The allure of the soundtrack in figure skating: Tchaikovsky wins bronze in Sochi

Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov of Russia compete during the Figure Skating Pairs Short Program on day four of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Iceberg Skating Palace on February 11, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Getty Images)

SOCHI, February 13, 2014 - The Free Skating pairs is the most romantic love story in sports. On the ice, the couples draw on emotion, feeling, and complicity. 

The audience is enchanted by the elegance of their movement and timing. Above all, however, the charm of the sport comes from the poetry that the skaters express, reconciling excellent technique and interpretation. 

In the background is the music. Over the years the greatest compositions of musical history has been the soundtrack during the performances in Olympic pairs skating: the arches, percussions, trumpets and applause: this is a discipline that never goes out of fashion at the Olympic games. The public loves its stars and dreams of real-life romance and happy endings, even when the romance is not really there.

THE FINAL

This 22nd edition of the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi has been a dream come true for the pair skating home heroes from Russia Tatiana Volosozhar (27) and Maxim Trankov (30), as the red, blue and white crowd cheered them on to gold and filled the Iceberg Palace with energy. Second place was reserved for the younger Russian couple, Ksenya Stolbova (21) and Fedor Klimov (23,) followed by the veteran Germans Aliona Savchenko (30) and Robin Szolkowy (34), four-time world champions in the last five years. Their choice of music for the free program, "The Nutcracker," written by the classical Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky, introduces us to the point – how much does the music actually influence the performances we see? And how much does the crowd – further excited by the tunes and rhythms of the routine - influence the jury in figure skating?

OVATION

Looking at the choices made by the top three couples of the world, the medalists in this last edition of the Olympic Games, some things become clear. In the short program, they spurred the crowds on with exciting themes such as the Latino-rhythm "Surrender" by Jesse Cook used by Stolbova and Klimov and the classic melodies of "Pink Panther" selected by Savchenko and Szolkowi. The traditional and high-impact figure skating piece Masquerade Waltz by Aram Chatchaturian was chosen by gold medalists Volosozhar and Trankov. And a standing ovation received them at the Iceberg Palace -  Russian flags decked the stands and unique cries of "Ra-si-a" filling the air.

FREE PROGRAM 

The musical transposition of the ending results makes us think that Jesus Christ Superstar can beat Tchaikovsky in his own country, in between, another classic tune, "The Addams Family" selected by Stolbova and Kilmov, defeating the brilliant Russian composer. As we look back through history, we see that there are several themes being used again and again by couples, but also, that one thing is clear: in the last five Winter Olympic Games, no medal has been delivered to the same soundtrack. Seasoned and expert journalists admit that is an inevitable possibility for the jury to be influenced by the enthusiasm of people clapping to the rhythm of a performance or shouting the names of their heroes. But originality still seems to be guaranteed, and valued above all, in the discipline that combine rules and feelings, technique and interpretation…through the skates, through the ice, through the music.

Below, you can find the data compiled by Sonja Nikcevic, AIPS Young Reporter from Serbia, concerning the pair skating medalists, and the songs they performed to at the last five Winter Olympic Games.

Sochi 2014

Gold: Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov - Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber

Silver: Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov - The Addams Family by Marc Shaiman

Bronze: Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy - The Nutcracker by Pyotr Tchaikovsky 

Vancouver 2010

Gold: Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo - Adagio in G Minor - by Tomaso Albinoni

Silver: Pang Qing and Tong Jian - Impossible Dream (Man of La Mancha Soundtrack)

Bronze: Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy - Out of Africa Soundtrack by John Barry

Turin 2006

Gold: Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin - Romeo and Juliet (1968) Soundtrack by Nino Rota

Silver: Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao - The Offspring of Dragons by Hou De Jian

Bronze: Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo - Un Bel Di Vedremo (from Madame Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini)

Salt Lake City 2002

Gold:  Jamie Salé and David Pelletier – Love Story Soundtrack by Francis Lai

Gold:  Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze - Meditation from Thais by Jules Massenet

Bronze:  Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo - Violin Fantasy on Puccini's Turandot

Nagano 1998

Gold: Oksana Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev – Passacaglia by George Frideric Handel

Silver: Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze - Dark Eyes by Hollywood Bowl Orchestra

Bronze: Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer - Wings of Hope/ In Memory from Moods of Indigo by Danny Wright