Scandinavia (composition)
Encyclopedia
"Scandinavia" is an instrumental
composition by Northern Irish singer-songwriter
Van Morrison
and is the closing track on his 1982 album Beautiful Vision
.
The track is Morrison's first released instrumental and would be followed by many others throughout his 1980s career. It has been performed in concert only a few times. It was performed by Morrison on the Rockpalast TV/radio simulcast from Grugahalle, Essen, April 4, 1982.
It was recorded at the first recording session for the Beautiful Vision album and was the only track from this session that would be used on the album. The musicians featured differed from the other tracks on the finished album and had appeared with Morrison at the Great American Music Hall in March 1981. Morrison played piano on this instrumental.
The composition was nominated in the Best Rock Instrumental Performance category for the 25th Annual Grammy Awards.
It was used throughout the 1993 BBC documentary 40 Minutes
.
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
composition by Northern Irish singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
and is the closing track on his 1982 album Beautiful Vision
Beautiful Vision
Beautiful Vision is an album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released February 1982 by Warner Bros. Records in the US and Mercury Records in the UK. As with many of Morrison's recordings, spirituality is a major theme and some of the songs are based on the teachings of...
.
The track is Morrison's first released instrumental and would be followed by many others throughout his 1980s career. It has been performed in concert only a few times. It was performed by Morrison on the Rockpalast TV/radio simulcast from Grugahalle, Essen, April 4, 1982.
It was recorded at the first recording session for the Beautiful Vision album and was the only track from this session that would be used on the album. The musicians featured differed from the other tracks on the finished album and had appeared with Morrison at the Great American Music Hall in March 1981. Morrison played piano on this instrumental.
The composition was nominated in the Best Rock Instrumental Performance category for the 25th Annual Grammy Awards.
It was used throughout the 1993 BBC documentary 40 Minutes
40 Minutes
40 Minutes was a BBC TV documentary strand broadcast on BBC Two between 1981 and 1994.Some documentaries in the original series were revisited and updated in a 2006 version, Forty Minutes On....
.
Personnel
- Van Morrison - pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
- Mark IshamMark IshamMark Isham is an American trumpeter, synthesist, and film composer. He works in a variety of genres, including jazz, electronic, and film.-Life and career:...
- synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s - Herbie Armstrong - acoustic rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
- David HayesDavid Hayes (musician)David Hayes is an American bass guitar player.Hayes has worked with Van Morrison, The Rowans, Terry & The Pirates, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Country Joe McDonald and others....
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Peter Van HookePeter Van HookePeter Van Hooke was drummer in the English band Mike + The Mechanics as well as having drummed for Cliff Richard, Van Morrison's band, Headstone, and Ezio. During the 1980s he successfully co-produced many of Tanita Tikaram's hits.Van Hooke grew up in Stanmore, Middlesex and attended Mill Hill...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....