Five for the Funk: Hackman (Music from the Romantic Period)

Beatsmith Hackman has been one of the most exciting producers to emerge in recent times, his tracks on the likes of Brownswood, Greco Roman and more showing a producer with a real panache for the otherworldly, as evidenced by his rather brilliant 'Forgotten Notes' (below).

That track was one of the standouts on Gilles Peterson's selections on Worldwide FM, the fictitious radio station that formed part of the soundtrack to Rockstar Games expansive masterpiece GTA V, in the process creating a wider understanding of a producer and DJ with considerable acumen.

He heads to Liverpool on Friday 13th March, where he'll headline the bill at Constellations new party Melodic Distraction, providing us with the perfect opportunity to delve further into his musical psyche for another Five for the Funk.

We knew the producer had a far ranging set of influences, but he offered up his favourite examples of music from the romantic period for probably our most left leaning piece in the series yet...

Niccolò Paganini - Caprice No. 24 in A minor

Paganini is considered the greatest violinist of all time, and demonstrates that virtuosity in this composition, considered one of the most difficult pieces ever written for solo violin. It comprises of a single theme, followed by 11 variations of said theme, and closing with a particularly climactic and virtuosic finale.

Paganini’s skill gave rise to a number of rumours, such as where he supposedly made a pact with the devil to be the greatest violinist, or that a black satanic figure would appear in the audience at concerts at which he was performing. The Catholic Church believed this so much that they refused to allow him to have a Catholic burial, for almost 40 years after his death! 

Liszt - Sonetto 104 del Petrarca, S. 161, No. 5 [André Laplante]

Paganini is supposed to have been a massive influence on Liszt, who was so in awe of his skill with the violin that he determined to reach similar heights with the piano. He must have achieved this as he’s widely considered the greatest piano virtuoso of all time. This is one of my favourite pieces written for the piano, with some really beautiful harmonies.

Rimsky-Korsakov - Scheherazade - op.35

This used to be on all the time when I was a child; I think we had some story tape version with narrative over the top. It’s about a woman who marries a sultan who has a habit of marrying a new woman every day, then beheading her the next day.

In order to keep herself alive she tells him a number of stories, in this case it’s the story of Sinbad the Sailor. After she’s finished telling the stories over an extended period of time the Sultan has fallen in love with her and spares her life. Whenever I hear it, it’s impossible not to get vivid images of the story in my head, as the music compliments it so well I think.

Vaughan Williams -The Lark Ascending

This piece by Vaughn Williams is based on a poem by George Meredith but is now far more widely known than the poem. I love this piece, as when you start listening you can’t help but picture lush English countryside. Considering I spent the first large portion of my life growing up in English countryside, it’s very nostalgic!

Françis Poulenc - Concerto for 2 pianos, 2 Larghetto

Technically Poulenc is not a composer from the Romantic (or late Romantic) period, as he led the neo-classical movement that rejected overstated emotion of Romanticism, overstated emotion being exactly what I love about music from the Romantic period!

However, after becoming increasingly religious, more spiritual depth was injected into his music, closely emulating a lot of Romantic music. We performed this movement in the orchestra at my old school. The section beginning at 2:06 is like a “drop” for me, love it!

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