When my son was a toddler (only a few years ago now) we really enjoyed watching "The Snowman" , an animated 1982 movie basic upon a children's book, with a gorgeous soundtrack by Howard Blake, that many here are probably familiar with. We especially loved the scene and music where snowmen are dancing at the north pole. I borrowed and then adapted a motif from the soundtrack that I've since called "The Snowman Slide". I also recently discovered a really cool animation programming tool called Scratch. These two ideas have collided here:
I shall have to ask my wife, who ended up showing her nursery class The Snowman 3 times in the last week of school ( it IS a classic, and doesn't age at all ), but Strip The Willow is usually danced to Drops of Brandy, but of course strip the willow is also only a dance figure, and appears in other dances, such as The Stoke Goulding Country Dance.
There. My years in a barn dance band weren't all wasted.
No, not me, not that one whatsoever, and then, as others have noted, no Santa, Boo hoo!
However, one of our favourite Christmas cartoons is of a Snowman under threat by two rabbits with a hair dryer demanding his carrot. Where they had the hair dryer plugged in I haven't a clue.
Have a Jolly Christmas, spiced with music, and if you can manage it, a bit of dance too...
Best of health to you and yours and your music too...
I left the sliding snowman link on and now it is grossly over populated with them. I give them only a few more minutes before the friction causes a major meltdown or they all suffocate...
A sequel, wouldn't you just know it. They can't leave well enough alone, and they had to go national and add a snowman in a kilt with sporran... As you can well see, being asexual 'it' doesn't have to worry about bouncing around in a dance and the dangers of the sporran...
Now, if only a good blizzard would come along to make things really exciting... Bah Humbug!!!
That was the original movie. The sequel was "Father Christmas" and he meets the boy again at the end. (not really a 'sequel' as far as Briggs books go - but it was made by the same folk - The Bear as well).
Not sure if they are dancing the Strip the Willow there - it would be the northern one if they are. There is grand chain in one bit as well , and they are involved in a wee bit of do-si-do. Bit of a mish-mash - but the nights are long up there.
Guess what I caught on radio 4 this evening, chat about a new sequel to "The Snowman", and the author's approval of it so long as it is in the spirit of the first. The release is for Christmas 2012. But, if the 12th is the End of the World, 12/12/12, it will be too late...
I wonder if after three they'll do a set of prequels like "Star Wars"?
Definitely a bit of twaddle cooked up by whoever did the music ( OK, Walking In The Air's a classic, but too many people in the music biz think they can run up a bit of fake Scottish Smaltz and it's OK ).
I shall draft a No 1 Stiff Letter to the paper insisting that real Scottish music is used next time.
As we're going out on a ledge, I'll put my vote in for The Faroes, some lovely music there, and they could bring in a little colour, red is generally considered Christmas-ee, with the whale cull included in the story...
I show this movie all the time in school, most recently this past Wednesday to my city-wide orchestra. My kids have played the theme...great fun...never gets old.
Merry Christmas to everyone! And please raise your glasses today to my Dad, born on Christmas Day in 1921 and gone these long five years. A real music lover and friend of music.
A Sliding Snowman
A Sliding Snowman
When my son was a toddler (only a few years ago now) we really enjoyed watching "The Snowman" , an animated 1982 movie basic upon a children's book, with a gorgeous soundtrack by Howard Blake, that many here are probably familiar with. We especially loved the scene and music where snowmen are dancing at the north pole. I borrowed and then adapted a motif from the soundtrack that I've since called "The Snowman Slide". I also recently discovered a really cool animation programming tool called Scratch. These two ideas have collided here:
http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/mandostop1/2235733
(Make sure to hit the down arrow on your keyboard when you get to the north pole!!)
# Posted on December 23rd 2011 by halfwaythere
Re: A Sliding Snowman
Yeah, my daughter still enjoys the movie. She even excuses the penguin appearing in the Arctic.
Interesting that the snowman dance (strip the willow, I think) has made it here. Why not submit it to the tunes section?
# Posted on December 23rd 2011 by Weejie
Re: A Sliding Snowman
ah that takes me back, a classic
# Posted on December 23rd 2011 by palethinboy
Re: A Sliding Snowman
I shall have to ask my wife, who ended up showing her nursery class The Snowman 3 times in the last week of school ( it IS a classic, and doesn't age at all ), but Strip The Willow is usually danced to Drops of Brandy, but of course strip the willow is also only a dance figure, and appears in other dances, such as The Stoke Goulding Country Dance.
There. My years in a barn dance band weren't all wasted.
# Posted on December 23rd 2011 by Guernsey Pete
Re: A Sliding Snowman
Where was Santa ? No sign of him at the North Pole.
# Posted on December 23rd 2011 by Guernsey Pete
Re: A Sliding Snowman
"but Strip The Willow is usually danced to Drops of Brandy"
Not in the Arctic circle, obviously.
# Posted on December 23rd 2011 by Weejie
Re: A Sliding Snowman
"Where was Santa ?"
In the movie.
He also made a return in the sequel movie, to give the boy another scarf.
# Posted on December 23rd 2011 by Weejie
A Snowman under threat
No, not me, not that one whatsoever, and then, as others have noted, no Santa, Boo hoo!
However, one of our favourite Christmas cartoons is of a Snowman under threat by two rabbits with a hair dryer demanding his carrot. Where they had the hair dryer plugged in I haven't a clue.
Have a Jolly Christmas, spiced with music, and if you can manage it, a bit of dance too...
Best of health to you and yours and your music too...
# Posted on December 23rd 2011 by ceolachan
"My years in a barn dance band weren't all wasted." - Guernsey Pete
Oh yeah, so I take it you have your estate in the Cotswolds to thank for that?
# Posted on December 23rd 2011 by ceolachan
Re: A Sliding Snowman
Santa is well protected by the snowmen.
You'll see him at 07:15 here though:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27lJ0szOM3c&feature=related
The dance follows.
# Posted on December 23rd 2011 by Weejie
Re: A Sliding Snowman
# Posted on December 23rd 2011 by ceolachan
Re: A Slippery Snowman
A sequel, wouldn't you just know it. They can't leave well enough alone, and they had to go national and add a snowman in a kilt with sporran... As you can well see, being asexual 'it' doesn't have to worry about bouncing around in a dance and the dangers of the sporran...
Now, if only a good blizzard would come along to make things really exciting... Bah Humbug!!!
# Posted on December 23rd 2011 by ceolachan
I love the closing credits ~
A Snowman Enterprises Production...
# Posted on December 23rd 2011 by ceolachan
Re: A Sliding Snowman
That was the original movie. The sequel was "Father Christmas" and he meets the boy again at the end. (not really a 'sequel' as far as Briggs books go - but it was made by the same folk - The Bear as well).
Not sure if they are dancing the Strip the Willow there - it would be the northern one if they are. There is grand chain in one bit as well , and they are involved in a wee bit of do-si-do. Bit of a mish-mash - but the nights are long up there.
# Posted on December 23rd 2011 by Weejie
So 'long nights' account for hallucinations?
# Posted on December 23rd 2011 by ceolachan
Re: A Sliding Snowman
You don't need hallucinations when Da Mirrie Dancers are about.
# Posted on December 23rd 2011 by Weejie
Snowman sequel
I wonder if after three they'll do a set of prequels like "Star Wars"?
# Posted on December 24th 2011 by ceolachan
Re: A Sliding Snowman
Definitely a bit of twaddle cooked up by whoever did the music ( OK, Walking In The Air's a classic, but too many people in the music biz think they can run up a bit of fake Scottish Smaltz and it's OK ).
I shall draft a No 1 Stiff Letter to the paper insisting that real Scottish music is used next time.
# Posted on December 24th 2011 by Guernsey Pete
Re: A Sliding Snowman
Shetland?!
# Posted on December 24th 2011 by ceolachan
Re: A Sliding Snowman
you tell 'em, g.pete...i did enjoy the thing, though, thanks!
# Posted on December 24th 2011 by full measure
Re: A Sliding Snowman
Perhaps some Sami joiking would be nearer the mark - or some Inuit music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaitEJidUs0
# Posted on December 24th 2011 by Weejie
A Bloody snowman
As we're going out on a ledge, I'll put my vote in for The Faroes, some lovely music there, and they could bring in a little colour, red is generally considered Christmas-ee, with the whale cull included in the story...
# Posted on December 24th 2011 by ceolachan
Re: A Sliding Snowman
That was part of the grade 5 syllabus on associated board this year. I played it and I passed!
Its called dance of the snowmen.
# Posted on December 24th 2011 by mandolinist
"Dance of the Snowmen" - part of the grade 5 syllabus
Thank goodness for aliases then...
# Posted on December 24th 2011 by ceolachan
Re: A Sliding Snowman
I show this movie all the time in school, most recently this past Wednesday to my city-wide orchestra. My kids have played the theme...great fun...never gets old.
Merry Christmas to everyone! And please raise your glasses today to my Dad, born on Christmas Day in 1921 and gone these long five years. A real music lover and friend of music.
# Posted on December 25th 2011 by Greg the Piano Tuner