Music Suggestions

The theme from "Somewhere in Time" is a Rachmaninoff piece- I can't recall the name- but it is lovely. All of the Sound of Music tunes. Queen's music for Highlander ( There's no time for us, Kind of Magic, etc.). All of the waltzes, etc from the various Strausses. Schubert,Bach, Hyden, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Brahms,Chopan(he was Polish), etc. Older fuges, rounds,and madrigals and motets. Opera- Wagner to Mozart- Italian to German to French etc., Modern Rock such as 99 Red Balloons (99 Luftballons in the german), Abba and others. Galeic/Celtic music, Bartok, Ommpapa music (German/Austrian), Yodeling (Austria), Polkas (Czeck and Solavk as well as Polish), medieval polyphonic chants, Gegorian chants, and masses etc. Austrian folk music such as the Ländler, Gypsie music,... There's lots out there-

Rhapsody on a theme from Paganini - that's the song from "Somewhere in Time". When he was whistling it (wasn't it supposed to be about 1900), it hadn't been written yet. I think it was first played in 1934. And although a Russian composer, Rachmaninoff was living in NYC when he wrote it. But then the songs from SOM, including that Austrian "favorite" Edelweiss, were written by American composers Rogers and Hammerstein.

It seems that you're getting a fair share of classical recommendations. I'm just going to add 1.5 more (one is an operatic pop song). Pavarotti singing "Nessum Dorma" from Turandot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VATmgtmR5o4&feature=related I normally prefer German opera, but that has to be 3 of the most divine minutes in musical history. Watch this guy pull a Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent singing the same tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA&feature=related You may already know this one from Andrea Bocceli, "Con te Partiro": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcrfvP11Hbo I'll be back later with a whole bunch of Dutch, Flemish and German pop and schlager, but for now, here's my wife's favorite Dutch language song, "Rood (Red)" from Marco Borsato. I can personally attest that this song causes Dutch-speaking females to swoon like no other: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM7F4XA7nsU Here's my favorite Dutch song from my favorite Dutch artist, Ramses Schaffy singing "Zing, Vecht, Huild, Bid, Lacht, Werk en Bewonder (Sing, Fight, Cry, Pray, Laugh, and Admire)" If you don't understand a word of Dutch, the pictures in this clip basically show what its about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8VVDqAasKk And finally, just because I loved this song from Eurovision last night and I think it needs more exposure, "Da-Da Dum" from Finland. It didn't do too well, probably because it goes against the flash-and-trash style that usually wins the contest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoDsA9PutU4

Here are some of my favorite Polish pop/rock songs, I hope none of these fall into the category of "Eurotrash":/. I like them, but maybe it's because they bring back fond memories, but I really think it's more than that. Hope you find something you like:) Procz Ciebie nic by Kayah & Krzysztof Kiljanski http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItKxVNUFKYI Prowadz mnie by Kasia Kowalska http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nEs9pvz8u8 Dziewczyna mojego chlopaka by Monika Brodka http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd_pBQrobcY&feature=related Przytul mnie by Krzysztof Krawczyk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o-7k7CIMjg Nieskonczona historia by Ewelina Flinta
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dBfLnnZW0Y Jak Zapomniec by Jeden Osiem L (This is sort of "Polish Rap" in a way, but with cellos and piano. I love, love, love this song:) ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr0idX7QVtM This is the internet site for RMF-FM radio station in Poland. There are 20+ sub-stations with very specific themes. The top one listed - RMF-FM - is the one you hear on the radio there. It is a mix of English language and Polish pop songs from last 20 years along with some French and Czech songs. http://www.miastomuzyki.pl/#40

For pure fun and toe-tapping enjoyment try DJ Oetze singing "La Ola Walzer". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj7oHvYdyD0 At Schoenbrun Palace, no less!

Rose! I could (and do) listen to her all day! Even if you don't understand French, this video tells a touching story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT3NabxtnLM

Thank you so much... these are fantastic. a few were already my favorites... Somewhere in Time and Out of Africa soundtracks (I used to photograph weddings a number of years ago and used this music for slide shows) Nessun Dorma.... every time I hear this I still get chills in a certain part..and love Paul Potts singing it...he was before Susan Boyle on BGT I am spending my Sunday making my CD.
Anyone have a program they use to create MP3's from Youtube videos? I have tried to buy some of these from Amazon or Itunes and they are not available, so I need to convert the music so I can make my CD.... Also, I love music that is not in English...unless it is something with great meaning the words usually take away from it.

Have you tried changing your country in iTunes to see what "current" music is popular in the countries you're visiting? In the iTunes program at the very far bottom right is a flag - click on it to change country. You can't buy music this way until you switch back to the USA, but it's fun to see what is popular in other places (sadly, often American music). Adele is a popular British singer and has a new album out. As for other suggestions, I really enjoy listening to the Irish pub songs I bought at Best Buy (super cheap, like $3.99 for 30 songs). It was easier to sing along with our tour bus driver singing "Molly Malone". Amusingly, on my trip to Spain, the music I listened most was thinks I liked at home. Now when I hear those (not Spanish) songs I remember Spain.

American group, but they have great songs in Italian, French, Spanish, Arabic, Japanese and more: Pink Martini. Andrea Bocelli already mentioned, but love him. Italian song "Senza Fine" you will remember it once you hear it. Very mellow. Also "Volare" in the original Italian is nice (not the Dean Martin one). It's called "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu" in Italian.

More, mostly German/Dutch/Flemish. Louis Neefs, "Laat ons een bloem": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71wghw75fQs Ramses Shaffy, "Zonder bagage", about a recovered alcoholic excited about starting his life again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIz7IQXCk-s A kid's song that caught on with adults at wedding receptions and other occasions where intoxicated people start to dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_bewBVuA9w (Cont).

Another kid's song that caught on with adults: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNk8DD3ZDTE A song known by virtually every native Dutch speaker, by Vader Abraham: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsJCwRR_YSU Vader Abraham's most well known song in the rest of the world, in the original Dutch lyrics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hon6rSejsFE&feature=related If you need one German beer hall song, make it this one all time classic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVnezPeVcdA The quintessential jolly Bavarian folk song... that in actuality, isn't Bavarian, a genuine folk song, or jolly. It was originally written for an orphan's choir in the early 1950s. The tragic subtext of the song is that "the happy wanderer" of the title, the father of the singers, would have been killed in the war. Hence, sung by an orphan's choir. I think the undercurrent of sadness comes through best in the original recording: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK28MpUepa4 (Cont)

The best-known German disco song, by Marianne Rosenberg: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUL5tgIYxDI I don't know where this was used in the US, but it should sound familiar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSwJ2rjUSdc&playnext=1&list=PL4B47027A2DBF6082 Plastic Bertrand is considered somewhat of a joke in Belgium, but you'll probably recognize "Ca plane pour moi": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PITnJAnmjqw One of the biggest international hits from the Netherlands in the early 2000s: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WNo6YdN8u0 The only Frisian-language song I know of: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YRSYQ0cz1o Jeroen van der Boom with his biggest hit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDCQtHygN1A That's enough for now. Unless you want more...

@Tom... you are a wealth of music info.... I will post again if I don't have enough, but I have found lots of new people I have never heard of, even though I think I am quite in to music....there is a whole lot more out there for me to enjoy! My only problem is the conversion on a few that are not for sale... I can only find them on youtube and can't get through to my computer guy to see if he know how to do this...but I will figure it out.
Thank you so much... I will post my playlist when I get the CDs done.

Terry kathryn, For Vienna any music by the vocalist Greta Keller sung in German. Her music captures the mood and atmosphere of traditional Vienna.