Music that always works

[Marco]

As long as the music is nice (or pretty) enough it is very difficult to not work as a program. I don't think I have seen a Turandot program at the elite level that doesn't work. (Even with Meissner's jump troubles, that program of hers made me love her skating. And Sokolova's Olympic short in 2006 even made her skating look pretty!)

Same with Claire De Lune.

Any others?

[oleada]

For some reason, I almost always like every single Rach program.

[pumba]

Definitely Turandot and Nutcracker. Both so beautiful and sugary that one does not need to skate good to get applause, because the music itself is gorgeous

[Marco]

Definitely Turandot and Nutcracker. Both so beautiful and sugary that one does not need to skate good to get applause, because the music itself is gorgeous

I would include the Nutcracker, but there was one program last year that literally made me fall asleep every single time I watched it.

But Shen & Zhao and Cohen's performances

[neptune]

Hey, and don't forget Tone Loc's "Wild Thing." That's always a sure bet.

[orbitz]

It's depend on the skaters too though. Imagine skaters like Trixie Schuba, Kira Ivanova, etc. skating to Claire de Lune. I think you'll be bored to tears.

[CaptCrunch]

Out of Africa. Beautiful music. Did wonders for Savchenko/Szo. last year.

[allezfred]

Carmen.

[Wyliefan]

For some reason, I almost always like every single Rach program.

I was just going to mention Rach.

[Kwantumleap]

I think outside of skating uber fan circles overused music isn't as big of a deal. The repetitive use of music has many pros to it that have already been discussed ad nauseam. Yet, I don't think that choice advances figure skating unless the skater has something new and profound to add which typically isn't the case Aside from lack of super stars, money, and advertising, what skating is lacking is a way to keep current. Some skaters include instrumental pop that's more present day mainstream, but even that is suspect for how well it works with skating.

[Blair]

Out of Africa. Beautiful music. Did wonders for Savchenko/Szo. last year.

Yes, but arguably the music would have been very hard to carry if it weren't for their outstanding ability to interpret and their spotless elements.

I always thought Out of africa would be a terrible choice for a weaker skater/team because it requires the program and choreography to build with a very slow and soft theme. Not an easy thing to do, IMO.

[CaptCrunch]

Don't agree. Also loved Jill Trenary's slow part to her 87 LP set to Out of Africa.

[AxelAnnie]

I love "My Sweet and Tender Beast" I don't care who skates to it...but Sasha and B/S are two of my favorites. I have a cut of the music (which was hard to find a few years ago) on my iPod

Romeo and Juliet is gorgeous...but can be butchered so horribly...as can so many of the operas and ballets. There should be a law against it!

Otonal I always love (which kinda scares me for some reason).

[Fallcolor]

- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini: no matter who skates to it, it usually always works well. both TTMM and P/T are examples in 2004. I even preferred Rachael Flatt's slow section to that music last season, than the slow section of the previous yr's LP...lol!
- Phantom of the opera: fan-friendly, with enough highs and lows that could suit any skater that is lyrical, theatrical, or the truck driver ones.
- Pearl harbour, i felt better towards Yankowskas/Coughlin, after i saw their LP surprisingly. V/M as well.

[pinky166]

As much as I hate to say it, Scherezade usually works out well. Also Totentanz/Danse Macabre, I have seen a number of different people skate to those two songs and I've liked all the versions well enough. Oh and Libertango.

[mmscfdcsu]

Any and all Puccini.

[Kasey]

Requiem for a Dream

(I mean, 3 million skaters can't be wrong....)

[Marco]

Carmen.

Didn't work for Ando/ Asada

I love "My Sweet and Tender Beast" I don't care who skates to it...but Sasha and B/S are two of my favorites. I have a cut of the music (which was hard to find a few years ago) on my iPod

Romeo and Juliet is gorgeous...but can be butchered so horribly...as can so many of the operas and ballets. There should be a law against it!

Otonal I always love (which kinda scares me for some reason).

I agree with My Sweet and Tender Beast!

Nina Rota's version is much easier to work with, the Tchaikovsky version is much harder to work with and both Arakawa's and Sokolova's versions were dull. Even Kulik's (and I love Kulik)

Speaking about Kulik, what about Gershwin? Kulik, Lysacek and Kim all brought it home skating to Gershwin.

Otonal hasn't worked since the original. No one can beat the Bute.

- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini: no matter who skates to it, it usually always works well. both TTMM and P/T are examples in 2004. I even preferred Rachael Flatt's slow section to that music last season, than the slow section of the previous yr's LP...lol!

Actually I don't think I have ever truly enjoyed any program using either Rhapsody or Variations on a Theme by Paganini.

As much as I hate to say it, Scherezade usually works out well. Also Totentanz/Danse Macabre, I have seen a number of different people skate to those two songs and I've liked all the versions well enough. Oh and Libertango.

Agree about Danse Macabre and Libertango. They even worked for Drtyt and Liashenko!

I would agree more about Scherezade if not for the heartache in 2002. Both Slutskaya's and Oda's Totentanz made me cringe.

[siouxdonym]

Both Slutskaya's and Oda's Totentanz made me cringe.

I wish someone would skate to the original Liszt piece.

[Cloudy_Gumdrops]

Swan Lake