Florence & the Machine and Defiance

Today I have music for you by one of the most incredibly talented artists of recent years and our generation. Florence and the Machine is a group that has so much to offer. Florence Welch has one of the most unique and fantastic voices I have ever heard. She is an absolute powerhouse, with the ability to belt out those high notes and fill them with so much strength and sound. And then we have songs like this where we get to hear more of her softer side. We get to hear more of her emotional side and vulnerability because she held back. Florence Welch is also quite an artist in all sense of the term. Not only is the music production itself phenomenal, but the depth of her songs can sometime overwhelm me. She is a true artist in the sense that her creativity and artistic nature is not limited to just her music. Florence Welch becomes a poet when penning her lyrics. She becomes a filmmaker and director when she decides to make a music video. She becomes an actress while filming her videos. And she becomes one of the most well rounded artists of our time. Everything she does is deliberately so in order to convey her message and her thoughts and her emotions and feelings. The level of depth and the number of layers in this song because of her artistry makes the music become something more. She expands the music component to visual and aesthetic features as well, turning the song into a chapter, and the album into a novel. By the end of her music days, we will have a saga, and epic that tells us the story of Florence Welch. It is just so incredible to see and hear how complex and simple the music is. While Florence and the Machine don't put out new music often, when it does happen, it tends to take your breath away.  Today's instrumental song is from the movie Defiance. For those of you who have not heard or seen this movie, I highly recommend that you do. This is a movie that is inspiring, heroic, and breathtaking. Based on a true story, Defiance tells the story of a Jewish camp on the run during Nazi Germany. This movie is emotional and tragic while also being a story that should live on for the ages. The heroism, loyalty, and leadership defined in this movie is incredible, and this is a movie that leaves one spell bound. The score for this movie was composed by James Newton Howard, a man who is known for being able to compose some of the most beautiful and moving pieces. For this film, he focused on the traditional Jewish take of the violin. In this suite, we hear how that violin swells above the rest and sings proudly about the loss and tragedy, the hope and faith held by the people during this time. The string work in this suite is absolutely brilliant, creating a soft shimmer to accompany the violin. In moments of intensity, the strings are able to pull forward and bring that tension to the forefront. But during the softer moments, the lovely and hopeful moments, the strings provide a beautiful support. They create this tone of a warm embrace, something powerful but gentle. James Newton Howard perfectly captured the film's emotions and sentiments and the score itself is just a masterpiece. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!