Reflection- a cover song from the movie Mulan

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Movie soundtracks can be so good. Some songs are great representations of iconic moments in the movie.

So it can be frustrating when you try to play a written out cover version of the song, only to discover it is just a pale comparison to the original. This is my review of Reflection from The Big Book of Disney.

This version of Reflection was clearly meant to try to put the piece in the lower half of the cello range.

I am not quite sure why since if it was put in a higher octave it would at least be closer to the original. To top it off, it isn’t even in the original key. This would not be a big deal, but then why start the piece in the harder key of B if it isn’t even the original? Efforts to put the main part of the piece in the easy key of D is a good idea, but the whole range of notes the music contains just seems very unnatural.

You can hear from my recording that the range is very low as if it was a masculine Mulan, and it just doesn’t seem as satisfying to listen to. (I’ll work on my own version put in a more appealing octave of the cello!) Plus, some of the actual notes and rhythms are simplified compared to the original versions~ pop version or movie version. In this recording, I am strictly playing what is printed on the page, and while you can recognize the tune, it just seems very mechanical.

This version is great for beginner cello players!

Once a player becomes more advanced though, it is always good to strive to make a cover song more like the original, or at least have a more honest personal take on it. Looking forward to trying out the other Disney songs in this book and hopefully they are more satisfying arrangements!