I’ve got just a little time before the freestyles start, so will quickly bring you up to speed on the GP Special this afternoon in case you couldn’t get yourself to any internet to watch the live feed. I can tell you that if I thought Adrienne Lyle and Wizard looked like US Olympic team contenders in the GP yesterday, they are looking like a shoo-in after their splendid performance today. The whole thing was brilliant but my very favourite part was the canter tour. I thought Heather’s ride, at least the first half, was not as good as yesterday. Paragon looked a little tense in the trot tour, and those stumbles in the extended trot must cost, but the canter tour was outstanding and the quality of the horse flesh had to have a big impact on the marks in the end. Definitely deserving of the score and second place, and probably headed for London too. Most improved from yesterday, I’m happy to report, was Vicki and Proton. They looked much more in sync.
And now for the freestyles, which I do hope you all managed to watch on the wonderful HD live feed.
Minna and Deinhardt – love the arrangement of her U2 music. Canter choreography was a little confusing but the music makes up for it. The sound system this year is ten times improved over last year. Actually the whole scene here is fantastic. There is atmosphere like you never see at North American dressage shows, other than at the WC in Vegas (I wish they would do it again, it’s the best use of Vegas I can imagine) . Back to Minna – lovely music, lovely ride. 71%
Carl and Wie Atlantico – Oh Carl, I’m sorry but I do hate your Tom Jones music. I didn’t expect you to make a whole new freestyle for your catch ride but perhaps you could have riffled through the archives and found something less cheesy. And that matches the gait, perhaps. On the technical side, Carl is brilliant beyond measure. He barely knows this horse (he just admitted in the post-ride interview – which is being broadcast by live feed into the arena on monitors, much to our delight – that he’s ridden Wie Atlantic a grand total of 14 times), but he actually pushed and took risks – and pulled it off. I feel like I’m insulting him by even giving an assessment, however gushingly praiseful. Thank you Carl, for coming to town. Thousands of fans appreciate it. 74.85%
Tina and Calecto – I do love the KT Tunstall passage music and he’s a wonderful horse but this week he just doesn’t look quite himself. Unlevel steps in the extended trots and just not quite the happy-pants worker I remember from last year.
Ashley and Breaking Dawn – I know I’m venturing into dangerous territory here, given that she’s Canadian, but since I don’t know who made the freestyle, I can’t be guilty of anything personal. The music simply does not match the horse’s gaits. At all. Except for the final passage. And there’s a clamouring to the canter music that doesn’t flatter the one gait where he can get tight. Ok, before you send me hate mail, I do love the horse and Ashley is clearly headed in an exciting direction with him. 71.325%
Steffen and Ravel – I first saw this freestyle on a web video from Aachen last summer. My first impression was that the rhythm of the individual songs really enhance Ravel, but that the music, while beautifully arranged and seamless, was a bit repetitive and lacking in impact – and I found the ethereal child’s voice a bit well, ethereal for a big elastic powerhouse like Ravel. I thought seeing it live might change my mind, but it didn’t. I also thought Ravel wasn’t quite as good tonight as yesterday. The choreography is extremely difficult and quite twisty. There were several times I wished the line was straight and gave the horse a chance to get his balance. I’m nitpicking a bit but Ravel is such an incredibly generous athlete and I found that tonight his best didn’t quite come through. 83.7%
Tinne and Favourit – at the risk of invoking the wrath of a certain freestyle designer from Les Pays-Bas…on second thought I think I’ll refrain from saying that I find Putting on The Ritz a somewhat unoriginal idea. It seems like endless canter to me, choreographically. I do love Tinne’s riding and she does follow her music. Too bad Favourit isn’t that keen on piaffe at the moment. 78.25%
Anja and Le Mont d’Or – 80′s flashback. I really liked the passage music. And the horse is such an Honest Abe, pretty too. Gallop down centre line to something very near a sliding stop at the end. The crowd liked that part. I didn’t catch the score because Tom and Alex Dvorak came to hang out with me for Charlotte’s ride.
Charlotte and Valegro – oh my goodness gracious godness agnes I love that horse. And actually, the music was easily my favourite of the night for excitement and for something that mirrored in sound what the horse is visually and emotionally. He’s not quite there yet – there were a few moments where his youth was betrayed – but this is going to be a very exciting pair to watch in London. It was worth the trip to FL just to see them, and I’m sure I’m not alone in that sentiment. 83.65%
Ok folks, I have to go make sure there are bottles of water on the table at the press conference (journalism is a very glamorous job) so I’ll post this and say goodnight for now.
With the risk that this comment is deleted when it arrives on this blog, here I go: you’ve asked for it Karen, didn’t you?
It’s nice to read a review about the WDM freestyles at first, and everyone who reads it should keep a few things in mind: if you already did not know!
Its personal, its subjective and it’s written by someone who has very little musical knowledge; not only theoretical knowledge but also a poor knowledge of music history.
Besides these 3 important issues; it also shows little knowledge of dressage choreography’s; and what a rider would like to express with it (or not).
A bigger problem is that Karen Robinson makes the same mistake as many judges; she not observing any freestyle in an objective perspective.
She talking about her personal music taste (very subjective) and when she talks about musical arrangements, its if they were custom made for the freestyle and not being a part of the original music and arrangement.
It goes too deep and too far to discuss all of her personal remarks; but one should read her comment as subjective, poorly documented musical wise, and therefore should be considered as fun, non sense, and meant as bla-bla blog entertainment; so read it just before going to the loo!
To keep my favorite expression for you alive Karen; I can’t put more feathers in you ass, sorry!
Still, good friends for ever!
Cees
I did not reach your comment about Tinne’s freestyle; I quitted after reading three of four of your ‘reviews’; because I’m sure you missed the sense of this one too; so why reading it?
Perhaps this makes it a bit difficult for you to respond?/Users/ceesslings/Desktop/images.jpeg
I’m sorry, but Cees are you implying that the general public as well as the judges need to be professors of music history? I for one as well as my friends who came to watch the action live, happen to agree with Karen… most of the time. Please, let’s stop the over-produced/manipulated music, over the top complicated choreography that never allows the more knowledgible spectators to get what is going on before a change in the music and movement. Some of the rides that night as heard by the people in the “cheap” seats had our ears bleeding. (perhaps a sound check in the upper seats?) My favorite expression is KISS …keep it simple stupid. Afterall, who are we trying to impress?
The general public doesn’t need to be professors of music history. For sure, no Marja!
But Karen didn’t write this story as being the general public, or did she? I think she wrote a review, very personal and very subjective; nothing wrong with that at all.
Only, one (in this case me) would expect to recognize some knowledge about music in general and freestyle music in specific; because Karen, at least what I understand is not only a blogger but also a freestyle compiler. Sorry, I did not read any of that knowledge in her ‘review’.
And what about the judges? Judges who adjudicate this level of freestyle dressage for sure need to have a very good knowledge of music in the widest sense. They should be able to recognize the musical quality and content of a freestyle. Judges on this level should know what musical form and style is, they should see and hear the used time signatures, the tempo, the rhythm and/or pulse. They should be able to mark the used dynamics, including the quality of the choreography. There’s only one question important here; do the judges have these qualifications? Unfortunately I have only one sad answer: no!
Good for you and for your friends that you agreed most of the time with Karen’s review. But I happen to wonder what this says about you and your friends. Perhaps you have the same musical taste as Karen? Perhaps you have the same favorites as Karen?
And what about over-produced/manipulated music, over the top complicated choreography’s?
Well, at least your ears seem better than mine, or from any of my colleagues in music production. We have never heard any ‘over-produced’ freestyle since we got involved, since 1995.
Poorly produced, badly produced, or not ‘produced’ at all, yep for sure. Badly manipulated music, with poor cut & paste edits, with dislocated bars, and ‘new?’ invented ‘musical’ time signatures: certainly.
Phase and level failures, with horrible dynamic and frequency errors: yes, it’s all there in the circus of Freestyle dressage.
All these problem make your ears bleed, and funny enough: you payed for this kind of treatments. And what about show organizers who rent the worse PA systems you can imagine, not to speak of the willing amateurs who act as an engineer and play the faders as if it were the stops of a pipe organ?
Let me try to answer your last question: who are we trying to impress?
The ‘fun’ factor of (freestyle) dressage is to impress everybody who’s watching the performance of the horse and rider combination. Freestyle offers the opportunity to be creative, to show what the horse does well.
They even made an Olympic sport of it. Riding was first introduced in 1900 Olympics and in 1912, all three Olympic disciplines still seen today were part of the games. In 1952 the rules were changed and allowed civilians and women to compete. Olympic equestrian is one of the two Olympic sports where women compete equally with men. These men and women are called athletes, so are their horses.
With their skills combined they are the ones who impress us. Surrounded and supported by a team of professionals, each in his/her own discipline. And since 1996 also musical composers, arrangers and producers are part of the rider’s team.
I really enjoyed Tinne’s music, but also thought Laura B’s music at WEG’s was absolutely fantastic and you didn’t. It really comes down to individual background and taste in music. I agree that the Judges have a huge job and could make good use of music and choreography specialists who could credibly judge these aspects.
Actually, Noni, I don’t agree that it’s a matter of taste and background. I have used music similar to Laura’s and I have used Putting on the Ritz – for lower level freestyles. My criticism of Tinne’s music was about the lack of originality, not a personal objection to the music itself. I do agree that the judges can’t have too much education but let’s get one thing clear about choreography ‘experts’. Cees calls himself a choreographer, but he has never sat on a horse in his life. Where he is inarguably the most knowledgeable music man in this conversation, he can’t possibly say that he knows more about whether a horse’s canter pirouette would improve by being placed following an extended canter or a half pass than I do.
Well there you go. Incidentally, my comment wasn’t about Mr. Slings.
Hi Noni, thanks for letting me know you liked Laura’s ánd Tinne’s freestyles, and I fully agree with your idea of musical taste and background.
About Karen’s comments: judging and reviewing.
An important element of ‘judging’ or ‘reviewing’ the musical part of a freestyle is knowledge. Let’s face this part of Karen’s review at first.
In her comment Karen stated that she has used music similar to Laura’s and also had used Putting on the Ritz. For lower level freestyles. Her criticism of Tinne’s music was about the lack of originality.
Why Karen mentioned that she used this particular music for ‘lower level’ freestyles is not clear to me; maybe Karen could explain? Or is it, because she, Karen Robinson, a famous freestyle dressage music compiler, who’s work has never has reached any European top rider, has used this music before; so that we not should consider this music as original. Pardon me, please Karen?
Karen, in her own words, ‘designs freestyles’ with her company Applause Dressage, at least when she’s not writing articles for her horse Canada blog.
What do you do Karen?
Please make a clear statement Karen; what do you mean with ‘designing’ freestyles? Do you ‘design’ the choreography? ‘Do you ‘design’ the music? What do you do?
You told me, once, that you cut and paste music, like an ordinary music editor. You use composed, produced and recorded music from CD’s; you cut and paste it, in order to make it fit (never fits!!) to any choreography you receive on video; is that it? And you call this ‘designing freestyles’?
And how about the choreography? Do you meet the rider, see the horse, do you talk and discuss about the quality and possibilities of the horse and rider and start drawing, in close harmony with the rider, trainer/coach? Tell me about the way you ‘design’ a choreography please?
In my video’s I explain simply in what I, and my team do: I’m very open and honest about my work. Ask and you will get an answers, drop by in my studio and I’ll show you what I do. I’m an easy person to approach, surely not the easiest person to work with.
Originality.
After reading Noni’s comments I read the review of Karen about Tinne’s freestyle. As I wrote before I did not intent too, but Noni’s comments made me curious.
It was a bit like I had expected; a half warm, half cold comment, not touching any edge; not touching any important issue; only her poor remarks about originality. But even on this part Karen missed all the important targets, and here’s why:
We used very unique arrangements of all these tunes. (my musical partners and I were extremely amazed by finding and hearing these special arrangements – we all never heard these all film and show arrangements before)
Sure Karen, it’s the same tune, only very, very different.
I know; its music, not your core business. No problem, only don’t get mixed up with it because it’s far beyond your knowledge. Sorry!
You also amazed me by neglecting all the weird and musical ‘add’s we used in this special arrangement. I know by now that its all too complex and too much ‘into detail’ for you!
Let’s get a bit in details!
The ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ theme is used in this freestyle as a recurring theme, call it a kind of chorus. (A very essential part of a freestyle, and few music compilers understand this important element!)
The same goes for all the other themes we used. The ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ theme is only used in the passage/piaffe movements. Recognizable for sure and with adding a ‘Fred Astaire’ like vocal, perhaps even more. All together 46 bars, including the intro; and the freestyle has a total of 178 bars.
The two ‘main’ passage/piaffe parts (performed on the quarter lines) are both differently arranged; the intro passage and the end passage are also differently arranged. No passage/piaffe part is the same, however for less musical ears they will probably sound the same.
Still we had 132! Bars left; where we used huge parts of ‘Fascinating Rhythm”, ‘Let’s call the whole thing off’ and ‘A Foggy day’.
It’s funny to read that Karen only refers to Puttin’ on the Ritz, but it’s kind of logical if you’re only familiar with one song from the huge ‘Broadway repertoire’. It also the reason why we called this freestyle ‘Its Broadway’, and not ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’. Makes you think again Karen?
All the brass-players (all top Dutch studio musicians) and all blessed with a huge knowledge of big-band and classical repertoire, who joined this session asked me for copies of the original sound files we used, for making the transcription and arrangements. Because these very experienced musicians, had never heard these (film & show) versions we used for making this freestyle. All the arrangements were completely new and fresh for them, including the sometimes very weird tempi changes and of course all the special use of mutes and silencers.
Perhaps Karen should have a look and listen to the videoclips we made about the freestyle, including the music. (Over 5000 viewers watched the music clip, over 8500 viewers watched the choreography clip!)
Here’s the link to Tinne’s video’s:
About the music: http://vimeo.com/29712791
About the choreography: http://vimeo.com/34812476
Everyone involved in this production also had a lot of fun about the use of the scratch and sample treatments we added; it sometimes completely ‘stops’ the music for 1/16, listen to it just before the walk sequence start. Never done before in any freestyle, hahaha!
The brass and vocal outtakes were used for scratching too, sometimes very ‘brutal’, like in the intro and in both half-pass passages. Between the very ‘long’ canter work as Karen wrote, we also added very rough vinyl scratches; all are meant as a rhythmical tribute to ‘Fascinating Rhythm. Adding a quite heavy and ‘pumping’ bass-drum and bass-line in ‘the Ritz’ theme, makes it all more modern.
It’s a bit of a pity to conclude that all this is too incomprehensible for Karen Robinson, someone who calls herself a freestyle designer or compiler?
Choreographer?
And what about calling myself a choreographer as Karen implies? I do NOT call myself a choreographer, so Karen is completely wrong here.
OK, I charge a special fee in making the freestyle; perhaps that’s annoying Karen?
I am, for what we call here in Holland, the ‘creative producer’ in the whole production: in music and in choreography.
If you watch the video’s I made about Tinne’s freestyle you can hear and see that creating a freestyle is teamwork; Tinne is involved, her trainer/coach Louise Nathorst is involved and me too. For me, the most important task is, to make the blue-print of the choreography a musical one. Because it has to be translated into a musical structure; many (98%, including Karen’s) freestyles do not have any musical structure.
And if I’m not involved, have no vote in creating the freestyle; count me out. I will never make a freestyle without being involved in creating it; clear?
The rider and the trainer/coach tell me what’s possible or not; besides this I have build up some experience since starting with the freestyle; in 1995.
It’s a bit sad and disappointing that Karen also does not understand that fact, because even at my age, you still learn and improve in doing things you do in daily routine.
I can only conclude that I’m getting better and better in scoring, arranging and composing, in producing and a lot of other things; every day when I get older.
Yes, I’m improving.
It’s a simple fact called experience; combined with my nastiest effort; I want to get better and improve my qualities and skills every day a little bit more.
My clients like my original vision and idea’s; they try and work with it; and sometimes it works, sometimes not. It’s the rider and trainer who decide what to do and how to ride; all my clients have their horses’ welfare at first place.
Its fun what we do, believe me. And if you don’t believe me; ask the riders, and all my clients.
Most riders have an idea about a new choreography; and together we play with it, change it and try it. Anything wrong with that?
The best compliment I ever got was the comment and reaction from Dane Rawlins; a dressage rider himself.
Watch this video and you can hear and listen what he’s saying; hear his smile and his joy! (at 3.35 and at 4.30)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmDlkF2PEHo&list=UU34ybOQQ5olUkEn5jcxl_sA&index=2&feature=plcp)
Finally.
The most childish and silly comment of Karen is about this one; did I ever sit on a horse?
Nope, its even worse. I’m not a horsy person at all, and since Bonfire once stepped on my new (English and handmade) shoes I really stay out of the way of horses.
I like horses; yes, under the hood of my cars; translated into horsepower.
I don’t like horses in general.
I also don’t like hospitals, police officers, ice-cream’s (Magnum), polar bears, sanitary napkins for baby’s and elderly people, condoms, child abuse, PC’s, optician’s or Zoo’s, just to name a few. For all of these subjects, however, I composed music in the past.
And I admit, I also don’t know much about all these subjects: perhaps only napkins now with our 2.5 years old Vera!
However; I can get ‘touched’ when a good musical production supports all this sort of horrible things when I watch it on screen.
Karen and I have met a few times; a first and very pleasant meeting in Blainville, Quebec, Canada. And we had another nice meeting here at my studio and house in Holland. Karen is a very nice person, no doubt. Her musical knowledge however, is not at a level where I can meet her in any discussion, to say it mildly.
I never have commented on Karen’s freestyle productions; why should I?
Karen however, takes the risk in commenting on my freestyles; no problem. I take the risk on arguing about it, openly. Only; Karen talkes about things miles beyond her knowledge; and that’s worrying me. Because it doesn’t help and support the sport the way it should be done!
Stupid?
And what about this? (All Karen’s questions!)
Did I ever sat on a horse? Yes!
Did I ever wanted to sit on a horse again? No!
Do I need the skills to ride a horse before making music for it? No!
Karen should do what she’s good at; write funny silly stories about dressage, horses, riders, coaches, organizers, forums and all the fuzz about this sport.
Read by many dressage fan’s in Canada and a few people in Europe who know about her blog; and once and while take a look at it.
And why did I spent 1.5 hour to write this mail you could ask? Good question!
Here’s one of them:
Karen should learn a lot more about music history and theory before she starts writing about it; and beyond this all: Karen should act as a professional journalist, blogger and dressage specialist; objective and knowing where her knowledge starts and ends!
PS I Karen is welcome as ever in Leersum, or we should meet at any place in good harmony; both knowing and appreciating each other’s skills!
PS II I’m really curious to hear Karen’s ‘lower class’ freestyle where she used Puttin’ on the Ritz. Perhaps she can put it on youtube and sent us a link? And please Karen, add the one where you used “Laura’s music’ too. I’m happy to comment on them both! I wanna bet for 250 euros that you don’t have the guts to do this!
So come on Robinson, show us some guts!
Cees’ latest rant has been removed from the comments to this blog due to its excessively tiresome and self-obsessed content. Cees, when I emailed you to ask that you not email me your long exceeding-everyone’s-interest-but-your-own messages – which were peppered throughout with insults – I probably should have also said your comments are not welcome on this blog. However, since I did make a comment about a freestyle you had designed at the WDM I felt it was only fair to let your response stand for my readers to see.
In the interests of not being dragged backwards into the kind of downward spiral of mudslinging you and Theo got up to in years past, I would ask you to agree that in return to never again mentioning your name or commenting on a single freestyle you have had a hand in creating, you will leave me alone. Permanently.
Fair, done, and we’ve got a deal, Karen!
I understand from this statement also that you will never write anything about musical freestyles too? Thank God, because that’s a big help for all who want to understand and enjoy the freestyle; never any silly reviews from the “Straight Up’ blog anymore. Promise? Please?
I presume you also will delete the “Leave a comment’ menu now from your blog?
Because with this answer to me it would be funny to keep it like that!
Useless, so delete it.
Karen Robinson speaks; no comment please!
I only don’t understand what was ‘removed’ with my mails; all I wrote to you is here to see, nothing is removed dear Karen, so thank God and well done my dear!
And sorry: only two things left now:
1: please don’t insult me with mentioning or combining me with this horrible idiot called Theo! You know why and it’s a pity that you start kicking below the belt!
2. It seems clear to me that you don’t want ‘show’ us, your audience, the two freestyles you made (where you used Puttin on the ridge -for lower level- and the ‘Laura’s music’, remember?) and mentioned in your comment, so please tell us, Karen, why not show it to the world of dressage music fan’s? Your worldwide audience?
Karen, thanks for your blog–its fun and funny. I agree that the Puttin’ on the Ritz music (which I personally enjoy) has been used so much that Tinne’s freestyle lost a lot of its punch. Maybe it has just been overused in North America, but that is where it was presented. I love watching her ride–I am a big fan (except for the weird rein flipping thing she was doing–was that part of the choreography?) Also, thank you for being a freestyle designer who is fun and easy to work with, and who consistently comes up with inventive choreography and great music!
Thanks Barbie! I try not to get dragged down into a pit of self-defense. It is very kind of you to share some thoughts about my apparently highly dubious skills.
For those of you who are confused about the fact that in a previous comment I said I had removed Cees’ BIG RANT and then it reaappeared, here is what happened. I unapproved the comment – not because I don’t welcome comments but because it was really TOO MUCH. Unfortunately an administrator went in and put it back, apparently without reading my comment at all. Then Cees just had to have one more go at me. And frankly, I just can’t be bothered any more. But I do hope Cees has gone and found fertile bitching ground on someone else’s blog.