Semiramis Appiamo asked:


Philippe Jaroussky is perhaps the most prominent French counter tenor of the century. He has a voice of great power and beauty - “the tone of an angel and the virtuosity of the Devil,” one French critic wrote.

But a counter tenor? It’s important to note that this is a conscious choice for the male singer. He could sing baritone or bass, but chooses to, as voice teacher David Jones phrases it, sing what is a female sound in a male body.

What does it take to enter this field? One must be both courageous and gifted, adventuresome, forward-thinking and extremely agile. The music demands consummate artistry and high hurdles for the voice. Jaroussky “seems to have endless breath, singing long extended lines with total ease,” writes one reviewer.

An Aquarius with Gemini rising, Philippe Jaroussky seems to have what it takes.

According to voice teacher, David Jones, the counter tenor is a voice type often misunderstood, sometimes thought as a ‘freak of nature.’ As to why someone would choose to do this, Jones postulates: “Perhaps this gets attention. It is certainly the aspect of the counter tenor that fascinates audiences.” Jones feels there is a definite personality type connected.

Counter tenors must develop the falsetto voice with such strength that it has power and resonance similar to a full-voiced sound. The lower the original voice, the stronger and more beautiful the falsetto. To do this, they must “hold back tremendous amounts of breath pressure with the body” and have tremendous agility.

Take a look at Jaroussky singing a Vivaldi aria as he wins 2007 Best French lyrical award. This happened at his Saturn Return - of course. Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zQX2XqAE8c .

Now lets look at Jaroussky’s chart. He was born February 13, 1978 in Maisons Lafitte, France. He studied violin first, receiving a diploma in violin performance from the Paris Conservatory, department of Ancient Music. In 1996, he began vocal studies and made the decision to be a counter tenor.

Sun in Aquarius gives him the ability to span centuries and always want what’s new and different. Most of the works for counter tenors are Monteverdi (this is going waaay back), Vivaldi, Handel … Baroque. They are so old they are new. Being bored with the status quo is what Aquarius is all about. Making this decision is the sort of offbeat things Aquarians do. With that extremely objective mind and good powers of observation, he could study the field and find a niche, just quirky enough, that would really make his career go. After all, he could be just another of the hundreds, even thousands, of baritones out there.

The incredible agility is typical of Gemini rising. They are extremely active by nature. Take a look at his face and vocal movements and then listen to how fast he talks when he receives the award. It’s quick as Mercury. Gemini rising needs to be involved in many things, and all the travel this sort of career requires should be especially enjoyable to him. He went from violin, to voice, and then formed his own instrumental ensemble, Artaserse. That was something NEW he could do.

With Mercury in 14 degrees Aquarius, we seal the deal. An original thinker who enjoys shocking others. Well what were we saying. There is always fascination when we hear/watch a counter tenor. This Mercury demands mental and intellectual stimulation, and this is something to learn that requires that sort of work.

The discipline and breathwork it takes, is in the Taurus moon. Along with this incredible agility there is the steadiness and calmness. The Moon is how the person feels. While he is cavorting all over the musical scale, he’s very centered. If you watch the video you will notice that he is not the slightest bit nervous. This is a mercurial energy, not nervous energy, and it plays against a solid backbeat. We get the sense this performance - extremely rigorous - does not exhaust him, as it might someone with another sign and rising sign.

Enjoying being offbeat it also in his Mercury at 14 Degrees Aquarius and his Venus at 29 degrees. He even attracts friends who are exciting, different, and sometimes even odd.

With his chart, he would become angry easily if he felt he were slighted (wonder what would’ve happened had he not gotten the award), and it’s best he show it and deal with it immediately. His fluid emotional expressions would reveal that he probably does this, in a very fluid manner, which is the best style for him. He is obviously thrilled to receive the award, and would never think of hiding it.

Yes, with Jupiter in 26 degrees Gemini, he just loves a big problem to work on, and has the ability to grasp abstractions and a powerful intellect. As any voice teacher will tell you, you have to set aside ego and go after something like counter tenor, and almost from an intellectual standpoint, as it is not something that ever comes “naturally” to someone.

Philippe Jaroussky, a man to watch. And to listen to. Absolutely beautiful.

A Nutt asked:


There have been many pianists in the 500 years since the piano was invented. However, the majority of them were mediocre, some were good and a very few were absolutely stunning. Many of those who made it to this list began their musical training at a very young age which allowed them to perfect their talent early on. This article will take a look at a handful of the most amazing pianists ever.

1. Sergei Rachmaninoff. Known for having the largest hands of all the most famous pianists, Rachmaninoff was able to span up to 14 notes at a time and he made use of this ability in his compositions, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, 8 Preludes, and others.

2. Josef Hoffman. This young prodigy began performing piano concerts at the tender age of six and at 12, he was the first recorded musician, working with Thomas Edison to create the first musical recordings.

3. Ludwig Van Beethoven. This young German composer and pianist was famous for his talent on the piano and the fact that he continued to both play and compose after losing his hearing at the age of 26.

4. Vladimir Horowitz. Perhaps one of the best known pianists of the 20th century, Horowitz studied under Felix Blumenfeld and Sergei Tarnowsky. He is well known for his ability to play strong pieces creatively rather than simply banging away on the keys.

5. Fredric Chopin. Chopin is often one of the first composers that young piano students play. He was also a child prodigy, often compared to Mozart. Steeped in the world of music from a young age, he was already playing and trying to compose at the age of six.

6. Wolfgang Mozart. One of the most famous child prodigies, Mozart was playing piano at age three and by five, he had begun to compose songs which were written down by his devoted father. He went on to give concerts from a very young age.

7. Franz Liszt. A virtuoso pianist, this Hungarian began his career at a fairly young age, though little information is available during this period of his life. It is known that not only was he an excellent pianist, he could also play several other instruments, including the cello.

8. Walter Wilhelm Gieseking. Gieseking was unique in that he supposedly never practiced on a piano. Instead, he would sit for hours in complete silence, playing the songs in his mind. Mostly self-taught, the pianist would then perform the piece flawlessly.

9. Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli. A more recent pianist, Michelangeli honed his talent to perfection, producing recordings that were nearly perfect even when unedited. He was notorious for randomly canceling concerts and for his intense focus on the tiny details of the music, often forgetting the big picture.

10. Alfred Cortot. Well known for his amazing recordings and variations of the likes of Chopin, Brahms, Liszt, and many other famous composers. He also added his own variations and twists to the most common of compositions, turning them into something unique and special.

Any list of the greatest pianists is going to be somewhat subjective. Each person has their own preference and there are plenty of great pianists who simply didn’t fit onto this list of the top ten. However, you can be sure that the ones who did make it here are truly great pianists and definitely worth listening to when you have the chance. Many of them dedicated their lives to their music and some died while still playing and recording it.



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John Schlismann asked:


Art and music has always been an integral part of any society; no matter how basic and primitive or complex and advanced. Art is the cultural output of a society that reflects its attitudes, values, morals, and what it considers ideal and beautiful. Art truly is one of the great measures of a civilization and is a window into what a particular culture thought and valued.

The first art forms that we have recorded go back to ancient times before the classical eras of Greeks and Romans. Venus of Willendorf is estimated to have been created in 20,000 B.C. and is a crude statue which probably represents female fertility. Five thousand years later artistic drawings are created on a cave wall in what is now modern-day France. The art shows animals moving in their natural environment. The first major artists in which we have an extensive amount of work were the Ancient Egyptians. There construction of temples, pyramids, sphinxes are all amazing for a time 2500 years before Christ. Much of there artistic accomplishments stand and can be seen today in museums and the Desert. The most recognized form of ancient art would be the Greek and Roman style which produced stunning temples, coliseums. The ancients were most noted for the architectural achievements. Not much is known about ancient music because nothing survived as record of there achievements. Speculation was that the music was probably folksy and lively depending on the area in which it was played. The ancients set the stage for artistic masters to come.

With the coming of Christianity the arts has a new patron, and the Christian Church and its theology will become the dominate subject of the majority of the artistic and musical creations over the next 1000 years. The influence of Christendom was first observed in the Roman period but not until the Medieval and Romanesque periods did Christianity completely dominate Western art. In music the Church put together different monophonic chants such as the Gregorian chant to celebrate Mass. The composers are unknown and there rhythms derived from Latin texts. The Gothic period started in 1100AD and continued until 1400AD. The greatest achievements of this period would be in architecture. The Gothic Cathedral becomes an icon of the Church’s power with its new style including elements such as the pointed arch, the pinnacle, flying buttress, nave, and double aisle. Artwork is almost exclusively controlled by the church and the era brought forth such masterpieces as The Annunciation by Simone Martini, Lamination of Christ by Giotto di Bondone. The music of the Gothic era developed into polyphony and the organum was developed. The Gothic era brought to a close the virtual total control the church had over the arts.

Art reached completely new heights when it was able to break away from the strict controls of the Church in the Renaissance period from 1400-1600. The greatest artists and sculptors in history such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci came from the Renaissance. Much of the art was still religious in nature as shown in many of Michelangelo’s works but artists like Leonardo were breaking away at times from strictly religious painting as shown in his Mona Lisa. Artists used the same basics as the Gothic artists when it came to line, space, color and formal organization but the humanistic movement of the renaissance brought a whole new aspect to the arts. Humanism brought a different organization of the basic elements of art as used during the Gothic period. Renaissance artists used linear perspective and their colors were brilliantly polychromatic in their paintings. An important tenant held by many renaissance artists was that art must be true to nature. The obsession these artists had with accuracy, creativity and the aesthetic ideal led to one of the most important and beautiful artistic eras of history.

The Baroque and Rococo periods immediately followed the Romantic era, and were full of ornamentation and artistic excess. The term baroque (from Portuguese barroco) translates into “pearl of irregular form”. The Baroque period produced such artists as Rembrandt and new uses of shadowing and color became very apparent in paintings. The artistic excess of the Baroque was mostly seen in its architecture which was thought of as an inferior overly ornamentation laden copy of the Renaissance style. The music of the Baroque period emphasized “melodies that were broad and sing able, and harmonies which were rich and full of Pathos. The Baroque period saw the expansion of the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation. Artists such as Rembrandt van Rign were Protestant and Peter Paul Rubens was instrumental in the Catholic response. Great composers such as Handel and Bach came out of this period.

Following the excessiveness of the Baroque came the Classical period which only lasted about fifty years but produced some of the greatest musical talent in History. The Classical period was in response to the excessiveness of the Baroque and stressed perfection of form. Great composers such as Franz Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart came from this era. The classical ideal of perfection of form was exhibited in art, architecture and music. The artistic and architectural accomplishments of the period are not terribly significant other than it inspired the Romantic period as a response. New instruments become commonplace such as the piano, the violin, viola, cello ect… The Classical period’s emphasis on perfection, led to some of the most beautiful music in history.

The Romantic period saw a great surge in creativity in the artistic realm and the music just kept on evolving into the beautiful works of Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler and Verdi. The romantic era was one of emotion as the world was going through crisis and change. The Romantic artists emphasized freedom and free expression. Many of the paintings showed revolutionary scenes such as Delacroix’s “Liberty Leading People” painting created in 1831. Following the Romantic period was the Impressionist period which was mainly concerned with how light affected color in painting. A lot of landscapes were painted and the artist tried to increase the Romantic effort to create feeling. Famous impressionist artists include Monet, Manet, and Renoir.

After the Impressionist movement the Modernistic movement starts the focus of the artist is on creating things that are new and unique in both music and art. Much of the art is basic and tries to represent emotions and the events that are going on in our technological society.

Art and music throughout the ages has gone through many different stages of development and has had its peaks and downfalls. This class has given me a better understanding of the history of the arts and what I consider to be aesthetically pleasing. I look forward to learning more and will continue to develop artistic appreciation as I expose myself to the arts.



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Shilpa Rao asked:


The system of Indian classical music known as Raga Sangeet can be traced back nearly two thousand years to its origin in the Vedic hymns of the Hindu temples. Unlike Western classical music which has written scores, an Indian classical performance is based on improvisation, and anywhere from 10% to 90% of the performance could be extempore, depending on the creative imagination of the artist. The music is rendered orally to the disciple by his guru, popularly known as guru-shishya (teacher-student) parampara (tradition).

The very heart of Indian music is the raga, the melodic form upon which the artist improvises his performance. A raga is a scientific, precise, subtle and aesthetic melodic form with its own ascending and descending movement consisting of either a full seven-note octave or a series of six or five notes.

Every raga is characterized by its own particular mood. The acknowledged order of these nine sentiments, or emotions, is as follows: romantic and erotic, humorous, pathetic, anger, heroic, fearful, disgust, amazement and peaceful. Each raga, in addition to being associated with a particular mood, is also closely connected to a particular time of day or a season of the year. Thus through the rich melodies and rhythm of Indian music, every human emotion, every subtle feeling in man and nature, can be musically expressed and experienced.

In terms of aesthetics, a raga is the projection of the artist’s inner spirit: a manifestation of his most profound feelings and sensibilities. The musician breathes life into each raga as he unfolds and expands it so that each note shimmers and pulsates with life and the raga is revealed vibrant and incandescent with beauty.

The tala, or rhythmic cycle of a raga, plays an equally important role in expressing the mood. There is a unique relationship between melody and rhythm. The intricacies depict the complexities and sophistication with which they are woven together. The division in a taal and the stress on the first beat, called sum, are the most important feature. The most exciting moment for a seasoned listener is when both the musicians, after their individual improvisations, come back together on the sum.

Today, Indian classical music is a permanent part of Western culture. Many composers and musicians have been influenced by our music. The openness, will to learn, and sincere enthusiasm of Western audiences are a continuing source of inspiration and delight. Indian music is one of the highest forms of music existing and nourished through its rich cultural heritage.



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Duane Shinn asked:


Will learning to play a musical instument make you more intelligent? Could the brain grow larger than normal by learning to play a musical instrument? Questions such as these have been arising everywhere over the past few years and not only in science journals either. The interest of the general public in these studies involving music and the development of the brain has led to the publishing of many articles, to the delight of music-lovers everywhere. But all the information gathered, the reliable and the questionable, has left many still confused about how much importance should be put on use of musical training for brain development.

If your feeling confused about what you have learned, certain valid points considered may help clear your thinking. It seems that the most benefit is derived from early musical training when it comes to strengthening the connectors in the brain and creating new pathways. Research demonstrates the definite influence that music training has on the long-term development of specific parts of the brain. The research findings of Gottfried Schlaug, Herman Steinmetz and their associates were published in Discover magazine in 1994. They did a comparison of 27 classically trained right handed musicians with 27 right handed non-musicians using a technique called MRI, abbreviated for magnetic resonance images. Their findings revealed that the planum temporale (the brain’s auditory processor) was larger in the left hemisphere and smaller in the right in comparison with the group of non-musicians. Musicians who started training before the age of seven had even more outstanding differences. The differences were especially notable among musicians who started early training, specifically before the age of seven. Shlaug claims that the study of music also promotes enlargement of the corpus callosum, a bridge of sorts between the brain’s two hemispheres. He discovered that among musicians who began their musical education before seven years of age, their corpus callosum was thicker by 10-15% compared to non-musicians. It was suspected that a larger corpus callosum improves motor control by making a faster connection between the hemispheres of the brain.

Later research published in a 2002 issue of Science magazine showed the results of a study conducted by Dartmouth music psychologist Peter Janata which confirmed that music is one of the best stimulants for improved connectivity between the right and left hemispheres of the brain and between areas responsible for emotion and memory. A team of scientists led by Janata reports that with musicians, they have found certain areas of the brain to be 5% larger, and specifically the auditory cortex in expert musicians, up to 15% larger than people with little or no musical background. In addition, those who started studying music early in childhood have increased development of up to 15% in the brain area called the corpus callosum, which is a four-inch bundle of nerve fibers connecting the left and right side of the brain. There is growing evidence that detailed and even skilled motor functions are enhanced, besides the growing evidence from research studies that some brain region connectivity, as well as some types of reasoning functionality is improved by music training. The corpus callosum in musicians is evidently essential to the performance of such tasks as the coordination of fingers. As any muscle must grow to accommodate the tasks at hand, this portion of the brain also grows to make one more proficient at these necessary musical skills.

In a study conducted by Dr. Timo Krings and reported on in Neuroscience Letters 2000, non-musicians and pianists of the same age and gender were asked to complete a series of intricate finger movements. In this study, pianists and non-musicians of the same age and gender were asked to perform sequences of complex finger movements. Correct movements were noted by both groups, but less activity was seen in the brains of the pianists. The conclusion drawn by the researchers was that the pianists’ brains make skilled moves with less effort. There are a staggering number of ways that the human brain and its development are affected thanks to the study of music. With all this research at your fingertips, how do you decide what type of musical studies will benefit yourself or your children?

An article by N.M. Weinberger published in Musica Research Notes in 2002 made an interesting point about how the Mozart Effect, although not living up to it’s musical hype, has raised the public eye to the research being conducted in the field of music. Listening to just a few minutes of Mozart invites a whole new world of musical possibilities to the listener. The academic evidence discovered for using music study as a tool to aid brain development is compelling, even with the hype regarding the Mozart Effect. Dr. Frank Wilson from the University of California’s School of Medicine in San Francisco says his research reveals improvement in coordination, concentration, memory, eyesight and hearing when a person engages in practicing the art of music.

According to Frank Wilson’s research, learning to play an instrument brings about these benefits: better coordination, improved concentration, memory, eyesight and hearing. According to Wilson, all other activity pales in comparison to musical training which refines the entire neurological system by improving connections and motor skills in the brain. Dr. Wilson says that he believes musical instruction is vital for total brain development.

The conclusion we draw from what we’ve learned is that studying music can be an important tool to enhance various important functions of the brain. Therefore, if you are a lover of music, pick up that musical instrument you have always wanted to learn and get started today - you have much to gain.



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Noel Jameson asked:


Mozart quotes may very well be some of the most humorous, enlightening and sometimes even morbid quotes around. While it’s true one might not associate comedy or morbidity with Mozart, the fact of the matter is that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was not just a musical genius, he was quite the character. As we celebrate his birth this month, let us get to know him better with these ten quotes.

1. “To talk well and eloquently is a very great art, but that an equally great one is to know the right moment to stop.”

2. “Melody is the essence of music. I compare a good melodist to a fine racer, and counterpoints to hack post-horses.”

3. “I must give you a piece of intelligence that you perhaps already know — namely, that the ungodly arch-villain Voltaire has died miserably like a dog — just like a brute. That is his reward!”

4. “All I insist on, and nothing else, is that you should show the whole world that you are not afraid. Be silent; but when it is necessary, speak  and speak in such a way that people will remember it.”

5. “One must not make oneself cheap here - that is a cardinal point - or else one is done. Whoever is most impertinent has the best chance.”

6. “I write as a sow piddles.”

7. “I pay no attention whatever to anybody’s praise or blame. I simply follow my own feelings.”

8. “I thank my God for graciously granting me the opportunity of learning that death is the key which unlocks the door to our true happiness.”

9. “We say that the hour of death cannot be forecast, but when we say this we imagine that hour as placed in an obscure and distant future. It never occurs to us that it has any connection with the day already begun or that death could arrive this same afternoon, this afternoon which is so certain and which has every hour filled in advance.”

10. “When I am, as it were, completely myself, entirely alone, and of good cheer - say traveling in a carriage, or walking after a good meal, or during the night when I cannot sleep - it is on such occasions that my ideas flow best, and most abundantly. Whence and how they come, I know not, nor can I force them.”

A look inside the mind of a genius — it’s not something we come across often. As we remember the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart this month, let’s reflect on how faceted his character was with these Mozart quotes above.

Shilpa Rao asked:


The system of Indian classical music known as Raga Sangeet can be traced back nearly two thousand years to its origin in the Vedic hymns of the Hindu temples. Unlike Western classical music which has written scores, an Indian classical performance is based on improvisation, and anywhere from 10% to 90% of the performance could be extempore, depending on the creative imagination of the artist. The music is rendered orally to the disciple by his guru, popularly known as guru-shishya (teacher-student) parampara (tradition).

The very heart of Indian music is the raga, the melodic form upon which the artist improvises his performance. A raga is a scientific, precise, subtle and aesthetic melodic form with its own ascending and descending movement consisting of either a full seven-note octave or a series of six or five notes.

Every raga is characterized by its own particular mood. The acknowledged order of these nine sentiments, or emotions, is as follows: romantic and erotic, humorous, pathetic, anger, heroic, fearful, disgust, amazement and peaceful. Each raga, in addition to being associated with a particular mood, is also closely connected to a particular time of day or a season of the year. Thus through the rich melodies and rhythm of Indian music, every human emotion, every subtle feeling in man and nature, can be musically expressed and experienced.

In terms of aesthetics, a raga is the projection of the artist’s inner spirit: a manifestation of his most profound feelings and sensibilities. The musician breathes life into each raga as he unfolds and expands it so that each note shimmers and pulsates with life and the raga is revealed vibrant and incandescent with beauty.

The tala, or rhythmic cycle of a raga, plays an equally important role in expressing the mood. There is a unique relationship between melody and rhythm. The intricacies depict the complexities and sophistication with which they are woven together. The division in a taal and the stress on the first beat, called sum, are the most important feature. The most exciting moment for a seasoned listener is when both the musicians, after their individual improvisations, come back together on the sum.

Today, Indian classical music is a permanent part of Western culture. Many composers and musicians have been influenced by our music. The openness, will to learn, and sincere enthusiasm of Western audiences are a continuing source of inspiration and delight. Indian music is one of the highest forms of music existing and nourished through its rich cultural heritage.

Daniel E. Friedman asked:


What’s the best piano you’ve ever played on? What’s the worst? Can the quality of pianos that are used for composing and performing seriously affect your musical output? Here are some thoughts.

Two of the most remarkable pianos ever built are the nine foot Steinway and the nine-and-a-half foot Bosendorfer. The Bosendorfer is more of a conversation piece because of its additional low notes, used for extra resonance when playing the sustain pedal. Both brands are of the highest quality, and produce a sound and key action second to none.

There are so many quality brands these days that deserve honorable mention. Heintzman pianos are generally gems and Yamaha are producing wonderful instruments. I could go on, but I’d rather talk about lousy pianos. It’s more fun.

Terrifying pianos are just another name for poorly maintained pianos. Although these types of pianos can be found virtually anywhere, occasionally they are found in schools and in retirement homes. What a shame!

A bad piano in a school supplies students with a lesser music education. Musical demonstrations by an instructor are out of tune and private piano tutoring is a disastrous effort on such instruments.

Retirement homes with bad pianos are truly a tragic circumstance. Just because residents in a home are retired, doesn’t mean that the poor piano has to retire from a life of tuning and maintenance. Yours truly encountered one such piano in a retirement home in Baltimore, Maryland. The year was 1988, and it was the year that I came closest to breaking a finger. While playing a Chopin study (opus. 10 no. 8), my right hand third finger actually got stuck in between two black notes!

Ouch! One of the black keys was too close to the adjacent black key, either through poor construction or through some sort or warping process over time (probably the latter). The otherwise happy Chopin Etude must have had a painful emotional feel to it from about the midway point of the composition until its conclusion. Thankfully, this was the last piece on the program. Suffice to say, there were no encores.

Here’s another gem of a piano. When first arriving at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, I was invited to a house of a friend. After dinner, I was asked by our charming host to perform on their piano for the three couples that were also invited to dinner. On this occasion, I decided to play the Chopin Barcarolle. To my great surprise, the piano was out of tune by more than a semitone. To a composer with perfect pitch, this is a death sentence.

Before going on, no implication was intended in labeling Baltimore and the surrounding areas with an infestation of bad pianos. Two bad pianos in one state is nothing more than an unfortunate coincidence.

From the above past experiences, it can be concluded that badly maintained pianos can most definitely have a negative impact on performers. However, can the quality of a piano actually improve ones output? After all, it can be argued that music comes from within and that true emotion will not be subdued, regardless of the instrument that one is composing or performing on.

In the practical world, good equipment is always an asset. If a piano delivers a quality, singing tone, it becomes addictive to play. That, alone, is an extremely positive consideration. Any composer or performer that has incentive to remain at their instrument for greater lengths of time is bound to produce positive results.

Another point to consider is that a singing tone makes ones soul sing. Any performer or composer that is brought to a state of singing is in a very positive creative place.

As a final thought, a well maintained piano makes for a happy performer, composer and piano. The better the instrument is, the better the chance of a successful emergence of profoundly moving performances and compositions from performers and composers respectively.

Gautamm Mehra asked:


Like everything else in life, we want to know which is the ‘best’ vodka. Which vodka is most superior to others. And like everything else in life, we realize that there is no one single answer. For example, I use the latest Intel Pentium Core Duo Processor, as I require it to power my media center, on the other hand, my Grandfather still uses a 11 year old IBM Thinkpad with 4 MB RAM running Windows 3.11 with Wordpad!

Anyway, back to Vodka. Vodka is defined as a neutral spirit devoid of any distinct characteristics such as odour, taste or colour. Considering the above definition all vodkas should be the same and the brand shouldn’t matter. This is true to some extent, in the sense, that the final product of all the brands are more or less similar to each other and while mixed in a blood mary, there is little or no discernable distinction between them. However, if you plan to have them as shots, on the rocks or in a martini, then you are well advised to consume a premium brand.

There are a lot of vodkas out there. And each one is trying to catch your eye, with refreshing marketing, stylish bottles and happening events. This is because of the above noted fact, that the product is more or less same, and hence, marketing plays a big role.

Okay. Now since we are clear about what vodka actually is, lets look at some of the brands. (If you are interested more about the history and other nuances of Vodka, read my article ‘All About Vodka’) I am not affiliated with any of them and I have no particular favourite among them either. So be assured that whatever is said herein is completely unbiased and in the best interest of vodka.

Lets start with the world best selling vodka. Remember, the phrase is ‘best selling’, it doesn’t make the best vodka on the planet. I guess every vodka drinker knows it. Smirnoff. Smirnoff was the first American brand of Vodka, which was bought over from Vladimir Smirnov of Russia. The Smirnoff No. 21 is the most widely sold vodka in the world and is an extremely good example of classical vodka. It has little discerning character, and does not pamper you with slight flavours or a mellow follow through. If you don’t like to think too much and are on a budget, this is the vodka to go for. Have it chilled and experience the Russian in you. Smirnoff also comes in blue and black labels which are of increasing strength. It has also launched numerous flavoured vodkas such as Green Apple Twist, Citrus Twist, Lemon Twist and many more. They are great to have in martinis and light cocktails.

Next up, Grey Groose. Now this is on that has had its fair share of Hollywood exposure. You can hear almost every celebrity asking for a Grey Goose Martini. This vodka brand is truly a marketing brilliance. Winter wheat being distilled with natural spring waters in a French Distillery is surely going to make some heads turn. It is this approach to vodka, that has made Grey Goose a brand to reckon with. But, nothing to be taken away, this is really great vodka to have in your martini. It comes in three flavours: L’Orange, Le Citron and La Vanille. The Citron is great to have in a Lemon Drop Martini.

The third among the most marketed brands is Absolut. This Swedish vodka has the one of the largest number of flavoured vodkas in the market. Its global marketing strategy seems to have paid off in recent times and is considered to be a truly superior vodka in many places in the world. Its neutral variety comes in blue and red labels with increasing strengths. The red bottle (50 % vol) is a really smooth spirit with almost no discernarable taste of its own. The blue bottle mixes extremely well with almost all mixers and makes it great in most cocktails. The flavoured varieties too are very good and for the adventurous there are no dearth of varieties to try from.

Now, lets move onto the lesser marketed, premium brands. I’ll start with what most vodka drinkers and experts consider a truly great and ‘almost perfect’ vodka. Stolichnaya is what it claims to be “a true Russian vodka”. It was founded at the Cristill Distillery in Moscow and is now manufactured in ex-Soviet republics (Kazakhstan and Ukraine). It is quadruple distilled though quartz sand and finally passed through a woven cloth, to give you a vodka free from any flavours or odours. This one is great to have on the rocks.

Next on the list is Belvedere. This is a Polish vodka. However, unlike other Polish vodka this one is made from rye rather than potatoes. The experts are always confused about this one. Many hold it in high regard, while others suggest that the other brands mentioned here, are far superior. For the record, I like it. Still one could argue that with so many different brands with better marketing and ?brand appeal?, this vodka still leaves you with something to desire more from.

Our last entry on this discussion would be Belvedere’s sibling: Chopin. However, unlike its sibling, Chopin is made from potatoes; the way authentic polish vodka should. Even though for many years, potato based vodkas have been frowned upon by Russians as inferior, the truth lies in the fact, that with the right distillery, whatever be the ingredient, you can produce superior vodka. And Chopin is a great example of the same. This vodka is crisp and has a sweet and sour green apple tinge to it. It’s the only potato based vodka that is held with such high regard and just for this sake, I urge you to try it at least once. Your Polish experience will definitely be worth it.

There are some other lovely vodka brands as well. Vox, Ketel One, Three Olives and Jewel Of Russia are just a few to name. Vodka, like other spirits, is full of tradition and variety. And to cover all would be an arduous if not impossible task. I hope not to offend anybody with my views. They are mine and others may not agree. As I always maintain wines and spirits are very personal in nature. The best wine or spirit is always the one you enjoy most! With that I humbly conclude this article. Hope you enjoyed it, as much as I need writing it.