, is a Giants fan, that tough enough.

spiron + matherton

November 26, 2017

 

Dave Matthews Band – Declassified tempo maps “#41”

“#41” was the forty-first song written by the Dave Matthews Band.

Dave-Matthews-Band-Number-41
Dave-Matthews-Band-Number-41-774-ms

“#41” was the forty-first song written by the Dave Matthews Band.
On the album Live from Luther College as he plays duet with Tim Reynolds, before they launch #41 Dave calls the title, in a joke self mocking way, “about as creative as the Dave Matthews band.”

matherton + spiron
november 26, 2017

PERFECT by Alanis Morissette and Glenn Ballard – bittersweetness in a diagram? Harmonic speed diagrams, video embed.

Alanis and Glenn wrote this song in ten minutes and the track on the album was the first take.

Alanis Morissette and Glenn wrote this song in ten minutes and the track on the album was the first take.

Modern tempo map PERFECT, by Alanis MOrrisette and Glenn Ballard Perfect[/caption
Perfect.
\median expected tempo=77 beats per minute

spiron and matherton
November 26, 2017

THE WATER IS WIDE – Orla Falon- declassified tempo map, video link

The scene was filmed on the the California beaches, somewhere between Catalina and Venice Beach. As you can tell I’m from the East Coast!

modern tempo map
The Water Is Wide

This is a tempo chart I made inspired by a scene from the Bold and The Beautiful that featured Susan Flannery as Stephanie Douglas Forrester ushering with utter gentlest her other, played by Betty White. The scene was filmed on the the California beaches, somewhere between Catalina and Venice Beach. As you can tell I’m from the East Coast!

Joe-Cocker-You-Are-So-Beautiful-Roosevelt-Parks-diagram

matherton + spiron
november 26, 2017

“Having My Baby” | unclassified tempo map| recording by the ageless PAUL ANKA

In the 1970s, Odoea Coates sang to Paul Anna that she wanted to have his baby because she “was a woman in love.”

In the 1970s, Odoea Coates sang to Paul Anna that she wanted to have his baby because she “was a woman in love.”

PAUL: “What A lovely way of showing how much you love me.”

Paul Anka - modern tempo map
Paul-Anka-Having-My-Baby-contemporary-tempo-chart

Paul digs deeper, “Didn’t have to keep it – wouldn’t put you through it! You could have swept it from your life but you wouldn’t do it. No – you wouldn’t do it! [have an abortion].”

So in some ways the 1970s were a more liberal than the 2010s.

 

spiron/matherton

november 24, 2017

“Never A Time” | Genesis | unclassified tempo charts

 This was not surprising to hear on the day that the speed usually indicates: true bittersweetness. A sweet day that leaves a bitter aftertaste as time is a bastard. When we say goodbye to the ones we love on holidays no one ever knows when to say goodbye.

My brother asked me about the speed of this one yesterday.

Never-A-Time-Genesis-modrn-tempo-map
Genesis-Never-A-Time
-modern-probability--chart.png
Genesis-Never-A-Time

This was not surprising to hear on the day that the speed usually indicates: true bittersweetness. A sweet day that leaves a bitter aftertaste as time is a bastard. When we say goodbye to the ones we love on holidays no one ever knows when to say goodbye.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

The speed of Never A Time by Genesis appears to have two speeds.

As originally released, the speed was 77.000 beats per minute.  As released on their digital; “Remaster” of the album ‘The Way We Walk’ The speed is 77.25 beats per minute.

777 milliseconds per quarter note

The charts here reflect the “remastered” version.

 

matherton and spiron

november 24, 2017