Underused Warhorse Pieces | Golden Skate

Underused Warhorse Pieces

BillNeal

You Know I'm a FS Fan...
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Jan 10, 2014
Fans' hearts sink a little when a skater announces that they are going to skate to Carmen, POTO, Les Mis, MR, etc, because we anticipate to hear Habanera, All I Ask of You, I Dreamed a Dream, and Tango De Roxanne, that we seemed to have heard in hundreds of previous FS programs. So can underused and warhorse go together when referring to FS music? Well, I've seen posters express that there are many songs/cuts that remain unexplored in the warhorse suites and movie, musical, and opera soundtracks.

I would like to see someone skate to Empty Chairs at Empty Tables (Michael Ball version). It's quite a potent song where Marius sits alone at the cafe and laments the loss of his friends in the battle, with a tinge of survivor's guilt referenced. It is an underrated song that a skater can use for the SP and many would not recognize that it came from Les Mis. I think someone like Deniss Vasiljevs may be able to pull it off (I think he has the skating and interpretation skills - I liked his Bring Him Home that he did in shows two seasons ago).

What underused warhorse piece would you like a skater explore in a competitive program?
 

Lamente Ariane

Skating Skills -5, Fashion +3, Camp +4
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Joined
Apr 5, 2017
Phantom of the Opera remains popular and yet I feel like I never hear "Twisted Every Way." To be fair, it is very short but since everyone likes to use cuts of multiple songs, why not throw it in there?
 

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605
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Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Fans' hearts sink a little when a skater announces that they are going to skate to Carmen, POTO, Les Mis, MR, etc, ...

Not complaining about the thread, but I am happy every time that I hear Carmen. :hap85:

And my heart does not sink at the others.

Different strokes for different folks. :)
 

NymphyNymphy

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 26, 2017
Lark Ascending. I wish more skaters would skate to this music. Yuna's version was superb! Too bad she never skated it clean.
 

hanyuufan5

✨**:。*
Medalist
Joined
May 19, 2018
I would like to see someone skate to Empty Chairs at Empty Tables (Michael Ball version). It's quite a potent song where Marius sits alone at the cafe and laments the loss of his friends in the battle, with a tinge of survivor's guilt referenced. It is an underrated song that a skater can use for the SP and many would not recognize that it came from Les Mis. I think someone like Deniss Vasiljevs may be able to pull it off (I think he has the skating and interpretation skills - I liked his Bring Him Home that he did in shows two seasons ago).

Oooooh, Empty Chairs at Empty Tables would be a good one.

(On a mostly unrelated note, I once came across a usually very busy lounge (lots of tables and chairs there) at my school completely empty and sat there listening to that song and giggling.)

I'd love to hear Stars (although that might not go over too well in this day and age) or Do You Hear the People Sing? (particularly the ending version).
 

flipsydoodle

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 19, 2004
Verdi is rarely used, and, although operatic voices might be a little much, the Cincinnatti Pops orchestra has versions without voice. Possibilities would range from opera scores to the Requiem. IIRC, one of Gordeeva and Grinkov's last pieces was from the Requiem. Skip the elephant march in Aida and maybe the drinking song in La Traviata as being inappropriate for for the ice and/or family audiences, but I would say there are many possibilities. And for those skaters who like choreography that culminates in a tragic death, there's plenty of that, too.
 

BillNeal

You Know I'm a FS Fan...
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Joined
Jan 10, 2014
Verdi is rarely used, and, although operatic voices might be a little much, the Cincinnatti Pops orchestra has versions without voice. Possibilities would range from opera scores to the Requiem. IIRC, one of Gordeeva and Grinkov's last pieces was from the Requiem. Skip the elephant march in Aida and maybe the drinking song in La Traviata as being inappropriate for for the ice and/or family audiences, but I would say there are many possibilities. And for those skaters who like choreography that culminates in a tragic death, there's plenty of that, too.

I found out a few days ago that Cappellini/Lanotte did a beautiful free dance to La traviata, the death of Violetta referenced in both the starting and ending poses, and also the drinking song is used for the circular step.
 

Step Sequence4

JULLLIEEEEETTTT!
Final Flight
Joined
Jan 12, 2018
I always feel like Gladiator is underused, the music is amazing and there aren’t tooo many programs.
 

StephenGfan

Final Flight
Joined
Apr 10, 2018
umbrellas of Cherbourg, Turnadot, gladiator and Les Miserables. Warhorses, but not used quite enough to be in the leagues of carmen,poto and swan lake.
 

TontoK

Hot Tonto
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Jan 28, 2013
Country
United-States
Oooooh, Empty Chairs at Empty Tables would be a good one.

(On a mostly unrelated note, I once came across a usually very busy lounge (lots of tables and chairs there) at my school completely empty and sat there listening to that song and giggling.)

I'd love to hear Stars (although that might not go over too well in this day and age) or Do You Hear the People Sing? (particularly the ending version).

Although I'm tired of seeing skaters perform Les Mis, I have wonderful memories of seeing the show with my mother, may she rest in peace.

Empty Chairs is a wonderful song, maybe my favorite in the show, and I don't think I've ever seen it used in skating.
 

Harriet

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Oct 23, 2017
Country
Australia
Vivaldi's Four Seasons gets used a lot, but I don't remember the "Winter" Largo very often, and I love it, so I wish it would pop up more!
 

surimi

Onward and forward, Sota!
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Nov 12, 2013
I'd like for someone to skate to the 'Embassy Waltz' from My Fair Lady. As for POTO, I cannot recall when I last heard 'Learn to Be Lonely' (or 'Noone Would Listen'? I'm confused about the actual name). The less Les Mis music, the happier I'll be, but maybe one of the themes of the rascally couple whose names I don't remember. Also, for some reason 'Poeta' seems to be considered a warhorse, but I don't recall it skated to on senior elite level lately.
 

noskates

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Underused warhorse is an oxymoron to me. If it's underused how can it be a warhorse? I always thought warhorses were OVERused pieces of music like POTO, the dreaded Carmen, FOTO, etc.

There are so many beautiful and appropriate pieces of music out there for figure skating programs it always irritates me when the coaches and choreographers go back to the same ol' same ol' music. I feel like it's extreme laziness on their part because they already have the cuts taped and timed. Want new fresh stuff.
 

Alchamei

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2014
James Bond medleys used to be a warhorse at one point (I don't feel like it's used as much anymore, Wakaba is the only significant person that comes to mind), yet I've never heard soundtrack from On Her Majesty Secret Service. I can understand why, since it is quite a controversial movie among James Bond fans because of the main actor George Lazenby, but the movie itself is underrated, as well as the soundtrack. I think there could be an entire free skate skated to this movie soundtrack if done well. There is the main theme (I liked this edit better, the theme repeats itself after 2mins) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnUCV3d5sv8 and then the romantic song by the great Louis Armstrong that could be used as well. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMxRDTfzgpU
 
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