Radiohead ‘Reckoner’ For Orchestra #7






“Can’t take it with you’”

Something about those lyrics really mean a lot to me. This arrangement was at the request of Twitter founder Jack Dorsey and Digg‘s Kevin Rose. I met them at IWNY and Diggnation respectively, and after finding out they were fans of Radiohead thought it would be neat to arrange this for them. I use their sites, and thought of it as a ‘thank you’ of some sort. And I made a video for it. I hope everyone likes it, it took me quite some time.

When I choose a song, I understand that I’ll be spending a lot of time with it. There are times when I dislike a song I’m arranging but have to live with it, or eventually get sick of it. Luckily, Radiohead ‘Reckoner’ grew on me pretty strongly. After a few days I began looping it for hours while I was walking somewhere or was waiting at the train station. I started depicting the lyrical meaning of the song and really getting involved in their song structure and repertoire.

There’s something authentic and beautiful about arranging a song for orchestra. Maybe its the ‘honesty’ of it… forcing to strip down the parts to true acoustic instruments. Or maybe it’s just the orchestra itself, being such an amazing ensemble to arrange for. Or maybe its’ the freshness of hearing an arrangement remix in such an extreme fashion.

Whatever it is, Radiohead’s music is beautiful. ‘Can’t take it with you’.


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By WaltRibeiro on Jul - 21 - 2009 -- Categories: Covers, Songs     34 COMMENTS
  • http://sophos-realm.blogspot.com Sophos

    oh gosh, this is great. well done!

  • http://sophos-realm.blogspot.com Sophos

    oh gosh, this is great. well done!

  • http://alonn3notlon3liiviicoop.blogspot.com viicOop

    ii wasZ cUriiOous oOf jack’sZ tweet..Lolzz..actUallii ii alwaiisZ r3ad hiisZ twiittsZ..Lolzz..nOt stUckiing hiim..Lolzz..iit’sZ jUsZt amaZiing tO mii hOw can U cOmmuniicatt3 wiith iimpOrtant p3Ople as hiim..ii m3an h3 h3lp cr3atte Twiitt3r..amasZiing..huh:?..Lolzz

  • http://alonn3notlon3liiviicoop.blogspot.com viicOop

    ii wasZ cUriiOous oOf jack’sZ tweet..Lolzz..actUallii ii alwaiisZ r3ad hiisZ twiittsZ..Lolzz..nOt stUckiing hiim..Lolzz..iit’sZ jUsZt amaZiing tO mii hOw can U cOmmuniicatt3 wiith iimpOrtant p3Ople as hiim..ii m3an h3 h3lp cr3atte Twiitt3r..amasZiing..huh:?..Lolzz

  • http://alonn3notlon3liiviicoop.blogspot.com viicOop

    lUb iit<3*
    classiicaL mUsiik iisZ alwaiisZ gOod ;)

  • http://alonn3notlon3liiviicoop.blogspot.com viicOop

    lUb iit<3*
    classiicaL mUsiik iisZ alwaiisZ gOod ;)

  • http://alittleclarity.wordpress.com Merredith

    Walt, this is truly wonderful. I hadn’t heard your other arrangements, I confess — but now will look for them. ‘Reckoner’ is one of my favorite Radiohead songs (and magically, on “Shuffle,” it seems fine sandwiched nearly anywhere).

    I will return here again and again. Thank you for spending the time with this. Magical.

  • http://alittleclarity.wordpress.com Merredith

    Walt, this is truly wonderful. I hadn’t heard your other arrangements, I confess — but now will look for them. ‘Reckoner’ is one of my favorite Radiohead songs (and magically, on “Shuffle,” it seems fine sandwiched nearly anywhere).

    I will return here again and again. Thank you for spending the time with this. Magical.

  • http://www.radioheadchile.com Radioheadchile.com

    Realmente, gracias.

  • http://www.radioheadchile.com Radioheadchile.com

    Realmente, gracias.

  • Jacob

    Hey, the music is really good but please don’t feel required to include the orchestra clips in there if they don’t apply to the music. It’s almost more distracting to have an orchestra that it not playing the music that is being heard. (just a suggestion)

    I would love to hear Bones by The Killers.

  • Jacob

    Hey, the music is really good but please don’t feel required to include the orchestra clips in there if they don’t apply to the music. It’s almost more distracting to have an orchestra that it not playing the music that is being heard. (just a suggestion)

    I would love to hear Bones by The Killers.

  • Michael

    I really like the concept. I’m always playing Radiohead on the piano or attempting to write their song for different instrument combos.

    This is all my own subjective view: For me, what would really make this arrangement shine is a relaxed, flowing melody. Right now you have a few winds piercing each note of the melody as if it’s a line that should be in the background. What makes the original version so captivating to me is Thom’s powerful falsetto.

    If you used EWQL or VSL, I’d love to hear what it would sound like with a mix of legato samples playing the melody.

  • Michael

    I really like the concept. I’m always playing Radiohead on the piano or attempting to write their song for different instrument combos.

    This is all my own subjective view: For me, what would really make this arrangement shine is a relaxed, flowing melody. Right now you have a few winds piercing each note of the melody as if it’s a line that should be in the background. What makes the original version so captivating to me is Thom’s powerful falsetto.

    If you used EWQL or VSL, I’d love to hear what it would sound like with a mix of legato samples playing the melody.

  • Kenny

    I agree with Jacob about the orchestra – on first seeing the clips I thought this might be the blog of Michael Tilson-Thomas (since that appears to be him conducting), but then I started noticing that the strings always seemed to be playing something quite different in the video than in the audio, and similarly with the percussion (the winds weren’t as obvious). If you really want to include images of an orchestra playing, why not use actual footage from the recording? I suppose those musicians wouldn’t be all dressed up for a concert, but maybe you could get them to do it?

  • Kenny

    I agree with Jacob about the orchestra – on first seeing the clips I thought this might be the blog of Michael Tilson-Thomas (since that appears to be him conducting), but then I started noticing that the strings always seemed to be playing something quite different in the video than in the audio, and similarly with the percussion (the winds weren’t as obvious). If you really want to include images of an orchestra playing, why not use actual footage from the recording? I suppose those musicians wouldn’t be all dressed up for a concert, but maybe you could get them to do it?

  • Jimbo

    Very cool arrangements and sound…

  • Jimbo

    Very cool arrangements and sound…

  • http://www.kleinerosakuchen.twoday.net Nancy

    OMG! This is so so so great! Thanks so much, i love it!

  • http://www.kleinerosakuchen.twoday.net Nancy

    OMG! This is so so so great! Thanks so much, i love it!

  • Elena

    Is there sheet music for this?

  • Elena

    Is there sheet music for this?

  • http://www.fororchestra.com WaltRibeiro

    Not yet :) I’m working on it overtime!

  • http://www.fororchestra.com Walt Ribeiro

    Not yet :) I’m working on it overtime!

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  • Anonymous

    love it man … thanks for doing this

    • http://www.fororchestra.com WaltRibeiro

      thanks for listening. i hope to do more radiohead soon. are they your favorite band?

      • Anonymous

        Not really sure if I have a favorite band. My musical tastes are all over the place. Although I will say that my current favorite is a UK artist called Burial. I don’t know if you could do an orchestral version though as the real beauty of his music is in the “dirty” and subtle electronic sounds … almost sounds like a mistake, but it’s intentional (skipping vinyl sounds , change falling on a desk, warped vocals etc..) I’ve listed two links below. The second link is of a new song that he recently did with Thom Yorke of Radiohead (which is partially why i mentioned this artist) I do love the new Radiohead album though. Thanks again Walt!

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlEkvbRmfrA (2007) Archangel

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ_Yu_4zeo0 (2011) Brand New with Thome Yorke.

        • http://www.fororchestra.com WaltRibeiro

          listening to them now. wow, i don’t think they would translate well :( although i like the skipping and stuttering of the first one and the ambience of the second one!

  • Anonymous

    love it man … thanks for doing this

    • http://www.fororchestra.com WaltRibeiro

      thanks for listening. i hope to do more radiohead soon. are they your favorite band?

      • Anonymous

        Not really sure if I have a favorite band. My musical tastes are all over the place. Although I will say that my current favorite is a UK artist called Burial. I don’t know if you could do an orchestral version though as the real beauty of his music is in the “dirty” and subtle electronic sounds … almost sounds like a mistake, but it’s intentional (skipping vinyl sounds , change falling on a desk, warped vocals etc..) I’ve listed two links below. The second link is of a new song that he recently did with Thom Yorke of Radiohead (which is partially why i mentioned this artist) I do love the new Radiohead album though. Thanks again Walt!

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlEkvbRmfrA (2007) Archangel

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ_Yu_4zeo0 (2011) Brand New with Thome Yorke.

        • http://www.fororchestra.com WaltRibeiro

          listening to them now. wow, i don’t think they would translate well :( although i like the skipping and stuttering of the first one and the ambience of the second one!

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