Takeshi Terauchi and The Bunnys do Beethoven

September 11, 2006 6:04 PM

Japanese Surf Versions of Classical Themes
posted by BuddhaInABucket (14 comments total)

I downloaded this earlier today. It's brilliant in parts. The two Beethoven tracks are the standouts.
posted by unSane at 6:08 PM on September 11, 2006

Most definitely. I kinda expected Flight of the Bumblebee to be totally killer, but it ain't, IMO. I totally dug Hungarian Dance though, as it was one of my favourite pieces I played on the piano when I was a wee lad. Good post!
posted by freakystyley at 6:24 PM on September 11, 2006

Yes, he totally bailed on the Bumblebee, didn't he?

I've tried playing FOTBB myself as a surf track and it's well-nigh impossible. However he could have at least imitated it with some Dick Dale double picking.

However, high marks overall.

(I was a bit disappointed that he shortened the opening phrase of Fur Elise... not how I would have played it at all!)
posted by unSane at 6:55 PM on September 11, 2006

As someone who was a Japanese surf guitarist in a former life, I would have arranged the tracks in such a way that they were how I wanted them.
posted by taursir at 7:21 PM on September 11, 2006

Excellent. But how come the file name and title page for Symphony No. 5 says "Symphony No. 6?"
posted by ZenMasterThis at 7:31 PM on September 11, 2006

There's a Japanese surf revival band called the Surf Coasters who do this sort of stuff pretty well. You can check out their gigs in the live music section of archive.org - they do Flight of the Bumble Bee, and really rip it up with Miserlou.
posted by carter at 7:33 PM on September 11, 2006

Sweet! Not much to say besides the fact that I have a soft spot for surf music and this is a lot of fun to listen to.

Thanks, BuddhaInABucket.
posted by Stauf at 7:34 PM on September 11, 2006

The Surf coasters site ...
posted by carter at 7:39 PM on September 11, 2006

Very fun. Thanks for sharing!
posted by icanbreathe at 7:48 PM on September 11, 2006

Awe-freakin'-some. Thanks.

There's also a reverse on this idea. Kronos Quartet's string rendition of Dick Dale's "Misirlou Twist".
posted by heylight at 8:16 PM on September 11, 2006

Nice post. I like this!
posted by djeo at 9:28 PM on September 11, 2006

I dig it.
posted by Vindaloo at 9:37 PM on September 11, 2006

Cowabunga, ichi ban!
posted by pax digita at 10:15 AM on September 12, 2006

Solid and right on.
posted by hellphish at 11:58 AM on September 12, 2006